in the United States Army, and had in my pocket papers to prove my
identity. These would vouch for me as a gentleman, and yield me a
measure of authority. And this fact, once established, ought to give
me sufficient standing in the eyes of those girls to compel from them a
respectful hearing. I would tell the story exactly as I knew it,
concealing nothing, and adding no unnecessary word, outline my plan of
action, and then leave them to decide what they thought best to do.
This was the simple, sensible way, and I had implicit faith that they
would accept my statement, and believe my offer of assistance an honest
one. I could not perceive how they could do otherwise. Strange,
unbelievable as the situation was, proof was not lacking. Delia could
be compelled to acknowledge that Rene was her child--she would scarcely
dare deny this truth in face of my positive knowledge--and she, at
least, must know that Judge Beaucaire had never during his lifetime
given her her freedom. This fact could be established beyond question,
and then they must surely all comprehend the necessity of immediate
flight--that there remained no other possible means of escape from
hopeless slavery. Desperate as the chance appeared, it was the only
one.

It was a disagreeable, heart-rending task which I had taken upon
myself, but it could be no longer avoided. It dawned upon me now with
more intense force than ever before the position in which I stood, and
I shrank from the ordeal. A perfect stranger, not even a chance
acquaintance of those directly involved in this tragedy, I would have
to drag out from the closet, where it had been hidden away for years,
this old Beaucaire skeleton, and rattle the dried bones of dishonor
before the horrified understanding of these two innocent, unsuspecting
girls. I knew nothing of their characters, or of how they would meet
such a revelation, and yet they must be made to see, and thoroughly
comprehend the situation; must be compelled to face the horror and
disgrace of their position, and aroused to action. I had little
thought then for the slave mother; doubtless she had been expecting
some such exposure for years, and was, at least, partially steeled to
meet it. But for the two girls, brought up as sisters, close
companions since infancy, having no previous suspicion of the dreadful
truth, this sudden revelation would be worse than death. Yet now
concealment would be no kindness; indeed, the tenderest