Other imaginative phases relating to Sally and the Duchess, who were pictured as being either murdered or chained to the wall and left to starve, soon became popular; and ears were pressed to the shutters to catch the groans of the children.
"I can hear something!" cried Mrs. Preedy; which instantly caused the knot of women to declare that, for humanity's sake, the cellar should be broken into and the children rescued. Whether they would have proceeded to this extremity is not certain, and perhaps it was fortunate that the form of Dr. Lyon was at that moment seen approaching them.
"O doctor! O doctor!" cried Mrs. Preedy; and stood before him, pressing her sides, and gasping for breath in her agitation.
"What's the matter, Mrs. Preedy?" asked the doctor. "Spasms?"
"No, sir; oh! no, sir," she replied, still palpitating. "The children! the children!"
"What children?"
"Our beautiful Duchess, sir, and Sally, that we're all so fond on!"
"Well?"
"Down there, sir! Murdered! I heard a groan jest as you come up."
"Which proves," said the doctor, realising the position of affairs, "that they can't be murdered. Mrs. Preedy, do you read your Bible?"