Peek threw off his disguises, and Vance seized him by the hand as he might have seized a returning brother.
“What of your wife and child? Have you found ’em?”
“No, Mr. Vance, I’m still a wanderer over the earth in search of them. I shall find them in God’s good time.”
“Sit down, Peek.”
“Excuse me, Mr. Vance, I’d rather stand.”
“Very well. Then I’ll stand too.”
“Since you make it a point of politeness, sir, I’ll sit.”
“That’s right. And now, my dear fellow, tell me what you’ve been about these many years. Surely you’ve discovered some traces of the lost ones?”
“None that have been of much use, Mr. Vance. I’m satisfied that Flora was lured on to Baltimore by some party who deceived her with the expectation of meeting me there. From Baltimore she and her child were taken to Richmond by the agent of her old master, and sold at auction to a dealer, who soon afterwards died. There the clew breaks.”
“My poor Peek, your not finding her has probably saved you from a deeper disappointment.”