Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-12-31
THE HIDDEN HAND.
BY MRS. soUTHwoRTH.
Auth,r n "The Bide Qr an Erening," "7He DESERTED
Wife" &C., de-, dc.

BY MRS. soUTHwoRTH
Auth,r n "7he Bride Of an Erening" "71e DESERTED
Wife" &C., DC, DC.
|
CHAPTER |.
THE FORCED MARRIAGE.
Col. Gabrielle LIE Noir, Virginia nabob,
In order that he might inherit the paternai
estates, hired on outlaw, named Black Dom
ad, to murder his elder brother, Eugene lie
| Noir He then shut up Eugene's widow in
| his residence, known as the Hidden House,
and, as he supposed, made away with her
newborn infant. But Eugene's infant child
was saved, and finally got into the possess
sion of Major ira Wariied, tempesuous
| old neighbor and relentless foe of Colonel
lie Noirs. On account Of MAJOR Warfields
| irrepressible temper he was called Old Hur-
| ricane, and his residence was known as
| Hurricane Hall.
Years before our story opens Col. lie Noir
had caused q separation between Major
| Warfield and his wife, and the latter, under
| the name of Marah Rookie, with her son
Traverse, had had bitter struggle for bread
But they had got along, and Traverse had
become a physician, and was betrothed to
Clara Day, the only daughter Of n rich doc
tor: But Mr. Day, dying suddenly, Clara
had come under the cOlitrol of the unscrupll-
lous Col. Lie Noir, The executor of the Doc
tors will and her guardian The Colonel
!. a.aG turned Mrs Rookie aud Traverse out of
DR.. Days House, aud taken Clara off to his
own residence, the Hidden House, where he
tried to compel her 10 marry his son, Craven
lie Noir. But Capitol. Black, the heroine
OF our story, (and WIN, though now grown
up, was The same infant child Of Eugene lie
Noir that the Colonel supposed he had ST.
IannaA Lo Il,
eagle and brave as a lion,) undertook to get
Clara out OF the clutches of her prosecutors.
1t was desperate game that Capitola un-
dertook to play, for the Lie Noirs, both father
and son, were INSCRIPTIONS and cruel to the
lust uegrec. Tney wUu1u nuI ucsilate 10
commit murder to carry their point if they
could not gain 1t by the preparation of lesser
crimes. But, nothing daunted, the spirited
Capitola determined to aid her friend Clara,
and for that purpose risked visit to the
Hidden House while Col LIE Noir was at
home. She learned from Clara that The Col.
and Craven were going to take her to an
out-of-the-way chapel in the evening, and
force her into marriage against her will.
The officiating clergyman is their friend"
said Clara; " and even II | could consent to
act deceitfal part and should go TO church
as il to marry Craven, and upon getting
there, denounce him, instead of receiving
the protection of the clergyman, | should be
restored to the hands of my legal guardian,
and be brought back here to meet fate
worse than DEATH Thus Clara spoke in a
tone of despair.
Capitola did not at once reply, but fell into
deep thought, which lasted many minutes.
Then, speaking more gravcly than she had
spoken before, she said -
"There is but one plan of escape left, your
only remaining chance, and that full of dan
GER"
''Oh why should fear danger? What
evil can betall me so great us that which now
threatens me r. said Clara.
This plan requires on your part great
courage, self-control and presence of mind"
'sTeach me, teach mo, dear Capitola. l
will be an apt pupil"
81 have thought il all out, and will tell
you my plan. 1t is now eleven o'clock in
the forenoon, and the carriage is TO come for
you at six this evening. | believer"
Eyes! yes!"
''Then you have seven hours in which to
save yourself And this is my plan: First,
Clara, you must change clothes with me,
giving me your suit of mourning and putting
on my riding habit, hat and vail Then
leaving me here in your place, you are to
pull the vail down closely over your f.ce
and walk right out of The house. No one
will speak to you, for they never do to me.
When you have reached the yard, spring
upon my horse and put whip to him for the
village OF Tip Top. My servant, Wool, will
ride after you, but he will not speak to you
or approach near enough to discover your
idenlity-fcr he has been ordered by his
master To keep me in sight, and he has been
forbidden by his mistress to intrude upon
her privacy. You will reach Tip Top by
8 o'cluck, when the Staunton stage passes
through You may then reveal yourself to
Wool, give my horse into his charge, get
into the coach aud start for Staunton. Upon
reaching that place, put yourself uuder the
protection OF your friends, the two old ply
scians, and get them 10 prosecute your guar
'iian for cruelty and fragrantabuse of author
n.y. BE coul. firm and alert, aud all will he
we'll"
Clara. who had listened TO this little Ma
poleon in petiicoats with breathess interest,
now clasped her hands in wild ecstasy of
Joy, and exclaimed:
81 will try it oh, Capitola, will Try ii
Heaven bless you for the counsel /"
'Be quick, then, change your dress, pro-
vide yourself with purse of money, and l
will give you particular directions how to
make a short cut for Tip Top. Ha, ha, ha
when they come for the bride she will be al
ready rolling on the turnpike between Tip
Top ana Staunton.
"But you'll Oh, you, my generous deliver
err
81 shall dress myself in your clothes and
stay here in your place to keep you from
being missed, so as TO give you full time to
make your escape"
'"But, you will place yourself in the en-
ragged lions jaws. You will remain in the
power of two men who know neither justice
nor mercy, who In their love or their hate
fear neither God nor man. Oh, Captola,
how can take an advantage of your gener-
osity, and leave you hear in such extreme
peril Capilola, cannot do It," f
swell, then, believe you must be anx-
ious to marry Craven lie Noir.'
"Oh, Capitola.'
"Well, If you are not, hurry and get rea-
dy there is no time to be lost"
"Buty0u but you, my generous friend I"
s'Never mind me. shall be safe enough.
Fam not afraid of the LIE Noirs. Bless their
wigs, should like to see them make me
blench. On the contrary, l desire above all
things to be pitted against those two. How
shall enjoy their disappointment and rage.
Oh, it will be rare frolic."
While Capitola was speaking she was also
busily engaged doing. She went softly to
the door and turned the key in the lock, to
prevent any one from looking through the
| kcy-hole.
Then she began to take off her riding
habit. Quickly she dressed Clara, superin-
tending all the details of her disguise as
carefully as though she were the costumer of
| new debtftuylke When Clara WAS f1reased