he thought of this she would, perhaps, have
been more cautious about provoking him.

* * * * * * * * *

In the middle of the night Mrs. Kent awoke with a strange sense of
oppression, the cause of which she did not immediately understand. As
soon as she recovered her senses she comprehended the occasion--the
crackling flames--and the fearful thought burst upon her:

"The house is on fire!"

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.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

HOW IT ALL ENDED.

Jasper did not reach home till after the funeral had taken place and his
step-mother was buried. Though he had little reason to like her, he was
shocked and distressed by her sad and untimely fate.

"How could the house catch fire, Mr