Sophia having directed her guide to travel through by-roads across the country, they now paffed the Severn, and had fcarce got a mile from the inn, when the young Lady, looking behind her, saw several horses coming after on full speed. This greatly alarmed her fears, and fhe called to the guide to put on as fast as poffible.

He immediately obeyed her, and away they rode a full gallop. But the fafter they went, the fafter were they followed; and as the horses behind were fomewhat fwifter than those before, fo the former were at length overtaken. A happy circumftance for poor Sophia; whofe fears, joined to her fatigue, had almost overpowered her spirits; but she was now inftantly relieved by a female voice, that greeted her in the fofteft manner, and with the utmost civility. This greeting, Sophia, as soon as she could recover her breath, with like civility, and with the highest fatisfaction to herself, returned.

The travellers who joined Sophia, and who had given her fuch terror, confifted, like her own company, of two females and a guide. The two parties proceeded three full miles together before any one offered again to open their mouths; when our Heroine having pretty well got the better of her fear, but yet being fomewhat furprised that the other ftill continued to attend her, as fhe purfued no great road, and had already paffed through feveral turnings) accofted the strange Lady in a moft obliging tone, and faid, "fhe was very

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fame way.

» happy to find they were both travelling the The other, who, like a ghost, only wanted to be spoke to, readily answered, that the happiness was entirely hers; that she was a perfect stranger in that country and was fo overjoyed at meeting a companion of her own sex, that she had perhaps been guilty of an im» pertinence, which required great apology, in » keeping pace with her. More civilities paff

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ed between thefe two Ladies; for Mrs. Honor had now given place to the fine habit of the stranger, and had fallen into the rear. But tho' Sophia had great curiofity to know why the other Lady continued to travel on through the fame by-roads with herself, nay, tho' this gave her fome uneafinefs; yet fear, or modefty, or fome other confideration, reftrained her from asking the question.

The strange Lady now labored under a difficulty which appears almost below the dignity of History to mention. Her bonnet had been blown from her head no less than five times within the last mile; nor could fhe come at any ribbon or handkerchief to tie it under her chin. When Sophia was informed of this, fhe immediately fupplied her with a handkerchief for this purpose; which while fhe was pulling from her pocket, fhe perhaps too much neglected the management of her horse, for the beast now unluckily making a falfe ftep, fell upon his fore-legs, and threw his fair rider from his back,

Tho' Sophia came head foremost to the ground

The happily received not the least damage; and the fame circumftances which had perhaps contributed to her fall now preserved her from confufion; for the lane which they were then paffing was narrow and very much overgrown with trees, fo that the moon could here afford very little light, and was moreover, at present, fo obfcured in a cloud, that it was almoft perfectly dark. By these means the young Lady's modefty, which was extremely delicate, escaped as free from injury as her limbs, and fhe was once more reinftated in her faddle, having received no other harm than a little fright by her fall.

Day-light at length appeared in its full luftre, and now the two Ladies, who were riding over a common fide by fide, looking steadfastly at each other, at the fame moment both their eyes became fixed; both their horfes ftopt, and both fpeaking together, with equal joy pronounced, the one the name of Sophia, the other that of Harriot.

This unexpected encounter surprised the Ladies much more than I believe it will the fagacious Reader, who must have imagined that the strange Lady could be no other than Mrs. Fitzpatrick, the cousin of Mifs Weftern, whom we before mentioned to have fallied from the inn a few minutes after her.

So great was the furprife and joy which thefe two coufins conceived at this meeting (for they had formerly been moft intimate acquaintance

and friends, and had long lived together with their aunt Western) that it is impoffible to recount half the congratulations which paffed between them, before either asked a very natural queftion of the other, namely, whither she was going.

This at laft, however, came first from Mrs. Fitzpatrick; but, eafy and natural as the question may feem, Sophia found it difficult to give it a very ready and certain anfwer. She begged her coufin therefore to fufpend all curiofity, till they arrived at fome inn, "which, I fuppofe," fays fhe, » can hardly be far diftant; and believe me, Harriot, I fufpend as much curiofity on my fide; for indeed I believe our aftonishment is pretty equal."

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The converfation which paffed between thefe Ladies on the road, was, I apprehend, little worth relating; and lefs certainly was that between the two waiting-women: for they likewife began to pay their compliments to each other. As for the guides, they were debarred from the pleasure of difcourfe, the one being placed in the van, and the other obliged to bring up the rear.

In this posture they travelled many hours, till they came into a wide and well - beaten road, which, as they turned to the right, foon brought them to a very fair promifing inn; where they all alighted: but fo fatigued was Sophia, that, as fhe had fat her horfe during the last five or fix miles with great difficulty, fo was she now

incapable of difmounting from him without affiftance. This the landlord, who had hold of her horse, presently perceiving, offered to lift her in his arms from her faddle; and fhe too readily accepted the tender of his fervice. Indeed fortune feems to have refolved to put Sophia to the blush that day, and the fecond malicious attempt fucceeded better than the first; for my landlord had no fooner received the young Lady in his arms than his feet, which the gout had lately very feverely handled, gave way, and down he tumbled; but at the fame time, with no lefs dexterity than gallantry, contrived to throw himself under his charming burden, fo that he alone received any bruise from the fall; for the greatest injury which happened to Sophia, was a, violent shock given to her modefty, by an immoderate grin, which, at her rifing from the ground fhe obferved in the countenances of most of the by-ftanders. This made her fufpect what had really happened, and what we shall not here relate for the indulgence of thofe Readers who are capable of laughing at the offence given to a young Lady's delicacy. Accidents of this kind we have never regarded in a comical light; nor will we fcruple to fay, that he must have a very inadequate idea of the modefty of a beautiful young woman, who would wifh to facrifice it to fo paltry a fatisfaction as can arife from laughter.

This fright and fhock, joined to the violent fatigue which both her mind and body had undergone, almoft overcame the excellent conftitution

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