This implied assurance, that he had no plan of following the machine, induced her to agree to the proposition; and, when the little carriage was in sight, he expressed his good wishes that she might find the letter, or the friend, that she desired, and returned to the breakfast parlour. The length of the way, joined to the dirt of the roads, made her truly sensible of his consideration, in affording her this safe conveyance. When she arrived at the Post-office, the words, 'Oh, you are come at last!' struck her ear, from the street; but not conceiving herself to be addressed, they failed to catch her attention, till she saw, waiting to give her his hand, while exclaiming, 'What the deuce can have made you so long in coming?' young Ireton. Far less pleased than surprised, she disengaged herself from him with quickness, and enquired for the post-master. He was not within. She was extremely disturbed, and at a loss where to wait, or what to do. 'Why did not you stay for my chaise?' said Ireton. 'When I found that you were gone, I mounted my steed, and came over by a short cut, to see what was become of you; and here you have kept me cooling my heels all this devil of a time. That booby of a driver must have had a taste for being out-crawled by a snail.' Without answering him, she asked whether there were any clerk at hand, to whom she could apply? Oh, yes! and she was immediately shewn into an office, and followed, without any ceremony, by Ireton, though she replied not a word to any thing that he said. A young man here received her, of whom, in a fearful voice, she demanded whether he had any letter directed for L.S., to be left till called for. 'You must make her tell you her name, Sir!' cried Ireton, with an air of importance. 'I give you notice not to let her have her letter, without a receipt, signed by her own hand. She came over with Mrs Maple of Lewes, and a party of us, and won't say who she is. 'T has a very ugly look, Sir!' The eye of the stranger accused him, but vainly, of cruelty. The clerk, who listened with great curiosity, soon produced a foreign letter, with the address demanded. While eagerly advancing to receive it, she anxiously enquired, whether there were no inland letter with the same direction? None, she was answered. Ireton then, clapping his hand upon the shoulder of the clerk, positively declared, that he would lodge an information against him, if he delivered any letter, under such circumstances, without a signed receipt. An almost fainting distress was now visible in the face of the Incognita, as the clerk, surprised and perplexed, said, 'Have you any objection, Ma'am, to giving me your name?' She stammered, hesitated, and grew paler, while Ireton smiled triumphantly, when the party was suddenly joined by Harleigh. Ireton ceased his clamour, and hung back, ashamed.