cer, has a plot upon the Major, and only talks so to tease you." "Make yourself perfectly easy on that head," replied Ellinor, "for, I assure you, I don't mind her." "Did you walk from town ?" asked Catherine, shocked at this ill-bred sparring. 66 Yes," replied Harriet, " and the wind blew us dreadfully about-my curls are all out-I dare say the gentlemen thought me a pretty fright-Don't you think so?" 66 Really," said Ellinor, "I can't pretend to answer for their thoughts; but, as you may perhaps encounter them in passing the Barracks, you can ask them, and they will certainly satisfy your curiosity, for they are frankness and candour personified." "I don't like quizzing," said Miss Harriet, in a pet. "Neither do I," replied Ellinor; " I think it excessively impertinent." Catherine rang for refreshments, and Lady Lennox entering soon after, the conversation took a new turn, and the visitors having remained what Ellinor thought an enormous time, at length departed, but not without leaving their characters behind them, which were not spared by Ellinor, who strongly resented the mortifying supposition that Willoughby was not over head and ears in love with her. CHAPTER VI. By all the careless looks and careless words, By all my wither'd feelings, ruin'd health, SCARCELY a day now passed without a meeting between Willoughby, Spencer, and the Lennox family. There was a book or song to be returned, or a flute accompaniment was wanted; and when these excuses were not at hand, the gentlemen strolled on the sands, for which walk Ellinor now showed a violent predilection. Willoughby, though habitually unobtrusive, could not always conceal the admiration with which Ellinor inspired him, while she, with a woman's intuition on this subject, penetrated his sentiments and gloried in her captive. But still Willoughby spoke not of love. He appeared to be studying her character, investigating her sentiments and dispositions, and he seemed resolved not to commit his happiness to her keeping, till he found that she was worthy of the trust. Thus occupied, the uneasiness and jealousy of Spencer passed unobserved; for Willoughby, conscious that Ellinor gave, on all occasions, a preference to his society, never for one moment doubted that Catherine was the object of Spencer's wishes; and as she, compassionating his evident unhappiness, always received him with marked kindness of manner, Willoughby became more and more convinced of the correctness of his opinion; and if at any time the indignation of Spencer drew from him a laconic or disdainful reply, Willoughby, attributing it to some trivial disagreement with his fair mistress, passed it over with good-humoured forbearance. One fine evening that Willoughby was seated beside Ellinor, while Catherine was drawing at a table near them, the conver sation turned accidentally on some of the gentlemen of Willoughby's regiment with whom the ladies were acquainted. 66 Ah," exclaimed Willoughby, " how much I wish you knew my friend Bagot; you would be charmed with him." 66 Indeed," replied Ellinor, gaily; "then why don't you introduce him ?" "He is not with us. Just before our coming to Scotland, he obtained leave of absence for some months; and from the tenor of his last letters to me, I fear we shall lose him altogether." "What is the matter?" asked Ellinor; "is he going to marry and grow stupid?" "No,” replied Willoughby," he is not likely to marry early; for his whole time is devoted to soften the lamentable situation of his mother, to whom he is enthusiastically attached. She was seized some time since with a sudden and violent illness, after which she became totally blind. She lost her husband several years ago, and |