she thinks that, now she is away, all will go well.  Another difficulty is, that, while the unfortunate lady believes herself to be his lawful wife, she is really his slave, and if she should offend him in any way he could sell her.  It troubles me that I cannot discover any mode of ascertaining whether he deserts her or not.  He keeps her hidden in the woods in that lonely island, where her existence is unknown, except to a few of his negro slaves.  The only white friends she seems to have in the world are her music teacher and French teacher in New Orleans.  Mr. Fitzgerald has impressed it upon their minds that the creditors of her father will prosecute him, and challenge him, if they discover that he first conveyed the girls away and then bought them at reduced prices.  Therefore, if I should send an agent to New Orleans at any time to obtain tidings of the sister, those cautious friends would doubtless consider it a trap of the creditors, and would be very secretive.”

“It is a tangled skein to unravel,” rejoined Mr. Percival.  “I do not see how anything can be done for the sister, under present circumstances.”

“I feel undecided what course to pursue with regard to my adopted daughter,” said Mrs. Delano.  “Entire seclusion is neither cheerful nor salutary at her age.  But her person and manners attract attention and excite curiosity.  I am extremely desirous to keep her history secret, but I already find it difficult to answer questions without resorting to falsehood, which is a practice exceedingly abhorrent to me, and a very bad education for her.  After this meeting with Mr. Fitzgerald, I cannot take her to any public place without a constant feeling of uneasiness.  The fact is, I am so unused to intrigues and mysteries, and I find it so hard to realize that a young girl like her can be in such a position, that I am bewildered, and need time to settle my thoughts upon a rational basis.”

“Such a responsibility is so new to you, so entirely foreign to your habits, that it must necessarily be perplexing,” replied her visitor.  “I would advise you to go abroad for a while.  Mrs. Percival and I intend to sail for Europe soon, and if you will join us we shall consider ourselves fortunate.”

“I accept the offer thankfully,” said the lady.  “It will help me out of a present difficulty in the very way I was wishing for.”

When the arrangement was explained to Flora, with a caution not to go in the streets, or show herself at the windows meanwhile, she made no objection.  But she showed her dimples with a broad smile, as she said, “It is written in the book of fate, Mamita Lila, ’Always hiding or running away.’”

CHAPTER XIV.