The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1912-08-30

lOuS Known. tie WIS RlCD0rO rom
dexter. the son Of a gentleman who OH
account Of some injustice he conceived
the king had done him bad joined the
parliamentary side. Richard up to the
time he ans; his family had taken part
against the king was the favored one
of all Carol:ncs suilorS. Women are
apt to be more vio.ent in their Advo-
cacy OF cause than men. and from
the moment she learned that Richard
had turned Roundhead her love for him
seemed to have turned to hate. just
before marching from London with his
command to meet the forces of Prince
Rupert he rode to Fitz Roy house to
bid her goodby.
There is little or no record of the III
! tervicw that took place at that time.
but other data indicate that she scorn-
ed the young man who had espouSeu
the cause she condemned A fragment
of a letter says: "Richard was here
today to see Caroline. He rode away
sOrrowful. while Caroline came upstairs
with her cheeks hot her eyes flushing.
and shut herself in her room" That
she did not see him again till after
the execution of the king is mentioned
in the family archives: also that she
spurned him as II regicide. accusing
him of being equally responsible with
the rcgicideS for the kings death. This
time when Richard left her he was
more nngered than sorrowful and told
her that he would never see her again
The loss of her cause. the execution
Of the king-;,n event appalling to
headStrong girl who considered the
person of her sovereign sacred-the
fact of her lover having Joined those
she considered her enemies. seemed to
madden this loyal maiden. Doubtless
the chief cause of her wrath was the
loss of her lover. There is no evil
dence that she had ceased to love him
notwithstanding that she seemed to
hate him. More likely. what appeared
to be hate came from the very inten-
sity of her love and the fact that 1t
had been turned to bitterness.
About the time that Cromwell was
proclaimed lord protector of England
Richard PoindeNter's regiment prepar
atory to being diSbanded was encamp
ed on vacant ground short distance
from Fitz Roy house. One afternoon
some officers riding into camp met a
man rapidly approaching them. He did
not see them till he was upon them.
then looked up ut them wildly. They
rode OH a few hundred yards. when
they struck Il wood and one Of them
noticed body lying near their path
Dismounting, they found one Of their
own regiment who had been pierced
by rapier He was unconscious. but
not dead.
Suspecting that the man they had
met had caused the trouble. two of
the party started In pursuit. They
soon caught sight of him and saw him
turn into the grounds of Fitz Roy
house. Following him there. they
came upon his horse. Dismounting,
they entered the house and searched
every nook and Granny. No one was
there except two old women and the
servants. none OF whom showed any
excitement. Sure that the fugitive was
on the premises, they were reluctant to
give up the chase. but since 1t was
impossible to find him they went back
and reported the fact to those who ha,}
remained with the wounded man.
He had revived and asked engerly Il
they had found his enemy. When they
said that they had not II look Of in,
tense relief passed over his face.
A conveyance was sent from the
camp. He was conveyed to his tent and
placed on his cot. where he remained
for some time recovering from his
wound. When he was able to be nbou'
again he left the parliamentary serv
ice and. going abroad, entered that OF
the king Of France. He declined to tell
who had stabbed him.
One afternoon Caroline Fitz Roy's
horse was noticed nbbling the grass
in the grounds of Fitz Roy house.
She had not been ut home for day or
two, and 1t was supposed she had re
turned. But she did not appear. a
search was made for her in and about
the house. but she was not found.
That was more than 200 yenrs ago.
and she is still missing.
poindexter remained a number Of
years in France His family in Eng
land besouyht him to return, but he
would not.
Finally the story that Caroline
Fitz Roy had long been missing
brought him home. lie seemed greatly
distressed at the mystery. but If he
had anything to do with the girls dis
he never told In a letter
written when he was an old man. in
which he referred to the matter he as
sumed that she had gone to Il foreign
country. where she must have died.
One thing about the panel in the
demolished house that Leonard Fitz
Roy carefully investigated was wheth
er there was any way Of opening II
from the inside He found that there