d escaped from my control. For some moments I could not turn them
aside, but surrendered them to the impulse of my passion. It was
mutual. I doubted it not. I felt as though the ray of love-light was
passing between us. I had almost forgotten where I stood!

A murmur from the crowd, and a movement, restored me to my senses. Her
stedfast gaze had been noticed, and by many--skilled to interpret such
glances--had been understood. These, in turning round to see who was
the object of that glance, had caused the movement. I had observed it
in time, and turned my face in another direction.

I watched the entrance for D'Hauteville. Why had he not arrived? My
anxiety increased with the minutes.

True, it would still be an hour--perhaps two--before her time should
come.--Ha!--what?

There was silence for a moment--something of interest was going on. I
looked towards the rostrum for an explanation. A dark man had climbed
upon one of the steps, and was whispering to the auctioneer.

He remained but a moment. He appeared to have asked some favour, which
was at once conceded him, and he stepped back to his place among the
crowd.

A minute or two intervened, and then, to my horror and astonishment, I
saw the overseer take Aurore by the arm, and raise her upon the block!
The intention was plain. _She was to be sold next_!

In the moments that followed, I cannot remember exactly how I acted. I
ran wildly for the entrance. I looked out into the street. Up and down
I glanced with anxious eyes. No D'Hauteville!

I rushed back into the hall--again through the outer circles of the
crowd, in the direction of the rostrum.

The bidding had begun. I had not heard the preliminaries, but as I
re-entered there fell upon my ears the terrible words--

"_A thousand dollars for the Quadroon_.--_A thousand dollars bid_!"

"O Heaven! D'Hauteville has deceived me. She is lost!--lost!"

In my desperation I was about to interrupt the sale. I was about to
proclaim aloud its unfairness, in the fact that the Quadroon had been
_taken out of the order advertised_! Even on this poor plea I rested a
hope.

It was the straw to the drowning man, but I was determined to grasp it.

I had opened my lips to call out, when some one pulling me by the sleeve
caused me to turn round. It was D'Hauteville! Thank Heaven, it was
D'Hauteville!

I could scarce restrain myself from shouting with joy. His look told me
that he was the bear