Though she had foreseen such a contingency as one of the possible consequences of adopting Flora, yet when it came so suddenly in a different place, and under different circumstances from any she had thought of, the effect was somewhat bewildering.

She dreaded the agitation into which the news would throw Flora, and she wanted to mature her own future plans before she made the announcement.

So, in answer to Flora's questions about the visitors, she merely said a lady from Boston, the daughter of one of her old acquaintances, had called to introduce her husband.

After dinner, they spent some time reading Tasso's Aminta together; and then Mrs.Delano said: "I wish to go and have a talk with Mr.and Mrs.Percival.I have asked him to inquire about vessels at Civita Vecchia; for, under present circumstances, I presume you would be glad to set out sooner than we intended on that romantic expedition in search of your sister." "O, thank you! thank you!" exclaimed Flora, jumping up and kissing her.
"I trust you will not go out, or sing, or show yourself at the windows while I am gone," said Mrs.Delano; "for though Mr.Fitzgerald can do you no possible harm, it would be more agreeable to slip away without his seeing you." The promise was readily and earnestly given, and she proceeded to the lodgings of Mr.and Mrs.Percival in the next street.

After she had related the experiences of the morning, she asked what they supposed had become of Rosabella.
"It is to be hoped she does not continue her relation with that base man if she knows of his marriage," said Mrs.Percival; "for that would involve a moral degradation painful for you to think of in Flora's sister." "If she has ceased to interest his fancy, very likely he may have sold her," said Mr.Percival; "for a man who could entertain the idea of selling Flora, I think would sell his own Northern wife, if the law permitted it and circumstances tempted him to it." "What do you think I ought to do in the premises ?" inquired Mrs.
Delano.
"I would hardly presume to say what you ought to do," rejoined Mrs.
Percival; "but I know what I should do, if I were as rich as you, and as strongly attached to Flora." "Let me hear what you would do," said Mrs.Delano.
The prompt reply was: "I would go in search of her.