The family
rushed into the room as before, and were so frightened that they did not
know what to do. There lay the bed clothes in the corner, Esther all
swollen up, Jane in a dead faint, and perhaps really dead for all they
knew, for by the glare of the lamp, which Dan held in his hand, she
looked more dead than alive. Olive was the first to come to her senses.
Taking up the bed clothes, she placed them over her sisters. Just as she
had done so, off they flew again to the same corner of the room. In less
time than it takes to count three, the pillow flew from under Esther's
head and struck John Teed in the face. He immediately left the room,
saying that he had had enough. He could not be induced to return and sit
on the edge of the bed with the others, who in that way managed to keep
the clothes in their place. Jane had by this time recovered from her
swoon. William Cox went down to the kitchen for a bucket of water to
bathe Esther's head, which was aching terribly. Just as he got to the
door of the room again with the bucket of water, a succession of reports
were heard, which seemed to come from the bed where Esther lay.
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