"My friend!" interrupted Herbert.
"Yes, Mr. Greyson, your friend! Their engagement was approved by the
young lady's father, who gave them his dying blessing. Nevertheless, in
the face of all this, this 'guardian' here, appointed by the Orphans'
Court to take charge of the heiress and her fortune, undertakes, for
his own ends, to compel the young lady to break her engagement and
marry his own son! To drive her to this measure, he does not hesitate
to use every species of cruelty. This night he was to have forced her
to this altar! But in the interval, to-day, I chanced to visit her at
the house where she was confined. Being informed by her of her
distressing situation, and having no time to help her in any better
way, I just changed clothes with her. She escaped unsuspected in my
dress. And those two heroes there, mistaking me for her, forced me into
a carriage and dragged me hither to be married against my will. And
instead of catching an heiress, they caught a Tartar, that's all! And
now, Herbert, let the two poor wretches go hide their mortification,
and do you take me home, for I am immensely tired of doing the
sentimental, making speeches and piling up the agonies!"
While Cap was delivering this long oration, the two Le Noirs had made
several essays to interrupt and contradict her, but were effectually
prevented by the people, whose sympathies were all with the speaker.
Now, at Herbert Greyson's command, they released the culprits, who,
threatening loudly took their departure.
Herbert then led Capitola out and placed her upon her own pony, Gyp,
which, to her unbounded astonishment, she found there in charge of
Wool, who was also mounted upon his own hack.
Herbert Greyson threw himself into the saddle of a third horse, and the
three took the road to Hurricane Hall.
"And now," said Capitola, as Herbert rode up to her side, "for mercy
sake tell me, before I go crazy with conjecture, how it happened that
you dropped down from the sky at the very moment and on the very spot
where you were needed? and where did you light upon Wool and the
horses?"
"It is very simple when you come to understand it," said Herbert,
smiling. "In the first place, you know, I graduated at the last
commencement."
"Yes."
"Well, I have just received a lieutenant's commission in a regiment
that is ordered to join General Scott in Mexico."
"Oh, Herbert, that is news, and I don't know whether to be in despair
or in ecstasy!" said Cap, ready to laugh or cry, as a feather's weight
might tip the scales in which she balanced Herbert's new honors with
his approaching perils.