“I was ignorant of that law,” said Mrs. Delano, “being very little informed on the subject of slavery.  But I suspected trickery of some sort in the transaction, because he proved himself so unprincipled with regard to the sister.”

“And where is the sister?” inquired Mr. Percival.

“I trust to your honor as a gentleman to keep the secret from every mortal,” answered Mrs. Delano.  “You have seen her this evening.”

“Is it possible,” he exclaimed, “that you mean to say she is your adopted daughter?”

“I did mean to say that,” she replied.  “I have placed great confidence in you; for you can easily imagine it would be extremely disagreeable to me, as well as to her, to become objects of public notoriety.”

“Your confidence is a sacred deposit,” answered he.  “I have long been aware that the most romantic stories in the country have grown out of the institution of slavery; but this seems stranger than fiction.  With all my knowledge of the subject, I find it hard to realize that such a young lady as that has been in danger of being sold on the auction-block in this republic.  It makes one desirous to conceal that he is an American.”

“My principal reason for wishing to consult you,” said Mrs. Delano, “is, that Mr. Fitzgerald, the purchaser of these girls, is now in the city, and Flora met him this morning.  Luckily, she was closely veiled, and he did not recognize her.  I think it is impossible he can have obtained any clew to my connivance at her escape, and yet I feel a little uneasy.  I am so ignorant of the laws on this subject, that I don’t know what he has the power to do if he discovers her.  Can he claim her here in Boston?”

“He could claim her and bring her before the United States Court,” replied Mr. Percival; “but I doubt whether he would do it.  To claim such a girl as that for a slave, would excite general sympathy and indignation, and put too much ammunition into the hands of us Abolitionists.  Besides, no court in the Free States could help deciding that, if he sent her to Nassau, she became free.  If he should discover her whereabouts, I shouldn’t wonder if attempts were made to kidnap her; for men of his character are very unscrupulous, and there are plenty of caitiffs in Boston ready to do any bidding of their Southern masters.  If she were conveyed to the South, though the courts ought to decide she was free, it is doubtful whether they would do it; for, like Achilles, they scorn the idea that laws were made for such as they.”

“If I were certain that Mr. Fitzgerald knew of her being here, or that he even suspected it,” said Mrs. Delano, “I would at once take measures to settle the question by private purchase; but the presumption is that he and the sister suppose Flora to be dead, and her escape cannot be made known without betraying the cause of it.  Flora has a great dread of disturbing her sister’s happiness, and