In a moment the carriage was standing before the gate, and the
gentleman, who was Margaret Hamilton's husband--a Mr. Elwyn, from the
city--assisted his young wife to alight, and then followed her to the
house. No answer was given to their loud ring, and as the doors and
windows were all open, Margaret proposed that they should enter. They
did so; and, going first into Mrs. Hamilton's sick-room, the sight of
the little table full of vials, and the tumbled, empty bed, excited
their wonder and curiosity, and induced them to go on. At last,
descending to the kitchen, they saw the fragments of the tumbler
lying upon the floor.

"Strange, isn't it?" said Margaret to her husband, who was standing in
the outer door, and who had at that moment discovered Mrs. Hamilton
lying near the spring.

Instantly they were at her side, and Margaret involuntarily shuddered
as she recognized her stepmother, and guessed why she was there.
Taking her in his arms, Mr. Elwyn bore her back to the house, and
Margaret, filling a pitcher with water, bathed her face, moistened her
lips, and applied other restoratives, until she revived enough to say:

"More water, Willie. Give me more water!"

Eagerly she drained the goblet which Margaret held to her lips, and
was about drinking the second, when her eyes for the first time sought
Margaret's face. With a cry between a groan and a scream she lay back
upon her pillows, saying, "Margaret Hamilton, how came you here? What
have you to do with me, and why do you give me water? Didn't I refuse
it to Willie, when he begged so earnestly for it in the nighttime? But
I've been paid--a thousand times paid--left by my own child to die
alone!"

Margaret was about asking for Lenora, when the young lady herself
appeared. She seemed for a moment greatly surprised at the sight of
Margaret, and then bounding to her side, greeted her with much
affection; while Mrs. Hamilton jealously looked on, muttering to
herself. "Loves everybody better than she does me, her own mother, who
has done so much for her."

Lenora made no reply to this, although she manifested much concern
when Margaret told her in what state they had found her mother.

"I went for a few moments to visit a sick friend," said she, "but told
Hester to stay with mother until I returned; and I wonder much that
she should leave her."

"Lenora," said Mrs. Hamilton, "Lenora, was that sick friend the old
porter?"

Lenora answered in the affirmative;