Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-11

ed the young man who had espoused
the cause she condemned. A fragment
of letter says: Richard was here
today to see Caroline. He rode away
sorrowful. while Caroline came upstairs
with her cheeks hot. her eyes flashing.
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 a regicide. accusing
him Of being equally responsible with
the regicides for the kings death. This
time when Richard left her he was
more angered than sorrowful and told
her that he would never see her again.
The loss Of her cause. the execution
of the king-an 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 it
had been turned to bitterness.
About the time that Cromwell was
proclaimed lord protector Of England
Richard Poindexter's regiment prepar-
atory to being disbanded was encamp-
ed on vacant ground a short distance
from Fitz Roy house. One afternoon
some officers riding into camp met
man rapidly approaching them. He did
not see them till he was upon them,
then looked up at them wildly They
rode on a few hundred yards, when
they struck a wood and one Of them
noticed a body lying near their path.
Dismounting, they found one Of their
own regiment who had been pierced
by a 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 It was
impossible to find him they went back
and reported the fact to those who had
remained with the wounded man.
He had revived and asked eagerly If
they had found his enemy. When they
said that they had not a 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 about
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 nibbling the grass
| in the grounds Of Fitz Roy house.
She had not been at home for q day or
two, and it 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 years ago.
Poindexter remained a number OF
years in France. His family in Eng
land besought him to return. but he
would not.
Finally the story that Caroline
Fitz Roy had long been missing
brought him home. He seemed greatly
distressed at the mystery, but II he
had anything to do with the girls dis
written when he was an old man. In
which he referred to the matter, he as
sumed that she had gone to a foreign
country. where she must have died.
One thing about the panel in the
demolished house that Leonard Fit
Roy carefully Investigated was wheth-
er there was any way Of opening II
from the inside. He found that there
was not He succeeded in supplying
sufficient parts of the story to lead him
to infer that Caroline Fitz Roy. fol
lowing some plan or moved by some
cause that did not appear, went dress
ed as a man to seek her lover at OF
near his camp. They met. and she kill
ed him. When pursued by his brother
officers she dismounted and entered
the house without being seen by any
one of the household and. knowing OF
the secret space. went into 1t to hide
The panel closed with a spring. and
she was unable to open 1t.
Among subsequent alterations the
fireplace was bricked up. Quite pos
sibly at the time OF her Imprisonment
she was the only one who knew of the
secret space and the panel by which II
was entered.
The story Of this girl. sealed for two
centuries. Is a forceable illustration oil
those lines in Coleridge's poem Chris
tobel:"
For to be wroth with one we love
Doth work like madness on the brain.