s received instructions to bring all the old linen to be
found; and Snip was ordered into the shed.

Aunt Hannah protested vehemently against this last order, with the
result that the dog was banished to Gladys' chamber, and then Mrs.
Dean proceeded to attend to the invalid without giving her a voice in
any matter, however nearly it might concern herself.

Seth took up his station in the kitchen when other neighbors arrived,
summoned most likely by Mr. Dean, and here Gladys joined him after
what had seemed to the boy a very long time.

"How is she?" he asked when the girl came softly into the room as if
thinking he might be asleep.

"Her hands and arms are burned very badly. Why, Seth, there are
blisters as big as my hand, and Mrs. Dean says she suffers terribly;
but the dear old woman hasn't made the least little complaint."

"That's 'cause she's so good. If I was like her I needn't bother my
head 'bout what was goin' to happen after I died. It would be a funny
kind of an angel who wasn't glad to see Aunt Hannah!"

"She'd have burned to death but for you."

"That ain't so, Gladys. I didn't do very much, 'cept throw the rugs
an' my coat over her."

"She's just been telling Mrs. Dean that you saved her life, and the
house."

"Did she really?" Seth cried excitedly. "Did she say it in them very
same words?"

"Aunt Hannah made it sound a good deal better than I can. She said God
sent you to this house to help her in the time of trouble, an' she's
goin' to see that you always have a home here."

"Wasn't she kind'er out of her head?" Seth asked quickly. "I've heard
Mother Hyde say that folks got crazy-like when they ached pretty bad."

"Aunt Hannah knew every word she was saying, and it's true that she
might have burned to death if you hadn't been in the house, for I
never heard a thing till Snippey came into my room barking."

"I hope I did do as much; but it don't seem jest true."

"Don't you think the house would have burned if some one hadn't put
out the fire very quickly?"

"Perhaps so, 'cause the flames jumped up mighty high."

"And since she couldn't move, wouldn't she have been burned to death?"

"I hope so."

"Why, Seth Barrows, how wicked you are!"

"No, no, Gladys, I didn't mean I hoped she'd have burned to death; but
I hoped I really an' truly saved her life, 'cause then she won't jump
down on me so hard when I tell her."

"Tell her what?"

"Why Snip an' I had to run away from New York."