would not talk so much about that money; but, of course,
she could not stop them. She made no rejoinder, but looked across the room
and out at the upper pane of one of the long windows. It was deep dusk now
without. The evening was clear, with a rising wind moaning through the
trees on the campus.

Tony Foyle, the old gardener and general handy man, was only now lighting
the lamps along the walks.

"There's a funny red star," Ruth said to Helen. "It can't be that Mars is
rising _there_."

"Where?" queried her chum, lazily, scarcely raising her eyes to look.
Helen was not interested in astronomy.

Nobody else was attracted by the red spark Ruth saw. Against the dusky sky
it grew swiftly A new star----

"It is fire!" gasped Ruth, softly, rising on trembling limbs. "_And it is
in the West Dormitory_!"

CHAPTER IX

THE DEVOURING ELEMENT

Not even Helen heard Ruth's whispered words. She went on calmly with her
supper when her chum arose from her seat.

Ruth quickly controlled herself. The word "fire" would start a panic on
the instant, although both dormitories were across the campus from the
main hall.

The girl of the Red Mill erased from her countenance all expression of the
fear which gripped her; but about her heart she felt a pressure like that
of a tight band. Her knees actually knocked together; she was thankful
they were invisible just then.

When she started up the room toward Mrs. Tellingham's table Ruth walked
steadily enough. Some of the girls looked after her in surprise; but it
was not an uncommon thing for a girl to leave her seat and approach the
preceptress.

Mrs. Tellingham looked up with a smile when she saw Ruth coming. She
always had a smile for the girl of the Red Mill.

The preceptress, however, was a sharp reader of faces. Her own expression
of countenance did not change, for other girls were looking; but she saw
that something serious had occurred.

"What is it, Ruth?" she asked, the instant her low whisper could reach
Ruth's ear.

The girl, looking straight at her, made the letters "F-I-R-E" with her
lips. But she uttered no sound. Mrs. Tellingham understood, however, and
demanded:

"Where?"

"West Dormitory, Mrs. Tellingham," said Ruth, coming closer.

"Are you positive?"

"I can see it from my seat. On the second floor. In one of the duo rooms
at this side."

Ruth spoke these sentences in staccato; but her voice was low and she
preserved an air of calmness.