starting, and forgetting her new illness, exclaimed, in a powerful voice, "Why, what is become of your black patch?"

The young woman, hastily putting her hand to her cheek, blushed extremely, while she answered, "Bless me, it must have dropt off! — I will run and look for it."

Mrs. Ireton peremptorily forbade her to move; and, staring at her with a mixture of curiosity and harshness, ordered her to draw away her hand. She resisted for some time, but, overpowered by authoritative commands, was reduced, at length, to submit; and Mrs. Ireton then perceived, that neither wound, scar, nor injury of any sort, had occasioned the patch to have been worn.

The excess of her surprize at this discovery, led her to apprehend some serious imposition. She fearfully, therefore, rose, to ring the bell, still fixing her eyes upon the face of the young woman, who, in her confusion, accidentally touching the bandage which crossed her forehead, dis-