"tell Dear, imprudent Henrietta," he continued, in a softened tone of voice, me what punishment you deserve for all this?" Gracefully bending one knee to the baronet, she held up her white hands in an attitude of supplication, saying 66 Forgive me!" with, an expression of countenance so truly comic, as at once disarmed sir Theodosius of his resentment, and raising the fair culprit, he strained her to his bosom with all the ardour of his first attachment. Happy would it have been had Henrietta made Mary or her uncle acquainted with the purport of the seer's warning, since the sound mind and clear judgment of either of those attached friends would have at once applied an effectual remedy to the mischief; but, ashamed of her own credulity, the subject was reverted to no more. Sir Theodosius was not himself perfectly sincere in the representation he gave of the affair; for seeing the effect produced on Henrietta by the whisper of the pretended seer, he had hurried from the house, and at a masquerade warehouse exchanged his hunter's habit for the garb of a pilgrim, in which he could watch over the safety of his wife, and perhaps detect any farther machinations against her peace and his own. Mrs. Lessington's depraved mind thought she could discern a more than common intimacy between sir Theodosius and his fair inmate; his sudden departure, therefore, from the rooms gave her hopes that he had returned home to solace himself in private with the company of Mary, since she could conceive no other motive powerful enough to induce this amiable girl to withstand her entreaties to be present at the evening's amusement. Impressed with this belief, she planned with her worthless coadjutor, count Neurenburgh, the second warning, over heard heard by sir Theodosius himself in his character of a pilgrim, and which terminated in a manner very different from that she had intended. When Henrietta became the bride of sir Theodosius Beaumont, the baronet gave her father a solemn promise that she should spend the autumn of every year in Scotland; but Mr. Murray, unhappy since her departure, regarded the intervening period till he could again clasp his beloved girl in his paternal arms as an age. When, therefore, he heard of his brother's journey to the metropolis, he intimated to him the design of becoming his travelling companion, and surprising the young folks with a visit. No circumstance could have imparted a livelier joy to the heart of his affectionate daughter, who returned the attachment he lavished on her with all the ardency of her nature. Next morning, therefore, when Mrs. Lessington called to exult over the mischief her contrivance, she doubted not, had produced, she was petrified with wonder and vexation to behold her predestinated victim, radiant in health and happiness, seated on a sofa between Mary and a stranger, with an arm carelessly thrown over the neck of each. Springing up, she took the hand of the deceitful woman, and introduced her to her father, who, loving every be ing regarded by his daughter, received her with the utmost cordiality. After passing half an hour in lively chit-chat, sir Theodosius entered, accompanied by the solicitor. A glance of disdain, which the former darted upon Mrs. Lessington, convinced that lady that her manoeuvres were discovered by at least one of the parties; but, unabashed, she met the flash of his keen eye with a steady gaze. "The ceremony of introduction having again taken place, the conversation became became general. From the doating father of Henrietta little was to be dreaded, but the wily lady soon became convinced that great caution would be requisite to veil her purpose from the shrewd penetrating mind of the solicitor. Like an able general, she therefore resolved to withdraw for the present, and wait a more favourable opportunity for the furtherance of her diabolical purpose. The late general Lessington had an aged sister who resided at Bath, and she announced her intention of setting off on a visit to that lady in a few days; but so completely had this artful woman entwined herself round the heart of the innocent Henrietta, that even when surrounded by affectionate relatives, she could not behold her departure without a pang of regret. Not so felt the other members of her family; sir Theodosius. and Mary rejoiced in her absence, the former more especially, who was never easy in her presence, and whose dislike. towards |