At last she fell asleep and dreamed that Ned and her husband were standing at the end of a precipice grappling fiercely together in a life and death struggle.

She was awaked at last by a knocking at the door; she glanced at her watch, which hung above her head; it was but half past six.
"What is it, Mary ?" "Please, mum, there's a constable below, and he wants to speak to you immediate." Mrs.Mulready sprang from the bed and began to dress herself hurriedly.
All sorts of mischief that might have come to Ned passed rapidly through her mind; her husband had not returned, but no doubt he had stopped at the mill all night watching the men at work.

His absence scarcely occasioned her a moment's thought.

In a very few minutes she was downstairs in the kitchen, where the constable was standing waiting for her.

She knew him by sight, for Marsden possessed but four constables, and they were all well known characters.
"What is it ?" she asked; "has anything happened to my son ?" "No, mum," the constable said in a tone of surprise, "I didn't know as he wasn't in bed and asleep, but I have some bad news for you, mum; it's a bad job altogether." "What is it ?" she asked again; "is it my husband ?" "Well, mum, I am sorry to say as it be.