Colonel Le Noir."

"You do well, young lady," said the judge.

"I am pleased, Miss Day, to see that you understand and perform your
duty; believe me, I shall do all that I can to make you happy," said
Colonel Le Noir.

Clara replied by a gentle nod, and then, with a slight blush
mantling her pure cheeks she advanced a step and placed herself
immediately in front of the judge, saying:

"But there is a word that I would speak to your honor."

"Say on, young lady," said the judge.

And as she stood there in her deep mourning dress, with her fair
hair unbound and floating softly around her pale, sweet face, every
eye in that court was spellbound by her almost unearthly beauty.
Before proceeding with what she was about to say, she turned upon
Traverse a look that brought him immediately to her side.

"Your honor," she began, in a low, sweet, clear tone, "I owe it to
Doctor Rocke here present, who has been sadly misrepresented to you,
to say (what, under less serious circumstances, my girl's heart
would shrink from avowing so publicly) that I am his betrothed wife-
-sacredly betrothed to him by almost the last act of my dear
father's life. I hold this engagement to be so holy that no earthly
tribunal can break or disturb it. And while I bend to your honor's
decision, and yield myself to the custody of my legal guardian for