and really I should feel sorry should he think,-I mean suspect, that-But, my dear cousin, don't, I beseech you, don't ask him anything about it.”

"About what?" said Ellinor, with vivacity. "I thought there was nothing to learn; but since there is something, I am happy to find that I am not singular in making use of a little innocent deceit when my affairs loudly demand it: and who will dare to find fault with me, when my pattern cousin has sanctioned the practice?"

"Well, Ellinor, since you insist upon it, I will accompany you to your brother." Amazing condescension! Let us go,

then."

On entering the room, Ellinor exclaimed," Behold, most noble Charles, at your feet two distressed damsels, come to beg a boon. We ask you not, most valorous knight, to deliver us from the power of an enchanter, or from the custody of some uncourteous lord, who holds us in durance vile; but to perform a more difficult feat

Deliver us from the evil tongue of a malevolent genius:-Or, to speak without metaphor, how shall we stop Miss Kennedy's mouth, and prevent her from telling my father that the demure Catherine and your humble servant were actually in the stage-coach the other day? Well may you open your eyes. I am sure so did I when she proposed it. I wanted her to wait till we could get the carriage; but she said we got no amusement by ourselves, and that she would far rather go in the stage, where we might pick up some agreeable acquaintances. I did all in my power to dissuade her, but without success; and I consented to accompany her, purely to prevent the impropriety of her going alone." "Oh, Ellinor!" said Catherine.

"I would

Hear her!" said Ellinor. not wonder if she denied the whole story. She stands in so much awe of your high mightiness, that I could scarcely persuade her to come to confession. Now take pity upon us, and tell us what we shall do."

Charles smiled, and said, "I can give no

advice till you tell me the whole of your adventures. I believe you have told the truth, with one trifling exception,-which is, that you are the real culprit."

“I knew you would say so," answered Ellinor; "even Catherine said she wa safe; that you would not believe she could act so foolishly. But wait a little; you will be still more astonished, and perhap incredulous, when you hear the sequel.Well, behold us seated in the coach, with four companions,-one of them a handsome young man ; but I was too much cha grined with Catherine's folly to be dis posed to play the agreeable. I therefore sat in glum silence, from which I was aroused by an exclamation of agony from an old gouty gentleman, who sat next to me, and opposite Catherine. It appeared that this said old gentleman had received, on his most vulnerable toe, a severe kick. You cannot conceive the riot that this trifling circumstance occasioned. The old gentleman accused the young one of this evil

deed, who positively asserted the perfect innocence of his feet. No one would own this unfortunate kick, which so exasperated the old gentleman, that I thought he would have boxed us all round; and there sat Catherine, the genius of this storm, serene amidst the wreck of worlds!" She told me, as soon as we alighted, that she intended merely to touch my foot to look at Spencer, who was coming out of the Barracks just as we passed, and she had no idea that she had used so much force. I did not believe till then that she thought Spencer worth a kick; but it is difficult to fathom the heart of a woman. She deceived me, as I dare say she has done you, into a belief of her perfect indifference to him, and he also may soon be deposed, as she seems veering round to our new acquaintance."

"What new acquaintance?" said Charles, hastily.

"Oh!" said Ellinor, "we are not there yet, let us proceed regularly; and recollect,

if you interrupt me again, to punish you I shall begin at the beginning.-On alighting, I took Catherine severely to task, and pointed out to her the many evils which result from the slightest deviation from prudence. To do her justice, she was tolerably penitent; on observing which, I dropped the subject. On finishing our shopping, we agreed to walk out, and had got near the Barracks, when we saw a drove of ferocious cattle coming towards us. I was a little alarmed; but as two officers were approaching, Catherine determined to be prodigiously so, and, of course, on seeing her distress, they offered to escort us out of the reach of these formidable animals. They did so very politely, and certainly showed no disposition to resign the pleasure of conversing with us, when Spencer came up, and effected a union between Pleasure and Propriety, which, unlike some unions I have heard of, gave general satisfaction.-And now, having made you our father confessor, you are in duty bound to help us out of this