His first thought was to
proceed immediately to New Haven, and there rescue his daughter from
the hands of the young man; but on learning the arrangements that
had been made, he, after much reflecting, concluded that it would be
best to remain in New York, and meet them on their arrival.
In the mean time, the foolish girl, whom Lawson had determined to
sacrifice to his base cupidity, was half wild with delighted
anticipation. Poor child! Passion-wrought romances, written by men
and women who had neither right views of life, nor a purpose in
literature beyond gain or reputation, had bewildered her half-formed
reason, and filled her imagination with. unreal pictures. All her
ideas were false or exaggerated. She was a woman, with the mind of
an inexperienced child; if to say this does not savor of
contradiction. Without dreaming that there might be thorns to pierce
her naked feet in the way she was about to enter, she moved forward
with a joyful confidence.
On the day she had agreed to return with Lawson, she met him early
in the afternoon, and started for New Haven, where they spent the
night. On the following day they left in the steamboat for New York.
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