the captain’s satisfaction, we found she was beyond all contradiction young and handsome. And moreover I have reason to believe she has fine jewels with her, besides a ring from her own finger, which with a very pretty action she put on his, that next day on deck, as I noticed, when nobody was minding. So that no doubt she is as much richer as she is handsomer than she made believe, contrary to the ways of other women, which is in her favour and my good captain’s; for from what I can judge, after all he has done for her, she has no dislike nor objection to him. “I have not time to add any thing more, but my love to Kitty, and Nancy, and Tom, and Mary, and little Bess; and, honoured parents, wishing you good health as I am in, thank God, at this present, “I am your dutiful and loving son, “JOHN BIRCH. “P.S. I open my letter to tell you we are going southward immediately, all in high spirits, as there is hopes of meeting the French and Spaniards. We have just hoisted the nun-lady on board an English packet. God send her and this letter safe to England.” * * * * * Mr. Beaumont might perhaps have been amused by this romantic story, and by the style in which it was told, if he had not been alarmed by the hint at the conclusion of the letter, that the lady was not indifferent to her deliverer. Now Mr. Beaumont earnestly wished that his friend Captain Walsingham might become his brother-in-law; and he began to have fears about this Spanish lady, with her gratitude, her rings, and the advantages of the great interest her misfortunes and helpless condition would excite, together with the vast temptations to fall in love that might occur during the course of a voyage. Had he taken notice of the postscript, his mind would have been somewhat relieved. On this subject Mr. Beaumont pondered all the way that he rode home, and on this subject he was still meditating when he saw his mother standing on the steps, where we left her when Miss Hunter’s carriage drove away. CHAPTER IV. “I shall in all my best obey you, madam.” HAMLET. “Did you meet Miss Hunter, my dear son?” said she. “Yes, ma’am, I just passed the carriage in the avenue: she is going home, is not she?” said he, rather in a tone of satisfaction. “Ah, poor thing! yes,” said Mrs. Beaumont, in a most pathetic tone: “ah, poor thing!” “Why, ma’am, what has happened to her? What’s the matter?” “Matter? Oh, nothing!--Did I say that any thing was the matter? Don’t speak so loud,” whispered she: “your groom heard every word we said; stay till he is out of hearing, and then we can talk.” “I don’t care if all the world hears what I say,” cried Mr. Beaumont hastily: but, as if suppressing his rising indignation, he, with a milder look and tone, added, “I cannot conceive, my dear mother, why you are always so afraid of being overheard.”