though they entertained not the
least doubt it was Sir Horace who had trepanned her, yet, as they could
not bring any proof, no redress could be obtained.

"My young ladies, being now deprived of fortune, insisted that all
thoughts of marriage should be relinquished till the Captain and his
brother could acquire a competence more adequate to the expenses of a
family; and, finding all endeavours to alter their resolution
ineffectual, my young masters at last yielded an unwilling assent; the
Captain returned to his regiment in Ireland, and Mr. Francis set sail
for somewhere quite the other side of the globe.

"About a year and a half after his departure, Captain Booyers was
promoted to the rank of Major; when Miss Mary yielded to his
solicitations, and they were married. But her happiness was of short
duration: she died in less than a twelvemonth, in giving birth to a
daughter!

"From that time the Major dragged on a wretched existence, till his
regiment was ordered abroad, where, like his father, he lost his life in
the field; leaving the little orphan Ellen to the protection of his
brother and Miss Hannah.

"The Lieutenant went again to sea, in hopes of attaining a higher rank,
or amassing a little fortune; without which, reason forbade his
marrying to involve the woman he loved in greater difficulties: and the
marriage was still and still deferred, in hopes fortune would prove more
favourable; till the ship he served in was put out of commission; and,
after having been many times wounded, and lost an arm, he is now
returned, with no other support or reward than half-pay! Poor Miss
Hannah had been in a decline for a long time; her heart, I know, Sir,
was broken: she lived just to see him, and take a last farewell--and
that was all!"

CHAPTER VI.

The honest innkeeper wiped a tear from his cheek as he concluded, and a
pause of some moments ensued, when the Captain, addressing Mr. Talton,
said--"What a character, Talton, is that of Sir Horace! My own
misfortunes sink in the comparison with these unhappy people's: and I
think you will allow, even Sir Henry is entitled to a portion of your
pity."

"He deserves it, indeed, Sir," said Jarvis. "Soon after I settled in
this inn, he stopped here on his way to my ladies; and I declare I
scarcely knew him, he looked so pale and unhappy. When I told him Miss
Mary was married, he started from his seat in an agony, and, wringing my
hand, said, 'Yes, Jarvis, and I a