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She opened the social gae one to us, Mr Chilton We have often heard you spoken
of in the hbors, the Ayletts, of Ridgeley,----county Is it long since you
met or heard from them?"
"Some months, madam I hope they were in their usual health when you
last saw the her affirmative reply with a courteous bow, and the
assurance that he was "happy to hear it," Mr Chilton turned to
Rosa, and engaged her in conversation upon divers popular topics of
the day, all of which she was careful should conduct theeley, and his affectionate intirateful for her tact and
delicacy Her unaffected pleasure athim had been as
pleasant as it was unlooked-for, aware as he was, fro the rapture of their engage with her when it occurred The slander
that had blackened him in the esteem of his betrothed had, he
naturally supposed, injured his reputation beyond hope of retrieval
with her acquaintances Rosa, her bosom companion, could not but
have heard the whole history, yet met him with undiminished
cordiality, as a valued friend Either the Ayletts had been
unnaturally discreet, or the faith of the interesting girl in his
integrity was firined in the past Perhaps, too, since he was but e in the school of experience had been of
the sternest, he was not entirely insensible to the privilege of
proirl of
the season hanging upon his ar her undivided
attention to all that he said, indifferent to, or un notice she attracted