ir," said Colonel Le Noir, loftily.

"Then suppose I should inform you, sir, that this young man, Doctor
Rocke, was brought up and educated at Doctor Day's cost and under his
own immediate eye?"

"Then, sir, you would only inform me that an eccentric gentleman of
fortune had done--what eccentric gentlemen of fortune will sometimes
do--educated a pauper."

At this opprobrious epithet Traverse, with a flushed face, started to
his feet.

"Sit down, my boy, sit down; leave me to deal with this man," said
Doctor Williams, forcing Traverse back into his seat. Then, turning to
Colonel Le Noir, he said:

"But suppose, sir, that such was the estimation in which Doctor Day
held the moral and intellectual worth of his young protege that he
actually gave him his daughter?"

"I cannot suppose an impossibility, Doctor Williams," replied Colonel
Le Noir, haughtily.

"Then, sir, I have the pleasure of startling you a little by a prodigy
that you denominate an impossibility! Clara Day and Traverse Rocke were
betrothed with full knowledge and cordial approbation of the young
lady's father."

"Impossible! preposterous! I shall countenance no such ridiculous
absurdity!" said Colonel Le Noir, growing red in the face.

"Miss Day, Doctor Rocke, Mrs. Rocke, and myself are witnesses to that
fact."

"The young lady and the young man are parties immediately concerned--they
cannot be received as witnesses in their own case; Mrs. Rocke is too much
in their interest for her evidence to be taken; you, sir, I consider the
dupe of these cunning conspirators--mother and son," replied Colonel Le
Noir, firmly.

"Tut!" said Doctor Williams, almost out of patience. "I do not depend
upon the words of Miss Day and her friends, although I hold their
veracity to be above question; I had Doctor Day's dying words to the
same effect. And he mentioned the existing betrothal as the very reason
why Clara should remain here in the care of her future mother-in-law."

"Then, sir, that the doctor should have spoken and acted thus, is only
another and a stronger reason for believing him to have been deranged
in his last moments! You need give yourself no farther trouble! I shall
act upon the authority of this instrument which I hold in my hand,"
replied Colonel Le Noir, haughtily.

"Then, as the depository of the dying man's last wishes and as the next
friend of his injured daughter, I shall make an appeal to the Orphans'
Court," said Doctor Williams, co