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"Can't you speak?"

A shake of the head was his only response.

I rushed to the door to meet him, to ascertain what had happened, where we met my only darling daughter of ten years, whom we all called "Sister," to whom he said:

"Sister, I want you should tell mother that father has forbid my speaking to her for one week, and that is the reason I can't answer her questions."

"But how is your breast, my son?"

"Sister, I want you should tell mother it is worse; I have spit more blood to-day.

In this manner, with my daughter for our medium, I administered to his physical wants and spiritual comfort for one week, which term expired one day before my abduction. During this time he never failed to come to my room or to the window before leaving, to bestow upon my lips his loving kiss of silent, undying affection.

A few days previous to my seizure, Mrs. Dole and Mr. Packard tried to prevail upon me to let her take my darling babe home with her for a few days, to rest me from my night watches with my sick children, to which I foolishly consented, supposing this offer was only dictated by affection and sympathy for me. I soon became impatient for my babe, and Mr. Packard allowed me to go to Mr. Dole's with him to see Arthur, but would not allow me to bring him home with me. They must keep him a day or two longer! I must consent to take a few more nights of good sound sleep before I could embrace my darling babe once more!

Alas! this was the final parting with my precious darling infant, weaned from the breast but three months before.

His little arms could hardly be unclasped from my neck, to which he seemed to cling instinctively; with the tenderest affection he would press his soft cheek against mine, and say:

"Dear mamma! Dear mamma!"

These were the only words he could articulate. O! little did I suspect this was a treacherous act of false affection, to steal from me my darling babe.

But so it proved to be!

This was Saturday. On Sabbath they stole from me my only daughter, by a similar act of hypocrisy. After meeting Sabbath evening, the Rumsey carriage called at our door and claimed the privilege of taking my daughter home with them to visit her intimate friend and school-mate, the youngest Rumsey. They plead that her health needed a change, and she could come home any day I chose; and in answer to my inquiry:

"Has this anything to do with my being taken off?"

They all with united voices, insisted that it had not, adding:

"This is not our most distant thought."

I at length reluctantly consented to her going, and we too, parted for the last time before my abduction, little suspecting it to be so. But as we were embracing each other for the last time, she whispered in my ear:

"Mother, if there are any signs of taking you away, you will let me know, won't you?"

"Certainly I will, my daughter, you may rely upon your mother's promise in this thing. So set your heart at rest, and enjoy yourself as best you can."

And we parted!

That night I had no one to caress but my darling Georgie, of seven years, who was now nearly recovered from his lung fever. But from some unknown cause, sleep was not easily courted that night. Usually my sleep was sound, quiet and refreshing. Sleepless, wakeful nights were unknown to me. But now some evil forebodings assured me all was not right.

About midnight I arose and silently sought Mr. Packard's room, to see if I could make any discoveries as to the aspect of things. Here instead of being in his bed, I found him noiselessly searching through all my trunks and bandboxes. What could this mean? Without his observing me, I went back to my bed, there to consider this question.

Before morning my suspicions assumed a tangible form. I summoned Isaac early to my bedside, to tell him I was sure arrangements were being made to carry me off somewhere, and therefore I wished him without delay to go and get "Sister" home, as I promised to send for her in case of any appearances of this kind.

He replied, "Mother, I will do so; but I must first go of an errand on to the prairie for Mr. Comstock, and then I will return to the house and take you to ride with me to Mr. Rumsey's and get Sister."

"Yes, that will do: we will go by brother Dole's too, and get my baby. I will be all ready when you return, to go with you."

"One thing more, my son, I may need your assistance in preserving my Bible-class papers. Last night I put them into a small box, and hid them in the wardrobe of my room, where they now are. Now, my son, these papers may be your mother's only means of self-defence, and unless we can evade Mr. Packard's search, he may deprive your mother of this last and only means of vindicating her sanity. If, my son, I am ever kidnapped and you cannot defend me, be sure that you protect these papers, for they are next to defending me, so far as my reputation for sanity is concerned. I intend to-day to put a pocket into my underskirt and carry them about my person."