lone, which is the cause of her uneasiness."

He seemed more amazed still--and still more shocked at her duplicity than
at her torture. "Good Heaven!" exclaimed he, "How am I to accomplish her
wishes? What am I to do? How can I judge, if she will not confide in me,
but thus for ever deceive me?"

She leaned, pale as death, on the shoulder of Miss Woodley, her eye
fixed with apparent insensibility to all that was said, while he
continued,

"Heaven is my witness, if I knew--If I could conceive the means how to
make her happy, I would sacrifice my own happiness to hers."

"My Lord," said Miss Woodley with a smile, "perhaps I may call upon you
hereafter to fulfil your word."

He was totally ignorant what she meant, nor had he leisure, from the
confusion of his thoughts, to reflect upon her meaning; he nevertheless
replied, with warmth, "Do. You shall find I'll perform it.--Do. I will
faithfully perform it."

Though Miss Milner was conscious this declaration could not, in
delicacy, be ever adduced against him; yet the fervent and solemn manner
in which he made it, cheered her spirits; and as persons enjoy the
reflection of having in their possession some valuable gem, though they
are determined never to use it, so she upon this, was comforted and grew
better. She now lifted up her head, and leaned it on her hand, as she
sat by the side of a table--still she did not speak, but seemed overcome
with sorrow. As her situation became, however, less alarming, her
guardian's pity and affright began to take the colour of resentment; and
though he did not say so, he was, and looked, highly offended.

At this juncture Mr. Sandford entered. On beholding the present party,
it required not his sagacity to see at the first view, that they were
all uneasy; but instead of the sympathy this might have excited in some
dispositions, Mr. Sandford, after casting a look at each of them,
appeared in high spirits.

"You seem unhappy, my Lord," said he, with a smile.

"You do _not_--Mr. Sandford," Lord Elmwood replied.

"No, my Lord, nor would I, were I in your situation. What should make a
man of sense out of temper but a worthy object!" And he looked at Miss
Milner.

"There are no objects unworthy our care:" replied Lord Elmwood.

"But there are objects on whom all care is fruitless, your Lordship will
allow."

"I never yet despaired of any one, Mr. Sandford."

"And yet there are persons, of whom it is presumption to entertain
hop