The afternoon passed away, and Margaret, who had been incessantly walkingfrom one window to another, to watch for her lover's curricle, now began tocreate a new sensation for herself, by a conviction which suddenly seizedon her, that some dreadful accident had happened to him. It was towards theend of March, and the lengthened days allowed them plenty of time to dineby daylight, and enjoy a long twilight afterwards; as the evening began toclose in, her alarm and tribulation increased; when, at length, her fearswere dissipated by seeing the curricle drive up to the door with a mostimportant bustle, followed by a loud and prolonged knock, which instantlybrought twenty heads to the neighbouring windows.
Margaret sank on a sofa, and exclaimed in feeble tones,
"He is there—my heart tells me he is there—support me, my dearsisters—support me in this trying hour."
Before any one had time to answer her, his step was heard on the stairs,and recovering as rapidly as she had app