rs, touched
glasses, and drank the contents.

There was a little pause, during which Mr. Bruteman sat twirling
his glass between thumb and finger, with looks directed toward his
companion. All at once he said, "Fitzgerald, did you ever find those
handsome octoroon girls?"

"What octoroon girls?" inquired the other.

"O, you disremember them, do you?" rejoined he. "I mean how did that
bargain turn out that you made with Royal's creditors? You seemed to
have small chance of finding the girls; unless, indeed, you hid them
away first, for the purpose of buying them for less than half they
would have brought to the creditors,--which, of course, is not to be
supposed, because no gentleman would do such a thing."

Thrown off his guard by too much wine, Fitzgerald vociferated, "Do you
mean to insinuate that I am no gentleman?"

Mr. Bruteman smiled, as he answered: "I said such a thing was not to
be supposed. But come, Fitzgerald, let us understand one another. I'd
rather, a devilish sight, have those girls than the money you owe me.
Make them over to me, and I'll cancel the debt. Otherwise, I shall be
under the necessity of laying an attachment on some of your property."

There was a momentary silence before Mr. Fitzgerald answered, "One of
them is dead."

"Which one?" inquired his comrade.

"Flora, the youngest, was drowned."

"And that queenly beauty, where is she? I don't know that I ever heard
her name."

"Rosabella Royal," replied Fitzgerald. "She is living at a convenient
distance from my plantation."

"Well, I will be generous," said Bruteman. "If you will make _her_
over to me, I will cancel the debt."

"She is not in strong health at present," rejoined Fitzgerald. "She
has a babe about two weeks old."

"You know you have invited me to visit your island two or three
weeks hence," replied Bruteman; "and then I shall depend upon you to
introduce me to your fair Rosamond. But we will draw up the papers and
sign them now, if you please."

Some jests unfit for repetition were uttered by the creditor, to which
the unhappy debtor made no reply. When he called Tom to bring paper
and ink, the observing servant noticed that he was very pale, though
but a few moments before his face had been flushed.

That night, he tried to drown recollection in desperate gambling and
frequent draughts of wine. Between one and two o'clock in the morning,
his roisterous companions were led off by their servants, and he was
put