the
professions. During the last year of his stay at college, his letters
to me were full of the praises of a young lady whose acquaintance he
had made, and in vacations he was never weary of talking of her beauty
and amiable qualities. I was present when he took his degree, and at
a party, given during my stay, in the town, he introduced me to
her. Alas! that introduction was the cause of the happiness and the
wretchedness of my life. It found me a wife, and lost me a brother. I
cannot describe the impression which the first sight of Frances made
upon me. Nor did she seem averse to my attentions. I offered myself,
and was accepted."

"And didst thou nothing to alienate her affections from thy brother?"
inquired Holden, in a hoarse voice.

"She never regarded him with more than a passing liking," returned
Armstrong, "nor do I believe she had an idea of the fervor of
his affection. God be my witness, I never spoke a word in his
disparagement. We were married, and shortly after George began to
exhibit indications of insanity. By the advice of physicians he was
taken to an asylum for the insane, where it was hoped, under proper
treatment, his reason might be restored. May God pardon me, who am the
cause of the horrid tragedy, but, by some negligence of his keeper,
he was permitted to escape--his body was found, after some days, in
a neighboring pond." Here Armstrong paused and covered his face with
both hands.

"The body was recognized as thy brother's?" inquired Holden.

"It had been in the water too long to be perfectly recognized, but
the height, and age, and color of the hair, and what there was left to
make it distinguishable, were sufficient to identify it as George's."

"There is no certainty then. Thy brother may be yet alive."

"There can be no doubt of his death. Thirty years have elapsed,
and were he in existence he must have been heard of. Twelve years
afterwards my Frances died, leaving me two children, a son and infant
daughter. God saw fit, in his providence, to take my boy, but left me
Faith, to lay my grey hairs in the grave. It will not be long before
she will do me that service."

Mr. Armstrong ceased speaking, and silence succeeded, which was at
last broken by the Solitary. He bent his brows with a keen, searching
glance upon his guest, and said:

"Thou wert false to thy brother."

"Yes, and his blood cries against me. Whither shall I turn to hide my
guilt?"

"Thou dost repent, then, of t