What time it was she did not know. She had been summoned to the last meal of the day, but had forgotten the summons. It must have been about ten o'clock. The streets were silent, the square deserted--as usual. The evening was raw and cold, one to drive everybody in-doors that had doors to go in at. Through the cold and darkness came a shriek that chilled her with horror. Yet it seemed as if she had been expecting it--as if the cloud of misery that had all day been gathering deeper and deeper above and around her, had at length reached its fullness, and burst in the lightning of that shriek. It was followed by another and yet another. Whence did they come? Not from the street, for all beside was still; even the roar of London was hushed! And there was a certain something in the sound of them that assured her that they rose in the house. Was Sarah being murdered? She was half-way down the stairs before the thought that sent her was plain to herself. The house seemed unnaturally still. At the top of the kitchen stairs she called aloud to Sarah--as loud, that is, as a certain tremor in her throat would permit. There came no reply. Down she went to face the worst: she was a woman of true courage--that is, a woman whom no amount of apprehension could deter when she knew she ought to seek the danger. In the kitchen stood Sarah, motionless, frozen with fear. A candle was in her hand, just lighted. Hester's voice seemed to break her trance. She started, stared, and fell a trembling. She made her drink some water, and then she came to herself. "It's in the coal-cellar, miss!" she gasped. "I was that minute going to fetch a scuttleful! There's something buried in them coals as sure as my name's Sarah!" "Nonsense!" returned Hester. "Who could scream like that from under the coals? Come; we'll go and see what it is." "Laws, miss! don't you go near it now. It's too late to do anything. Either it's the woman's sperrit as they say was murdered there, or it's a new one." "And you would let her be killed without interfering?" "Oh, miss, all's over by this time!" persisted Sarah, with white lips trembling. "Then you are ready to go to bed with a murderer in the house?" said Hester. "He's done his business now, an' 'll go away." "Give me the candle. I will go alone." "You'll be murdered, miss--as sure's you're alive!" Hester took the light from her, and went towards the coal-cellar. The old woman sank on a chair.