Page:The White Slave, or Memoirs of a Fugitive.djvu/351

 a grim smile, chuckled over her as about the finest piece he had ever purchased — and such a bargain too! He had bought her and her boy for five hundred and fifty dollars, while she alone was worth at least two thousand, and the boy might sell for a hundred more. She understood needle work very well, and would fetch a thousand dollars any day as seamstress or body servant; but at least twice as much, said McGrab — winking with one eye at Gouge, whose solemn face lighted up into a sort of smile at the anticipation — at least twice as much in the New Orleans market as a fancy article!"

Struggle as I might, it was impossible for me, at these cruel words, to suppress a deep sigh. The keen eye and quick observation of Colter had not failed to perceive that the mention of the young woman. and her child from North Carolina had touched me in some tender point, and he seemed to have dwelt with more detail on the incident, as if with design to probe me.

"What is the matter?" he exclaimed, coming to a stop, and looking me full in the face. "You seem to be strangely affected. If you are going to sigh and mourn over every handsome young woman sold as a fancy article in the New Orleans market, you will have a pretty sad time of it."

It was only by the greatest effort that I controlled my voice to inquire if he remembered the young woman's name.

"O, yes," he replied; "it was some time ago — twenty years, I dare say; but names and faces I very seldom forget. The girl, I think, was called 'Cassy.'",

At the sound of that dear name, my heart beat violently; but supporting myself against a tree, under which we stood, "Can you recollect," I asked, "the name of the child?"

"Let us see," said my companion, reflecting for a moment. "O, yes, I have it. I think she called the child 'Montgomery.'"