Marah Rocke was so overwhelmed with grief at the news that she was
for several hours incapable of action.
The arrival of the house agent was the first event that recalled her
to her senses.
She aroused herself to action, and, assisted by Traverse, set to
work to pack up her own and his wardrobe and other personal effects.
And the next morning Marah Rocke was re-established in her cottage.
And the next week, having equally divided their little capital, the
mother and son parted--Traverse, by her express desire, keeping to
his original plan, set out for the far West.
CHAPTER II.
OLD HURRICANE STORMS.
"At this sir knight flamed up with ire!
His great chest heaved! his eyes flashed fire.
The crimson that suffused his face
To deepest purple now gave place."
Who can describe the frenzy of Old Hurricane upon discovering the
fraud that had been practised upon him by Black Donald?
It was told him the next morning in his tent, at his breakfast
table, in the presence of his assembled family, by the Rev Mr.
Goodwin.
Upon first hearing it, he was incapable of anything but blank
staring, until it seemed as though his eyes must start from their
sockets!
Then his passion, "not loud but deep," found utterance only in
emphatic thumps of his walking stick upon the ground!
Then, as the huge emotion worked upward, it broke out in grunts,
groans and inarticulate exclamations!
Finally it burst forth as follows:
"Ugh! ugh! ugh! Fool! dolt! blockhead! Brute that I've been! I wish
somebody would punch my wooden head! I didn't think the demon
himself could have deceived me so! Ugh! Nobody but the demon could
have done it! and he is the demon! The very demon himself! He does
not disguise--he transforms himself! Ugh! ugh! ugh! that I should
have been such a donkey!"
"Sir, compose yourself! We are all liable to suffer deception," said
Mr.
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