I will;" and she folded her lips with an
expression of bitterness.

"Don't be too hard upon him, mother," said Esther--"it's the last time, for
Jackson will be gone to-morrow;" and while her mother descended the
stairs, the young girl arose, with her heart full of love and
happiness--for how could she be sad when that very day was to make her
Harry's wife? Her wedding finery was all laid out ready to put on, and she
was inspecting it with the innocent vanity of eighteen, when she was
startled by a scream--another and another--and it was her mother's voice!
Pale and transfixed with terror, she stood with her hands pressed upon her
bosom, to still her heart's beating. What could have happened? Then she
heard other voices below--men's voices; and with trembling hands, she tried
to dress herself, that she might go down and inquire. Suddenly, one cried
out, "Where's Esther? Where's my sister?" There was a hasty foot upon the
stairs, and George, her brother, pale as death, haggard, disheveled,
rushed into the room.

Then there was the tramp of many feet below, and Esther rushed to the
door; but George caught her in his arms.

"Wait!" he said, "and I'll tell you all. Jackson got hold of my father
last night and made him drink--"

"We know it; but Harry! Oh, where's Harry?"

"Harry heard of it, and told me; and we went to seek him, he one way, I
another. It was not till about two hours ago, I heard that father had not
long left the Plough, in James-street, and that Harry had been there
directly afterward, and gone in pursuit of him; so, being very anxious, I
thought I would come on here to see if he was arrived." And here the poor
boy's sobs choked his utterance.

"And has any thing happened to my father!" said Esther.

"When I got near the Mill-dam," continued George, "I saw two or three of
the millers looking into the water--"

"My poor father! He's drowned!" said Esther, clasping her hands.

"Yes," said George, hesitating; "whether he was seized with delirium, or
whether remorse got the better of him, and he was ashamed to come home,
there's no telling--"

"But where's Harry?" cried the girl; for George hesitated again.

"He must have overtaken my father, and seen the accident--or must have been
trying to prevent his throwing himself in the water--for poor Harry--!" And
then there was the tramp of more feet below, and another weight was
carried through the passage. "I had him brought here, Esther. I knew you'd
w