"Nay, Miss Leslie," said Mortimer soothingly; "your father's position is far from desperate, though he may require a long time and considerable courage in order to extricate himself from his difficulties." "A long time! Some years, perhaps?" asked Cora. "I fear so." "And during this heart-rending struggle," exclaimed the young girl, "he will not have a creature near him to comfort or sustain him. And if new dangers should menace him--for this revolt has been avenged by the blood of the slave-leaders, has it not?--and fresh cruelties may cause new rebellion. Oh, heaven! the thought makes me tremble! No, my father shall not be alone to struggle! If he suffers I will console him; if he is in danger I will share it with him." "What do you mean, Miss Leslie?" cried Mortimer. "You leave England in a few days with Mrs. Montresor and your cousin Adelaide. I will accompany you." "But, Miss Leslie, remember--" remonstrated the young man. "I remember nothing but that my father is in danger, and that a daughter's place is by his side. See, here comes Mrs. Montresor; I know she will not refuse to grant my request." The good-natured hostess had come to the ante-chamber to look after her wall-flowers, as she called them. "You running away from us, Cora!" she said; "we shall certainly not allow this matter-of-fact nephew of mine to deprive us of the belle of the room." "Oh, my dear Mrs. Montresor," exclaimed Cora; "a great misfortune has happened to my father." "I know it, my dear child," replied Mrs. Montresor, "but, thank Heaven, that misfortune is not an irreparable one." "No, madam, nothing is irreparable but the time which we pass far away from those we love in their hour of trouble. I implore you to take me back to him." "But Cora," answered Mrs. Montresor, "do you forget that your father formally expressed his wish that you should remain in England?" "Yes, madam; but the motive of my disobedience will render it excusable, and my first duty is to go and console my father." "Pardon me if I still interfere, Miss Leslie," said Mortimer Percy, earnestly; "but think once more before you take this rash step. Your father may have some very serious motive for forbidding your return to New Orleans." "What motive could a father have for separating himself from his only child? But stay," added Cora, struck by the earnestness of Mr. Percy's manner, "perhaps there is some secret mystery which you are aware of. Tell me, sir, is it so? Your manner just now--the strange questions which you asked me, all might lead me to suppose--" "Those questions were only prompted by my interest in you, Miss Leslie," replied Mortimer; "but it is the same interest which bids me urge you to abandon the thought of this voyage. Your father's welcome may not be as warm as you would wish."