ot the opportunity of telling her master the
tale of Mrs. Wentworth and her children.

"Yes, Auntie," he replied, "Elsy told me, but not before I had asked
her all about those unfortunate people, so you must not be mad with
her."

"She might ha' waited till you see me befo' she say anyting about it,"
remarked the old woman.

"Never mind that, Auntie," replied the Doctor, who knew the old
woman's jealous disposition and wanted to pacify her. "Has Elsy been
here yet?"

"No sah," she replied, "I aint seen her since mornin'."

"She will be here directly, then," he remarked, and seating himself
the Doctor waited the arrival of Elsy.

"Come here my little man," said Harry, who had been sitting on the bed
during the dialogue between the old slave and her master.

The child walked up to him and placed his arms on Harry's knees.

"What is your name," enquired the young man, lifting the child up on
his knees.

"My name is Alf," he replied.

"Alf what?" asked Harry.

The child looked at him enquiringly, not understanding the question.

"What is your mother's name," continued Harry, perceiving that the boy
was unable to answer his question.

"My ma's name is Eva," he answered.

"And your sister's?" asked Harry.

"My sister is named Ella," replied the child, and then added,
mournfully, "but she is gone from here; they took her out in a little
box and put her in the ground, and Granny says she is gone to heaven;
and my ma," he continued, "some bad men carried away, but Granny says
she will soon come back--wont she?" and his innocent face looked up
confidingly in Harry's.

"Yes, my boy," he answered, "your ma will soon come back to you."

"There appears no doubt of the identity of this family," remarked
Harry to Dr. Humphries, after a short pause, "everything we have yet
discovered indicates that Alfred Wentworth's wife and children have
passed a fearful life since their expulsion from New Orleans."

"Poor woman and children," observed the Doctor, dashing away a tear,
"could I have known their penury, I should have been only glad to
relieve them, and even now, it is not too late for us to benefit this
child and his mother. As soon as Elsy arrives here I shall remove the
boy to my house and visit the mother in jail."

"I do not think it advisable to move the child until you have
succeeded in obtaining the release of Mrs. Wentworth," answered Harry.
"His father may chance to see him, and, under the circumstances