"One question more, uncle; when will it take place--the trial, I mean?"

"It will probably come on in November," her uncle answered.

"Two long months of imprisonment for my poor brother!" said Agnes.

"But remember, Agnes, those two months will be diligently employed by
his counsel in preparing his defence."

"And by those on the other side, in making strong their cause against
him, uncle. My poor dear Lewie! how I long to see him; and yet how I
dread the first meeting, oh! if that were only over!"

The next morning, immediately after breakfast, Mr. Wharton and Agnes
drove over to Hillsdale. Agnes shuddered, and turned pale, as they drew
near the gloomy jail with its iron-barred windows, and closing her eyes
she silently prayed for strength and calmness for the meeting with her
brother. Mr. Wharton conducted her to the door of the room in which her
brother was confined, and left her there, as he knew they would both
prefer that their first meeting should be without witnesses. In one
respect Agnes was agreeably disappointed; she had expected to find her
brother in a close, dark dungeon; and was much surprised to find herself
in a pleasant, light room, with table, books, writing materials, and
everything very comfortable about him; the only things there to remind
her that she was in a prison, being the locked door, and the grated
window.

Agnes had been preparing herself ever since she first received the
tidings of her brother's arrest, for this meeting; and she went through
it with a calmness and composure which astonished herself. But poor
Lewie was completely overcome. He knew his sister would come to him; but
he had not expected her so soon, and the first intimation he had of her
arrival, was the sight of her upon the threshold of his door.

"Poor Agnes! poor dear sister!" said he, as soon as he could speak;
"what have I ever been from my childhood up, but a source of trouble and
distress to you. You were punished for my ungoverned temper all through
your childhood; you are suffering for it now; you will have to suffer
for it more, till your bloom is all gone, and you are worn to a
skeleton. If I had dared, Agnes--if I had dared, I should have put an
end to this mortal existence; and thus I should have saved you all this
coming disgrace and misery. But I had not the courage to lay violent
hands upon myself, and go, a deliberate suicide, into the presence of
my Maker. I have tried all other means; I have gone t