Jarvis entered abruptly, and with a
look bordering on wildness in his eye--"Is she not here?" exclaimed the
merchant scanning the company closely.

"Who?" inquired all in a breath.

"Polly--my daughter--my child," said the merchant, endeavoring to control
his feelings; "did she not come here this morning with Colonel Egerton?"

He was answered in the negative, and he briefly explained the cause of his
anxiety. The colonel had called very early, and sent her maid up to his
daughter who rose immediately. They had quitted the house together,
leaving word the Miss Moseleys had sent for the young lady to breakfast,
for some particular reason. Such was the latitude allowed by his wife,
that nothing was suspected until one of the servants of the house said he
had seen Colonel Egerton and a lady drive out of the village that morning
in a post-chaise and four.

Then the old gentleman first took the alarm, and he proceeded instantly to
the lodge in quest of his daughter. Of the elopement there now remained no
doubt, and an examination into the state of the colonel's room, who, it
had been thought, was not yet risen, gave assurance of it. Here was at
once sad confirmation that the opinion of Mr. Holt was a just one.
Although every heart felt for Jane during this dreadful explanation, no
eye was turned on her excepting the stolen, and anxious glances of her
sister; but when all was confirmed, and nothing remained but to reflect or
act upon the circumstances, she naturally engrossed the whole attention of
her fond parents. Jane had listened in indignation to the commencement of
the narrative of Mr. Jarvis, and so firmly was Egerton enshrined in purity
within her imagination, that not until it was ascertained that both his
servant and clothes were missing, would she admit a thought injurious to
his truth. Then indeed the feelings of Mr. Jarvis, his plain statement
corroborated by this testimony, struck her at once as true; and as she
rose to leave the room, she fell senseless into the arms of Emily who
observing her movement and loss of color had flown to her assistance.
Denbigh had drawn the merchant out in vain efforts to appease him, and
happily no one witnessed this effect of Jane's passion but her nearest
relatives. She was immediately removed to her own room, and in a short
time was in bed with a burning fever. The bursts of her grief were
uncontrolled and violent. At times she reproached herself--her
friends--Egerton; in s