She answered with a wild exclamation, “O Alfred, this must be stopped!”

“What must be stopped, my dear?” said he.

“Gerald Fitzgerald must not court our daughter,” she replied.

“I thought it would please you, dearest,” rejoined he.  “The young man has always seemed to be a favorite of yours.  I should not have selected him for our Eulalia, for fear the qualities of his father might develop themselves in him; but you must remember that he has not been educated among slaves.  I think we can trust to that to make a great difference in his character.”

She groaned aloud, and sobbed out:  “It must be stopped.  It will kill me.”

He sat down by her side, took her hand, and said very gravely:  “Rosa, you have often told me I was your best friend.  Why then do you not confide to me what it is that troubles you?”

“O, I cannot!  I cannot!” she exclaimed.  “I am a guilty wretch.”  And there came a fresh outburst of sobs, which she stifled by keeping her face hidden in the bedclothes.

“Rosa,” said he, still more gravely, “you must tell me the meaning of this strange conduct.  If an unworthy passion has taken possession of you, it is your duty to try to conquer it for your own sake, for my sake, for our daughter’s sake.  If you will confide in me, I will not judge you harshly.  I will return to Europe with you, and help you to cure yourself.  Tell me frankly, Rosa, do you love this young man?”

She looked up suddenly, and, seeing the extreme sadness of his face, she exclaimed:  “O Alfred, if you have thought that, I must tell you all.  I do love Gerald; but it is because he is my own son.”

“Your son!” he exclaimed, springing up, with the feeling that a great load was lifted from his heart.  He raised her to his bosom, and kissed her tearful face again and again.  The relief was so sudden, that for an instant he forgot the strangeness of her declaration.  But coming to his senses immediately, he inquired, “How can it be that your son passes for Mrs. Fitzgerald’s son?  And if it be so, why did you not tell me of it?”

“I ought to have told you when I consented to marry you,” she replied.  “But your protecting love was so precious to me, that I had not the courage to tell you anything that would diminish your esteem for me.  Forgive me, dearest.  It is the only wrong I have ever done you.  But I will tell you all now; and if it changes your love for me, I must try to bear it, as a just punishment for the wrong I have done.  You know how Mr. Fitzgerald deserted me, and how I was stricken down when I discovered that I was his slave.  My soul almost parted from my body during the long illness that followed.  When I came to my senses, I humbled myself to entreat Mr. Fitzgerald to emancipate me, for the sake of our unborn child.  He promised to do it, but he did not.  I was a mere wreck when my babe was born,