the period of my minority, I here declare to all who may be
interested, that I hold my hand and heart irrevocably pledged to
Doctor Rocke, and that, as his betrothed wife, I shall consider
myself bound to correspond with him regularly, and to receive him as
often as he shall seek my society, until my majority, when I and all
that I possess will become his own. And these words I force myself
to speak, your honor, both in justice to my dear lost father and his
friend, Traverse Rocke, and also to myself, that hereafter no one
may venture to accuse me of clandestine proceedings, or distort my
actions into improprieties, or in any manner call in question the
conduct of my father's daughter." And, with another gentle bow,
Clara retired to the side of her old friend.

"You are likely to have a troublesome charge in your ward," said the
sheriff apart to the colonel, who shrugged his shoulders by way of
reply.

The heart of Traverse was torn by many conflicting passions,
emotions and impulses; there was indignation at the decision of the
court; grief for the loss of Clara, and dread for her future!

One instant he felt a temptation to denounce the guardian as a
villain and to charge the judge with being a corrupt politician,
whose decisions were swayed by party interests!

The next moment he felt an impulse to catch Clara up in his arms,
fight his way through the crowd and carry her off! But all these
wild emotions, passions and impulses he succeeded in controlling.

Too well he knew that to rage, do violence, or commit extravagance