g motion toward the flames. Some of the
men ran out for more sand. The blaze was being well fought now. There was
really no need for the fire department.

Above the place where the autos were stored were rooms formerly occupied
by the coachman and his family, before Mrs. Kimball disposed of her
horses. The stairs to these rooms were boxed in, a door leading directly
to the path that went to the driveway.

"I can go up there and get another extinguisher!" cried Cora, indicating
the stairway. "I know there's one there."

"No need to!" exclaimed Ed, who again had to get a breath of fresh air.
But Cora was already in the enclosed stairway.

The next moment she shrieked:

"Oh, what is it? Oh dear! Who is it? Come quick--someone!" Everyone was
startled--even the danger of the now almost extinguished fire spreading
again could not detract from the import of danger they recognized in
Cora's voice.

Some one seemed to answer her from the stairway.

"Don't! Please don't! I did not do it! Let me go! Please do!"

"What is it, Cora?" called Jack, preparing to go to her.

His sister had found a woman in the hallway--a strange woman who seemed
much excited. Her pleading tones as she confronted Cora touched the girl's
heart.

"Don't let them know I am here--not yet!" begged the stranger. "I can
explain--everything. Oh, so much depends on this! Please do as I say!"

"All right!" said Cora, making a sudden resolve. "I'll let you explain."

"But keep the others back--they are coming!"

"I'll send them back." Cora took a few steps toward the door. She could
hear some one running across the garage floor.

"It's all right!" cried Cora. "Go back and fight the fire, boys. I'll be
there in a minute. I want to get that other extinguisher to make certain.
But I thought a rat----"

She knew that would be explanation enough for her cries, and from where
they were the boys, girls, and men now in the garage could not see her
or the strange woman.

"A rat!" cried Jack, with a laugh, as he heard his sister's word. "The
idea of being frightened at a rat in a time of fire!"

"I guess the rodents will make short tracks," was Ed's opinion. "Come on,
we've got to give it a little more, Jack!"

The boys went back to the fire, Bess, Belle and Eline, who had taken
shelter in the garage, watching them. It was pouring too hard to stand
outside, and, now that the smoke had mostly disappeared, there was not
much discomfort. The danger, too, w