Traverse, in bitterness of spirit, approached and bent over her.
Colonel Le Noir spoke to the judge.
"I deeply thank your honor for the prompt hearing and equally prompt decision of this case, and I will beg your honor to order the Sheriff and his officers to see your judgment carried into effect, as I foresee violent opposition, and wish to prevent trouble."
"Certainly. Mr. Sheriff, you will see that Colonel Le Noir is put in possession of his ward, and protected in that right until he shall have placed her in security," said the judge.
Clara, on hearing these words, lifted her head from the old man"s bosom, nerved her gentle heart, and in a clear, sweet, steady voice said:
"It is needless precaution, your honor; my friends are no law-breakers, and since the court has given me into the custody of my guardian, I do not dispute its judgment. I yield myself up to Colonel Le Noir."
"You do well, young lady," said the judge.
"I am pleased, Miss Day, to see that you understand and perform your duty; believe me, I shall do all that I can to make you happy," said Colonel Le Noir.
Clara replied by a gentle nod, and then, with a slight blush mantling her pure cheeks she advanced a step and placed herself immediately in front of the judge, saying:
"But there is a word that I would speak to your honor."
"Say on, young lady," said the judge.
And as she stood there in her deep mourning dress, with her fair hair unbound and floating softly around her pale, sweet face, every eye in that court was spellbound by her almost unearthly beauty. Before proceeding with what she was about to say, she turned upon Traverse a look that brought him immediately to her side.
"Your honor," she began, in a low, sweet, clear tone, "I owe it to Doctor Rocke here present, who has been sadly misrepresented to you, to say (what, under less serious circ.u.mstances, my girl"s heart would shrink from avowing so publicly) that I am his betrothed wife--sacredly betrothed to him by almost the last act of my dear father"s life. I hold this engagement to be so holy that no earthly tribunal can break or disturb it. And while I bend to your honor"s decision, and yield myself to the custody of my legal guardian for the period of my minority, I here declare to all who may be interested, that I hold my hand and heart irrevocably pledged to Doctor Rocke, and that, as his betrothed wife, I shall consider myself bound to correspond with him regularly, and to receive him as often as he shall seek my society, until my majority, when I and all that I possess will become his own.
And these words I force myself to speak, your honor, both in justice to my dear lost father and his friend, Traverse Rocke, and also to myself, that hereafter no one may venture to accuse me of clandestine proceedings, or distort my actions into improprieties, or in any manner call in question the conduct of my father"s daughter." And, with another gentle bow, Clara retired to the side of her old friend.
"You are likely to have a troublesome charge in your ward," said the sheriff apart to the colonel, who shrugged his shoulders by way of reply.
The heart of Traverse was torn by many conflicting pa.s.sions, emotions and impulses; there was indignation at the decision of the court; grief for the loss of Clara, and dread for her future!
One instant he felt a temptation to denounce the guardian as a villain and to charge the judge with being a corrupt politician, whose decisions were swayed by party interests!
The next moment he felt an impulse to catch Clara up in his arms, fight his way through the crowd and carry her off! But all these wild emotions, pa.s.sions and impulses he succeeded in controlling.
Too well he knew that to rage, do violence, or commit extravagance as he might, the law would take its course all the same.
While his heart was torn in this manner, Colonel Le Noire was urging the departure of his ward. And Clara came to her lover"s side and said, gravely and sweetly:
"The law, you see, has decided against us, dear Traverse. Let us bend gracefully to a decree that we cannot annul! It cannot, at least, alter our sacred relations; nor can anything on earth shake our steadfast faith in each other; let us take comfort in that, and in the thought that the years will surely roll round at length and bring the time that shall reunite us."
"Oh, my angel-girl! My angel-girl! Your patient heroism puts me to the blush, for my heart is crushed in my bosom and my firmness quite gone!"
said Traverse, in a broken voice.
"You will gain firmness, dear Traverse. "Patient!" I patient! You should have heard me last night! I was so impatient that Doctor Williams had to lecture me. But it would be strange if one did not learn something by suffering. I have been trying all night and day to school my heart to submission, and I hope I have succeeded, Traverse.
Bless me and bid me good-by."
"The Lord forever bless and keep you, my own dear angel, Clara!" burst from the lips of Traverse. "The Lord abundantly bless you!"
"And you," said Clara.
"Good-by!--good-by!"
"Good-by!"
And thus they parted.
Clara was hurried away and put into the carriage by her guardian.
Ah, no one but the Lord knew how much it had cost that poor girl to maintain her fort.i.tude during that trying scene. She had controlled herself for the sake of her friends. But now, when she found herself in the carriage, her long strained nerves gave way--she sank exhausted and prostrated into the corner of her seat, in the utter collapse of woe!
But leaving the travelers to pursue their journey, we must go back to Traverse.
Almost broken-hearted, Traverse returned to Willow Heights to convey the sad tidings of his disappointment to his mother"s ear.
Marah Rocke was so overwhelmed with grief at the news that she was for several hours incapable of action.
The arrival of the house agent was the first event that recalled her to her senses.
She aroused herself to action, and, a.s.sisted by Traverse, set to work to pack up her own and his wardrobe and other personal effects.
And the next morning Marah Rocke was re-established in her cottage.
And the next week, having equally divided their little capital, the mother and son parted--Traverse, by her express desire, keeping to his original plan, set out for the far West.
CHAPTER II.
OLD HURRICANE STORMS.
"At this sir knight flamed up with ire!
His great chest heaved! his eyes flashed fire.
The crimson that suffused his face To deepest purple now gave place."
Who can describe the frenzy of Old Hurricane upon discovering the fraud that had been practised upon him by Black Donald?
It was told him the next morning in his tent, at his breakfast table, in the presence of his a.s.sembled family, by the Rev. Mr. Goodwin.
Upon first hearing it, he was incapable of anything but blank staring, until it seemed as though his eyes must start from their sockets!
Then his pa.s.sion, "not loud but deep," found utterance only in emphatic thumps of his walking stick upon the ground!
Then, as the huge emotion worked upward, it broke out in grunts, groans and inarticulate exclamations!
Finally it burst forth as follows: