“Did you say his name was Alfred Wentworth,” inquired Emma, for the first time joining in the conversation.

“Yes, and do you know anything about him?” he asked.

“No,” she replied, “I know nothing of the gentleman, but father bought a slave on yesterday, who stated that she has belonged to a gentleman of New Orleans, of the name you mentioned just now.”

“By what means did you purchase her?” asked Harry addressing himself to Dr. Humphries.

The Doctor related to him the circumstances which occasioned the purchase, as well as the statement of Elsy.  Harry listened attentively, for the friendship he felt for his friend naturally made him interested in all that concerned Alfred, or his family.

“Is there no way by which I can discover where Mrs. Wentworth is residing at present?” he enquired, after a moment of thought.

“None that I could devise,” answered Dr. Humphries.  “I know nothing of the family personally, nor would I have known anything of their existence, had not chance carried me to the auction sale, at which I purchased Elsy.”

“Call the girl here for me,” Harry said:  “I must learn something more of the departure of Mrs. Wentworth and her children from New Orleans, and endeavor to obtain a clue to her whereabouts.  It is a duty I owe to the man who saved my life, that everything I can do for his family shall be performed.”

Emma left the room as he was speaking, and shortly after returned, followed by Elsy.

“Here is the girl,” she said, as she entered.

“So you belonged to Mr. Wentworth of New Orleans, did you?” Harry commenced.

“I used to belong to him,” replied Elsy.

“What made Mrs. Wentworth leave New Orleans?” he asked, continuing his questions.

Elsy gave a long account of the villainy of Awtry, in the usual style adopted by negroes, but sufficiently intelligible for Harry to understand the cause of Mrs. Wentworth being compelled to abandon her home, and take refuge in the Confederate lines.

“Did not your mistress state where she was going,” he asked.

“No, sah,” replied Elsy.  “My mistis jest told me good bye when she left wid de children.  I promised her I would get away from de Yankees, but she forgot to tell me whar she was gwine to lib.”

“Did she bring out plenty of money with her?” he enquired.

“Yes, sah,” Elsy answered.  She had seen the sum of money possessed by Mrs. Wentworth, on her departure from New Orleans, and it being a much larger amount than she had ever beheld before, made the faithful girl believe that her mistress had left with quite a fortune.

“Very well, you can go now,” remarked Harry.  “It is a satisfaction,” he continued as Elsy left the room, “to know that Wentworth’s wife is well provided with money, although it does appear strange that she should have a plenty of funds, when her husband informed me, while in prison, that the money he left her with could not maintain his wife and children for any great length of time.”