The scrutiny seemed to be satisfactory for Clara soon took the hand
of her visitor and said:
"Capitola, I will tell you. It is a horrid, horrid story, but you
shall know all. Come with me to my chamber."
Cap pressed the hand that was so confidingly placed in hers and
accompanied Clara to her room, where, after the latter had taken the
precaution to lock the door, the two girls sat down for a
confidential talk.
Clara, like the author of Robin Hood's Barn, "began at the
beginning" of her story, and told everything--her betrothal to
Traverse Rocke; the sudden death of her father; the decision of the
Orphans' Court; the departure of Traverse for the far West; her
arrival at the Hidden House; the interruption of all her epistolary
correspondence with her betrothed and his mother; the awful and
mysterious occurrences of that dreadful night when she suspected
some heinous crime had been committed; and finally of the long,
unwelcome suit of Craven Le Noir and the present attempt to force
him upon her as a husband.
Cap listened very calmly to this story, showing very little
sympathy, for there was not a bit of sentimentality about our Cap.
"And now," whispered Clara, while the pallor of horror overspread
her face, "by threatening me with a fate worse than death, they
would drive me to marry Craven Le Noir!"
"Yes, I know I would!" said Cap, as if speaking to herself, but by
her tone and manner clothing these simple words in the very keenest
sarcasm.
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