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 the moſt affectionate terms to enjoy the felicity of the moment ariſing from the preſervation of her honour. "Mr and Mrs Colby," added ſhe, "are, I aſſure you my dear, as well as they can be under the cutting anxiety which they muſt neceſſarily endure on your account; and I ſhall think myſelf moſt happily employed in bringing you together to-morrow morning."

"You are very kind, madam," ſaid Maria, innocently ſmiling, while a freſh ſhower of tears was ready to fall from her gliſtening eyes, "you are very kind, indeed; but you forget that I am a day's journey from them."

"Not an hour's, my dear—You ſeem ſurpriſed, but I'll ſoon remove your aſtoniſhment—They are both in town; they have been at your aunt Hendon's for ſome days. Having enquired after Mrs Ditton at her lodgings about the time ſhe talked of returning, the farmer's wife ſaid ſhe had paid then off, adding, that Mrs Ditton had told her the ſhould not be in that part of the country again till ſhe came back from France. This intelligence alarmned Mr Colby; your mother was half diſtracted with it. However, as Mrs Ditton had left her addreſs, they hurried up to town immediately. To their extreme amazement, as well as concern, no ſuch perſon as Mrs Ditton was to be found: they have, therefore, been from