r to my own residence, known as the
Hidden House. Mrs. Rocke," he said, turning toward the latter, "your
presence and that of your young charge is no longer required here. Be
so good as to prepare Miss Day's traveling trunks, as we set out from
this place to-morrow morning."

Mrs. Rocke started, looked wistfully in the face of the speaker and,
seeing that he was in determined earnest, turned her appealing glances
toward Traverse and Doctor Williams.

As for Clara, her face, previously blanched with grief, was now flushed
with indignation. In her sudden distress and perplexity she knew not at
once what to do--whether to utter a protest or continue silent; whether
to leave the room or remain. Her embarrassment was perceived by
Traverse, who, stooping, whispered to her:

"Be calm, love; all shall be well. Doctor Williams is about to speak."

And at that moment, indeed, Doctor Williams arose and said:

"I have, Colonel Le Noir to endorse a dying message from Doctor Day
entrusted to my young friend here to be delivered to you, to the effect
that it was his last desire and request that his daughter, Miss Clara
Day, should be permitted to reside during the term of her minority in
this her patrimonial home, under the care of her present matronly
friend, Mrs. Marah Rocke, Doctor Rocke and myself are here to bear
testimony to these, the last wishes of the departed, which wishes, I
believe, also express the desires of his heiress."

"Oh, yes, yes!" said Clara, earnestly. "I do very much desire to remain
in my own home, among my old familiar friends. My dear father only
consulted my comfort and happiness when he left these instructions."

"There can be, therefore, no reason why Miss Day should be disturbed in
her present home," said Traverse.

Colonel Le Noir smiled grimly, saying:

"I am sorry, Doctor Williams, to differ with you or to distress Miss
Day. But if, as she says, her lamented father consulted her pleasure in
those last instructions, he certainly consulted nothing else--not the
proprieties of conventionalism, the opinion of the world, nor the
future welfare of his daughter. Therefore, as a man of Doctor Day's
high position and character in his sane moments never could have made
such a singular arrangement, I am forced to the conclusion that he
could not, at the time of giving those instructions, have been in his
right mind. Consequently, I cannot venture to act upon any 'verbal
instructions,' however well atte