."

"Did you! And do you know where he has gone?"

"No, ma'am. He passed on out of sight."

A low moan escaped the mother's lips at this intelligence. A few
moments she stood silent, and then placed her hand upon the
bell-pull and rung for admittance.

"Is the door locked?" asked the watchman, manifesting surprise.

"No; the wind blew it to, and it has become fastened with the
dead-latch."

Both stood silent for some time, but no one answered the bell. The
night dews were falling upon the mother's head, and the night air
penetrating her thin garments. A shiver ran through her frame, and
she felt a constriction of the chest as if she had inhaled sulphur.
Again she rung the bell.

"Does no one know of your being out?" asked the watchman.

"All are asleep in the house," replied Mrs. Howland.

At this the watchman came up the steps, and struck two or three
heavy blows upon the door with his mace, the sound of which went
reverberating through the house, and startling Mr. Howland from his
slumber. But not perceiving immediately that his wife was absent
from her place by his side, and thinking that his son had renewed
his efforts to gain admission, the latter did not make a motion to
rise. In a few moments, however, the repeated strokes of the mace,
to which was added the loud call of a man in the street below caused
him to start up in bed. He then perceived that his wife was not by
his side. With an exclamation, he sprang upon the floor, and
throwing up the window, called out--

"Who's there?"

"Come down and open the door," was answered by the watchman.

"Who wants to come in?" asked Mr. Howland, his mind beginning by
this time to get a little clear from the confusion into which it was
at first thrown.

"I do," replied a voice that threw all into bewilderment again.

"Bless me! What does this mean!" exclaimed Mr. Howland, aloud, yet
speaking to himself.

"Open the door, quickly," called out Mrs. Howland, in a tone of
distress. "Come down and let me in."

Hurriedly Mr. Howland now dressed himself and went down. As he
opened the door, his wife glided past him, and ran up stairs. The
watchman retired without speaking to the confused and astonished
husband, who, recovering his presence of mind, reclosed the door and
followed his wife to their chamber.

"Esther! What is the meaning of all this?" asked Mr. Howland, with
much severity of manner.

But there was no reply.

"Will you speak?" said he, in a to