could be explained, and how to refcué his unhappy parent from her danger he knew nót: ardently he longed to throw himself at her feet and receive her bleffing, but all approaches were barred against him; no choice was left but to refort for protection to the hofpitable house of Sir Roger Manstock, and he now regarded him not only as the friend of Ratcliffe, but as the uncle of his mother; a confideration that greatly relieved him from many of his fcruples; a fum in bank notes, which was inclofed within the cover of his mother's letter, very amply furnished him with an independence as to money matters, a favor of all others the most painful to folicit from any benefactor but a parent. He refolved therefore to fet out for Manstock-house with the return of morning, and it is no improbable conjecture, that in forming this refolution, ideas of a certain fort, not abfolutely devoid of hope, nor far removed from the first dawnings of a tender paffion, had a fhare in his decifions; certain it is, that he had little courage. for the undertaking in his former humble obfcurity, though the invitation had been held out to him by the worthy Baronet in the moft gracious manner.

At

At length the morning dawned, when the found of voices under his window occafioned him to open the cafement and enquire into the cause of it. Two or three peasants, who had taken the body of Larry O'Rourke in charge, had miffed their prifoner, and were reproaching each other with what feemed, to have been the joint neglect of all, for they had contented themselves with fhutting him into an upper chamber in the alehouse, whilst they regaled themselves in the kitchen: the points they had now in debate were, first, how it was poffible for him to efcape; next, whofe fault it was that he did efcape; and laftly, whether it was worth their while to purfue him; this however was foon decided in the negative, as one of the company affured them that the law would give them no reward for apprehending him, and all parties inftantly agreed that there was nothing to be got by running after him. In this conclufion all were. of a mind, and the bufinefs ended in their feparating on the spot, and feverally returning quietly to their own homes.

CHAPTER

CHAPTER IV.

A new Scene opens upon our Hero. WITH the break of day Henry left his pallet, and Sufan at the fame time fhook off the foft bands of fleep, and prefented to the eyes of morning a figure worthy to enlist amongst the Hours,that dance before the chariot of Apollo. When fhe had packed up her wardrobe, and arrayed her perfon in the simple drefs of fnow-white callico, fhe was prepared to obey the promised fummons from her young miftrefs at Manstock-house.

Our hero in the mean time had accoutered himself to the best advantage: though the effects of a fleepless night were discoverable in his eyes and complexion, his model was fuch as academies might rejoice in, and theatres applaud; the child of love, offspring of parents in the prime of youth and bloom of beauty, he inherited all his mother's fweetness, and his father's fire; whilft nature and education had united to repay him for thofe penalties, which the law had laid upon his birth.

The old Dame and Ezekiel had not yet made their appearance. Sufan entered the

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room, where he was fitting wrapt in meditation; her eyes met his, fhe fighed, blushed, and retired: nothing was faid, and we do not presume to dive into the thoughts and emotions of the heart.

After a few minutes Ezekiel Daw defcended from his loft; his air and ftep had more than usual folemnity, and his countenance was expreffive of a tender melancholy; his voice, naturally fharp and acrimonious, was now pitched in its fofteft and lowest key, when he addreffed himself to our hero in the following

terms:

"I perceive, my beloved child, thou art about to depart from us. I have remember'd thee in my morning exercifes, and put up my petitions to the throne of grace for blessing and protection to thee in thy future pilgrimage through this world of woe. Verily, my good child, I do love thee as a father loveth his own fon; and if it were thy deftiny, amidst the grofs temptations of a finful age, to fall from virtue, and a state of grace, I wou'd afk of Heaven to fmite me now with death, rather than let me live to know and to lament thy foul's fad forfeiture of happiness to come. But I will hope thou art not in the way of

I

fuch

fuch perdition; Heaven forbid! And now I pray thee, hearken to me awhile: I have liv'd longer in the world, and know it better, than thou poffibly canft, who hast such short experience of it: mark me therefore! Thou art adventuring forth upon the word of promise given to thee by the Lady Crowbery; 'tis well! I do agnize good difpofitions in the Lady Crowbery, fhe is a bounteous lady, but she is a woman; and of that fex I draw my caution. from the book of books, yea verily I take them on the word of the wifeft of men, for what he found them to be to his coft: Yes, grace of God! young man, I studied them betimes; never took fire into my bofom, as the preacher hath it; never lusted after her beauty, neither let ber take me with her eyelids; therefore thou feeft I have good right to fay I know them. well; and though I fhou'd be loth to misinterpret the fair-feeming acts of any one, yet feeing thou art comely in thine outward man, and goodly to look at, being withal in that prurient state of early youth, which is moft apt to lure the wandering eyes of woman, I warn thee not to run into a fnare. What art thou to the Lady Crowbery?-a stranger; wert thou her fon, cou'd fhe do more? Great faG 2

vours