Margrave. Is not my place his? Am
1 not an ()cforoon ?”
“You know all. then?”
“Yes. Alas! I see that it was only
I who was ignorant.”
“A chance word from Mr. Percy re
vealed the secret to me, Miss Leslie,
upon that very night when first 1 saw
you.”
"Oh, Mr, Margrave, I do not seek to
deny my origin. See, I wear mourn
ing for my mother, and my journey of
to-day is a pilgrimage to her grave.”
A couple of chairs near Gilbert Mar
grave were unoccupied; one of these he
offered to Cora, and, taking the other,
seated himself by her side.
A noisy laugh from a group on deck
at this moment arrested their atten
tion.
This group was composed of Silas
Craig, William JJo wen, and two or
three other passengers, all gathered
round Augustus Horton, who was read
ing a paragraph aloud from a New Or
leans newspaper. The following were
the words which greeted Cora’s ears—
‘‘The conduct of Mr. Leslie m daring to
foist tin* child of one ol his slaves upon the
highest circles of society, merits tin* punish
ment he has met. The citizens of New Or
leans have shown their indignation at his
offense. In abandoning all communication
with hint. (Druid Leslie walks the streets
of liis native city a stranger and a ruined
man.”
“Oh, this is infamous,” exclaimed
Gilbert Margrave; “that man knows
that you are here and he reads that par
agraph ou purpose to insult you. 1
will not endure it.”
He was about to rush toward Augus
tus Horton, but Cora caught his arm in
her slender hands and arrested his
Steps.
