tead of
addressing Arundel directly, she wrote to a female friend, and
communicated the change in her circumstances, and the relenting of her
deceased father, rightly judging that the information would not long
remain unknown to her lover. She did this without the knowledge of
Spikeman, else it is probable that the letter would never have reached
its destination. The event answered her expectations, and with the
arrival of the first ship after her epistle was received, she had the
gratification of greeting Arundel. But what was her astonishment,
when, upon the demand of the young man that her guardian should carry
into effect the wishes of his deceased friend, Spikeman denied that
any obligation was imposed upon him. He would not admit that there had
been any change of opinion in the dying man, but insisted, on the
contrary, that he had remained steadfast in his purpose to the last.
He affected surprise at the declarations of Eveline, and while not
pretending to say what might have taken place in his absence,
persisted in asserting that nothing of the kind had occurred in his
presence. The young lady was surely in error. The bewilderment
occasioned by excessive grief on account of her father's condition,
and partiality for her lover, had caused her to mistake the meaning of
the former. He could not, however much desirous to please his ward,
violate the instructions of his deceased friend.

The remonstrances of Arundel, and gentle expostulations and entreaties
of Eveline, were without effect; and when once the young man, in a
moment of anger, threatened Spikeman with an appeal to justice and
punishment by the government in England, the latter grimly sneered at
his threats, and bade him beware lest he himself might be sent, as a
malcontent, out of the country. It was, indeed, far more probable that
such would be the result of Arundel's persistency, than that he should
succeed in carrying off his mistress; and, blinded as he was by love,
he could not conceal from himself the danger. To this was to be added
another peril, which the Assistant, in one of their conversations, had
hinted at, and of which we have also made mention, viz: that he might
incur the punishment provided for those who paid court to maidens
without the consent of the guardian or magistrate.

But the young couple had, besides Prudence, a powerful friend, Whose
kind heart pitied their misfortunes, and by whose means, assisted by
the faithful serving-maid