dear enemy-第39部分

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or　stairs　in　flames。　　There　didn't　seem　a　chance　that　the　child　was　still　alive。　　The　doctor　was　the　first　to　move。　　He　snatched　up　a　wet　blanket　that　was　lying　in　a　soppy　pile　on　the　floor　of　the　hall　and　sprang　for　the　stairs。　　We　yelled　to　him　to　come　back。　　It　simply　looked　like　suicide；　but　he　kept　on；　and　disappeared　into　the　smoke。　　I　dashed　outside　and　shouted　to　the　firemen　on　the　roof。　　The　store　room　window　was　too　little　for　a　man　to　go　through；　and　they　hadn't　opened　it　for　fear　of　creating　a　draft。

I　can't　describe　what　happened　in　the　next　agonizing　ten　minutes。　　The　third…floor　stairs　fell　in　with　a　crash　and　a　burst　of　flame　about　five　seconds　after　the　doctor　passed　over　them。　　We　had　given　him　up　for　lost　when　a　shout　went　up　from　the　crowd　on　the　lawn；　and　he　appeared　for　an　instant　at　one　of　those　dormer　windows　in　the　attic；　and　called　for　the　firemen　to　put　up　a　ladder。　　Then　he　disappeared；　and　it　seemed　to　us　that　they'd　never　get　that　ladder　in　place；　but　they　finally　did；　and　two　men　went　up。　　The　opening　of　the　window　had　created　a　draft；　and　they　were　almost　overpowered　by　the　volume　of　smoke　that　burst　out　at　the　top。　　After　an　eternity　the　doctor　appeared　again　with　a　white　bundle　in　his　arms。　　He　passed　it　out　to　the　men；　and　then　he　staggered　back　and　dropped　out　of　sight！

I　don't　know　what　happened　for　the　next　few　minutes；　I　turned　away　and　shut　my　eyes。　　Somehow　or　other　they　got　him　out　and　halfway　down　the　ladder；　and　then　they　let　him　slip。　　You　see；　he　was　unconscious　from　all　the　smoke　he'd　swallowed；　and　the　ladder　was　slippery　with　ice　and　terribly　wobbly。　　Anyway；　when　I　looked　again　he　was　lying　in　a　heap　on　the　ground；　with　the　crowd　all　running；　and　somebody　yelling　to　give　him　air。　　They　thought　at　first　he　was　dead。　　But　Dr。　Metcalf　from　the　village　examined　him；　and　said　his　leg　was　broken；　and　two　ribs；　and　that　aside　from　that　he　seemed　whole。　　He　was　still　unconscious　when　they　put　him　on　two　of　the　baby　mattresses　that　had　been　thrown　out　of　the　windows　and　laid　him　in　the　wagon　that　brought　the　ladders　and　started　him　home。

And　the　rest　of　us；　left　behind；　kept　right　on　with　the　work　as　though　nothing　had　happened。　　The　queer　thing　about　a　calamity　like　this　is　that　there　is　so　much　to　be　done　on　every　side　that　you　don't　have　a　moment　to　think；　and　you　don't　get　any　of　your　values　straightened　out　until　afterward。　　The　doctor；　without　a　moment's　hesitation；　had　risked　his　life　to　save　Allegra。　　It　was　the　bravest　thing　I　ever　saw；　and　yet　the　whole　business　occupied　only　fifteen　minutes　out　of　that　dreadful　night。　　At　the　time；　it　was　just　an　incident。

And　he　saved　Allegra。　　She　came　out　of　that　blanket　with　rumpled　hair　and　a　look　of　pleased　surprise　at　the　new　game　of　peek…a…boo。　　She　was　smiling！　　The　child's　escape　was　little　short　of　a　miracle。　　The　fire　had　started　within　three　feet　of　her　wall；　but　owing　to　the　direction　of　the　wind；　it　had　worked　away　from　her。　　If　Miss　Snaith　had　believed　a　little　more　in　fresh　air　and　had　left　the　window　open；　the　fire　would　have　eaten　back。　　But　fortunately　Miss　Snaith　does　not　believe　in　fresh　air；　and　no　such　thing　happened。　　If　Allegra　had　gone；　I　never　should　have　forgiven　myself　for　not　letting　the　Bretlands　take　her；　and　I　know　that　Sandy　wouldn't。

Despite　all　the　loss；　I　can't　be　anything　but　happy　when　I　think　of　the　two　horrible　tragedies　that　have　been　averted。　　For　seven　minutes；　while　the　doctor　was　penned　in　that　blazing　third　floor；　I　lived　through　the　agony　of　believing　them　both　gone；　and　I　start　awake　in　the　night　trembling　with　horror。

But　I'll　try　to　tell　you　the　rest。　　The　firemen　and　the　volunteersparticularly　the　chauffeur　and　stablemen　from　Knowltopworked　all　night　in　an　absolute　frenzy。　　Our　newest　negro　cook；　who　is　a　heroine　in　her　own　right；　went　out　and　started　the　laundry　fire　and　made　up　a　boilerful　of　coffee。　　It　was　her　own　idea。　　The　non…combatants　served　it　to　the　firemen　when　they　relieved　one　another　for　a　few　minutes'　rest；　and　it　helped。

We　got　the　remainder　of　the　children　off　to　various　hospitable　houses；　except　the　older　boys；　who　worked　all　night　as　well　as　any　one。　　It　was　absolutely　inspiring　to　see　the　way　this　entire　township　turned　out　and　helped。　　People　who　haven't　appeared　to　know　that　the　asylum　existed　came　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　put　their　whole　houses　at　our　disposal。　　They　took　the　children　in；　gave　them　hot　baths　and　hot　soup；　and　tucked　them　into　bed。　　And　so　far　as　I　can　make　out；　not　one　of　my　one　hundred　and　seven　chicks　is　any　the　worse　for　hopping　about　on　drenched　floors　in　their　bare　feet；　not　even　the　whooping　cough　cases。

It　was　broad　daylight　before　the　fire　was　sufficiently　under　control　to　let　us　know　just　what　we　had　saved。　　I　will　report　that　my　wing　is　entirely　intact；　though　a　little　smoky；　and　the　main　corridor　is　pretty　nearly　all　right　up　to　the　center　staircase；　after　that　everything　is　charred　and　drenched。　　The　east　wing　is　a　blackened；　roofless　shell。　　Your　hated　Ward　F；　dear　Judy；　is　gone　forever。　　I　wish　that　you　could　obliterate　it　from　your　mind　as　absolutely　as　it　is　obliterated　from　the　earth。　　Both　in　substance　and　in　spirit　the　old　John　Grier　is　done　for。

I　must　tell　you　something　funny。　　I　never　saw　so　many　funny　things　in　my　life　as　happened　through　that　night。　　When　everybody　there　was　in　extreme　negligee；　most　of　the　men　in　pajamas　and　ulsters；　and　all　of　them　without　collars；　the　Hon。　Cyrus　Wykoff　put　in　a　tardy　appearance；　arrayed　as　for　an　afternoon　tea。　　He　wore　a　pearl　scarf　pin　and　white　spats！　　But　he　really　was　extremely　helpful。　　He　put　his　entire　house　at　our　disposal；　and　I　turned　over　to　him　Miss　Snaith　in　a　state　of　hysterics；　and　her　nerves　so　fully　occupied　him　that　he　didn't　get　in　our　way　the　whole　night　through。

I　can't　write　any　more　details　now；　I've　never　been　so　rushed　in　the　whole　of　my　life。　　I'll　just　assure　you　that　there's　no　slightest　reason　for　you　to　cut　your　trip　short。　　Five　trustees　were　on　the　spot　early　Saturday　morning；　and　we　are　all　working　like　mad　to　get　affairs　into　some　semblance　of　order。　　Our　asylum　at　the　present　moment　is　scattered　over　the　entire　township；　but　don't　be　unduly　anxious。　　We　know　where　all　the　children　are。　　None　of　them　is　permanently　mislaid。　　I　didn't　know　that　perfect　strangers　could　be　so　kind。　　My　opinion　of　the　human　race　has　gone　up。

I　haven't　seen　the　doctor。　　They　telegraphed　to　New　York　for　a　surgeon；　who　set　his　leg。　　The　break　was　pretty　bad；　and　will　take　time。　　They　don't　think　there　are　any　internal　injuries；　though　he　is　awfully　battered　up。　　As　soon　as　we　are　allowed　to　see　him　I　will　send　more　detailed　particulars。　　I　really　must　stop　if　I　am　to　catch　tomorrow's　steamer。

Good…by。　　Don't　worry。　　There　are　a　dozen　silver　linings　to　this　cloud　that　I'll　write　about　tomorrow。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SALLIE。


Good　heavens！　here　comes　an　automobile　with　J。　F。　Bretland　in　it！


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　JOHN　GRIER　HOME；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　January　14。　Dear　Judy：

Listen　to　this！　J。　F。　Bretland　read　about　our　fire　in　a　New　York　paper　（I　will　say　that　the　metropolitan　press　made　the　most　of　details）；　and　he　posted　up　here　in　a　twitter　of　anxiety。　　His　first　question　as　he　tumbled　across　our　blackened　threshold　was；

〃Is　Allegra　safe？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I。

〃Thank　God！〃　he　cried；　and　dropped　into　a　chair。　　〃This　is　no　place　for　children；〃　he　said　severely；　〃and　I　have　come　to　take　her　home。　　I　want　the　boys；　too；〃　he　added　hastily　before　I　had　a　chance　to　speak。　　〃My　wife　and　I　have　talked　it　over；　and　we　have　decided　that　since　we　are　going　to　the　trouble　of　starting　a　nursery；　we　might　as　well　run　it　for　three　as　for　one。〃

I　led　him　up　to　my　library；　where　our　little　family　has　been　domiciled　since　the　fire；　and　ten　minutes　later；　when　I　was　called　down　to　confer　with　the　trustees；　I　left　J。　F。　Bretland　with　his　new　daughter　on　his　knee　and　a　son　leaning　against　each　arm；　the　proudest　father　in　the　United　States。

So；　you　see；　our　fire　has　accomplished　one　thing：　those　three　children　are　settled　for　life。　　It　is　almost　worth　the　loss。

But　I　don't　believe　I　told　you　how　the　fire　started。　　There　are　so　many　things　I　haven't　told　you　that　my　arm　aches　at　the　thought　of　writing　them　all。　　Sterry；　we　have　since　discovered；　was　spending　the　week　end　as　our　guest。　　After　a　bibulous　evening　passed　at　〃Jack's　Place；〃　he　returned　to　our　carriage　house；　climbed　in　through　a　window；　lighted　a　candle；　made　himself　comfortable；　and　dropped　asleep。　　He　must　have　forgotten　to　put　out　the　candle；　anyway；　the　fire　happened；　and　Sterry　just　escaped　with　his　life。　　He　is　now　in　the　town　hospital；　bathed　in　sweet　oil；　and　painfully　regretting　his　share　in　our　troubles。

I　am　pleased　to　learn　that　our　insurance　was　pretty　adequate；　so　the　money　loss　won't　be　so　tremendous；　after　all。　　As　for　other　kinds　of　loss；　there　aren't　any！　　Actually；　nothing　but　gain　so　far　as　I　can　make　out；　barring；　of　course；　our　poor　smashed…up　doctor。　　Everybody　has　been　wonderful；　I　didn't　know　that　so　much　charity　and　kindness　existed　in　the　human　race。　　Did　I　ever　say　anything