faid, he turned away, and fprung into the chaife, where his companion was waiting for him.

And now, as we can well believe the better part of our readers are by this time become indifferent to the fate of our unworthy hero, we will leave him, without regret, to pursue his journey, and for the prefent confine our attention to the houfe of Manstock.

As foon as Fanny Claypole was drest, she presented herself at the door of Ifabella's chamber, and was inftantly admitted. Without any embarrassment, she began her enquiries as to the alarm she had fuffered in the ftorm; and when that was explained, and the fhattered window shutter referred to, Fanny, in her turn, undertook a plaufible account of her being thrown into a fit by the violence of her fright, and of Henry's great attention in conveying her to the couch, and protecting her in her diftrefs, with so much tenderness, that she verily believed fhe owed her life to his care.-" I am fure," added fhe, "I fhall never forget his kind affiduity so long as I live; and though I dare fay my fituation, ftretch'd at my length, and helpless as I was, might appear to you a little equivocal, yet I can truly affert that the dear man was as delicate in his treatment of me as

9.

if

1

if he had been one of our own fex.'

"

« I pro

mise you," replied Ifabella, " I fhou'd very unwillingly fuppofe to the contrary; only I cou'd with, if you have any more fits, it may literally be one of our own fex, and not Mr. Henry, that will fetch you out of them."

Humph!" faid Fanny, "I affure you I fhall not be afham'd to thank him before all the company, when I fee him in the breakfastroom."-Upon this they separated.

Sufan had been fo obfervant of Henry's injunctions, that fhe had not named him to her miftrefs, and that young lady being equally filent, his departure was as much a secret to her as to Fanny. Isabella had paffed a wretched night; her dread of meeting Henry was extreme; fhe gave little ear to Fanny's palliating account; and, with a mind agonized between love and refentment, fhe came trembling down the ftairs; at the foot of them Sufan was standing, her eyes drenched with tears, and a paper in her hand, that had just been delivered to her by the fervant who generally attended upon Henry: Ifabella demanded a fight of it, and before the girl had time to recollect herself, it was in her hands, and the read thefe words:

"Give

"Give this inclofed trifle to your wor"thy mother, being a fmall return of gra<< titude from that wretched creature, whom "her charity once harboured. You can need "nothing, being under the protection of an angel. Farewel for ever!"

" HENRY."

The contents were a bank bill for twenty pounds." Is he then gone!" cried Ifabella, gone for ever! Oh my God!"-Then with a figh fell lifeless into Sufan's arms.

At that moment Sir Roger came out of his dreffing room, and ran with agony to demand what ailed his darling. Sufan, with admirable presence of mind, flipt the letter out of fight, and answered, that her lady had been extremely frighted by the ftorm, had paffed a fleepless night, and had fainted through mere weakness and fatigue ;-" But all will foon be well," faid fhe; "you fee fhe is recovering," (which was true) and then the recounted the accident of the fhutter in Ifabella's hearing, to convince her that no discovery had been made of any other caufe. Sir Roger led his daughter into his own apartment, and sent Sufan for hartfhorn and water. Ifabella repeated

the

the account of her fright exactly as Sufan had given it, and foon declared herself sufficiently recovered to attend upon the company at breakfast." You will find our party," faid Sir Roger, "has fuffered a loss that I dare fay you will regret as much as I do: my nephew Jack has ftolen away our young Henry from us; here is his letter."-This he delivered to Isabella, and she read what we have before recited. She returned it to him with a mournful look, and was filent; in truth fhe was not at that moment enough compofed to venture an attempt at words.

"My dear child," cried Sir Roger, obferving her turn paler than before, "I hope you are not ill again."-Ifabella answered, that she was not quite recovered, but begged him not to be alarmed, for it would foon pafs off." I fufpect," faid the good man, holding the letter in his hand," this will be bad news for Fanny Claypole, for she seems to be very fond of the young man, and if we bring it out upon her unawares it may create fome confufion, and diftrefs her. I think it will be better for me to whifper it to her uncle, and let him break it to her after we are out of the way; we may easily devife some excufe

for

for his not being at breakfast. But does not this look like a pretence of Henry's for getting away from her? I fufpect that Fanny has not play'd her cards well, and comes on rather fafter than he approves of: I proteft it seems to me to be all up with her, by the purport of this letter.". "I fhou'd think a woman rifques a great deal by fuch forward advances," replied Ifabella; " but I fuppofe fhe knows her man, and probably they understand each other."-" Why fo fhe told her uncle last night," faid Sir Roger, " now you bring it to my recollection, and he believes that every thing goes on to her heart's content.""I don't doubt it," cried Isabella.—“ And I can affure you," added Sir Roger, "Claypole himself is very well inclin'd to the match."— "Then I dare fay the match will take place," faid Ifabella, fomewhat pettifhly; " for Mr. Claypole is very apt to fucceed in his undertakings; but let us not meddle with it, for I think it is no concern of ours."-This being concluded, they went into the

room.

breakfast

As the company were fitting down to the table, and before any notice had been taken of the abfence of Henry, the porter's bell an

t

nounced