was, she lent an attentive ear to their tête-àtête, and made sure that she discovered a partiality of such rapid growth as must lead to serious proposals before the end of the voyage. This she took the earliest opportunity of communicating to Mr. M'Kay, begging him to find out all the young gentleman's history, that she might be prepared with a reply; but the disclosures her husband was enabled to make, caused a material alteration in her plans, and none but Ardourly was to be the happy man. Whatever intimacy had taken place between Raleigh and Emily was now a cause of chagrin; and she proceeded, with much despatch, to effect a retrograde movement; the hopes of the former she meant to dissipate by her distant coolness, and to turn those of the latter to the advantages of the other connexion. As soon as Henry could get rid of Mrs.

M'Kay's overwhelming courtesy, he returned to the subject which most interested him, and for which the shrewd old Scot seemed prepared. Why, as for saying

you had best go home again, I only meant that our parts of the Highlands are in a perturbed state just now, and I would advise none to go amongst them who are able to stay away."

"I might ask, if this did not apply to yourself as well as to me; but what is the disturbance you allude to ?"

Mr. M'Kay said, it was the desperation of those who lately lived by running spirits, who, by the interference of the military, newly stationed at the most convenient places for the prevention of that traffic, had been driven, in many instances, from offences against the revenue to a violation of life and property.

Mrs. M'Kay looked horror-struck, but her friend and well-wisher, Raleigh, endeavoured to comfort her by vowing that Scot land was a villanous country, for, if a respectable lady escaped from marauders, there was imminent danger of her going through the auto-da-fé ceremony for a witch.-Mrs. M'Kay experienced another shock, and her spouse, putting on his usual dry grin, observed that she looked as if she expected to be so honoured herself.

Henry was but ill satisfied with the old gentleman's explanation, and his curiosity increased, but the means of satisfying it were to be sought at a more convenient season, when Mr. M'Kay might be less wary and less desirous of discussing other topics; for, at present, he was revising and correcting the whole system of natural philosophy from the mite to the mammoth.

On the third day from that on which they left London, our party found themselves within sight of Leith, and Mrs. M'Kay now began to renew the importunities with which she had besieged Ardourly to join them in their journey to the Highlands, instead of travelling by separate conveyances. Ardourly objected to this proceeding, as Captain Raleigh, who was not invited, would then be left to travel by himself; but the inconvenience was soon remedied; for, hostile as Mrs. M'Kay was to Raleigh, she preferred having his company to losing that of his friend, and the invitation was immediately extended to him. There was no danger of an excuse here; but it happened very unfor-. tunately, that after this point was settled, Henry started another objection which was not so easily to be overruled; and this was, the urgent necessity he professed to be

under of arriving at Invercraig, (a distance of an hundred miles) on the following evening; such rapidity would ill suit the infirmities of Mr. M'Kay, who, to cut up the whole plan at once, was obliged to stop a day at Edinburgh on business. Great was the disappointment of Mrs. M'Kay at this obstacle; but, as it was unavoidable, it occurred to her that the first thing now to be done was to retract her proposal to Raleigh. It would have been too ill bred to do this in a direct way, but she went as little short of it as possible. Perhaps, Captain

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Raleigh," said she," as Mr. Ardourly cannot accompany us, you may wish to be absolved from your engagement; if so, I beg you will use no ceremony with us."

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Indeed, I greatly prefer making the journey with your Ladyship," replied Raleigh, who perceived her drift, and highly enjoyed