'
And so Mr. Spaight, with a little round table at his elbow, and his
heels over the fender, sipped his steaming punch, and thawed inwardly
and outwardly, as he answered their questions and mixed in their
speculations.
Up at the Mills, which had heard the awful news, first from the Widow
Macan, and afterwards from Pat Moran, the maids sat over their tea in
the kitchen in high excitement and thrilling chat--'The poor master!'
'Oh, the poor man!' 'Oh, la, what's that?' with a start and a peep over
the shoulders. 'And oh, dear, and how in the world will the poor little
misthress ever live over the news?' And so forth, made a principal part
of their talk. There was a good accompaniment of wind outside, and a
soft pelting of snow on the window panes, 'and oh, my dear life, but
wasn't it dark!'
Up went Moggy, with her thick-wicked kitchen candle, to seek repose; and
Betty, resolving not to be long behind, waited only 'to wash up her
plates' and slack down the fire, having made up her mind, for she grew
more nervous in solitude, to share Moggy's bed for that night.
Moggy had not been twenty minutes gone, and her task was nearly ended,
when--'Oh, blessed saints!' murmured Betty, with staring eyes, and
dropping the sweeping-brush on the flags, she heard, or thought she
heard, her master's step, which was peculiar, crossing the floor
overhead.
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