She had pretty well made up her mind to inform him of what she had done, but shrank from the scene which she had every reason to believe would follow.
The twilight had just begun to fall, and Mrs.Ellis, with her babe in her arms, was sitting in one of the parlours, waiting for and thinking of her husband, when she heard his key in the door.

He came in, and moving along the entry with a quicker step than usual, went up-stairs.
Supposing that, not finding her above, he would come down to the parlours, Mrs.Ellis waited nearly five minutes.

Then she followed him up-stairs.

Not finding him in the nursery, she passed into their chamber.

Here she found him, lying across the bed, on which he had, evidently, thrown himself under some strong excitement, or abandonment, of feeling, for his head was not upon a pillow, and he lay perfectly motionless, as if unconscious of her presence.
"Henry!" She called his name, but he made no answer, nor gave even a sign.
"Henry! Are you sick ?" There was a slight movement of his body, but no reply.
"Henry! Henry!" Mrs.Ellis spoke in tones of anxiety, as she laid her hand upon him.