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 FLAMING

YOUTH

111

“So’ve I. Mine’s got a bathing cap on.” “No fair, bathing caps. This is the Garden of Eden.” “No; it’s the fountain of Eternal Youth. Steady on the net, there!”

“Students! Students! cried Sally Dangerfield in a voice of chiding laughter. “Care beful!”’ “Who’s who in this part of America? Call the roll.” The roll! Dee’s hesitations were resolved. She must go forward now. She stretched out a groping hand and held it, stiffened in mid-air. Footsteps were close behind her; heavy, shod footsteps. “Who’s there?” she challenged sharply. No answer. She turned, angry and uncertain. The footsteps had stopped. She had gathered her forces to call when the appalling thing happened. Over her burst a great flood of light. Every globe in the passageway and the court back of it was sending out its pitiless rays upon her nakedness. <A bisected bar of radiance shot forth into the tank-room, illuminating it from end to end. Pandemonium broke out; shrieks, flounderings, catcalls, and above it all the thun-

dering profanity of Wally Dangerfield calling down ven-

geance upon the fool who had played the trick.

With

the trained athlete’s readiness of action in a crisis, Dee

turned, leapt backward, tore the heavy door loose from the clamp which held it open, and slammed it. “Saved !” yelled a gleeful voice outside. Dee heard a short, deep, dismayed exclamation behind her. She bent forward against the closed door, her proud little head bowed against her wrists. With a click

the darkness

shut down

again.

‘The footsteps

came,:’

toward her, but she was no longer afraid, for she had seen;

she was

only bitterly ashamed.

Folds,

cool and

light, enveloped her shoulders; she smelt the odor of wet