Mimi could not see the details and she did not move closer to find out. Nor did she find out until the next morning that it was other than a fireman hurt.
Breakfast, which consisted of fruit, cereal and milk served cafeteria style, because this morning Sheridan had neither kitchen nor dining room, was in progress when Madge edged up to Mimi. The girls were standing in groups eating. It was hard to recognize them in their borrowed clothes. Things the college girls let them have swallowed most of them.
“You didn’t believe me last night, did you?”
“No, and I don’t now. There couldn’t be such a thing as death bells.”
“That fireman who got hurt last night was twenty-nine years old. The morning Dispatch says so!”
“But he’s not dead, only hurt.”
“No but he’s in the hospital and he may die!”
Mimi wavered. No, she wouldn’t believe that, but no use to argue. Let it go. She couldn’t change Madge and she had rather not talk about death bells. The most horrible night of her life was over and she would rather forget.
CHAPTER XXIII
WHEN THE SMOKE CLEARED AWAY
Regardless of the fact that Mimi would rather forget the fire and all the horror that went with it, naturally the fire was the main discussion everywhere she turned. Disaster and confusion all about. The beautiful lawn ruined. Girls were buzzing. They had been ordered to stay away from the ruins. It would not be safe to search for things yet. That whole side of the building was roped off. Faculty members, grieved and busy, tried to evolve plans which would handle the situation for three more days. This was Saturday; on Monday, school would be out for the year.