But for your persisting in identifying me with a degraded people, I might
have been better and happier than I am.' However, I cannot but feel that
concealments of this kind are productive of more misery than comfort."

"We will agree to differ about that, Walters; and now, having your consent,
I shall not hesitate to proceed in the matter, with full reliance that the
future will amply justify my choice."

"Well, well! as I said before, I will offer no further objection. Now let
me hear the details of your plan."

"I have written," answered Mr. Balch, "to Mr. Eustis, a friend of mine
living at Sudbury, where there is a large preparatory school for boys. At
his house I purpose placing Clarence. Mr. Eustis is a most discreet man,
and a person of liberal sentiments. I feel that I can confide everything to
him without the least fear of his ever divulging a breath of it. He is a
gentleman in the fullest sense of the term, and at his house the boy will
have the advantage of good society, and will associate with the best people
of the place."

"Has he a family?" asked Mr. Walters.

"He is a widower," answered Mr. Balch; "a maiden sister of his wife's
presides over his establishment; she will be kind to Clarence, I am
confident; she has a motherly soft heart, and is remarkably fond of
children. I have not the least doubt but that he will be very happy and
comfortable there. I think it very fortunate, Walters," he continued, "that
he has so few coloured acquaintances--no boyish intimacies to break up; and
it will be as well to send him away before he has an opportunity of forming
them. Besides, being here, where everything will be so constantly reviving
the remembrance of his recent loss, he may grow melancholy and stupid. I
have several times noticed his reserve, so unusual in a child. His dreadful
loss and the horrors that attended it have made, a deep
impression--stupified him, to a certain extent, I think. Well, well! we
will get him off, and once away at school, and surrounded by lively boys,
this dulness will soon wear off."

The gentlemen having fully determined upon his being sent, it was proposed
to bring him in immediately and talk to him relative to it. He was
accordingly sent for, and came into the room, placing himself beside the
chair of Mr. Walters.

Clarence had altered very much since the death of his parents. His face had
grown thin and pale, and he was much taller than when he came to
Philadelphia: a sha