heir horses, on
discovering us. No occurrence was more auspicious than this; for I
relied with perfect confidence on the benevolence of these persons, and,
as soon as they came near, claimed their assistance.

My story was listened to with sympathy, and one of the young men,
leaping from the sleigh, assisted me in placing Eliza in the place which
he had left. A female, of sweet aspect and engaging manners, insisted
upon turning back and hastening to the house, where it seems her father
resided, and which the party had just left. I rode after the sleigh,
which in a few minutes arrived at the house. The dwelling was spacious
and neat, and a venerable man and woman, alarmed by the quick return of
the young people, came forth to know the cause. They received their
guest with the utmost tenderness, and provided her with all the
accommodations which her condition required. Their daughter relinquished
the scheme of pleasure in which she had been engaged, and, compelling
her companions to depart without her, remained to nurse and console the
sick.

A little time showed that no lasting injury had been suffered.
Contusions, more troublesome than dangerous, and easily curable by such
applications as rural and traditional wisdom has discovered, were the
only consequences of the fall. My mind, being relieved from
apprehensions on this score, had leisure to reflect upon the use which
might be made of the present state of things.

When I remarked the structure of this house, and the features and
deportment of its inhabitants, methought I discerned a powerful
resemblance between this family and Hadwin's. It seemed as if some
benignant power had led us hither as to the most suitable asylum that
could be obtained; and, in order to supply to the forlorn Eliza the
place of those parents and that sister she had lost, I conceived that,
if their concurrence could be gained, no abode was more suitable than
this. No time was to be lost in gaining this concurrence. The curiosity
of our host and hostess, whose name was Curling, speedily afforded me an
opportunity to disclose the history and real situation of my friend.
There were no motives to reserve or prevarication. There was nothing
which I did not faithfully and circumstantially relate. I concluded with
stating my wishes that they would admit my friend as a boarder into
their house.

The old man was warm in his concurrence. His wife betrayed some
scruples; which, however, her husband's