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."
"Sir, this cannot be so in my case, since you are perfectly aware
that my destiny is, humanly speaking, already decided," replied
Clara, with gentle firmness.
"As--how, I pray you, my fair ward?"
"You cannot possibly be at a loss to understand, sir. You have been
already advised that I am betrothed to Doctor Rocke, who will claim
me as his wife upon the day that I shall complete my twenty-first
year.
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