"God! What's up?" he cried.
"It's the house—only the house burning. There's no one there."
He looked into the face that was all black and white, like cinders; then at the flames, red and yellow, like live coals, and he held her by the arm because he did not like the look of her.
A man came running up. It was Halkett's William.
"Have you seen the master? He went round by the back."
"Go and look for him. Tell him his wife's here. I'll search the front."
Both men ran, shouting, but it was Helen who saw George at the window of Mildred Caniper's room.
She rushed into the garden where the heat was scorching, she heard his joyful "Helen!" as he saw her, and she held out her arms to him and called his name.
She saw him look back.
"I'll have to jump!" he shouted.
"Oh, George, come quickly!"
There were flames all round him as he leapt, and there were small ones licking his clothes when he fell at her feet.
"His neck's broke," William said.
They carried him on to the moor, and there he lay in the heather. She would not have him touched. She crouched beside him, watching the flames grow and lessen, and when only smoke rose from the blackened heap, she still sat on.
"I'm waiting for Zebedee," she said.
John sent for him, and he came, flogging his horse as a merciful man may, and when she saw him on the road, she went to meet him.
She put both hands on the shaft. "I set the house on fire," she said, looking up. "I didn't think of George. He was asleep. I had to burn it. But I've killed him, too. First there was Notya, and now George. I've killed them both. His neck is broken. William said, 'His neck's broke,' that's all, but he cried. Come and see him. He hasn't moved, but he was too big to die. I've killed him, but I held my arms out to him when he jumped."