nd I shall be glad to accept your
assistance, especially, as the children are so fond of you; however, I
hope Aleck's illness will be only temporary."

Mrs. Potter then withdrew, and the party slowly strolled back to the
hotel.

As Mrs. Drysdale surmised, her husband's illness was very brief, and in
two or three days, he returned to his duties at the court house. He was
somewhat changed in looks, however, his face being haggard, his figure
slightly bowed, and his hand tremulous. He seemed, more than ever
before, to avoid society, and on his way to the court house, he always
chose the least frequented streets. The change in his looks and manners,
was noticed only by a few who had formerly been intimate with him; in
this little circle, his eccentricities were accounted for by significant
gestures of drinking, and it was understood among those who knew him
best, that liquor was responsible for the ruin of another fine fellow.

One peculiarity that he evinced was, a great partiality for the society
of Mr. Andrews, and for the next week, they were together every day. He
frequently referred, in conversation with Andrews, to the freak his
imagination had played, while returning from the plantation, and,
though Andrews always made light of it, and laughed at him, he evidently
thought about it a great deal. It seemed to be a kind of relief to him
to discuss it with Andrews, and so the latter used to humor him in it.

_CHAPTER VI._

Several days after Drysdale's return from the plantation, Mrs. Potter
and several others, set out for a horseback ride. They enjoyed the
afternoon exceedingly, and it was growing dark before they reached the
town on their return. As the party passed down the street upon which
Drysdale lived, Mrs. Potter, and another lady, lagged behind the others,
and the main body were quite a distance in advance. Mrs. Potter
suggested that they put their horses at full speed, in order to overtake
their friends. Mrs. Robbins, her companion, assented, and they dashed
off together. The latter's horse was the faster of the two, however, and
Mrs. Potter was about fifty or sixty yards in the rear, when they
approached the Drysdale place. There was no one in sight on the street,
and there was so much foliage on each side, that the road was quite
hidden from the view of the scattered houses.

Suddenly, Mrs. Robbins heard a shriek and a fall behind her; quickly
reining in her horse, she turned back, passing Mrs