of ice deposited by the
retreating flood, which dashed on its course, foaming, and roaring,
and flashing in the light of the blazing beacons. Locked in each
other's arms, and trembling with excitement, we lay collecting our
scattered senses, and endeavoring to divest us of the terrible thought
that we were still at the mercy of the flood. Our friends, who had
learned from the negroes the mad adventure we had started upon, now
gathered around us, lifted us up from our prostrate position, and
moved toward Yesson's mansion. Victor, who through the whole struggle
had borne himself up with that firmness which scorns to shrink before
danger, now yielded, and sunk insensible. The excitement was at an
end, and the strong man had become a child. I, feeble in body, and
lacking his energy in danger, now that the peril was past, felt a
buoyancy and strength which I did not possess at starting out.

My companion was lifted up and borne toward his uncle's. No music
sounded upon the air as we approached--no voice of mirth escaped from
the portal, for all inside were hushed into grief--that grief which
anticipates a loss but knows not the sum of it. Several who entered
the mansion first, and myself among the number, announced the coming
of Victor, who had fallen in a fainting fit; but they would not
believe us--they supposed at once that we came to save them from the
sudden shock of an abrupt announcement of his death, and Estelle, with
a piercing cry, rushed toward the hall--those bearing his body were at
the moment entering the house--rushing toward them she clung to his
inanimate form, uttering the most poignant cries of anguish. A few
restoratives brought Victor to consciousness, and sweet were the
accents of reproof which fell upon his ear with the first waking into
life, for they betrayed to him the tender feelings of love which the
fair Estelle had before concealed beneath her coquetry. While the
tears of joy were bedewing her cheeks, on finding her lover safe, he
like a skillful tactician pursued the advantage, and in a mock
attitude of desperation threatened to rush out and cast himself amid
the turbid waters of the lake, unless she at once promised to
terminate his suspense by fixing the day of their marriage. The fair
girl consented to throw around him, merely as she said for his
preservation, the gentle authority of a wife, and I at once offered to
seal a "quit claim" of my pretensions upon her rosy lips, but she
preferred