Question

'your father was not drawned , Elizabeth.' why does Henry say this

Answer 1

Either saying he didn't paid the insurance premium or saying he was not dead

Answer 2

Elizabeth upon learning that her father had supposedly passed away thought that maybe he might be brought back to life. She thought of this as she had heard reports of people being brought back to life after being presumed dead. Henry pointed out that only those who drowned could be resuscitated in such a way, and Abel had not drowned.