Mr Greville, as I apprehend-But to particulars first.

We were last night at the ball in the Haymarket.

The chairmen who carried the dear creature, and who, as well as our chairmen, were engaged for the night, were inveigled away to drink somewhere. They promised Wilson, my cousin's servant, to return in half an hour.

It was then but little more than twelve. Wilson waited near two hours, and they not returning, he hired a chair to supply their place.

Between two and three, we all agreed to go home. The dear creature was fatigued with the notice everybody took of her. Everybody admired her. She wanted to go before; but Lady Betty prevailed on her to stay a little longer.

I waited on her to her chair, and saw her in it before I attended Lady Betty and my wife to theirs.

I saw that neither the chair, nor the chairmen, were those who brought her. I asked the meaning; and received the above particulars after she was in the chair.

He had, indeed, told her, that she would have half-a-dozen spies upon her; and threw out some hints of jealousy of two of her visitors.

Sir Hargrave Pollexfen, in a harlequin dress, was at the ball; he soon discoverd our lovely cousin ; and, notwithstanding his former ill nature on being rejected by her, addressed her with the politeness of a man accustomed to public places.

He found me out at the side-board a little before we went off; and asked me, if I had not seen Mr Greville there? I said no.

He asked me, if I had not observed a mask distinguished by a broad-brimmed half-slouched hat, with a high flat crown, a short black cloak, a dark lantern in his hand, holding it up to every one's mask; and who, he said, was saluted by everybody as Guido Vaux? That person, he said, was Mr Greville.

I did indeed observe this person; but recollected not that he had the air of Mr Greville; but thought him a much more bulky man. But that, as he intended to have it supposed he had left the town, might be easily managed.

Mr.Greville, you know, is a man of enterprize. He came to town, having professedly no other material business but to give obstruction to my cousin's visitors. He saw she had two new ones. He talked at first of staying in town, and partaking of its diversions, and even of bespeaking a new equipage.

But all of a sudden, though expecting Mr Fenwick would come up, he pretended to leave the town, and to set out directly for Northamptonshire, without having obtained any concession in his favour.

Laying all these circumstances together, I think it is hardly to be doubted but Mr Greville is at the bottom of this black affair.

You will therefore take such steps on these lights as your prudence will suggest to you. If Mr Greville is not come down-If Mr Fenwick -What would I say?

The less noise, however, the affair makes, till we can come at certainty, the better.

How I dread what that certainty may be !Dear creature!

But I am sure you will think it advisable to keep this dreadful affair from her poor grandmother. And I hope your good lady-Yet her prudent advice may be necessary.

I have six people out at different parts of the town, who are to make inquiries among chairmen, coachmen, &c.

Her new servant cannot be a villain-What can one say?-What can one think?

We have sent to his sister, who keeps an inn'in Smithfield. She has heard nothing of him.

I have sent after the chairmen who carried her to this cursed masquerade. Lady Betty's chairmen, who had provided the chairs, know them, and their number. They were traced with a fare from White's to Berkeley-square.

dear creature! what may she not have suffered by this time!

Why parted we with such a jewel out of our sight?

You would not be denied: you would have her to that cursed town.

Some damned villain, to be sure!-Greville it is not.

Greville was seen late last night, alighting at his own house from a post-chaise. He had nobody with him.

In half an hour, late as it was, he sent his compliments to us, to let us know that he had left the dear child well, and (in his usual style) happier than she would make him. He knows that our lives are bound up in hers.

GREVILLE was this moment here.

We could not see him. We did not let him know the matter.

He is gone away in great surprise, on the servants telling him that we had received some bad news, which made us unfit to see anybody. The servants could not tell him what: yet they all guess by your livery, and by our grief, that something has befallen their beloved young lady. They are all in tears-And they look at us, when they attend us, with such inquisitive, yet silent grief!-We are speechless before them; and tell them our wills by motions, and not by

words.

LETTER XXV.

MR REEVES TO GEORGE SELBY, ESQ.
[In continuation of Letter XXIII.]

LADY BETTY'S chairmen have found out the first chairmen.

them

The fellows were made almost dead drunk. They are sure something was put into their liquor. They have been hunting after the footmen who enticed them, and drank them down. They described their livery to be brown, trimmed and turned up with yellow; and are in the service of a merchant's relict, who lives either in Mark-lane, or Mincing-lane, they forgot which ; but have not yet been able to out. Their lady, they said, was at the masquerade. They were very officious to scrape acquaintance with them. We know not anybody who gives this livery: so no lights can be obtained by this part of the information. A cursed, deep-laid villainy !—The fellows are resolved, they say, to find out these footmen, if above ground; and the chairmen who were hired on their failure.

Every hour we have one messenger or other returning with something to say; but hitherto with nothing to the purpose. This has kept me within. O Mr Selby, I know not what to direct! I know not what to do! I send them out again as fast as they return: yet rather shew my despair than my hope.

Surely this villainy must be Mr Greville's. Though I have but just dispatched away my servant to you, I am impatient for his return.

I will write every hour, as anything offers, that I may have a letter to send you by another man, the moment we hear anything. And yet I expect not to hear anything material, but from

you.

We begin to suspect the servant (that Wilson) whom my cousin so lately hired. Were he clear of the matter, either he or the chairmen he hired, must have been heard of. He would have returned. They could not all three be either murdered or secreted.

These cursed masquerades !-Never will I

O MR SELBY! Her servant is, must be a villain!-Sarah, my dear cousin's servant-(My poor wife can think of nothing. She is extremely ill)-Sarah took it into her head to have the specious rascal's trunk broke open. It felt light, and he had talked, but the night before, of his stock of clothes and linen, to the other servants. There was nothing of value found in it; not of sixpence value. The most specious villain, if a villain. Everybody liked him. The

He had been guilty, I said, of a villainy that was a thousand times worse than robbery.

She was inquisitive about it: and I hinted to her what it was.

Her brother, she said, was a young man of parts and understanding, and would be glad, she was sure, of getting a livelihood by honest services. It was a sad thing that there should be such masters in the world as would put servants upon bad practices.

I asked after the character of that Bagenhall, whose service her brother last lived in ? and imprudently I threatened her brother.

Ah, sir! was all the answer she made, shaking her head.

I repeated my question, Who was that Bagenhall ?

Excuse me, sir, said she, I will give no other answer, till I hear whether my brother's life may be in danger or not. She abhorred, she said, all base practices as much as anybody could do; and she was sorry for the lady, and for me.

I then offered to be the making of her brother, were it possible to engage him before any violence was done to the lady. I asked, if she knew where to send to him.

Indeed she did not. She dared to say, she should not hear of him for one while. Whenever he had been drawn in to assist in any out of the way pranks, [see, Mr Selby, a practised villain! he kept away from her till all was over. Those who would take such steps, she feared, would by this time have done the mischief. How I raved!

Something may be discovered by means of those fellows, if they were tampered with. They are afraid, I suppose, to come to demand their but half-earned money. Woe be to them if they come out to be rascals!

I had half a suspicion of Sir Hargrave, as well from the character given us of him by a friend of mine, as because of his unpolite behaviour to the dear creature on her rejecting him; and sent to his house in Cavendish-square, to know if he were at home; and, if he were, at what time he returned from the ball.

Answer was brought, that he was in bed, and they supposed would not be stirring till dinner time, when he expected company; and that he returned not from the ball till between four and five this morning.

We sent to Mr Greville's lodgings. He has actually discharged them; and the people think (as he told them so) that he is set out for the country. But he is master of contrivances enough to manage this. There can be no thought that he would give out otherwise to them, than he did to us. Happy! had we found him not

dear creature! what may she not have suffered by this time!

Why parted we with such a jewel out of our sight?"

You would not be denied: you would have her to that cursed town.

Some damned villain, to be sure!-Greville it is not.

Greville was seen late last night, alighting at his own house from a post-chaise. He had nobody with him.

In half an hour, late as it was, he sent his compliments to us, to let us know that he had left the dear child well, and (in his usual style) happier than she would make him. He knows that our lives are bound up in hers.

Find out where she is: and find her safe and well: or we will never forgive those who were the cause of her going to London.

Dear soul! she was over-persuaded !—She was not fond of going!

The sweetest, obliging creature!-What is now become of her!-What by this time may she not have suffered!

Search everywhere-But you will, no doubt! -Suspect everybody-This Lady Betty Williams-such a plot must have a woman in it. Was she not Sir Hargrave's friend?-This Sir Hargrave-Greville it could not be. Had we not the proof I mentioned, Greville, bad as he is, could not be such a villain.

The first moment you have any tidings, bad or good; spare no expense

GREVILLE was this moment here.

We could not see him. We did not let him know the matter.

He is gone away in great surprise, on the servants telling him that we had received some bad news, which made us unfit to see anybody. The servants could not tell him what: yet they all guess by your livery, and by our grief, that something has befallen their beloved young lady. They are all in tears-And they look at us, when they attend us, with such inquisitive, yet silent grief!-We are speechless before them; and tell them our wills by motions, and not by words.

LETTER XXV.

MR REEVES TO GEORGE SELBY, ESQ.

[In continuation of Letter XXIII.]

LADY BETTY's chairmen have found out the first chairmen.

The fellows were made almost dead drunk. They are sure something was put into their liquor. They have been hunting after the footmen who enticed them, and drank them down. They described their livery to be brown, trimmed and turned up with yellow; and are in the service of a merchant's relict, who lives either in Mark-lane, or Mincing-lane, they forgot which; but have not yet been able to find them out. Their lady, they said, was at the masquerade. They were very officious to scrape acquaintance with them. We know not anybody who gives this livery: so no lights can be obtained by this part of the information. A cursed, deep-laid villainy!-The fellows are resolved, they say, to find out these footmen, if above ground; and the chairmen who were hired on their failure.

Every hour we have one messenger or other returning with something to say; but hitherto with nothing to the purpose. This has kept me within. O Mr Selby, I know not what to direct! I know not what to do! I send them out again as fast as they return: yet rather shew my despair than my hope.

Surely this villainy must be Mr Greville's. Though I have but just dispatched away my servant to you, I am impatient for his return.

I will write every hour, as anything offers, that I may have a letter to send you by another man, the moment we hear anything. And yet I expect not to hear anything material, but from

you.

We begin to suspect the servant (that Wilson) whom my cousin so lately hired. Were he clear of the matter, either he or the chairmen he hired, must have been heard of. He would have returned. They could not all three be either murdered or secreted.

These cursed masquerades !—Never will I

O MR SELBY! Her servant is, must be a villain!-Sarah, my dear cousin's servant-(My poor wife can think of nothing. She is extremely ill)-Sarah took it into her head to have the specious rascal's trunk broke open. It felt light, and he had talked, but the night before, of his stock of clothes and linen, to the other servants. There was nothing of value found in it; not of sixpence value. The most specious villain, if a villain. Everybody liked him. The

dear creature herself was pleased with him. He knew everything and everybody-Cursed be he for his adroitness and knowledge! We had made too many inquiries after a servant for her.

Eleven o'clock.

I AM just returned from Smithfield. From the villain's sister. He comes out to be a villain -This Wilson I mean-A practised villain!

The woman shook her head at the inquiry I made, half out of breath, after what was become of him. She was afraid, she said, that all was not right: but was sure her brother had not robbed.

He had been guilty, I said, of a villainy that was a thousand times worse than robbery.

She was inquisitive about it: and I hinted to her what it was.

Her brother, she said, was a young man of parts and understanding, and would be glad, she was sure, of getting a livelihood by honest services. It was a sad thing that there should be such masters in the world as would put servants upon bad practices.

I asked after the character of that Bagenhall, whose service her brother last lived in ? and imprudently I threatened her brother.

Ah, sir! was all the answer she made, shaking her head.

I repeated my question, Who was that Bagenhall ?—

Excuse me, sir, said she, I will give no other answer, till I hear whether my brother's life may be in danger or not. She abhorred, she said, all base practices as much as anybody could do ; and she was sorry for the lady, and for me.

I then offered to be the making of her brother, were it possible to engage him before any violence was done to the lady. I asked, if she knew where to send to him.

Indeed she did not. She dared to say, she should not hear of him for one while. Whenever he had been drawn in to assist in any out of the way pranks, [see, Mr Selby, a practised villain he kept away from her till all was over. Those who would take such steps, she feared, would by this time have done the mischief. How I raved!