and not away somewhere," she repeated to
her daughter's urging; nor could she be induced to take any other
viewpoint. So in their rooms they remained, and their only news from
without was transmitted to them from the servants and visitors to the
building. The telephone was out of commission, and Helen felt as
though she were marooned in full sight of a civilization with which she
could not communicate and which afforded her no benefits.

It had been past one o'clock in the morning when Smith had brought her
home from the fire. Long after that the excitement had kept her awake;
but she had fallen asleep at last, and wakened again only when it was
broad day. It was, however, to be one of the longest days in her
calendar, and by noon she felt as though she had been waiting for years
in expectation of she did not know what. She tried to read, but found
it impossible to fix her attention on the book. She began to run over
some operatic scores on the piano, but the sound seemed to ring so
oddly that she gave up this also. Between her mother and herself
conversation languished--and thus the slow hours wore on. She could
not but think how infinitely more desirable it was to be out in the
streets, even though that might mean a certain amount of physical
danger, than to remain in unsatisfactory helplessness thus. If it be
woman's heritage to wait, that heritage certainly did not appeal to
Helen on this occasion. It is doubtful if it ever appeals to any one.

Only two incidents of relief had marked the passage of the dragging
hours. The first was when Smith had called, in the morning, to leave
his suitcase and to promise to return in case the fire should come
dangerously near; the second was a visit from Mr. Silas Osgood. This
latter call occurred in the middle of the afternoon, when the suspense
of doing nothing at all had become almost intolerable and the nerves of
both women had come almost to the snapping point, and they both
consequently greeted him with even more than their usual affection.

"I'm so glad you've come, Uncle Silas, I can hardly speak!" Helen said;
and her mother's welcome, while somewhat less extreme in expression,
was equally sincere.

"I tried to get you on the telephone, but I couldn't, so I thought I'd
better come and see how you were getting on," Mr. Osgood explained.
"I'm glad you're all right. This is a fearful thing, a terrible
business! Nobody knows where it may end."

"Tell us abou