She threw on her dress and dashed hastily from the room. She was about to seek the quickest mode of exit when she thought of Nicholas. He might be asleep, unconscious of his peril. She was a cold and selfish woman, but her one redeeming trait was her affection for her son. She rushed frantically to his chamber, screaming:
"Nicholas! Wake up! The house is on fire!"
She entered his chamber, but he was not in it. He had already escaped, and, full of selfish thoughts of his own safety, had fled without giving heed to his mother, though there would have been time for him to save her.
"He is safe!" thought Mrs. Kent, and, relieved of this anxiety, she sought to escape.
But the flames had gained too much headway. Her dress caught fire, and she ran frantically about, ignorant that in so doing she increased the peril. She was barely conscious of being seized and borne out by friendly hands. But though the flames were extinguished, she had already received fatal injuries. She lingered till the afternoon of the following day, and then died. Meanwhile Mr. Miller sent Jasper the telegram already referred to.
Nicholas looked serious when he was informed of his mother's death, but his was not a temperament to be seriously affected by the misfortune of another. His own interests were uppermost in his mind.
"Will I get mother's property?" he asked Mr. Miller, while that mother lay dead and disfigured in his presence.
"This is no time to speak of property," said Mr. Miller, coldly. "You ought to think of your poor mother's fate."
"Of course I do," said Nicholas, trying to look sorrowful; "but I want to know how I'm going to be situated."
"Wait till after the funeral, at any rate," said the other, disgusted.