Then his very good intelligence resumed control.

No one really knew--only John--and he very little.

He put it aside, confident in the young fellow's discretion.

Of course, the town suspected that he was a fugitive slave, but nobody cared or seemed to care.

And yet, at times in his altogether prosperous happy years of freedom, when he read of the fugitive-slave act, and he read much, he had disturbing hours.