CHAPTER IV.

CHANGE OF FORTUNE.

"IT was some days," continued Mr. Eldridge, recovering himself, "before
I could venture to enquire the particulars of what had happened during
my illness: at length I assumed courage to ask my dear girl how long her
mother and brother had been dead: she told me, that the morning after
my arrest, George came home early to enquire after his mother's health,
staid with them but a few minutes, seemed greatly agitated at parting,
but gave them strict charge to keep up their spirits, and hope every
thing would turn out for the best. In about two hours after, as they
were sitting at breakfast, and endeavouring to strike out some plan to
attain my liberty, they heard a loud rap at the door, which Lucy running
to open, she met the bleeding body of her brother, borne in by two men
who had lifted him from a litter, on which they had brought him from
the place where he fought. Her poor mother, weakened by illness and the
struggles of the preceding night, was not able to support this shock;
gasping for breath, her looks wild and haggard, she reached the
apartment where they had carried her dying son. She knelt by the bed
side; and taking his cold hand, 'my poor boy,' said she, 'I will not be
parted from thee: husband! son! both at once lost. Father of mercies,
spare me!' She fell into a strong convulsion, and expired in about two
hours. In the mean time, a surgeon had dressed George's wounds; but they
were in such a situation as to bar the smallest hopes of recovery. He
never was sensible from the time he was brought home, and died that