Starting up suddenly, he said, "I will
go home: why have I hesitated an instant? My poor Mary! Heaven knows
you have already suffered enough through my short-comings and
wanderings from the way of right and duty. I am walking a narrow path,
with destruction on either hand: if I get over safely, it will be
through you as my sustaining angel."

A skilful limner, at least in this instance, was the imagination of
Wilkinson. Much as it had been pictured to his thoughts was the scene
at home. Poor Mary! with what trembling anxiety did she wait and hope
for her husband's coming, after the usual hour for his return had
passed. Now she sat motionless, gazing on some painful image that was
presented to her mind; now she moved about the room from an unquietness
of spirit that would not let her be still; and now she bent her ear
towards the street, and listened almost breathlessly for the sound of
her husband's footsteps. Thus the time passed from two until three
o'clock, the dinner yet unserved.

"Oh, what can keep him away so long?"

How many, many times was this spoken audibly! Now her heart beat with a
quick, panting motion, as the thought of some accident to her husband
flitted through the mind of Mrs. Wilkinson; now its irregular motion
subsided, and it lay almost still, with a heavy pressure; for the fear
lest he had again been tempted from the path of sobriety came with its
deep and oppressive shadow.

And thus the lingering moments passed. Three o'clock came, and yet Mr.
Wilkinson was absent.

"I can bear this suspense no longer," said the unhappy wife. "Something
has happened."

And as she said this, she went quickly into her chamber to put into
execution some suddenly-formed resolution. Opening a wardrobe, she took
therefrom her bonnet and a shawl. But, ere she had thrown the latter
around her shoulders, she paused, with the words on her lips--

"If business should have detained him at his store, how will my
appearance there affect him? I must think of that. I do not want him to
feel that I have lost confidence in him."

While Mrs. Wilkinson stood, thus musing, her ear caught the sound of
her husband's key in the lock of the street-door. How quickly were her
bonnet and shawl returned to their places! How instant and eager were
her efforts to suppress all signs of anxiety at the prolonged absence!

"He must not see that I have been over-anxious," she murmured.

The street-door closed; Mr. Wilkinson's well-kno