ed by Miss Rowe, who, with admirable presence of mind, seized the
duster from the blackboard, and with only that and her bare hands
succeeded in stifling the flames. The whole class was in a panic. Jean
Bannerman ran at once for Miss Hall, the teacher in the next room, and
in a very short space of time Miss Lincoln herself arrived on the scene.
Finding that Enid and Miss Rowe were the only two hurt, she carried them
off at once to apply first aid until a doctor could be summoned, leaving
Miss Hall to try and calm the agitated girls. Cissie Gardiner was
sobbing hysterically, and all were offering versions of the accident in
such a state of excitement, that it was difficult to understand their
accounts.

"Enid Walker lighted a fusee?" repeated Miss Hall, almost incredulously.
"Then she alone is responsible for this unhappy occurrence. I can only
trust that neither she nor Miss Rowe is seriously injured. Girls, go
back to your desks. I must return now to my own class, but I will send a
prefect to you as soon as possible. I trust to your good feeling to work
in silence at your preparation for to-morrow."

Miss Rowe and Enid were taken to the sanatorium, which was always kept
in readiness to receive urgent cases. Both were suffering greatly from
the shock: Miss Rowe's hands were badly scorched, and Enid had a severe
burn on her arm and also on her neck. The doctor, having completed his
dressings, ordered them both to be kept very quiet, and not to receive
visitors until he gave his permission. It was several days, therefore,
before Enid was allowed to see any of her school-fellows, and when the
nurse at last declared that she might have a friend to spend half an
hour with her, she fixed her choice at once upon Patty. The latter had
been two or three times a day to the sanatorium to enquire how the
invalids were progressing, so it was with great eagerness that she now
knocked at the door. She was admitted by the nurse, and after a warning
not to excite her companion, was shown to Enid's room. Enid was lying on
the sofa, her arm swathed in bandages; some of her pretty hair had been
cut away, and her face looked white, with dark circles round her eyes,
as if she had not slept. Patty, after a rapturous greeting, sat down on
a chair by her side, and began to tell her the school news.

"Everybody sent all kinds of messages," she said. "It seems so funny in
class without either you or Miss Rowe. Have you seen Miss Rowe? Are her
h