This judgment carried consternation to the heart of Clara and of all
her friends.
Clara herself sank fainting in the arms of her old friend, the
venerable Doctor Williams.
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 circumstances, 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.