In one word, he resolved to woo, win and elope with, or forcibly
abduct, Capitola Le Noir, marry her and then turn upon his father
and claim the fortune in right of his wife. The absence of Colonel
Le Noir in Mexico favored his projects, as he could not fear
interruption.
Meanwhile our little madcap remained quite unconscious of the honors
designed her. She had cried every day of the first week of Herbert's
absence; every alternate day of the second; twice in the third; once
in the fourth; not at all in the fifth, and the sixth week she was
quite herself again, as full of fun and frolic and as ready for any
mischief or deviltry that might turn up.
She resumed her rides, no longer followed by Wool, because Old
Hurricane, partly upon account of his misadventure in having had the
misfortune inadvertently "to lose sight of" his mistress upon that
memorable occasion of the metamorphosis of Cap into Clara and partly
because of the distant absence of Le Noir, did not consider his
favorite in danger.
He little knew that a subtle and unscrupulous agent had been left
sworn to her destruction, and that another individual, almost
equally dangerous, had registered a secret vow to run off with her.
Neither did poor Cap when, rejoicing to be free from the dogging
attendance of Wool, imagine the perils to which she was exposed; nor
is it even likely that if she had she would have cared for them in
any other manner than as promising piquant adventures.
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