Capitola The Madcap | Page 6

All the family met for the last time around the board. The party was
constrained. The meal was a gloomy one. On rising from the table
Colonel Le Noir informed his ward that his traveling carriage was
waiting, and that her baggage was already on, and requested her to put
on her bonnet and mantle, and take leave of her servants.
Clara turned to obey--Traverse went to her side and whispered:
"Take courage, dear love. My horse is saddled. I shall ride in
attendance upon the carriage whether that man likes it or not; nor lose
sight of you for one moment until we meet Williams with his habeas
corpus."
"Nor even then, dear Traverse, nor even then! You will attend me to the
court and be ready to take me back to this dear, dear home!" murmured
Clara in reply.
"Yes, yes, dear girl! There, be cheerful," whispered the young man, as
he pressed her hand and released it.
Colonel Le Noir had been a silent but frowning spectator of this little
scene, and now that Clara was leaving the room, attended by Mrs.
Rocke, he called the latter back, saying:
"You will be so kind as to stop here a moment, Mrs. Rocke and you

also, young man."
The mother and son paused to hear what he should have to say.
"I believe it is the custom here in discharging domestics to give a
month's warning, or in lieu of that, to pay a month's wages in advance.
There, woman, is the money. You will oblige me by leaving the house
to-day, together with your son and all your other trumpery, as the
premises are put in charge of an agent, who will be here this afternoon,
clothed with authority to eject all loiterers and intruders."
While the colonel spoke Marah Rocke gazed at him in a panic from
which she seemed unable to rouse herself, until Traverse gravely took
her hand, saying:
"My dear mother, let me conduct you from the presence of this man,
who does not know how to behave himself toward women. Leave me
to talk with him, and do you, dear mother, go to Miss Day, who I know
is waiting for you."
Marah Rocke mechanically complied and allowed Traverse to lead her
from the room.
When he returned he went up to Colonel Le Noir, and, standing before
him and looking him full and sternly in the face, said, as sternly:
"Colonel Le Noir, my mother will remain here and abide the decision
of the Orphans' Court; until that has been pronounced, she does not stir
at your or any man's bidding!"
"Villain, out of my way!" sneered Le Noir, endeavoring to pass him.
Traverse prevented him, saying:
"Sir, in consideration of your age, which should be venerable, your
position which should prove you honorable, and of this sacred house of
mourning in which you stand, I have endeavored to meet all the insults
you have offered me with forbearance. But, sir, I am here to defend my

mother's rights and to protect her from insult! And I tell you plainly
that you have affronted her for the very last time! One more word or
look of insult leveled at Marah Rocke and neither your age, position
nor this sacred roof shall protect you from personal chastisement at the
hands of her son!"
Le Noir, who had listened in angry scorn, with many an ejaculation of
contempt, now at the conclusion which so galled his pride, broke out
furiously, with:
"Sir, you are a bully! If you were a gentleman I would call you out!"
"And I should not come if you did, sir! Dueling is unchristian,
barbarous and abominable in the sight of God and all good men. For
the rest you may call me anything you please; but do not again insult
my mother, for if you do I shall hold it a Christian duty to teach you
better manners," said Traverse, coolly taking his hat and walking from
the room. He mounted his horse and stood ready to attend Clara to
Staunton.
Colonel Le Noir ground his teeth in impotent rage, muttering;
"Take care, young man! I shall live to be revenged upon you yet for
these affronts!" and his dastard heart burned with the fiercer malignity
that he had not dared to meet the eagle eye, or encounter the strong arm
of the upright and stalwart young man. Gnashing his teeth with
ill-suppressed fury, he strode into the hall just as Mrs. Rocke and Clara,
in her traveling dress, descended the stairs.
Clara threw her arms around Mrs. Rocke's neck, and, weeping, said:
"Good-by, dear, best friend--good-by! Heaven grant it may not be for
long! Oh, pray for me, that I may be sent back to you!"
"May the Lord