he was quite glad to awaken from them; and so, constantly dozing and
half-waking, and dozing again, the hours wore on until at last she awoke
really wide awake, with a very strong and alarming feeling that
something was amiss, or that something unusual was happening. She had
not the faintest idea what it could be, and though she sat up in bed and
listened, she could not see or hear anything. The house seemed quiet
and still, and yet there were sounds--curious, mysterious sounds that
ceased while she listened for them, and left her wondering if she were
still dreaming, or if her ears were playing her tricks. Her first fear
was that there might be something the matter with Tony; then she thought
of Dan.

"I must go and see," she thought, and slipped very gently out of bed and
into her dressing-gown. When she was outside the door she paused to
listen. Yes, there certainly were sounds, and they came from Dan's
room, sounds of whispering and movements, and--yes, there was a curious
smell. "I believe it is fire!" she gasped, and ran down the corridor.
Dan's room was nearly at the end of it, and faced the staircase.
Tony's was a tiny room between the girls' and Dan's, while Anna's room
was beyond Dan's again. Kitty looked in at Tony, and found him safe,
and sleeping comfortably; then she hurried on. Dan's door was slightly
ajar, and there was a dim light within; here also was the curious smell
which had greeted Kitty's nose, only stronger, and here also was Anna,
in her gray dressing-gown, sitting on the floor, and apparently hugging
herself in an agony of pain. "What has happened? What is the matter?
Dan, tell me!"

At the first sound of her voice Dan wheeled round, and Anna started up
with a scream.

"How you did startle me!" cried Dan in a hoarse whisper. "But I'm
awfully glad you've come." Dan's face was perfectly white, and he was
trembling visibly. "Kitty, what _can_ I do? I have been such a--such a
fool; worse than a fool. Look!" holding up a paper partly burnt, and
pointing to a scorched mark on the curtain.

"Oh!" gasped Kitty. "O Dan, how did it happen? What were you doing?
Reading in bed? You might have been burnt to death."

"I should have been--we all should have been, and the house burnt down,
if it hadn't been for Anna," groaned Dan. "It'll teach me never to read
in bed again. I thought I was quite wide awake too. But look at Anna;
do try and do something for her. She has burnt her h