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maid Lacy to viſit him at his maſter’s, pretending a meſſage from his uncle. She ſoon prevailed on him to promiſe another viſt, which he performed, and another till he had no power to keep from her. Her whole deſire was money, and his paſſion for her got the better of his principles, for ſum after ſum he brought her. His infatuatinn was too deeply rooted, reaſon had no place in his mind; his peace was gone, and her’s only employed his thoughts. At length the fatal ⟨day⟩ arrived! Thoroughgood punctualy himſelf, expected equal juſtice from all about him; nor had his honeſt heart the leaſt ſuſpicion of and unfair dealings, when he ordered his books to be ſettled, and each of his ſervants to deliver up an account of what had been entruſted in his hands—George was thunder-truck, to make up his accounts was impoſſible, to ſee his maſter under ſuch circumſtances was worſe than death.—He ⟨flew⟩ to his ruin for ſuccour, but left a letter for Trueman, informing him of the cauſe of his abſence, and the fum deficient.
Trueman, aſtonished at the letter, revolved in his mind what could be done in ſo critical a point: to preſerve the character of his friend was the firſt wiſh; to endeavour to ſecret from his maſter the knowledge of one who had ſo much injured him, ſhocked
