"This is the front draught, of course," she murmured, "but where's
the oven draught? Betty, do tell me where the oven draught is on
this stove."
Betty flew over from the further side of the big kitchen, and pointed
out the oven draught. Then she absorbed herself again in her book
so completely that Charlotte hadn't the courage to ask for further
instructions. She noticed a damper in the stovepipe, and wanted to
ask about that, but pride forbade. "I'll do this alone or perish in
the attempt," she said to herself with noble courage, and proceeding
on the principle that she ought to change the existing condition
of everything, she turned the one in the stovepipe and speedily
forgot all about it. Then she put in a layer of twisted papers, laid
the kindlings artistically, with air-spaces between the sticks,
and before putting on the covers stood off to admire her work.
She looked around for sympathy, but the girls were ail absorbed in
their books, and no one gave her a glanee. Then with the sigh of
unappreciated genius, she covered the stove, and touched a match
to the papers through the front grate.
The kitchen was very still except for the crackle of the fire.
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