mellow voice carried the air in perfect harmony.

When the hymn was finished the girls turned glowing faces upon Mrs.
Tellingham who, despite a sleepless night, looked fresh and sweet.

"For the first time in the history of Briarwood Hall as a school," she
said, speaking so that all could hear her, "a really serious calamity has
fallen."

"We are all determined upon one thing, I am sure," pursued Mrs.
Tellingham. "We will not worry about what is already done. Water that has
run by the mill will never drive the wheel, you know. We will look forward
to the rebuilding of the West Dormitory, and that as soon as it can
possibly be done."

"Hoo-ray!" cried Jennie Stone, leading a hearty cheer.

"We will have the ruin of the old structure torn away at once."

The murmur of appreciation rose again from the girls assembled.

"I do not recall at this moment just how much insurance was on the West
Dormitory; I leave those details to Doctor Tellingham, and he is now
looking up the papers in the office. But I am sure there is ample to
rebuild, and if all goes well, a new West Dormitory will rise in the place
of these smoking ruins before our patrons and our friends come to our
graduation exercises in June."

"Oh, bully!" cried Ann Hicks, under her breath. "I want Uncle Bill to see
Briarwood at its very best."

"But the dear old ivy never can be replaced," Mercy Curtis murmured to
Ruth.

"We shall endeavor," went on Mrs. Tellingham, smiling, "to repeat in the
new building all the advantages of the old. We shall have everything
replaced, if possible, exactly as it was before the fire."

"There was a big inkspot on my rug," muttered Jennie Stone. "Bet they
can't get _that_ just in the same place again."

"You homeless girls must, in the meanwhile, possess your souls with
patience. The younger girls who had quarters in the West Dormitory will
be made comfortable in the East. But you older girls must be cared for in
a different way.

"Some few I shall take into my own apartments, or otherwise find room for
in the main building here. Some, however, will have to occupy quarters
outside the school premises until the new building is constructed and
ready for occupancy. Arrangements for these quarters I have already made.
And now we can separate for our usual classes and work, with the feeling
that all will come out right and that the new dormitory will be built
within reasonable time."

She ceased speaking. The door near th