To please herself, and to plague Louisa Balfour, Ellinor resolved to have eyes and ears for no one but Willoughby; and she did not for a moment doubt his readiness to enter into an animated flirtation, as she had long been aware of his admiration. But, in her great desire to annoy Miss Balfour, she forgot that there was another who would be equally hurt by her conduct. With her usual caprice, Ellinor had for some time bestowed all her smiles on Willoughby, and scarcely deigned to notice Spencer, who affected to be entirely engrossed by Catherine, while, in reality, he was watching every look and word of her volatile cousin, whose undisguised preference of Willoughby gave him the deepest uneasiness.

Deceived by these appearances, Willoughby never doubted that Catherine was the object of Spencer's attachment, and fancied that he was conferring the greatest possible favour on his friend, when he engrossed the attention of Ellinor, and so left

him to the undisturbed enjoyment of Catherine's society. Spencer had for some time observed Willoughby's attentions to Ellinor, and with that proneness to imagine evil, which is common to all lovers, believed him to be seriously attached. Ellinor's conduct, too, wounded and displeased him. He could not conceal from himself the painful truth, that, from the first day of her acquaintance with Willoughby, she had rather courted than repelled that gentleman's attentions, while his uneasiness at her thoughtless and capricious conduct was evidently either unnoticed or disregarded.

Frequently did Spencer vow never to see her again; but these prudent resolutions were but too often broken, and, in spite of his wise determinations, he was still a constant visitor in Hope-Street. He tried to persuade himself that he did not wish to go there, but it was proper to do so.Sir Thomas had been so remarkably kind and attentive to him, and Charles was his

particular friend,-and why should he give up their society because Ellinor was capricious? No, no, that would be unjusthe would call occasionally-it would prevent disagreeable remarks-they would part friends; and as the regiment would probably soon be on the move, the affair would terminate without any unpleasant eclat.

Thus Spencer reasoned, and, at the close of his reflections, he generally found himself in the presence of his fair enslaver, who was most ungenerously abusing the power she had over him-a circumstance which ought at once to have opened his eyes to her real disposition; for the woman who tramples on the best affections of the heart, who returns disdain for admiration, cruelty for kindness, and contempt for devoted attachment, is unworthy of exciting a pure and steady regard. But if Spencer had been aware of the nature of Willoughby's sentiments, he had not been so much alarmed. As yet, Willoughby felt admiration only. He was not a man whose heart was to

be taken captive by beauty. It required many qualifications to be united in the woman whom he would solemnly engage to guide, support, and cheer, in all the trials incident to human life, and whether Ellinor Lennox was to be that woman, he could not as yet determine; but had he known how inferior were her mental to her personal beauties, her power over him had been quickly overthrown. At present he saw in her an engaging, animated girl, a little giddy perhaps, and rather too fond of admiration; but young, beautiful, and gay, and flattered by the homage of numerous adorers, it was not wonderful that she sometimes deviated from strict propriety. In this manner did Willoughby excuse to himself actions and sentiments not exactly in accordance with his ideas of female dignity; and where is the man who will not find some apology for the woman who flatters his self-love and vanity, even though it is at the expense of that decorum which is so lovely an ornament in the female

character. If Ellinor had distinguished any other man in the pointed manner she did Willoughby, he would probably have been the first to condemn her; but being himself the object of her witcheries, he passed a mild sentence on them; and on her entering the room, and seating herself beside him, he was perfectly ready to pay her those little attentions which are agreeable to all women, but which were particularly so to Ellinor Lennox.

Every word and look of Ellinor were now closely watched by Miss Louisa Balfour, and Spencer, who was seated beside her; but this only stimulated her to increase the attention with which she listened to the conversation of Willoughby, who she now discovered held very elevated notions of dignity and propriety, and the somewhat exploded opinion of the necessity of a strict performance of our duties, whatever might be the sacrifice. Changing her mode of attack, she therefore talked most feelingly on the necessity of relinquishing our own