Page:The White Slave, or Memoirs of a Fugitive.djvu/408

 thousand dollars, in hopes to prevent Montgomery's getting bail, in which, however, he did not succeed.

As Montgomery, so soon as he had got bail in Mr Grip Curtis's suit, was preparing to take Eliza with him to New York, a letter to her arrived from a Mr Gilmore, a lawyer in New Orleans, who had all along, been the confidential adviser and law agent of Mr Curtis, informing her of Mr Curtis's death, and that certain business affairs indispensably required her immediate presence at New Orleans, and enclosing a draft to pay her passage and expenses. On reaching New York a similar letter was found there for Montgomery. Neither of the young people had any reason to imagine that these letters were not written in perfect good faith. They knew Mr Gilmore as a portly, round-faced, smiling, benevolent-looking, white-haired, oldish gentleman, of whom Mr James Curtis thought very highly; and as they had abundant reasons for supposing that he had made some provision for them by will, it seemed reasonable enough that their presence at New Orleans might be necessary. But some business arrangements required Montgomery's previous attention, and sending on Eliza by packet, he proposed to follow himself as soon as he could.

Arriving safely at New Orleans much about the same time that I did, Eliza had gone directly to Cassy's house, who, in a day or two, had waited on Mr Gilmore to inform him of her arrival. The deceased Mr Curtis had several times assured Cassy, and particularly just before he left New Orleans the last time, that he bad in his will remembered her and Montgomery, and had provided handsomely for Eliza. She made some inquiries of Mr Gilmore on this subject; but the lawyer answered her evasively, telling her that it would be necessary for Eliza to call at his house at a certain hour the next day.

She went; but did not return. Cassy passed a sleepless night of anxiety and alarm, and was preparing the next morning to go to Mr Gilmore's in pursuit of her, when, by the hand of a black boy, she