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time to give me some account of what has happened, that I may be prepared to speak upon it with your father. Where did your sister meet with Captain Mollins? Who is he? what do you know of his character, or what did she know of it? It is of those particulars that I long to be informed."
"It is," replied Mary, "in her intimacy with Mrs Flinders, that all our vexations have originated. Yet Mrs Flinders meant no harm to Bell, but the contrary. She is a vain shewy woman, and liked to have a young person of Bell's appearance in her train; for you know that my sister has naturally a genteel air, and such a taste in dress as sets it off to the best advantage. She was much admired by all the gentlemen who visited at Mount Flinders; but though taken notice of when there by many of the first people in the country, I know not how it was, but no one endeavoured to keep up the acquaintance, except officers, and students, from Edinburgh, and such sort of people who
