"Maybe you can lead him," said the man. "He won't come for me."

Shirley laughed. "Come, Hero!" she called and without leading he followed her into the stable, where he was escorted to a clean stall.

"And now you go to bed," said one of the men to Shirley.

"I'll stay and see him fed first," replied the girl.

"All right, have your own way!"

He produced the oats, and soon Hero was nosing and eating them contentedly.

Then, and not until then, did Shirley return to the house. Throwing off her wet garments, she crept into bed when, tired and worn out, she closed her eyes and slept.

CHAPTER III.-THE BLUE GRa.s.s SEMINARY.

Shirley Willing was a typical product of the little town of Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky; and at the time this story opens had just pa.s.sed her fifteenth year. She was the one child of Christopher Willing, a prosperous farmer and horseman, who owned an extensive place on the Bethlehem pike some three or four miles from the little city.

Being an only daughter, she was naturally somewhat spoiled, although she and her father would have resented such an implication. Nevertheless, spoiled she was, as all were aware except these two. Shirley was slight and slender, with a wealth of auburn hair and cheeks like roses. All her life she had been athletically inclined, and for the past two years-ever since she had been attending the Blue Gra.s.s Seminary-she had indulged in outdoor sports continually.

The Blue Gra.s.s Seminary was one of those schools in which the chief object was to produce not only cultured and educated young women, but physically perfect ones as well. While the course of study was on a par with all first-cla.s.s schools, the management did not believe that the students should spend all their time over their books.

"Give the girls a practical education," was the theory of the princ.i.p.al, and both he and his a.s.sistants endeavored in every way to enable the girls under their care to practice in the open the theories taught in the schoolroom.

Much time was also devoted to athletics in the Blue Gra.s.s Seminary, but there were no hard and fast rules as to what branch of athletics each pupil should take up. Shirley Willing's great hobby and chief diversion was horseback riding. She was an expert horse-woman at fifteen and could ride anything, as she had proved more than once.

Besides having a well-kept farm, Mr. Willing also owned a good "string"

of blooded race horses, and there was no novelty in one of them being winner in many exciting races. It was this kind of horse that Shirley most enjoyed riding.

Shirley's particular chum and bosom friend was Mabel Ashton, likewise the daughter of a prosperous Kentuckian. Colonel Ashton was easily the most prominent man in many respects in Bourbon County. Mabel, who was a few months older than Shirley, was equally well known among the younger set. The girls had been friends almost since they were babies, which was only natural because of the close relationship between their families.

Another bond of sympathy between the girls was that both had lost their mothers when a few months old.

When Shirley made up her mind that she would attend the Blue Gra.s.s Seminary-located in a neighboring town some twenty miles away-there was nothing more natural than that Mabel should decide to go also. At first their fathers both opposed the plan, but after Mr. Willing and Colonel Ashton had spent a day at the Seminary and had seen what an excellent school it was, they were quite willing to let the girls attend.

At the Seminary the girls had been roommates. Their closest friend was Lois Geddis, the daughter of an Illinois farmer. Several times she had gone home with Shirley to spend Sunday and had likewise spent her Christmas vacation in Paris, upon the promise that the two girls should visit her during the summer. Thus it was that we find these three Blue Gra.s.s Seminary girls in such close proximity to the great Father of Waters.

The Kentucky girls had been visiting in Illinois some two weeks when this story opens, and it was now the latter part of June. They had only intended to remain a week, but they had been having such a good time that they had overstayed the stated period. Finally they had selected a date upon which they should return and in spite of all influence that could be brought to bear, they were not to be shaken in their purpose.

Then the flood came.

To account for Mabel's presence in the little house in which Shirley is now sleeping, it is necessary to go back a little in our story.

It was about the time that the girls had set a date to go home that heavy rains set in. The summer had been dry so far and the rain was very welcome. But for days, now, the downpour had continued without any sign of abating. From further up the river news was received of still heavier rain, and these added to the regular June rise from the Missouri caused the Mississippi at Cairo to spread until it threatened to leave its bank.

A short distance above the home of Mr. Geddis, where the girls were visiting, was a small tributary of the Mississippi on which was built a great dam, forming an immense reservoir. This was known as the Darret dam. At this point also, the river broadened into what seemed almost a small bay in which the water was very deep, so that the volume back of the dam was something enormous.

When it became apparent that there was to be no let-up in the steady rains, and as the waters of the Mississippi continued to rise, Mr.

Geddis, as well as other farmers in the vicinity, moved all their livestock and household effects to higher ground that they might be safe should the dam give way; for it was a well-known fact that if the dam burst, the valley would be flooded and everything carried away.

Guards were posted near the dam to give the warning, should it threaten to burst. Vigil was kept day and night, while the residents of the countryside were prepared to flee at the first warning of imminent disaster.

But the dam had finally burst so suddenly that the warning came almost too late. Shirley, Mabel, Lois, her father and mother were at supper when the telephone jangled furiously. Lois, who was nearest, quickly put the receiver to her ear, and then turned to the others with a cry:

"The dam is gone!"

Then it was that those in the farmhouse attempted to repeat the warning down the valley, and it was discovered that the wires were down. As has been told, it was then that Shirley made her wild dash, that might have resulted fatally.

When Shirley had disappeared, the others, after seeking in vain for her, had finally given it up as hopeless.

"She is probably safe some place," said Mr. Geddis. "Come, we must hurry."

They started for the highlands, which they reached safely, and from there watched the mountains of water as they swept down, flooding the valley.

"I believe I know what has happened to Shirley," said Mabel quietly.

"What?" asked Lois, eagerly.

"I believe she went down the valley to warn the people."

Lois gave a startled cry.

"She will be drowned!" she cried.

"I'm not sure about that," said Mabel quietly. "You see, I know Shirley a little better than you do. If there is one way by which she can reach safety, Shirley is sure to find it."

"I do hope she will not be harmed," said Lois, beginning to cry.

Refugees fled to the highlands in droves, leaving everything behind. Mr.

Geddis and his party advanced, just on the edge of the high ground, down the valley. Here they came upon others who had been forced to flee for safety.

"How did the warning reach you?" asked Mr. Geddis of one of the men.

"Girl on horseback," was the reply. "She came dashing down the road like wind. If it hadn't been for her, hundreds would have perished."

Mabel, who overheard this conversation, cried out in alarm:

"Where is she?"

"I don't know," was the reply. "She was headed straight for the village."

Mabel seized Lois by the arm.

"Come," she cried, "let's go farther. Perhaps we can find Shirley."

With a word to her father, Lois followed her friend. They came, at last, to a part of the ground directly behind the little village of Stanley, now lying beneath the water. Here they plied the refugees with question after question, and finally came upon the man who had seen the girl wheel her horse and dash down the road after the Hendersons.