tific
lore, shall call a power to rob thee of thy terrors, thou scourge of
mankind!

Lawrence Hardin returned from a southern trip to find his house left
desolate; wife and child both in their hastily-covered graves. He shook
with agony, and scarce was the first frantic burst of grief subsided,
ere the officers of justice entered his mansion and declared him their
prisoner. He glared at them wildly.

"What mean you," he asked, "by this untimely intrusion in the house of
death?"

"Prepare to accompany us to the court-room immediately," was the answer,
"to answer to a charge of swindling and forgery preferred by one John
Sumpter, who is also arrested and undergoing examination."

Hardin grew ashy-pale at these words.

"The villain!" he muttered; "so he has betrayed me. Carry me where you
will, Mr. Officer. Life is a curse to me henceforth."

Thus speaking, he resigned himself passively to the custody of the
sheriffs. They conducted him instantly to the court-house, and placed
him in the prisoner's box beside Sumpter, who cowered and moved away at
his approach. Hardin threw a look of envenomed hatred on the wretch, and
sat down. When the charges were read he merely bowed; and when asked
what he had to plead, replied: "Nothing, only that they would hang him
up as soon as convenient, and thus end his misery." He was placed in
jail with Sumpter, and several other defaulters, to await a final trial
at the autumn sessions.

And the pestilence swept on; young and old, rich and poor, all fell
before its blasting power. In the brief space of twenty-four hours, Dr.
Prague was bereft of wife and children, and left a poor, lone man, in
his solitary mansion. Where should the mourner turn for consolation? At
this crisis, he thought of his old friend, Parson Grey, and determined
to quit the city for a few weeks, till the epidemic should have
subsided, and make him a visit. He was just the calm, holy spirit he
needed to solace his afflictions; and accordingly a letter was
despatched, which brought a speedy reply, sympathizing in his distress,
and urgently inviting him to join them as soon as possible.

He visited Hardin before departing, informed him of the death of all his
family, and kindly inquired if he could be of any service to the
imprisoned man.

"No!" was the answer; "and I don't know what you came here at all for.
What do I care if your wife and brats _are_ dead? So is _my_ wife dead,
and _my_ child, and I hope soon