"I saw her, last night, when removing some books, open one and stand over it a moment as if she was reading; and she is as white as I am.

I almost sorry you bought her." At this juncture the front door-bell rang, and Clotelle hurried through the room to answer it.
"Miss Morton," said the servant as she returned to the mistress' room.
"Ask her to walk in," responded the mistress.
"Now, my dear," said Mrs.Taylor to her husband, "just look and see if you do not notice a marked resemblance between the countenances of Jane and Clotelle." Miss Morton entered the room just as Mrs.Taylor ceased speaking.
"Have you heard that the Jamisons are down with the fever ?" inquired the young lady, after asking about the health of the Taylors.
"No, I had not; I was in hopes it would not get into our street;" replied Mrs.Taylor.
All this while Mr.and Mrs.Taylor were keenly scrutinizing their visitor and Clotelle and even the two young women seemed to be conscious that they were in some way the objects of more than usual attention.
Miss Morton had scarcely departed before Mrs.Taylor began questioning Clotelle concerning her early childhood, and became more than ever satisfied that the slave-girl was in some way connected with the Mortons.
Every hour brought fresh news of the ravages of the fever, and the Taylors commenced preparing to leave town.

As Mr.Taylor could not go at once, it was determined that his wife should leave without him, accompanied by her new maid servant.

Just as Mrs.Taylor and Clotelle were stepping into the carriage, they were informed that Dr.Morton was down with the epidemic.
It was a beautiful day, with a fine breeze for the time of year, that Mrs.Taylor and her servant found themselves in the cabin of the splendid new steamer "Walk-in-the-Water," bound from New Orleans to Mobile.

Every berth in the boat wad occupied by persons fleeing from the fearful contagion that was carrying off its hundreds daily.
Late in the day, as Clotelle was standing at one of the windows of the ladies' saloon, she was astonished to see near her, and with eyes fixed intently upon her, the tall young stranger whom she had observed in the slave-market a few days before.