lieved by Mary telling her, that since their return to the inn, she had not again seen the man who had attacked her, and that in all probability he had gone on.

The old lady would believe nothing but that it was his intention to murder her niece at least, if not both of them; and seemed scarcely to think the presence of the baron and his servants, together with their own, a sufficient safeguard.

On descending to the dining-room, in which, by this time, the dinner was placed, the baron received them with the same. gentlemanlike suavity which he had before displayed towards them, and seemed to consider them as his guests. Lady Anne Milsome, however, in whose mind apprehension was at present the predominant idea, soon contrived, during dinner, to introduce the subject of their alarm, and, much to Mary's discomposure, could not rest satisfied till she had told the baron all the particulars of what had happened at Ilfracombe.

VOL. II.

F

This

This recital, to a perfect stranger, was not very consonant to Mary's feelings; but when lady Anne had done her narration, in which she had occasion several times to mention her niece's name, the baron turned towards the young lady, with a look of kind interest" Lady Mary Burton!" said he. "Is it possible that I see the sister of my friend, lord Burton?"

Mary replied in the affirmative, not a little pleased to find in their new ac quaintance an old friend of her brother's, concerning whom the baron asked a thousand questions; he had known him intimately in Germany, and had received that impression of admiration and attachment which lord Burton's manners and character were sure to leave behind, whereever he went." Before I heard this,” said their new acquaintance, alluding to Mary's relationship to his friend, "I was inclined to serve you to the utmost of my power, but I am now bound, by friendship as well as inclination, and nothing shall pre

vent my seeing you safe to Turin. You must not be alarmed at such a declara tion," he continued, with a melancholy smile," for I am a married man ;" and he drew so deep a sigh, that Mary, could not help supposing that he was unhappy in domestic life. She asked herself, could it be his own fault? But she could not believe it, so mild, so amiable as he seemed —an intimate friend too of her Frederie; that finished the discussion that was going on in her own mind; he must be estimable, or he never could be her brother's friend. There was something also in his countenance, she did not well know what, that prepossessed her in his favour. He was so like Charles Melville, so like one that had been her companion from childhood -one who by a singular chance had saved her from the very person who now seemed to pursue her. The coincidence was strange, but it was not unpleasing; and that resemblance did not at all make her judge the more harshly of the baron...

F 2

2

The

The fluency with which their new acquaintance spoke English, which he did with scarcely an accent, rendered their conversation during the evening much more agreeable, as it offered a medium for communicating their thoughts, unknown to any of those around, except lady Anne's servants; and though there was a fixed kind of gravity about him, which did not seem his natural character, yet his manners were so perfectly elegant and easy, and he knew so many persons in London (where he had resided for some time) with whom lady Anne and her niece were acquainted, that she very soon forgot her fears in his society, and retired to her chamber at night with much less terror than she had contemplated.

The night passed without any new cause for apprehension; and the next morning the baron, who, as they were informed, had never gone to bed, escorted them, according to his promise, towards Turin, at which city they arrived the day

after.

after. By this time Mary's fears, as well as those of her aunt, had subsided. In fact, Mary's spirits and her courage were very much improved with her health, which was now quite reestablished; and here the baron, having tendered any farther services in his power, left them to pursue his journey by Rome to Naples, which was his ultimate destination.