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"DEAR AND HONOURED SIR, "Proposals have been made to you on hter, Miss Aurelia Delavie I a they may well appear to you; yet, let me assure you, on the Faith of a Man of Honour that if you will entrust her to h I be, and will permit her to bear my Name, I will answer for her Happiness and Welfare Situated as I am, I cannot enter into further explanations; but we are old Acquaintance, though we have notof you to believe me when I say that if you will repose Confidence in hter such Prefer of my darkened Life, but I would never have presumed to ask further were it not that I have no other Means of protecting her, nor of shielding her froht prove far worse than bearing the Name of "Your obedient Servant to command, "AMYAS BELAMOUR

"Bowstead Park, Dec 3rd, 1737"

"Enigmatical!" said Betty

"It could hardly be otherwise if he had to employ a secretary" said her father "Who can have written for him?"

"His friend, Dr Godfrey, most probably," said Betty "It is well spelt as well as indited, and has not the air of being drawn up by a lawyer"

"No, it is not Hargrave's hand It is strange that he says nothing of the settle, 'Should you consent, Hargrave will give you ample satisfaction as to the property which I can settle on your daughter'"

"Of that I have no doubt," said the Major "Well, Betty, on reflection, if I were only secure that no force was put on the child's will, and if I could exchange a feords face to face with Amyas Belaht She is a good child, and if she like hiht be as happy as another And since she is out of our reach it ht save her froest plea with me," said Betty, with set lips