esture, and other significances in my manners, joined
to a trembling consciousness in herself, filled my companion with all
the tokens of confusion and fear. She alternately looked at me and at
the paper. Her trepidation increased, and she grew pale. These emotions
were counteracted by a strong effort.

At length she said, falteringly, "I will take good care of them, and
will give them to my brother."

She rose and placed them in a drawer, after which she resumed her seat.

On this occasion all my wariness forsook me. I cannot explain why my
perplexity and the trouble of my thoughts were greater upon this than
upon similar occasions. However it be, I was incapable of speaking, and
fixed my eyes upon the floor. A sort of electrical sympathy pervaded my
companion, and terror and anguish were strongly manifested in the
glances which she sometimes stole at me. We seemed fully to understand
each other without the aid of words.

This imbecility could not last long. I gradually recovered my composure,
and collected my scattered thoughts. I looked at her with seriousness,
and steadfastly spoke:--"Are you the wife of Amos Watson?"

She started:--"I am indeed. Why do you ask? Do you know any thing
of----?" There her voice failed.

I replied with quickness, "Yes. I am fully acquainted with his destiny."

"Good God!" she exclaimed, in a paroxysm of surprise, and bending
eagerly forward, "my husband is then alive! This packet is from him.
Where is he? When have you seen him?"

"'Tis a long time since."

"But where, where is he now? Is he well? Will he return to me?"

"Never."

"Merciful Heaven!" (looking upwards and clasping her hands,) "I thank
thee at least for his life! But why has he forsaken me? Why will he not
return?"

"For a good reason," said I, with augmented solemnity, "he will never
return to thee. Long ago was he laid in the cold grave."

She shrieked; and, at the next moment, sunk in a swoon upon the floor. I
was alarmed. The two children shrieked, and ran about the room terrified
and unknowing what they did. I was overwhelmed with somewhat like
terror, yet I involuntarily raised the mother in my arms, and cast about
for the means of recalling her from this fit.

Time to effect this had not elapsed, when several persons, apparently
Mrs. Watson's neighbours, and raised by the outcries of the girls,
hastily entered the room. They looked at me with mingled surprise and
suspicion; but my attitude, being no