"But aside from that, you can surely imagine it must be painful to have my life haunted by this dreadful spectre of slavery." "Rosa," said he earnestly, "do me the justice to remember that I did not purchase you as a slave, or consider you a slave.

I expended money with all my heart to save my best-beloved from misfortune." "I believe those were your feelings then," she replied.

"But let the past be buried.

I simply ask you now, as a gentleman who has it in his power to confer a great favor on an unprotected woman, whether you will manumit me." "Certainly I will," answered he, much discomposed by her cool business tone.
She rose at once, and placed the writing-desk before him.

It was the pretty little desk he had given her for a birthday present.
He put his finger on it, and, looking up in her face, with one of his old insinuating glances, he said, "Rosa, do you remember what we said when I gave you this ?" Without answering the question, she said, "Will you have the goodness to write it now ?" "Why in such haste ?" inquired he.