From end to end of the great hay barn the roof was now wrapped in flames. Now the stacks at the rear began blazing. The entire building was doomed to destruction. In the meantime, Miss Elting, having dragged the woman to a point of safety, was working to revive her. So engrossed was she that, for the moment, all thought of Harriet Burrell escaped her until she was reminded of Harriet by Tommy.
“Where ith Harriet?” piped Tommy.
“Harriet? Oh!” gasped the guardian.
Tommy understood without further explanation and darted toward the barn, with Miss Elting running after her to bring her back. But there was no stopping Tommy when once she had started to carry out a resolve. She ran to the barn on winged feet and plunged into the dense cloud of smoke that issued from the burning barn. The little girl had no idea what she would do when she got there, and perhaps she might have been injured before Miss Elting reached her, had Tommy not fallen accidently over Harriet. The latter was unconscious from the smoke she had inhaled. Tommy grabbed her by the arms and began dragging her out. The little girl had gotten to the door with her burden as Miss Elting reached the scene.
“Brave Tommy!” cried the guardian. “You shall have a whole string of Camp Girls’ beads for this. Let Harriet lie where she is for the present. Place her on her back so the rain may beat in her face. She will be all right in a few moments.”
Miss Elting did not know that Harriet had fallen, and that it was not only the smoke but the shock of the fall as well that had overcome her.
“But, thuppothe the barn fallth down!” exclaimed Tommy.
“Yes, you are right. We must get her farther away.” Together they carried Harriet out to the place where the old woman lay. When they reached there the old woman was sitting up looking about her in a dazed manner. Shouts and cries off toward the highway told the little company that men were hastening to the scene of the fire.
Harriet became conscious in a short time, but she had frequent coughing spells for some minutes.
“That ith right. Cough up all the thmoke,” suggested Tommy wisely. “You’ll feel better after you get the thmoke out of your thythtem. I know, for I thwallowed a lot of thmoke once.”