Miss Tarvin quickly spelled the word aright;
So only two were standing in the fight.
So anxious was the crowd to see who won,
They thought it half revealed when she sat down;
And from the concourse rose a subdued moan
In expectation of that lucky one.
Yet ’twas in vain; none knew; and none could tell;
These two were trained and tried; they both could spell.
Breathless the crowd looked for the coming dawn—
The coming dawn of victory and defeat.