greater suspicion of Mrs. Wilkins than of any other person; not that she had the least aversion to the gentlewoman, but she thought her incapable of keeping a secret, especially from you, sir; for I have often heard Miss Bridget say, that if Mrs. Wilkins had committed a murder, she believed she would acquaint you with it. At last the expected day came: and Mrs. Wilkins, who was kept a week in readiness, and put off from time to time, upon some pretence or other, that she might not return too soon, was despatched. Then the child was born, in the presence only of myself and my mother, and was by my mother conveyed to her own house, where it was privately kept by her, till the evening of your return; when I, by the com-lain I had to deal with. It was by this man mand of Miss Bridget, conveyed it into the bed where you found it. And all suspicions were afterwards laid asleep by the artful conduct of your sister, in pretending ill-will to the boy, and that any regard she showed him was out of mere compliance to you.'

lawyer to prosecute him for a murder of which he was not guilty!-Forgive me, Mr. Allworthy, I must say it was unkind. Indeed, you have been abused; he never deserved it of you.'- 'Indeed, madam,' said Allworthy, I have been abused by the person, whoever he was, that told you so.' —' Nay, sir,' said she, 'I would not be mistaken; I did not presume to say that you were guilty of any wrong. The geleman who came to me proposed no such matter; he only said, taking me for Mr. Fitzpatrick's wife, that if Mr. Jones had murdered my husband, I should be assisted with any money I wanted to carry on the prosecution, by a very worthy gentleman, who, he said, was well apprised what a vil

I found out who Mr. Jones was; and this man, whose name is Dowling, Mr. Jones tells me, is your steward. I discovered his name by a very odd accident: for he himself refused to tell it me; but Partridge, who met him at my lodgings the second time he came, knew him formerly at Salis

Mrs. Waters then made many protesta-bury.' tions of the truth of this story, and concluded by saying, Thus, sir, you have at last discovered your nephew; for so I am sure you will hereafter think him; and I question not but he will be both an honour and a comfort to you under that appellation.'

'I need not, madam,' said Allworthy, 'express my astonishment at what you have told me; and yet surely you would not, and could not, have put together so many circumstances, to evidence an untruth. I confess, I recollect some passages relating to that Summer, which formerly gave me a conceit that my sister had some liking to him. I mentioned it to her; for I had such a regard to the young man, as well on his account as on his father's, that I should willingly have consented to a match between them; but she expressed the highest disdain of my unkind suspicion, as she called it; so that I never spoke more on the subject. Good Heavens! Well the Lord disposeth all things. Yet sure it was a most unjustifiable conduct in my sister to carry this secret with her out of the world.'

And did this Mr. Dowling,' says Allworthy, with great astonishment in his countenance, tell you, that I would assist in the prosecution-No, sir,' answered she, I will not charge him wrongfully. He said I should be assisted, but he mentioned no name. Yet you must pardon me, sir, if from circumstances I thought it could be no other.' 'Indeed, madam,' says Allworthy, from circumstances I am too well convinced it was another. Good Heaven! by what wonderful means is the blackest and deepest villany sometimes discovered! Shall I beg you, madam, to stay till the person you have mentioned comes; for I expect him every minute; nay, he may be, perhaps, already in the house.

Allworthy then stepped to the door, in order to call in a servant, when in came, not Mr Dowling, but the gentleman who will be seen in the next chapter.

CHAPTER VIII.

Further continuation.

I promise you, sir,' said Mrs. Waters, THE gentleman who now arrived was no 'she always professed a contrary intention; other than Mr. Western. He no sooner and frequently told me, she intended one saw Allworthy, than, without considering day to communicate it to you. She said, in the least the presence of Mrs. Waters, indeed, she was highly rejoiced that her plot he began to vociferate in the following manhad succeeded so well; and that you had ner: Fine doing at my house! A rare of your own accord taken such a fancy to kettle of fish I have discovered at last! the child, that it was yet unnecessary to Who the devil would be plagued with a make any express declaration. Oh! sir, daughter?'—'What's the matter, neighhad that lady lived to have seen this poor young man turned like a vagabond from your house; nay, sir, could she have lived to hear that you had yourself employed a

bour?' said Allworthy. 'Matter enough,' answered Western; when I thought she was just a coming to; when she had in a manner promised me to do as I would ha'

her, and when I was a hoped to have no- | Allworthy, 'I will be with you within the thing more to do than to have sent for the half hour.'-'And do for once,' cries the lawyer, and finished all; what do you think I have found out? that the little b- hath bin playing tricks with me all the while, and carrying on a correspondence with that bastard of yours. Sister Western, whom I have quarrelled with upon her account, sent me word o't, and I ordered her pockets to be searched when she was asleep, and here I have got un signed with the son of a whore's own name. I have not had patience to read half o't, for 'tis longer than one of Parson Supple's sermons; but I find plainly it is all about love; and indeed what should it be else? I have packed her up in chamber again, and to-morrow morning down she goes into the country, unless she consents to be married directly, and there she shall live in a garret upon bread and water all her days; and the sooner such a b- breaks her heart, the better; though, d—n her, that I believe is too tough. She will live long enough to plague me.'

squire, take a fool's advice; never think
of dealing with her by gentle methods;
take my word for it those will never do: Í
have tried 'um long enough. She must
be frightened into it; there is no other
way. Tell her, I'm her father; and of the
horrid sin of disobedience, and of the dread-
ful punishment of it in t'other world; and
then tell her about being locked up all her
life in a garret in this, and being kept only
on bread and water.'-'I will do all I can,'
said Allworthy; for I promise you, there
is nothing I wish for more than an alliance
with this amiable creature.'-Nay, the
girl is well enough for matter o' that,' cries
the squire; 'a man may go farther, and
meet with worse meat; that I may declare
o' her, tho'f she be my own daughter.
And if she will be but obedient to me, there
is narrow a father within a hundred miles
o' the place, that loves a daughter better
than I do; but I see you are busy with the
lady here, so I will go huome and expect
you; and so your humble servant.'

'Mr. Western,' answered Allworthy, 'you know I have always protested against As soon as Mr. Western was gone, Mrs. force, and you yourself consented that none Waters said, 'I see, sir, the squire hath should be used.'-'Ay,' cries he, that not the least remembrance of my face. I was only upon condition that she would believe, Mr. Allworthy, you would not consent without. What the devil and have known me neither. I am very conDoctor Faustus! shan't I do what I will siderably altered since that day when you with my own daughter, especially when I so kindly gave me that advice, which I had desire nothing but her own good?"-Well, been happy had I followed.'—' Indeed, maneighbour,' answered Allworthy, 'if you dam,' cries Allworthy, it gave me great will give me leave, I will undertake once concern when I first heard to the contrary.' to argue with the young lady.'-Will-Indeed, sir,' says she, 'I was ruined by you?" said Western; why that is kind a very deep scheme of villany; which, if now and neighbourly, and mayhap you will do more than I have been able to do with her; for I promise you she hath a very good opinion of you.'-' Well, sir,' said Allworthy, if you will go home, and release the young lady from her captivity, I will wait upon her within this half hour. But suppose,' said Western, 'she should run away with un in the mean time? For Lawyer Dowling tells me, there is no hopes of hanging the fellow at last; for that the man is alive, and like to do well, and that he thinks Jones will be out of prison again presently.'-How!' said Allworthy, what, did you employ him then to inquire, or to do any thing in that matter? Not I,' answered Western: 'he mentioned it to me just now of his own accord.'-Just now!' cries Allworthy; 'why, where did you see him, then? I want much to see Mr. Dowling. Why you may see un an you will presently at my lodgings; for there is to be a meeting of lawyers there this morning, about a mortgage. 'Icod! I shall lose two or dree thousand pounds, I believe, by that honest gentleman, Mr. Nightingale.''Well, sir,' said

you knew, though I pretend not to think it
would justify me in your opinion, it would
at least mitigate my offence, and induce
you to pity me: you are not now at lei-
sure to hear my whole story; but this I as-
sure you, I was betrayed by the most
solemn promises of marriage; nay, in the
eye of Heaven I was married to him; for,
after much reading on the subject, I am
convinced that particular ceremonies are
only requisite to give a legal sanction to
marriage, and have only a worldly use, in
giving a woman the privileges of a wife;
but that she who lives constant to one
man, after a most solemn private affiance,
whatever the world may call her, hath
little to charge on her own conscience.'-'I
am sorry, madam,' said Allworthy, 'you
have made so ill an use of your learning.
Indeed, it would have been well that you
had been possessed of much more, or had
remained in a state of ignorance. And
yet, madam, I am afraid you
have more
than this sin to answer for.

'During his life,' answered she, 'which was above a dozen years, I most solemnly assure you, I had not. And consider, sir,

to this, bolted the door, and then, advancing with a stern look to Dowling, he said, Whatever be your haste, sir, I must first receive an answer to some questions. Do you know this lady?'-'That lady, sir!' answered Dowling, with great hesitation. Allworthy then, with the most solemn voice, said, 'Look you, Mr. Dowling, as you value my favour, or your continuance a moment longer in my service, do not hesitate nor prevaricate; but answer faithfully and truly to every question I ask. Do you know this lady?—Yes, sir,' said Dowling, 'I have seen the lady.'-'Where, sir?'-At her own lodgings.'- Upon what business did you go thither, sir; and who sent you?'-I went, sir, to inquire, sir, about Mr. Jones.'-' And who sent you to inquire about him?'-'Who, sir? why, sir, Mr. Blifil sent me.'—' And what did you say to the lady concerning that matter?'-Nay, sir, it is impossible to recollect every word.'-' Will you please, madam, to assist the gentleman's memory?

on my behalf, what is in the power of a
woman stripped of her reputation, and left
destitute; whether the good-natured world
will suffer such a stray sheep to return to
the road of virtue, even if she was never
so desirous. I protest, then, I would have
chose it, had it been in my power; but
necessity drove me into the arms of Cap-
tain Waters, with whom, though still un-
married, I lived as a wife for many years,
and went by his name. I parted with this
gentleman at Worcester, on his march
against the rebels, and it was then I acci-
dentally met with Mr. Jones, who rescued
me from the hands of a villain. Indeed,
he is the worthiest of men. No young
gentleman of his age is, I believe freer from
vice, and few have the twentieth part of
his virtues; nay, whatever vices he hath
had, I am firmly persuaded he hath now
taken a resolution to abandon them.'-'I
hope he hath,' cries Allworthy, and I hope
he will preserve that resolution. I must
say, I have still the same hopes with re-
gard to yourself. The world, I do agree,
are apt to be too unmerciful on these oc-
casions; yet time and perseverance will
get the better of this their disinclination,
as I may call it, to pity; for though they
are not, like Heaven, ready to receive a
penitent sinner, yet a continued repentance
will at length obtain mercy even with the
world. This you may be assured of, Mrs.
Waters, that whenever I find you are sin-worthy.
cere in such good intentions, you shall
want no assistance in my power to make
them effectual.'

Mrs. Waters fell now upon her knees before him, and in a flood of tears, made him many most passionate acknowledgments of his goodness, which, as she truly said, savoured more of the divine than hu

man nature.

He told me, sir,' said Mrs. Waters, that if Mr. Jones had murdered my husband, I should be assisted by any money I wanted to carry on the prosecution, by a very worthy gentleman, who was well apprised what a villain I had to deal with. These, I can safely swear, were the very words he spoke.'

'Were these the words, sir,' said AllI cannot charge my memory exactly,' cries Dowling; but I believe I did speak to that purpose.'-' And did Mr. Blifil order you to say so?'-'I am sure, sir, I should not have gone on my own accord, nor have willingly exceeded my authority in matters of this kind. If I said so, I must have so understood Mr. Blifil's instructions.'-'Look you, Mr. Dowling,' said Allworthy; 'I promise you, before Allworthy raised her up, and spoke in this lady, that whatever you have done in the most tender manner, making use of this affair by Mr. Blifil's order, I will forevery expression which his invention could give, provided you now tell me strictly the suggest to comfort her, when he was in- truth; for I believe what you say, that terrupted by the arrival of Mr. Dowling; you would not have acted of your own who, upon his first entrance, seeing Mrs. accord, and without authority in this matWaters, started, and appeared in some ter. Mr. Blifil then likewise sent you to confusion; from which he soon recovered examine the two fellows at Aldersgate?'himself as well as he could, and then said, 'He did, sir.'-Well, and what instruche was in utmost haste to attend counsel tions did he then give you? Recollect as at Mr. Western's lodgings; but, however, well as you can; and tell me, as near as thought it his duty to call and acquaint possible, the very words he used.'-' Why, him with the opinion of counsel, upon the sir, Mr. Blifil sent me to find out the percase which he had before told him, which sons who were eye-witnesses of this fight. was, that the conversion of the moneys in He said, he feared they might be tampered that case, could not be questioned in a with by Mr. Jones, or some of his friends. criminal cause; but that an action of tro- He said, blood required blood; and that ver might be brought, and if it appeared not only all who concealed a murderer, but to the jury to be the moneys of plaintiff, those who omitted any thing in their power that plaintiff would recover a verdict for to bring him to justice, were sharers in his the value. guilt. He said, he found you was very Allworthy, without making any answer | desirous of having the villain brought to

CHAPTER IX.

my bosom. She will herself tell you the whole story, and how the youth came to pass for her son. Indeed, Mrs. Miller, I am convinced that he hath been wronged, and that I have been abused; abused by one whom you too justly suspected of heing a villain. He is, in truth, the worst of vil-livered him; and there were some expreslains.'

The joy which Mrs. Miller now felt, bereft her of the power of speech, and might, perhaps, have deprived her of her senses, if not of life, had not a friendly shower of tears come seasonably to her relief. At length, recovering so far from her transport as to be able to speak, she cried, 'And is my dear Mr. Jones, then, your nephew, sir? and not the son of this lady? And are your eyes opened to him at last? And shall I live to see him as happy as he deserves? He certainly is my nephew,' says Allworthy, and I hope all the rest.' And is this dear good woman, the person,' cries she, to whom all this discovery is owing? She is, indeed,' says Allworthy. Why, then,' cried Mrs. Miller, upon her knees,may Heaven shower down its choicest blessings upon her head, and for this one good action forgive her all her sins, be they never so many.'

Mrs. Waters then informed them, that she believed Jones would very shortly be released; for that the surgeon was gone, in company with a nobleman, to the justice who committed him, in order to certify that Mr. Fitzpatrick was out of all manner of danger, and to procure the prisoner his liberty.

A further continuation. ALLWORTHY took an opportunity, whilst he was in the chair, of reading the letter from Jones to Sophia, which Western de

sions in it concerning himself, which drew tears from his eyes. At length he arrived at Mr Western's, and was introduced to Sophia.

When the first ceremonies were passed, and the gentleman and lady had taken their chairs, a silence of some minutes ensued; during which the latter, who had been prepared for the visit by her father, sat playing with her fan, and had every mark of confusion both in her countenance and behaviour. At length Allworthy, who was himself a little disconcerted, began thus: I am afraid, Miss Western, my family hath been the occasion of giving you some uneasiness; to which, I fear, I have innocently become more instrumental than I intended. Be assured, madam, had I at first known how disagreeable the proposals had been, I should not have suffered you to have been so long persecuted. I hope, therefore, you will not think the design of this visit is to trouble you with any further solicitations of that kind, but entirely to relieve you from them.'

'Sir,' said Sophia, with a little modest hesitation, this behaviour is most kind and generous, and such as I could expect only from Mr. Allworthy; but as you have been so kind to mention this matter, you will pardon me for saying, it hath, indeed, given me great uneasiness, and hath been the occasion of my suffering much cruel treatment from a father who was, till that un

Allworthy said, he should be glad to find his nephew there at his return home; but that he was then obliged to go on some business of consequence. He then called to a servant to fetch him a chair, and pre-happy affair, the tenderest and fondest of sently left the two ladies together.

Mr. Blifil, hearing the chair ordered, came down stairs to attend upon his uncle; for he never was deficient in such acts of duty. He asked his uncle if he was going out; which is a civil way of asking a man whither he is going to which the other making no answer, he again desired to know when he would be pleased to return? Allworthy made no answer to this neither, till he was just going into his chair, and then turning about, he said, 'Harkee, sir, do you find out, before my return, the letter which your mother sent me on her death-bed.' Allworthy then departed, and left Blifil in a situation to be envied only by a man who is just going to be hanged.

all parents. I am convinced, sir, you are too good and generous to resent my refusal of your nephew. Our inclinations are not in our own power; and whatever may be his merit, I cannot force them in his favour.'

-I assure you, most amiable young lady,' said Allworthy, 'I am capable of no such resentment, had the person been my own son, and had I entertained the highest esteem for him. For you say truly, madam, we cannot force our inclinations, much less can they be directed by another.'-Oh! sir,' answered Sophia, 'every word you speak proves you to deserve that good, that great, that benevolent character the whole world allows you. I assure you, sir, nothing less than the certain prospect of future misery could have made me resist the commands of my father.'-'I sincerely believe you, madam,' replied Allworthy; and I heartily congratulate you on your prudent foresight, since by so justifiable a resistance you have avoided misery indeed!'