"My poor servant—my faithful friend," exclaimed Reginald Tracy, burying his face in his hands: "Oh! what could have induced her to commit suicide?" "Suicide!" echoed Katherine, starting from her seat, and coming forward: "Oh! no, sir—do not wrong her memory thus! She was too good—too pious—too much bent upon the mercy of her Redeemer, to commit such a crime." "Alas! suicide it must have been, my poor girl," said the rector; "for who could have administered poison to so harmless, so charitable, so humane a creature? Some secret grief, perhaps——" At this moment Thomas returned from his mission to Markham Place. The poor fellow was deeply affected when the dreadful spectacle in the kitchen met his eyes, and when the few particulars yet known concerning the death of the housekeeper, or rather the first discovery of her death—were communicated to him. "I never shall forgive myself as long as I live," exclaimed Thomas, "for having spoken cross to her, poor lady, this morning." "Spoken cross to her!" cried the rector. "Yes, sir," answered the man; "I said something to her—but I forget exactly what—because she told Katherine that she should send her away from London." "Send Katherine away!" said Reginald, in unfeigned surprise. "Yes, sir; and because I saw the girl didn't like it, I took her part against Mrs. Kenrick; and I'm now heartily sorry for it," rejoined Thomas, wiping away an honest tear. "Young woman," said the surgeon, who had been attentively examining Katherine for some moments, "did you not visit my shop last evening?" "I, sir!" exclaimed the young girl, who was too deeply absorbed in grief at the death of her benefactress to have her ideas very clearly distributed in the proper cells of her brain. "Yes," continued the surgeon: "the more I look at you, the more I am convinced you came last night to my establishment and purchased a small phial of laudanum." "Oh! yes—I remember, sir," said Katherine: "Mrs. Kenrick sent me for it, and told me that it was for my master." The surgeon threw an inquiring glance towards Reginald. "For me!" ejaculated the rector. "So Mrs. Kenrick said, sir," returned Katherine: "and the moment I brought it in, she went up stairs with it." "You can in one moment set at rest that point, sir," said the surgeon, with another glance of inquiry towards the rector. "The laudanum was not for me," answered Mr. Tracy, calmly: "nor did I order my poor housekeeper to obtain any." "O Katherine!" ejaculated Thomas; "surely—surely, you have not done this dreadful deed!" "I——a murderess!" almost shrieked the poor girl: "Oh! no—no. God forbid!" And she clasped her hands together. The surgeon shook his head mysteriously. "Merciful heavens!" exclaimed the rector, who was evidently excited to a painful degree, "you do not suspect—you cannot suppose—you do not—cannot imagine that—this young person——"