d and the sound of horses heard at
the gate. In a moment the summons was answered by one of our
servants,--for we kept two then,--and a female rushed into the room,
throwing herself in tears at my feet. It was my brother's wife!

"Trembling with fright, I of course hastened to raise her; but she
clung to my knees, begging my assistance, imploring me, by every
passionate appeal she could think of, to save her husband's life, and
convincing me by her sobs and distraction that some frightful calamity
was impending over my brother!

"Your mother joined me eagerly in my efforts to calm the sufferer, and
by degrees we managed to extract the cause of her singular conduct and
unseasonable visit. My brother--alas!--had lost all he possessed, and
even more! His wife's story was heart-rending; but its conclusion filled
us with more anxiety for her husband than his losses; for, overcome by
the certainty of a dishonored name, haunted by the reflection that law
and justice would soon overtake him, my poor brother had made an attempt
upon his life! The hand of God had providentially guided his wife to the
apartment, where she surprised him at the fatal moment and snatched the
deadly instrument from his grasp! He was then locked up in a room; dumb,
overcome, bowed down to the earth, and guarded by two faithful friends.
If any one on earth could save him, it was surely his brother!

"Such was the wild appeal of my wretched sister-in-law, who, heedless of
the stormy night, had thrown herself into a coach and fled to me,
through the tempest, as her only hope for their salvation. There she was
at my feet, bathed in tears, sobbing, screaming, beseeching me to
accompany her to town. _Could I--did I_--hesitate? Your tender mother,
who saw at once the frightful condition of the family, and sympathized
as woman's heart alone can do with human misery, eagerly implored me not
to lose a moment. 'Save him, save him!' exclaimed she; 'spare nothing: I
will consent to every thing you may think proper to do or sacrifice!'

"We flew back to town through the storm and darkness. You grow pale,
Lenora, at the very thought of it, for it was indeed frightful, and you
can never know the impression it made on me: these whitened
hairs--whitened before their time--are the records of that terrible
night! But let me continue.

"It is needless to describe the wild despair in which I found my
brother, or to tell you how long I had to wrestle with his spirit in