Mr. Ammidon flushed, and answered quickly, “I allow no man to call in question my being a gentleman, sir.”

“If you consider yourself insulted, you know your remedy,” rejoined Mr. Bruteman.  “I give you your choice of place and weapons.”

Mr. Fitzgerald consulted his watch, and two or three others followed his example.

“I see,” said Mr. Ammidon, “that gentlemen are desirous to adjourn.”

“It is time that we did so,” rejoined Mr. Bruteman.  “Officers have been sent for these slaves of Mr. Royal, and they are probably now lodged in jail.  At our next meeting we will decide upon the time of sale.”

Young Blumenthal rose and attempted to go out; but a blindness came over him, and he staggered against the wall.

“I reckon that youngster’s an Abolitionist,” muttered Mr. Chandler.  “At any rate, he seems to think there’s a difference in niggers,—­and all such ought to have notice to quit.”

Mr. Ammidon called for water, with which he sprinkled the young man’s face, and two or three others assisted to help him into a carriage.

Another meeting was held the next day, which Mr. Fitzgerald did not attend, foreseeing that it would be a stormy one.  The result of it was shown in the arrest and imprisonment of Signor Papanti, and a vigilant search for Madame Guirlande.  Her cousin, Mr. Duroy, declared that he had been requested to take care of her apartments for a few weeks, as she was obliged to go to New York on business; that she took her young lady boarders with her, and that was all he knew.  Despatches were sent in hot haste to the New York and Boston police, describing the fugitives, declaring them to be thieves, and demanding that they should be sent forthwith to New Orleans for trial.  The policeman who had been employed to watch Madame’s house, and who had been induced to turn his back for a while by some mysterious process best known to Mr. Fitzgerald, was severely cross-examined and liberally pelted with oaths.  In the course of the investigations, it came out that Florimond Blumenthal had visited the house on the day of the elopement, and that toward dusk he had been seen lingering about the premises, watching the windows.  The story got abroad that he had been an accomplice in helping off two valuable slaves.  The consequence was that he received a written intimation that, if he valued his neck, he had better quit New Orleans within twenty-four hours, signed Judge Lynch.

Mr. Fitzgerald appeared to take no share in the excitement.  When he met any of the creditors, he would sometimes ask, carelessly, “Any news yet about those slaves of Royal’s?” He took occasion to remark to two or three of them, that, Signor Papanti being an old friend of his, he had been to the prison to see him; that he was convinced he had no idea where those girls had gone; he was only their music-teacher, and such an impetuous, peppery man, that they never would have thought of trusting him with any important