He might have remained there all night, but there was a sharp little
Scotch terrier dog that belonged to little Jacob, and was domiciled in a
snug kennel in the kitchen. The watchful animal had been perfectly aware
that Mr. Ogden was crossing the entrance on his way to his bedroom, but
if Feo made any reflections on the subject they were probably confined
to wonder that the master of the house should go to bed so unusually
late. When, however, the heavy _thud_ of Mr. Ogden's body on the
staircase and the loud, sharp clatter of the falling candlestick came
simultaneously to her ears, Feo quitted her lair at a bound, and, guided
by her sure scent, was down in the dark cellar in an instant. A less
intelligent dog than Feorach (for that was her Gaelic name in the far
Highlands where she was born) would have known that something was wrong,
and that the cold floor of the cellar was not a suitable bed for a
gentleman; and no sooner had Feorach ascertained the state of affairs
than she rushed to the upper regions.
Feorach went to the door of little Jacob's chamber, and there set up
such a barking and scratching as awoke even _him_ from the sound sleep
of childhood. Old Sarah came into the passage with a lighted candle,
where Jim joined her, rubbing his eyes, still heavy with interrupted
sleep. "There's summat wrong," said old Sarah; "I'm feared there's
summat wrong."
"Stop you here," said Jim, "I'll wake master: he's gotten loaded pistols
in his room. If it's thieves, it willn't do to feight 'em wi' talk and a
tallow candle."
Jim knocked at his master's door, and, having waited in vain a second or
two for an answer, determined to open it. There was no one in the room,
and the bed had not been slept upon.
"Hod thy din, dog," said Jim to Feorach; and then, with a grave, pale
face, said, "It isn't thieves; it's summat 'at's happened to our
master."
Now Lancashire people of the class to which Jim and Sarah belonged
never, or hardly ever, use the verb _to die_, but in the place of it
employ the periphrase of something happening; and, as he chanced to use
this expression now, the idea conveyed to Sarah's mind was the idea of
death, and she believed that Jim had seen a corpse in the room. He
perceived this, and drew her away, whispering, "He isn't there: you stop
wi' little Jacob." So the man took the candle, and left Sarah in the
dark with the child, both trembling and wondering.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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