It was all over in a moment. He had extinguished the fire before others could think to move. As they gathered around he lifted her to her feet, anxiously asking: “Are you severely burned, Miss Darling? I sincerely hope you are not. I reached you as soon as possible.” She tried to speak, and her eyes met his. She choked, her chin quivered, and she burst into tears, sobbing: “Oh, Mr. Merriwell!” It was all she could say, but there was a world of self-reproach, shame and remorse in that exclamation. It was found that Fanny Darling had been burned, but her injuries were not severe. In beating out the flames Frank had burned his hands, but there was a doctor present who attended to the girl and her rescuer. Frank’s hands were covered with a coating of creamy stuff and bound up with handkerchiefs. “I think that will prevent them from blistering,” said the doctor. “I always take a small case with me wherever I go, and it is fortunate I was here to-night.” “Oh, I am all right!” laughed Merry; “but I sincerely hope Miss Darling was not injured much. I reached her as soon as possible.” “It is almost certain you saved her life, and I am sure you prevented her from being disfigured as long as she lives,” declared the physician. “She has much to thank you for.” In another room, with her girl friends hovering about her, Fanny Darling distinctly heard what the doctor said, for there was an open door between the two rooms. Her face was very pale, and she bit her lip till the blood started, while her hands were tightly clinched. “Is the pain so terrible, Fanny?” tenderly asked Mabel Creighton. “Pain? What pain?” “Why, the pain of your burns.” “That’s nothing. It was another pain that I felt.” She covered her face with her hands, and they saw a tear steal down between her fingers, although she made no sound. “Mr. Hegner wishes to see you,” said Bessie Blossom. “He is at the door, and he is very anxious to learn from your lips just how you are.” Fanny’s hands dropped, and her face grew crimson. “Tell Mr. Hegner that I do not care to see him!” she exclaimed. So Wallace Hegner was turned from the door, much to his rage and chagrin. “I suppose she wouldn’t see me because I didn’t happen to be the one to put out the fire,” he grated, as he left the house. “What could I do? My coat was too thin. It was just that Merriwell’s confounded luck to jump in there and do the trick. Oh, but I’m going to settle with him!” After a time the most of the girls left the room, and Fanny was alone with Mabel and Bessie. Then it was that she burst into tears, sobbing as if her heart were breaking. Both girls tried to comfort her. “What is the matter, Fanny, dear?” asked Bessie, kneeling beside her. “I suppose your nerves are all shaken.” “She is almost hysterical, poor girl!” said Mabel. “And I do not wonder a bit.” “Who wouldn’t be, after such a narrow escape?” “It—it’s—not—that!” sobbed Fanny. “Not that?” “No.”