When Shirley made up her mind that she would attend the Blue Grass Seminary—located in a neighboring town some twenty miles away—there was nothing more natural than that Mabel should decide to go also. At first their fathers both opposed the plan, but after Mr. Willing and Colonel Ashton had spent a day at the Seminary and had seen what an excellent school it was, they were quite willing to let the girls attend.
At the Seminary the girls had been roommates. Their closest friend was Lois Geddis, the daughter of an Illinois farmer. Several times she had gone home with Shirley to spend Sunday and had likewise spent her Christmas vacation in Paris, upon the promise that the two girls should visit her during the summer. Thus it was that we find these three Blue Grass Seminary girls in such close proximity to the great Father of Waters.
The Kentucky girls had been visiting in Illinois some two weeks when this story opens, and it was now the latter part of June. They had only intended to remain a week, but they had been having such a good time that they had overstayed the stated period. Finally they had selected a date upon which they should return and in spite of all influence that could be brought to bear, they were not to be shaken in their purpose.
Then the flood came.
To account for Mabel’s presence in the little house in which Shirley is now sleeping, it is necessary to go back a little in our story.
It was about the time that the girls had set a date to go home that heavy rains set in. The summer had been dry so far and the rain was very welcome. But for days, now, the downpour had continued without any sign of abating. From further up the river news was received of still heavier rain, and these added to the regular June rise from the Missouri caused the Mississippi at Cairo to spread until it threatened to leave its bank.
A short distance above the home of Mr. Geddis, where the girls were visiting, was a small tributary of the Mississippi on which was built a great dam, forming an immense reservoir. This was known as the Darret dam. At this point also, the river broadened into what seemed almost a small bay in which the water was very deep, so that the volume back of the dam was something enormous.
When it became apparent that there was to be no let-up in the steady rains, and as the waters of the Mississippi continued to rise, Mr. Geddis, as well as other farmers in the vicinity, moved all their livestock and household effects to higher ground that they might be safe should the dam give way; for it was a well-known fact that if the dam burst, the valley would be flooded and everything carried away.
Guards were posted near the dam to give the warning, should it threaten to burst. Vigil was kept day and night, while the residents of the countryside were prepared to flee at the first warning of imminent disaster.
But the dam had finally burst so suddenly that the warning came almost too late. Shirley, Mabel, Lois, her father and mother were at supper when the telephone jangled furiously. Lois, who was nearest, quickly put the receiver to her ear, and then turned to the others with a cry: