scene at Mr. Stuart's death bed, and his Lordship's undoubted complicity with the assassin Melrose, all came to his mind, and increased his agony.
Bella now endeavoured to soothe her father's despairing and self-accusing mind, in being an unfortunate dupe and passive instrument in his Lordship's hands, by which an old and estimable neighbour came to an untimely grave, and a noble and honourable young man had become deprived of his home and bride. She impressed upon him the necessity of never mentioning it to George, lest it might cause a meeting between him and Lord Lundy, which might terminate fatally; and further, never to let Lord Lundy know that his villany was discovered. These propositions were approved of by Mr. McKay, and he resolved not to act for, or receive any favors from Lord Lundy for the future. He accordingly wrote to his Lordship, resigning the factorship on the ground of ill health, and recommended his son as his successor, as he wished him to leave the army, that he might be near him in case of his death. He also wrote to George on the same subject, pleading indisposition and unwillingness to attend any longer to business, as an illness had set in which soon reduced his strong, robust form.
This change was more apparent after receiving the following sad intelligence from London:—"You will, I am sure, be sorry to hear, that the vessel in which your young neighbour Mr. Charles Stuart embarked, never reached her destination, and that her total loss, with all on board, is beyond a doubt. A coasting vessel picked up a boat's stern with the name of the vessel upon it."
This calamity weighed so heavily on Bella's mind that she shunned all company, and refused all consolation, passing her spare time in solitary rambles among haunts which reminded her of happier days. But the greater portion of her time was occupied in visiting the poor, and attending to her invalid father, who, on seeing the great change in his usually lively daughter whose misfortunes preyed so much on his mind, that he soon succumbed under his afflictions, and was laid in Killinn, by the side of his neighbour Mr. Stuart.
