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Show ) 2G2 ROEBUCK. .,.., Rent, nnt of tho ~ tnto. IIi:-:; property n1ight be t:tkcn frotn hin1. But if .Julia shonld bccon1o 1\Irs. P:1lmer it. woul<l probably be restored, if not to Colonel Fnirftx, nL lea. t to hi· daughter, throngh the influence of J1cr JIOW relatives. The hol)C of thus reliovino.,· her p:treu t~ an <1 of procuring tho liberation of her t:tLher t.!Jrouglt the ~:11llC in fl nonce, he believed, IVOultl iudnco h r to ncccpt his hand. Tho grc:ttor the di:-:<tre.'s aJHl a:.wger of her f:tthor Jnight Locome, tho 1110re Hhe 1vouhl he inclined to ncce<.lc to 1nea. ures neces~·nry for 11 iK rcli<'f. I>crhaps it " ·ould be expedient to have Colonel li'airf:rx ~cut to 'VaKhington, .·o thnt tl1e hopes ntl(l1c~•rs of his clnttghter, deprived of comrtHuiication 1vjtl1 him, and uncertain as to ltis 1:1te 1nio·hL roru.let ' b 1tcr more pliant. Of conr~e, J\lr. l~almcr and his son " 'ould ultimately procure his rcle:ve, a well as the pos~c~Kion of hi:-4 property, ancl his clanghtcr would he provi<lc<l with :l hu.·b:uu.l ana a hon1C. Tbi 'Hchcme app0:1re<l to the elder J>;l]m r so ,vi~o nnd benevolent, that he ehccrfnlly consented, at hi~ Ron·s reqncHt, to keep l\Iiss lf:1irihx in his hou. o nn<l to visit Colonel 'V csel the next clay, ns wo have seen he did. JHnt I>ahncr 1vas jgnorant of this plan when Ahe founa herself hut up in a ch:unber with ]His. Fairl:tx, nn<l she hnd nothing to gnido her conduct bnL cordiden co in her son and obedience to his wii:iheR. She could not frmne a suitable speech, but f:ihe put her arms about Julia and gently urged her to a bed, boHceching her, in :1 n1otherly "ray, to ·lcep. The unhnppy young lady by down ,vithont rcsi. Lance, atHl rc.mained fol' l)cveral hours, not sleeping, but weeping, Wtth hnr eyes closed nn<l her n.nns fohlc<l over her ho~on1, without . pooch or motion. 1 ho " ras alone, friendless, hopeless. ~he 1vas exhausted in 1nind and HOEllUCK. 203 ho<.ly, by the f:ttigue~, the sufferings and the t rrors of that night. At lenoth, when tho day w·a~ breaking, nat.nrc yioldocl to slumber, and she entlnred rather than enjoyed, for an hour, a dreamy, re. tJe~~ f;leep. She awoke with a 1noro vivid sense of aflliction. In tho Inorning, .l\In~. P;llmer 1vas released from. confincntent ~y he~· son, 'vho intirnaLocl his plan to J1rr, ancl 'vlule Jus f:ttltor wns calling on Colonel \Vesel, sent her 1vit.h his c01nplimeuts to ]fir; li'airihx, an<l reqnesLed pcnnission to waiL upon the your1o· h11y in her cha1nber. She de ·ired hirn to exctt. ·e hm~ and oven protested again.'t his vi~it. Dnt he do~ lare<l that it 'vas necessary for hitn to sec her, and his JHOR. age to that oifect was jmmediately followed by hin1. elf: lie <lrcw np a chair to Hit be.·i<.lo her, but she rose, and r01nnined standing. lie 1nacle no allttsion to her 1novornent, but in cool and civil tones proceeded to acldro ~ her. "l\Iiss FairD1x, 1ni~lecl by appearances, yon have placed an erroneous construction upon 1ny conduct. I came to oifer you aa oxpbnation." lie pan eel, but receiving no reply, he re. mned. "You have thought 1ne unkind to you, bnt really 1ny 1notives have been more than kind. In all that I have done, I have aimed at your 1volG1re and happine ·s. Perhaps tho ar<lor of 1ny nffection for you has impelled 1nc too far. I could not avert tho Jni;·{ortnne 'vhich ha~ bcfhllen yonr i:unily. I coulcl not ro~cno your parents from tho 1nilitary. I saved yourself in tho only 'vny that was possible. I brought yon to 1ny father's house i<.>r shelter. N o,v, I oifer you a homo for Jifc. 1\Iy heart has long been yours. I now offer you 1ny hand." • |