Colonel Le Noir laughed scornfully, saying:
"And do any of you imagine this will serve your purposes? Ha, ha!
The most that it can do will be to delay my journey for a few hours
until the decision of the judge, which will only serve to confirm my
authority beyond all future possibility of questioning,"
"We will see to that," said Doctor Williams.
"Drive to the Court House!" ordered Colonel Le Noir.
And the carriage, attended by Traverse Rocke, Doctor Williams and
the Sheriff's officer, each on horseback, drove thither.
And now, reader, I will not trouble you with a detailed account of
this trial. Clara, clothed in deep mourning, and looking pale and
terrified, was led into the court room on the arm of her guardian.
She was followed closely by her friends, Traverse Rocke and Doctor
Williams, each of whom whispered encouraging words to the orphan.
As the court had no pressing business on its hands, the case was
immediately taken up, the will was read and attested by the attorney
who had drawn it up and the witnesses who had signed it. Then the
evidence of Doctor Williams and Doctor Rocke was taken concerning
the last verbal instruction of the deceased. The case occupied about
three hours, at the end of which the judge gave a decision in favor
of Colonel Le Noir.
This judgment carried consternation to the heart of Clara and of all
her friends.
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