"Ah, I don't mind Mr. Horton knowing our private transactions," said Bill; "I asked for the loan of a paltry thousand dollars, and you refused me. Now, considering all these things, I thought this was rather shabby conduct, so I've discharged myself from your employment, and I calculate you'll have to look out for another overseer." Augustus Horton was prepared to see the attorney resent the insolence of this speech, but to his surprise Silas seemed only anxious to conciliate Bowen. "My dear William," he said, "you must remember that you have driven me rather hard lately. However, suppose you call upon me at my office. We'll settle matters there." "We will settle matters, I reckon, Mr. Craig," answered Bowen, and a close observer might have detected a peculiar significance in his tone. But Silas Craig was too much agitated to perceive this. He had not yet recovered from the extraordinary revealments made to him in his interview with Pauline Corsi. He felt like a man who walks blindfold upon the verge of a precipice, and who knows that every new footstep may hurl him to the gulf below. Augustus and the attorney were leaving the quay when William Bowen called after them. "I guess you were up to something down here, gents," he said; "you were looking after somebody, weren't you?" "We were," answered Augustus; "we were in search of a runaway slave." "The gal as you're after is Gerald Leslie's daughter, the Octoroon, I'll lay a hundred dollars?" cried Bowen. "She is." The overseer laughed aloud-- "I'm darned if I didn't calculate as much," he said; "then I'm sorry to tell you, Mr. Horton, that the young lady's bolted with that Britisher as was so uncommon peart on board the Selma. They left by the St. Louis packet half an hour ago. I thought there was something in the wind, but I'd no authority to stop 'em." "D--n!" muttered Augustus Horton; "that Englishman has foiled me at every turn. The next packet for St. Louis starts the day after to-morrow. They'll have eight-and-forty hours start of us, and they'll make their way to a Free State." He walked away from the quay, followed by Silas Craig. "If there's law in New Orleans," he cried, "I'll have them overtaken, and brought back." William Bowen stood for some minutes, watching the two men as they walked away. "I think I managed that job rather neatly," he said, with a malicious chuckle. "I've paid you out, Mr. Augustus Horton, for any impudence I've ever taken from you; and in a couple of hours more, my friend, Silas Craig, you and I will have squared our accounts for the last time." Augustus and the attorney walked back to the house of the former, after making arrangements for the pursuit of Cora Leslie and her lover. The planter was maddened by his defeat, and utterly merciless to the unhappy girl who had, for a time at least, escaped from his power.