CHAPTER XX
EVENTFUL JOURNEY
As Tavia reached the end sofa, upon which a pretty golden-haired babylay curled beside a sleepy mother, she made a motion to attract thechild's attention. The little one saw it at once, promptly slipped downand stole away from the sofa without in the least disturbing the woman.
The tot followed Tavia to the little end room--Dorothy saw her going,and though feeling very drowsy herself (which really was the reasonTavia left her alone) Dorothy kept her eyes opened long enough to seethat the mother was sound asleep, and had not missed her baby.
"I am sure Tavia will take good care of her," thought Dorothy, as shesettled down for a rest, "she is so fond of children, and it will be achange for the child--traveling must be very tiresome to such littleones."
The train rumbled on. Dorothy thought of home, of the good father andtwo dear brothers she had left there. Then she wondered what wouldhappen at North Birchland. It was such a lovely summer place, and herrelatives there were sure to do all they could to make the staypleasant.
In the White family there were besides Mrs. Winthrop White, her twosons, Edward and Nathaniel, aged sixteen and fourteen years. ProfessorWhite, their father, had died suddenly some years before, while on anexpedition out in quest of scientific data, but the White familypossessed almost unlimited means, so that Major Dale's sister, whilelonely enough in life without her husband, had the pleasant duty ofbringing up two talented and good looking boys in a way that befittedthe positions they would occupy as their father's sons--the Whitefamily being among the most aristocratic in New York state.
Dorothy had not seen her cousins in three years, the boys' time,between vacations, being spent at school, and the intervals of latebeing occupied with trips abroad. As she traveled on now, and becamemore and more sleepy Dorothy wondered if Nat were as full of mischiefas he used to be when he visited Dalton, and if Ned still spent hisspare time chasing butterflies to add new specimen to his collection.
But even these interesting reflections are not to be compared with suchsedative influence as the rumbling of a train with a summer breezecoming In the window, and the girl, weary enough from her fright at thefalls and its consequent shock to her nervous system soon forgot tothink--she was asleep.
Meanwhile Tavia was occupied with the pretty baby in the endcompartment. The child was about three years old, and remarkablycommunicative for her age. The little alcohol lamp, she told Tavia, wasused to heat her milk, also to curl her hair, for mamma never took herto 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 curlingirons.
It seemed like fate to Tavia,--there was the very thing she had beenwishing 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 alcohollamp. Everything was there--even to matches.
Being sure the lamp was placed firmly upon the marble slab, Taviastruck a match and lighted the wick.
"There," she said with evident satisfaction, "that part was easyenough."
"You put the iron right in there," directed Lily, and Tavia promptlyfollowed the advice.
"Sit on my lap while it heats," Tavia told the child, not thinking itsafe to allow her to move about in the small place with a strange kindof stove burning.
The child jumped up eager to hear a story. The wood-kind, full of bearswith remarkable appetites, pleased her most, Tavia discovered, and itwas 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 theceiling!
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 screamedpiteously.
"Help! Help!" shouted Tavia, clutching at the knob with one hand, whileshe 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 theoutside.
Without waiting for an answer, or for those at hand to act, Dorothyjumped to a seat and grasped the bell rope.
At that moment the door gave in to Tavia's pulling, and she fellheadlong out into the aisle with the baby in her arms.
The train stopped, and brakemen were now running through the cars insearch of the trouble. Passengers had broken the tool boxes and werefighting the spreading flames with hand grenades and portableextinguishers. Fainting women called for attention--among these beingLily's mother.
Tavia was now lifted to a seat, and Dorothy had called into her earsthat the baby was safe--she was not even scratched!
But Tavia was not so fortunate, for an ugly red mark showed where thetongue of fire scorched her, and her hair--
One side was entirely burned off!
Dorothy's heart sank as she noticed the loss, but it was nothing, ofcourse, compared to what might have happened to the baby.
The excitement in the rear of the car had, by this time subsidedsomewhat, showing that the flames were extinguished. Lily, safe anduninjured, sat in her mother's lap--no danger of her getting away againevidently.
Among the passengers was a doctor who offered his services to Tavia.The burns were slight, he declared but there was danger of shock, andthe loss of her beautiful hair was to be regretted.
Tavia tried to laugh to assure Dorothy she was all right, and then sheinsisted upon talking about the accident.
"The lamp did not explode," she declared. "The fire came from the otherend of the room."
The trainmen listened anxiously to this report. They were obliged tomake a most careful investigation, and Tavia was very willing to helpthem. Professional looking men crowded around--one who introducedhimself to the doctor as a well known lawyer of Rochester calledDorothy aside and offered to look out for the interests of the injuredgirl.
"Whatever you think best," Dorothy said, "I have never had anyexperience with law. But if you think we should take account of it atall I should be most grateful for your help."
Then Tavia was taken into a private compartment, and there, withDorothy encouraging her, and the lawyer and doctor listening, she toldthe story of the accident.
"I had lighted the alcohol lamp," she declared, "but I am positive thatdid not explode. The flash came from behind us--the other end of theroom. Then the door would not open--oh how dreadful that was!"
For a moment Tavia covered her eyes, then she resumed:
"I heard Dorothy's voice and that seemed to keep me from falling in thesmoke. At last the door opened and that's all I know."
"Now, you just rest here," the doctor advised, "while Mr. French and Ido some outside investigating."
Then it was that the important clew was discovered, for at the verydoor of the little room, where the fire had raged, was found a piece ofglass with a label!
Gasoline!
"She was right," declared the lawyer, taking possession of thetell-tale piece of bottle, the railroad men would have been so glad tohave seen first, "this tells the story. A bottle of gasoline exploded."
Looking carefully over the damaged room the lawyer made some entries inhis note book and, with the doctor, approached Lily's mother. The womanpositively refused to make known her name, and even the railroad menhad not succeeded in learning who she was.
"That my baby is safe," she declared, "is all I ask. People saw thegirl coax her off, but even this I am entirely willing to overlook, andI will positively make no claims against the company."
The doctor saw the child was not in the least injured, and also wasconvinced there was no danger of shock to the little nervous system, asthe tot looked upon the whole occurrence as "good fun," so theprofessional men withdrew their offer to
serve either the woman or herchild.