The Captain no sooner saw me, than breaking off his discourse with my mistress, for they seemed to have been very busily engaged in conversation, he came up to me, and I think, offering to take my hand, said, Oh! how happy am I, my pretty Susan, in seeing you once again. But why do you turn away your face? are you sorry that I am returned? are you angry that I cannot live without you?

The tears ran down my cheeks; I made

no answer.

What will you not speak to me? will you not look at me? (said the wicked gentleman) and yet after having rode many miles out of the town, I returned to see you, my dear Susan; for indeed, indeed, (and he called his God to witness the shocking words) if you will not take pity on me, I will run this sword into my heart.

I would have spoken, but my sobs stifled my voice. My mistress came up close to my chair, and bending her head down to me, said, Come, come, my dear Susan, speak to the Captain; he is a good gentleman, he loves you most dearly, and I assure you he means no harın.

The Captain repeated her last words, using many shocking oaths to prove that they were true. Yet still I did not speak. Then the Captain threw himself down upon his

1

knees before me, and prayed me to have pity on him. Those were the words he used.

Have pity on you! repeated I, wiping away my tears and checking my sobs; you ask for pity, yet will not bestow it on others. Oh! rise, for heaven's sake, rise; and do not demean yourself by kneeling to a poor servant. Oh! that you would grant me the pity you seem so humbly to ask. When you first knew me, I had but few friends indeed; but now, oh my God! I have not one on earth. I had then a fair and spotless reputation-in what light am I now thought of!

So great was my anguish and grief of heart when I spoke these words, that had not my mistress, who stood by ine, caught me suddenly in her arms, I should have dropped from my chair.

The Captain seeing me look very pale, was perhaps frightened; for immediately he rose from his knees, and to give me air opened the door of the house, which my mistress had shut to keep out the rain which now beat in very fast.

My mistress gave me a cup of water, and I very soon began to revive, and to recover from the fright into which seeing the Captain so unexpectedly, when I believed him to be so far away, had thrown me. The Captain seeing me better, was going perhaps to make some excuse for having caused me so much

pain; when my mistress said, Come, come, sir, I will beg for the girl, that for the girl, that you will say no more to her on the subject at present. Will your honour condescend to take a dish of tea with us? Susan will be proud to wait on you; and very luckily I happen to have in the house such fare as I have no need to be ashamed of offering to a gentleman.

So saying she placed a chair for the Captain, and began to busy herself in making

tea.

The Capin sat down on the chair which she had offered him? but never did I see any one look so sad as he did; he leaned his head upon his ain, and for a long time seemed not to raise his eyes from the ground.

I should have wondered to have beheld his sadness, and thought it strange to have seen so great and gay a gentleman thus cast down, had I not remembered what my dear Mrs. Neale had often told me, that whatever thoughtless and inconsiderate people might think, God never even in this world suffers the bad to be happy; those who love not God may sing, and dance, and make merry, but in the midst of their laughter is the heart sad. But to return to my story.

My mistress, as I said before, busied her. self very much to get tea ready, and when she had filled a tea-cup she called me to her,

for I had not as yet moved from my chair; and bidding me wipe away my tears, which still in spite of all I could do, continued to run down my cheeks, she placed a waiter in my hand, and ordered me to carry the tea to the Captain, giving me a look at the same time, as a sigual to cheer up and not look so downcast.

I trembled so, that I thought I should have dropped the waiter; and when I offered the tea to the Captain, which I did, making a courtsey at the same time, the tears again came into my eyes and ran down my cheeks.

He lifted his eyes from the ground and looked up to me with such a look of bitter grief as I never saw before: I offered him the tea he took the waiter from me, and placing it on the table, suddenly seized hold of both my hands and said, Susan, my dear Susan, I love you, and I think that you love me; why should not we live together? I will marry you, I am resolved I will, in spite of my father, in spite of all the world.

Then he swore, and called his Maker to witness to the truth of all he said.

Oh! most honoured sir, said Susan Gray, what will you think of me when I tell you that I did not try to get away from the Captain, but that I listened to him for a long while. I forgot at that time to pray to God for his help, and without God's assistance

we are none of us, no not even the best and strongest of us, able to resist temptation. Never should we forget what our blessed Saviour said to his disciples, "Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matt. xxvi. 41.

I hearkened to the Captain whilst he told me how greatly he loved me, and prayed me to go with him to London, where he said that I should become his wife: I should follow him he told me into far distant countries, and when he was wounded in battle, I should puise him and comfort him; in return for which he promised to love me, and never to leave me.

Oh! I tremble when I think how very near I was falling into the snares that were laid for me. Oh my God, my God, how can I shew my love and gratitude to thee, for having saved me from sin, which of all evils is far, far the worst!

Whilst the Captain continued to talk to me, the wind became louder and higher; the air became very dark with the hard rain and hail the thunder too was heard more near, and the lightning flashed through the windows of the cottage.

The Captain had been in storms at sea; he had seen many brave men swallowed up in the furious waves; he had seen those