But the matron's fears had not been groundless, it seemed.

The threatened calamity had come.
"Stephen!" she cried, with all her might, and then flew to Mrs.Tadman's door and knocked violently.

She waited for no answer, but rushed on to the room where the two women-servants slept together, and called to them loudly to get up for their lives, the house was on fire.
There were still the men in the story above to be awakened, and the smoke was every moment growing thicker.

She mounted a few steps of the staircase, and called with all her strength.

It was very near their time for stirring.