"Oh! heavens—she is dead—she is dead!" cried the horror-struck girl, as her eyes encountered a livid and ghastly face instead of the healthy and good-humoured one which was familiar to her.
And Katherine sank back in her seat, overcome with grief and terror.
Suddenly the thought struck her that, after all, the housekeeper might only be in a fit.
Blaming herself for the delay which her fears had occasioned ere she administered succour, Kate hastened to raise the old lady's head.
But she let it fall again when she had obtained another glance of that ghastly countenance;—for the eyes were fixed and glazed—the under jaw had fallen—and the swollen tongue was lolling, dark and livid, out of the mouth.
Then Kate rushed into the yard, screaming for help.
The rector's groom (who also acted as coachman) was in the stable adjoining; and he immediately hastened to the spot.
"What is the matter?" he demanded, alarmed by the wildness of Katherine's manner and the piercing agony of her cries.
"Mrs. Kenrick is dead!" replied Katherine, sobbing bitterly.
"Dead!" ejaculated the man; and he instantly rushed into the kitchen.