horrid and frightful, to occafion such amazement and dread; and adding, that doubtless fhe miftook her for fome other perfon, who had given her perhaps reafon thus to be terrified and fhock'd?"No, no, faid Caroline, fhaking her hands, and weeping with violent agony, I am not mistaken wou'd to God I were! I know you too well -I can never forget that horrid interview Wretch that I am to fall into fuch hands, where certain ruin awaits me, and where compaffion was never found to fuccour the afAicted! Gracious God, (continued fhe, falling on her knees, and clafping her hands together with uncommon fervour,) oh! thou haft promised never to fail those that seek thee! I have now no truft, no hope but thee-deliver me, thy poor un. worthy fervant, from the hands of fuch cruel deftroyers, and either rescue me with my innocence uninjured, or now, oh now, take away this burthenfome life from me!" while she was uttering which, Mrs. Searchwell tole foftly out of the room, and Caroline long continued immoveable in the fame pofture, with her eyes, her: hands, and her heart jointly and fincerely elevated to heaven! Turning round at length fhe per ceived Mrs. Searchwell retired, and fomething of an affuring hope fo gleam'd that inftant upon her heart, that I have heard her often declare, fhe felt fore for that moment, more peace, joy, and fatisfaction, than the ever enjoyed before in the course of her whole life. She arose, and applied herself to the windows,imagining the might poffibly behold. fome people paffing by, and give them information of her mifery. But Mr. Dookalb did not ufe to be fuch a mean contriver in villainy; the windows were well and ftrongly barred with iron, and looked only upon a dark and difmal paffage, where none ever came but those who belong'd to the house. What hope then could the have of deliverance? what thoughts of a ref cue, where all things thus confpir'd to perfect her overthow, and to plunge her in deftruction. She had no other profpect before her eyes; all was gloom and mifery, and, on every hand, nothing but thick darknefs, diftrefs, and forrow encompafs'd her. Revolving every circumftance, and deeply meditating on every scene of her past and present sufferings, a sad despair sate upon her mind, and she was funk in a melancholy, little inferior to the total lofs of her fenfes. SUCH was the miferable fituation of Caroline • we cannot expect to find poor Mr. Jaifon in any much better circumftances: After a vain and fruitless enquiry all the night, he endeavoured at the approach of the morning to recruit his fpirits a little, and for that purpose, dreft as he was, laid himself himself on the bed to fleep; but what has fleep to do with the wretched? - He like the world his ready vifit pays, Where fortune fmiles; the wretched he forfakes; YOUNG. Vain was the attempt, for he was no fooner laid along, than it struck into his mind, that poffibly his beloved, his only wish and only pleafure, might by fome means or other be returned to Mrs. Stevens. There feemed fomething fupernatural in the thought; fomething like a fecret and certain intelligence, fuch as every man has experienced, and fondly pleas'd himself with more or lefs in his pilgrimage amidst ten thoufand invifible beings, that guard and direct his way through this defart world. He arofe, fprung from the bed, and with quick and hafty fteps ftrode away to Mrs. Stevens's. The family were not used to arise fo early; however he rouzed them all, and demanded tidings of his Caroline: but, alas-vain was the enquiry, fhe was not there; they would have asked of him ; they wanted equally with him to know the fad tale: his heart was too full to relate; all his foul was on the stretch, to devise fome means to to recover the jewel, not to rehearse the method how he loft it. A fecond thought again darted like lightning into his working and agitated mind, that he would in all the papers advertise her, with a confiderable reward. No fooner did this arife in his thoughts, than he proceeded to execution, and penning a proper advertisement, with a hundred pounds reward for any that could bring him information, he fent it to the prefs, but unhappily too late for the day's morning papers, much to his chagrin and disappointment; in the evening papers, however, it obtained a place. This point dispatched, he again returned and renewed his enquiries at the Shakespear's head, leaving particular injunctions concerning their noting and fending to him either of the bailiffs, if they should appear there again, and be known by any of the family. Nor did he reft here: he enquired out the dwellings of the most eminent bailiffs, went to them, and particularly fought of them fome information; but ftill in vain: promifes, bribes, and threats were of no avail, as poffibly they could not be fo. And Mr. Jaison had the horror to see another night well nigh spent, and no tidings of Caroline yet attained, no hopes of a recovery, not the leaft glympfe of her, who was all his light and happiness, all his glory and desire. CHAP. CHA P. III. Caroline's till further diftrefs: Mr. Dookalb's and Mrs Searchwell's confultation, &c. ABUNDANT fatigue and weariness both of body and mind compelled Mr. Jaison to fleep this night, though his reft was little lefs troublesome than his waking; he again renew'd all the labour of the Day, and had not even the pleasure of recovering in fancy, what he fo earneftly wished in reality to enjoy. And never did Caroline ftand more in need of his affiftance. Some little time after her departure from the room, Mrs. Searchwell, out of her great kindness, fent one of her nieces to enquire of the young lady what she would chuse to eat and drink, as fomething was necessary for the recruiting of her fpirits. The messenger on her entrance was not a little furprised to behold Caroline laid along upon the floor, her hand fupporting her languid. head, her eyes fixed and stedfast, whence full tears stole infenfibly down her cheeks, and her lovely auburn locks hanging dishevelled about her head. She spoke, and courtefied; but Caraline took no notice: fhe again renew'd her address, but equally unobserved, and not daring to advance further, stood with the door half open, and |