Page:The Cottagers of Glenburnie - Hamilton (1808).djvu/114

 did not wait to see whether it did or no; nor is she certain, whether she might not have let a spark fall into the linen-press, where she had just been with the candle; for she says she never had any fear of fire in all her life, and whenever she went into a press, always thrust the candle before her, without dread or care.

"It was," I said, "from the linen-press that the flames issued, when I entered the room,"

"That might be," said Mrs Nelson; "but the chair with the candle was just beside it, so there is no saying which took fire first."

"And was there no attempt made to save Mrs Dickens?" cried I; "did she never awake?"

"Yes, yes," said Mrs Nelson, "she awoke, and got to the windows; the people of the street saw her, and heard her screams; for she screamed most terribly! and they got a ladder, and put it up, and thought to have brought her down on