Then the butler's voice rang out in challenge:
"Kohn jatha? (Who goes there?)"
A panting voice answered:
"Wargrave Sahib murgya. Doctor Sahib ko bulana ko jatha"—(Wargrave Sahib is killed. I go to call the Doctor Sahib)—and the sepoy ran on in the darkness.
"O God! O God!" cried the girl, and tried to break from her friend's clasp. "Let me go! Let me go!"
"Where to?" asked Noreen, holding the frenzied girl with all her strength.
"To him. He's dead. Didn't you hear? He's dead. I must go to him."
She struggled madly and beat fiercely at the hands that held her.
"Let me go! Let me go! Oh, he's dead," she wailed. "Dead. And I loved him so. Oh, be merciful! Let me go to him!" and suddenly her strength gave way and she collapsed into Noreen's arms, weeping bitterly.
They heard the clattering steps meet others coming down the hill and a hurried conversation ensue. Noreen recognised one of the voices. Then both men came running down.