arm, said, "Oh mother! mother!"

But when the person drew near, they perceived that it was not Hammond, but
Jackson; and, for a moment, the sight of him, unwelcome object as he was,
almost gave them pleasure; it was a relief to find it was not George. But
he would come, no doubt, and presently; was probably not far off; and
there was the tempter waiting for him.

Angry and disgusted, the two women went into the house, and shut the door.
After an irrepressible burst of tears, Hannah bethought herself of sending
a lad they kept as hostler, along the road, to try and meet Hammond, and
to smuggle him into the house by the back way. The boy went; but, after
walking until he was tired, returned, saying he had been to the town, but
could see nothing of master. He had, however, met Mr. Harry, who had
promised to go in search of him, and bring him home. Finding Jackson sound
asleep, and not likely to move, Hannah sent her daughter, and the maid,
and the boy to bed, resolving to sit up herself, that she might be ready
to admit George when he came. Alas! in what state would he arrive?

To-morrow was his daughter's wedding-day, and as Hannah thought of all
they had suffered, the love--that had been flooding from her woman's heart
toward her husband returning to her, as she had fondly hoped, to live
purely and virtuously the rest of their days--was turned into bitterness
and wrath.

It was a weary night as she sat listening to the ticking of the clock, and
the slow hours as they struck, until the dawn broke, and then she peeped
out to see if Jackson were still at the door. Yes, there he was fast
asleep. A pretty condition he would be in to go to church with his son!
However, he would be sober when he awoke; and sick at heart, and sad, she
went upstairs and stretched herself on the bed beside her daughter.

But she could not sleep; her mind was anxious, and her ears were on the
stretch for her profligate; and by-and-by the sparrows on the house-top
began to chirp, and the market-carts rolled by on their way to the town,
and the laborers' heavy shoes tramped along to the fields where their work
lay; and still there was no George! No George! and so, at length, she fell
asleep.

She had slept about a couple of hours when she was awakened by Esther's
voice. "Mother!" cried the girl, "there's father at the door. You'd better
go yourself and let him in!" "I will!" said Hannah, hastily getting out of
bed and throwing on some clothes--"