Dorothy had not seen her cousins in three years, the boys' time, between vacations, being spent at school, and the intervals of late being occupied with trips abroad. As she traveled on now, and became more and more sleepy Dorothy wondered if Nat were as full of mischief as he used to be when he visited Dalton, and if Ned still spent his spare time chasing butterflies to add new specimen to his collection. But even these interesting reflections are not to be compared with such sedative influence as the rumbling of a train with a summer breeze coming In the window, and the girl, weary enough from her fright at the falls and its consequent shock to her nervous system soon forgot to think--she was asleep. Meanwhile Tavia was occupied with the pretty baby in the end compartment. The child was about three years old, and remarkably communicative for her age. The little alcohol lamp, she told Tavia, was used to heat her milk, also to curl her hair, for mamma never took her to the hotel without curls, she said. To bear out this statement, Lily, that was the little stranger's name, produced from a satchel under the wash basin a tiny pair of curling irons. It seemed like fate to Tavia,--there was the very thing she had been wishing for--curling tongs. "Let's try it," she suggested, as Lily prattled on about the wonderful "real" curls that the iron could make. A careful investigation revealed to Tavia the secrets of the alcohol lamp. Everything was there--even to matches. Being sure the lamp was placed firmly upon the marble slab, Tavia struck a match and lighted the wick. "There," she said with evident satisfaction, "that part was easy enough." "You put the iron right in there," directed Lily, and Tavia promptly followed the advice. "Sit on my lap while it heats," Tavia told the child, not thinking it safe to allow her to move about in the small place with a strange kind of stove burning. The child jumped up eager to hear a story. The wood-kind, full of bears with remarkable appetites, pleased her most, Tavia discovered, and it was in such a mental delight that the child passed a very happy little "minute." "It must be hot--" said Tavia. She turned and at that very moment a strange flash shot up to the ceiling! An explosion! Then such a blinding flame! With the child still in her arms Tavia made a dash for the door. Frantically she pulled at it but it would not open! The child screamed piteously. "Help! Help!" shouted Tavia, clutching at the knob with one hand, while she clung to the child with the other. Instantly Dorothy was on her feet and down at that little door. "Open it!" she screamed, for the smell of smoke had reached her on the outside. Without waiting for an answer, or for those at hand to act, Dorothy jumped to a seat and grasped the bell rope. At that moment the door gave in to Tavia's pulling, and she fell headlong out into the aisle with the baby in her arms.