n with
the distinctness of actual presence. As he sat silently watching the
white streak of foam in the wake of the vessel, he could see, as in
a mirror, all the details of that flowery parlor; he could hear the
continuous flow of the fountain in the garden, and the melodious tones
of "Buena Notte, amato bene."

Arrived in Boston, his first inquiry of the merchants was whether they
had heard anything of Mr. Royal. He received the news of his death
with a whirl of emotions. How he longed for tidings concerning the
daughters! But questions would of course be unavailing, since their
existence was entirely unknown at the North. That Mr. Royal had died
insolvent, and his property had been disposed of at auction, filled
him with alarm. It instantly occurred to him how much power such
circumstances would place in the hands of Mr. Fitzgerald. The thought
passed through his mind, "Would he marry Rosabella?" And he seemed to
hear a repetition of the light, careless tones, "Of course not,--she
was a quadroon." His uneasiness was too strong to be restrained, and
the second day after his arrival he started for New Orleans.

He found the store of his old friend occupied by strangers, who could
only repeat what he had already heard. He rode out to the house where
he had passed that never-to-be-forgotten evening. There all was
painfully changed. The purchasers had refurnished the house with
tasteless gewgaws, and the spirit of gracefulness had vanished. Their
unmodulated voices grated on his ear, in contrast with the liquid
softness of Rosabella's tones, and the merry, musical tinkling of
Floracita's prattle. All they could tell him was, that they heard the
quadroons who used to be kept there by the gentleman that owned the
house had gone to the North somewhere. A pang shot through his soul as
he asked himself whether they remembered his offer of assistance, and
had gone in search of him. He turned and looked back upon the house,
as he had done that farewell morning, when he assured them that he
would be a brother in time of need. He could hardly believe that all
the life and love and beauty which animated that home had vanished
into utter darkness. It seemed stranger than the changes of a dream.

Very sad at heart, he returned to the city and sought out a merchant
with whom his father had been accustomed to transact business. "Mr.
Talbot," said he, "I have come to New Orleans to inquire concerning
the affairs of the late Mr. Alfred