“You little pest! I’ll larrup ye good! I’ll give ye your nevergitovers!” sputtered the hotel housekeeper.
But the affrighted Bella wriggled away from her aunt’s bony grasp. She dodged Miss Timmins about the marble-topped table, retreated behind the hair-cloth sofa, and finally made a headlong dash for the door, while Jennie continued to shriek for the fire department.
Ruth leaped out of bed. In her silk pajamas and slippers, and without any wrap, she hurried to reach, and try to separate, the struggling couple near the door.
Miss Timmins delivered several hearty slaps upon Bella’s face and ears. The child shrieked. She got away again and plunged into the can of hot water.
Over this went, flooding the rag-carpet for yards around.
“Fire! Fire!” Jennie continued to shriek.
Helen dashed in from the next room, dressed quite as lightly as Ruth, and just in time to see the can spilled.
“Oh! Water! Water!”
“Drat that young one!” barked Miss Timmins, ignoring the flood and everything else save her niece—even the conventions.
She dashed after Bella. The latter had disappeared into the hall through the anteroom.