r three months."

"To England! Oh! how I wish--" but here Emma stopped; she was going to
say how much she wished that she was going also, but her uncle and aunt
were present, and, recollecting that it might pain them and induce them
to think that she was discontented, she added, "that you would bring me
out all the new fashions."

"All the new fashions, my dear Emma?" said Henry. "Why, do you wish to
be fashionably dressed in the woods of Canada?"

"Why not?" exclaimed Emma, who felt that she must appear to be very
foolish, but could not get out of her scrape.

"I can look at myself in the glass at all events."

"I will try to bring you out something which will give you pleasure,"
replied Captain Sinclair, "but as for the fashions, I know you are only
joking, by your trusting a person so incompetent as I am to select
them."

"Well, I do not think you would execute my commission very well, so I
will not trouble you," replied Emma; "and now let us know why you are
going to England."

"My dear Emma," said Mr Campbell, "you ought not to put such questions;
Captain Sinclair has his own reasons, I have no doubt."

"It is very true that I have my own reasons," replied Captain Sinclair,
"and, as I have no secrets, I will with pleasure gratify Emma's
curiosity. I do not know whether you are aware that I was an orphan at
a very early age, and have been under the charge of a guardian. When my
father died, he left directions in his will that I was not to take
possession of my property till I was twenty-five years of age. I was
twenty-five years old last year, and my guardian has written requesting
me to come home, that he may be relieved of his responsibility, by
making over to me the trust which has been confided to him."

"Will it detain you long?" inquired Mr Campbell.

"It must not. It is very difficult to obtain leave of absence from your
regiment in time of war. It is only through interest that I do so now.
On my arrival at Quebec, the Governor will put me on his staff, and then
he will give me leave. I shall not stay longer than is necessary, as I
am anxious to be with my regiment again. You may, therefore, be certain
that, if I am spared, I shall be with you again before the winter, if
not much sooner. So now if you have really any commission for me to
execute, I can only say I shall be most happy to comply with your wishes
to the best of my ability."

"Well," observed Emma, "we really were not aware