belong to every man of spirit. She owes me, at least, so much indulgence. She is bound to me by ties that cannot be broken—that she certainly cannot break." He burst away from Mr. Lloyd, and went precipitately to Mrs. Harvey's, where the explanation we have related ensued, and put a final termination to their unequal alliance.
The speculations of villagers are never at rest till they know the wherefore of the slightest movements of the prominent personages that figure on their theatre. Happily for our heroine, who was solicitous for a little while to be sheltered from the scrutiny and remarks of her neighbours, the affair of the duel soon became public, and sufficiently accounted for Erskine's abrupt departure.
Jane would have communicated to Mary, her kind, constant friend Mary Hull, the issue of her engagement; but it so happened, that she was at this time absent on a visit to her blind sister. She felt it to be just, that she should acquaint Mr. Lloyd with the result of an affair, in which he had manifested so benevolent and vigilant a care for her happiness. Perhaps she felt a natural wish, that he should know his confidence in her had not been misplaced. She could not speak to him on the subject, for their intercourse had been suspended of late; and besides, she was habitually reserved about speaking of herself. She sat down to address a note to him; and, after writing a dozen, each of which offended her in some point—
