"Why, what has happened?" "A very sad accident," replied our hero, shaking his head; "he fell--" "Fell!" exclaimed the two girls in a breath. "Yes, fell in love, and is married." "Well now!" exclaimed Miss Ophelia, "only to think!" Miss Amelia said nothing. "And so he is really married?" "Yes; and he has given up business." "He did seem in a great hurry when he last came here," observed Amelia. "And what are you going to do?" "I am not going to follow his example just yet," replied Joey. "I suppose not; but what are you going to do?" replied Ophelia. "I shall wait here for his orders; I expect to hear from him. Whether I am to remain in this part of the country, or sell off and join him, or look out for some other business, I hardly know; I think myself I shall look out for something else; I don't like the cutlery line and travelling for orders. How is your mamma, Miss Ophelia?" "She is very well, and has gone to market. Well, I never did expect to hear of Mr Spikeman being married! Who is he married to, Joseph?" "To a very beautiful young lady, daughter of Squire Mathews, with a large fortune." "Yes; men always look for money nowadays," said Amelia. "I must go now," said Joey, getting up; "I have some calls and some inquiries to make. Good morning, young ladies." It must be acknowledged that the two Misses James were not quite so cordial towards Joey as they were formerly; but unmarried girls do not like to hear of their old acquaintances marrying anybody save themselves. There is not only a flirt the less, but a chance the less in consequence; and it should be remarked, that there were very few _beaux_ at Dudstone. Our hero was some days at Dudstone before he received a letter from Spikeman, who informed him that he had arrived safely at Gretna (indeed, there was no male relation of the family to pursue him), and the silken bands of Hymen had been made more secure by the iron rivets of the blacksmith; that three days after he had written a letter to his wife's father, informing him that he had _done him the honour_ of marrying his daughter; that he could not exactly say when he could find time to come to the mansion and pay him a visit, but that he would as soon as he conveniently could; that he begged that the room prepared for them upon their arrival might have a _large_ dressing-room attached to it, as he could not dispense with that convenience; that he was not aware whether Mr Mathews was inclined to part with the mansion and property, but, as his wife had declared that she would prefer living there to anywhere else, he had not any objection to purchase it of Mr Mathews, if they could come to terms; hoped his gout was better, and was his "very faithfully, AUGUSTUS SPIKEMAN." Melissa wrote a few lines to Araminta, begging her, as a favour, not to attempt to palliate her conduct, but to rail against her incessantly, as it would be the surest method of bringing affairs to an amicable settlement.