“Me?” She had to try hard to keep from laughing hysterically. “I knew about the fire first. I turned in the alarm!”
Mimi cuddled against the fireman, and relaxed. She was tired, so tired. Her support gave way with her. At a sudden crash, and cries from the rear of the building, the fireman dropped her like a hot potato. She was safe and he was needed elsewhere. Mrs. Cole took Mimi’s arm and led her over to where the rest of the girls huddled in the graying dawn. Many of them hugged Mimi. Sue and Chloe cried, but Betsy said:
“I knew you were all right but I couldn’t make them believe me. I tried to make Sue be a hound and ferret you out by smell. She’s so keen on that mange cure she could have smelled it above smoke or——”
“Betsy, please, I can’t k-k-kid now—I’m too——”
Mimi herself was crying now.
Silently the girls and resident faculty members stood on the front lawn and watched the flames gut the old wing of the building. Their clothes, books, and their personal valuables were going up in flames and they were helpless. They were glad to escape with their lives. Only Mimi’s prompt, clear-headed action had made that possible. They did not know that yet, but when they did, they were deeply grateful. Tall flames, mountains of smoke, smashing glass, trucks pumping, great streams of water battering the walls. A fearsome, awful spectacle.
Now all heads turned the way the fireman had run who had held Mimi. He was returning now at a run, shouting orders to the waiting ambulance unit. Some one was hurt.
Who could it be? the girls and townspeople who had gathered in great numbers asked each other. Every one connected with Sheridan was safe and accounted for, even the cooks and janitor.
The ambulance men were bringing some one on a stretcher. Police fought back the crowd and cleared the way.
“Get back, you idiots. Make room! Make room!” Mimi could hardly keep from screaming. Daddy had taught her long ago never to add to the crowd and confusion of an accident. To help, one must go away from it rather than toward it, if help had already arrived. It was selfish and cruel to rush in merely to find out what was going on, when a life was at stake.