"I expect you have, getting ready for exams, and everything, and
I've tried to be patient," said the child, with a sigh, as she
recalled how impatient she had felt. "Everybody says that was such
a beautiful tableau!" she went on, with shining eyes, "and we know
it was, don't we? I shall never forget it; only, it was too bad to
have such a scare afterwards and my pretty chariot spoiled. Wasn't
it lucky, though, that Uncle Phillip happened to come just when he
did and--" but she was obliged to pause here for breath.
"Indeed, it was most fortunate, and I am sorry that the chariot
was spoiled, for it would have been a pleasant reminder of our
lily queen's grandeur as long as you cared to preserve it,"
Katherine returned.
"But that was nothing compared with your dress!" was the regretful
rejoinder. "Uncle Phil said the skirt was ruined; but papa says
you shall have another every bit as nice--"
"Indeed, you shall, Miss Minturn," here interposed Prof. Seabrook,
coming from the adjoining room, where he had overheard the above
conversation.
He cordially extended his hand as he spoke, while his tone and
manner were more affable than they had been since the day of her
admission to the school.
"We owe you a great deal," he continued, "both for the pleasure
you were instrumental in giving our little girl last Friday night,
and for your presence of mind which saved--no one can estimate how
much--possibly a dangerous panic, the destruction of property and
much suffering."
He had been quietly inspecting the hand he held, while he was
speaking, and was greatly surprised to find only a slight
discoloration where he had expected to see unsightly sores or
scars, and, while he did not wish to undervalue her heroism and
self-abnegation, he began to think that his brother-in-law had
greatly over-estimated the injuries which she had sustained.
"I am afraid you are giving me far more credit than is my due,"
Katherine replied, releasing her hand and flushing as she read
something of what was passing in his mind. "I simply did what
first came to my thought and--"
"And exactly the right thing it was to do," the man smilingly
interposed.
"And Dr. Stanley did the rest," she persisted, finishing what had
been in her mind to say.
"Well, 'all's well that ends well,' and we are very grateful that
things are as they are," said the professor, earnestly, adding:
"You must allow me to repair whatever damage has teen done, as far
as money can do that. It pains me to know that you were burned,
but I am thankful to see that you did not suffer as severely as I
was led to infer." He glanced at her hand again as he concluded.
"I suffered more on Dorothy's account, I think, than in any other
way," the girl quietly replied.
"Why! were you burned, Miss Minturn?" Dorothy exclaimed, catching
her breath sharply.
"You would hardly know it now," she said, showing her hand, for
she saw she could no longer conceal the fact from her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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