I lingered here and rescue planned
For Clara and for me.
Scott
Meanwhile how fared it with Capitola in the Hidden House?
"I am in for it now!" said Cap, as she closed the door behind Clara; "I
am in for it now! This is a jolly imprudent adventure! What will Wool
do when he discovers that he has 'lost sight' of me? What will uncle
say when he finds out what I've done? Whe--ew! Uncle will explode! I
wonder if the walls at Hurricane Hall will be strong enough to stand
it! Wool will go mad! I doubt if he will ever do a bit more good in
this world!
"But above all, I wonder what the Le Noirs, father and son, will say
when they find that the heiress is flown and a 'beggar,' as uncle
flatters me by calling me, will be here in her place! Whe--ew--ew--ew!
There will be a tornado! Cap, child, they'll murder you! That's just
what they'll do! They'll kill and eat you, Cap, without any salt! or
they may lock you up in the haunted room to live with the ghost, Cap,
and that would be worse!
"Hush! here comes Dorcas Knight! Now I must make believe I'm Clara, and
do the sentimental up brown!" concluded Capitola, as she seated herself
near the door where she could be heard, and began to sob softly.
Dorcas rapped.
Cap sobbed in response.
"Are you coming to luncheon, Miss Day?" inquired the woman.
"Ee--hee! Ee--hee! Ee--hee! I do not want to eat," sobbed Cap, in a low
and smothered voice. Any one would have thought she was drowned in
tears.
"Very well; just as you like," said the woman harshly, as she went
away.
"Well, I declare," laughed Cap, "I did that quite as well as an actress
could! But now what am I to do? How long can I keep this up? Heigh-ho
'let the world slide!' I'll not reveal myself until I'm driven to it,
for when I do----! Cap, child, you'll get chawed right up!"
A little later in the day Dorcas Knight came again and rapped at the
door.
"Ee--hee! Eeh--hee! Ee--hee!" sobbed Cap.
"Miss Day, your cousin, Craven Le Noir, wishes to speak with you
alone."
"Ee--hee! Ee--hee! Ee--hee! I cannot see him!" sobbed Cap, in a low and
suffocating voice.
The woman went away, and Cap suffered no other interruption until six
o'clock, when Dorcas Knight once more rapped saying: "Miss Day, your uncle is at the front door with the carriage, and he
wishes to know if you are ready to obey him.