"_Who_ said they did--_who_ told them ?--tell me that, I say! Who has _dared_ to tell them I am a coloured man ?" "Hush, Clarence, hush!" replied she, attempting to soothe him.

"I do not know that any one has informed them; I only inferred so from your saying you were engaged.

I thought _you_ had informed them yourself.

Don't you remember you wrote that you should ?--and I took it for granted that you had." "Oh! yes, yes; so I did! I fully intended to, but found myself too great a coward.

_I dare not_--I cannot risk losing her.