"A chance word from Mr. Percy revealed the secret to me, Miss Leslie, upon that very night when first I saw you."
"Oh, Mr. Margrave, I do not seek to deny my origin. See, I wear mourning for my mother, and my journey of to-day is a pilgrimage to her grave."
A couple of chairs near Gilbert Margrave were unoccupied; one of these he offered to Cora, and, taking the other, seated himself by her side.
A noisy laugh from a group on deck at this moment arrested their attention.
This group was composed of Silas Craig, William Bowen, and two or three other passengers, all gathered round Augustus Horton, who was reading a paragraph aloud from a New Orleans newspaper. The following were the words which greeted Cora's ears—
"The conduct of Mr. Leslie in daring to foist the child of one of his slaves upon the highest circles of society, merits the punishment with which he has met. The citizens of New Orleans have shown their indignation at his offense, by abandoning all communication with him. Gerald Leslie walks the streets, of his native city a stranger and a ruined man."
"Oh, this is infamous," exclaimed Gilbert Margrave; "that man knows that you are here and he reads that paragraph on purpose to insult you. I will not endure it."
He was about to rush forward toward Augustus Horton, but Cora caught his arm in her slender hands and arrested his steps.
"For pity's sake," she cried; "for my sake, Mr. Margrave, not one word! The sting of the insult will be lost if unnoticed. Let him think those cruel words are unheard."
It was indeed as Gilbert Margrave had supposed. Augustus knew of Cora's presence in the boat—he had seen her with Gilbert by her side, and he was determined to be revenged upon her for the contempt with which she had treated him.