During the week that ensued before he could hope to hear from Colonel Le Noir, he treated Clara with marked deference and respect.
And Clara, on her part, did not tax his forbearance by appearing in his presence oftener than she could possibly avoid.
At the end of the week the expected letter came. It was short and to the purpose. It ran thus:
Washington, Dec. 14, 18—
MY DEAR CRAVEN—You are losing time. Do not hope to win the girl
by the means you propose. She is too acute to be deceived, and
too firm to be persuaded. We must not hesitate to use the only
possible means by which we can coerce her into compliance. I shall
follow this letter by the first stage-coach, and before the
beginning of the next month Clara Day shall be your wife.
Your Affectionate Father,
GABRIEL LE NOIR,
C. LE NOIR, ESQ., Hidden House.
When Craven Le Noir read this letter his thin, white face and deep-set eyes lighted up with triumph. But Craven Le Noir huzzaed before he was out of the woods. He had not calculated upon Capitola.
The next day Colonel Le Noir came to the Hidden House. He arrived late in the afternoon.
After refreshing himself with a bath, a change of clothing and a light luncheon, he went to the library, where he passed the remainder of the evening in a confidential conference with his son. Their supper was ordered to be served up to them there; and for that evening Clara had the comfort of taking her tea alone.
The result of this conference was that the next morning, after breakfast, Colonel Le Noir sent for Miss Day to come to him in the library.
When Clara, nerving her gentle heart to resist a sinful tyranny, entered the library, Colonel Le Noir arose and courteously handed her to a chair, and then, seating himself beside her, said:
"My dear Clara, the responsibilities of a guardian are always very onerous, and his duties not always very agreeable, especially when his ward is the sole heiress of a large property and the object of pursuit by fortune hunters and maneuverers, male and female. When such is the case, the duties and responsibilities of the guardian are augmented a hundredfold."