‘At once, or I will cut your throat.’
The girl tottered to the door of the inner room, and called out in a loud voice,—
‘Mistress, they have gone now. They have gone now. Open the door. It is only me, Kitty.’
Kitty, in her fright, had done even more than Blodget had asked her. The dread of death had sharpened the wits of the girl, so that she had seen fully what was wanted of her, and she was willing at that moment to think that self-preservation was indeed the very first law of nature, even if it was taken in its most extended signification, and involved the destruction of another.
‘That is right,’ said Blodget, as the girl tapped upon the panel of the door of the inner room, and called to her mistress; ‘call her again, or you die!’
‘Mistress!’
‘Who calls?’
‘It’s me, ma’m!’
‘Kitty?’
‘Yes, ma’m!’