"
"No, I assure you they are not; I am confident they have not the most
distant idea of such a thing--they would undoubtedly regard it as an act of
kindness on your part. I shall insist upon your remaining until the return
of Mr. Bates, when I shall beg you to repeat to him what you have already
revealed to me."
"As you insist upon it, I suppose I must," repeated he, after some
reflection; "but I must say I do not like the office of informer,"
concluded he, with assumed reluctance.
"I am sorry to impose it upon you; yet, rest assured, they will thank you.
Excuse me for a few moments--I will go and see how Anne is."
Miss Ellstowe returned, after a short interval, with the information that
little Birdie was much more composed, and would, no doubt, soon recover
from her fright.
"To receive a worse blow," observed George Stevens. "I pity the poor little
thing--only to think of the disgrace of being engaged to a nigger. It is
fortunate for them that they will make the discovery ere it be too late.
Heavens! only think what the consequences might have been had she married
this fellow, and his peculiar position became known to them afterwards! She
would have been completely 'done for.'"
Thus conversing respecting Clarence, they awaited the return of Mr.
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