Clara, who had listened to this little Napoleon in petticoats with

breathless interest, now clasped her hands in a wild ecstasy of joy and

exclaimed: "I will try it! Oh, Capitola, I will try it! Heaven bless you for the

counsel!"

"Be quick, then; change your dress! provide yourself with a purse of

money, and I 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

already rolling on the turnpike between Tip Top and Staunton!"

"But you! Oh, you, my generous deliverer?"

"I 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 enraged lion's 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, Capitola!

how can I take an advantage of your generosity, and leave you here in

such extreme peril? Capitola, I cannot do it!"

"Well, then, I believe, you must be anxious to marry Craven Le Noir!"

"Oh, Capitola!"

"Well, if you are not, hurry and get ready; there is no time to be

lost!"

"But you! but you, my generous friend!"

"Never mind me. I shall be safe enough! I am not afraid of the Le

Noirs. Bless their wigs; I should like to see them make me blanch. On

the contrary, I desire above all things to be pitted against these two!

How I shall enjoy their disappointment and rage! Oh, it will be a 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 keyhole, murmuring as she did it: "I wasn't brought up among the detective policemen for nothing!"

Then she began to take off her riding-habit. Quickly she dressed Clara,

superintending all the details of her disguise as carefully as though

she were the costumer of a new debutante. When Clara was dressed she

was so nearly of the same size and shape of Capitola that from behind

no one would have suspected her identity.

"There, Clara! tuck your light hair out of the way; pull your cap over

your eyes; gather your veil down close; draw up your figure; throw back

your head; walk with a little springy sway and swagger, as if you

didn't care a damson for anybody, and--there! I declare no one could

tell you from me!" exclaimed Capitola in delight, as she completed the

disguise and the instructions of Clara.




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