South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1871-02-03
The FORGERY.

clair, as with casped hands aud dilaied
eyes she stood before her father, gazing iu-
TO his face as If her very life depended up
on his answer to her query.
Ii came slowly, calmly, distinctly:
Yes, Ella, you did hear Alright. GEORGE
Hampton aud yourself are parted, for ever
parted ]. The daughter of General Sinclair
may not mate With dishoaor.'
'Dishouor " exclaimed tue maiden. start
ing from her attitude of supplication, and
standing proudly erect before him, while
her eyes flashed defiance, aud her check
crimsoned with indignant feeling; who
dares to couple tho name of George Hamp-
ton with dishonor p
Il do, Miss Sinclair, aud even now the
whole city RIGGS with the story of his dis
grace and shame. He has forged the name
of his uncle, Mr.. Stuart, aud with n large
amount of money, obtained from the Nation
al Bank, has fed, no one knows where
The detectives though are on his track, aud
when he returns, it will be as q prisoner,
to be tried for felony, aye, tried aud cou-
victed.'
Calm, cold, stern, aud uupityirg, Genor-
al Sinclair thus, without preamble or soft
euiug of any KIDD, told to the young crea.
ture before him :his tale of crime repard-
Jog Der betrothed husband-be to whom
at her mothers death bed. two wears before.
she had pledged her VOWS of love and fjth
he who. ic the darkest trials of he, ifo
had been her support aud comfurt-be ia
whose warm heart she bad made her nest,
aud whose devotion ADD tenderness had lone
frightened the life which without him
would have been cherries aud desolatc Ia
deed
The effect upon the listening o;rl was
quite tue reverse Of General Sj1cjair's cv.
pecta,iou. lie bad looked for cries AID
tears, Mysteries perhaps faintjng fit but
he was totally uuprcpared for tue manner
cold, calm, stern as his own. with which
she met the charge
1T is false =
The tones lacked the sivsry music Of
f la Sinc'air's voice, but CLEARLY aud sbarp-
IL ro,o tbron,,b rho Ia,oo on,yg,a,a.. -
is false George HAMPTON has not done
this deed Of which YOU accuse him ShopII
all the world believe him ruiltv 7 know
bin innocent Should all tho world con.
demn him, |, his alilnccd wife. will stand
by and trust in bin. Parted. for ever
parted you say, si~. I say. ncrey Even
were he criminal would not forsake him
but we'll | know George HAMPTON is no
criminal, and no power on earth shall SON.
aratc Us.
Waiting for no reply from her f,tbar
who, cDraLed ADD asiounded at her omen
rebellion 70 his authority, had no Iancu,go
to express his Indignation, she swept with
qlccug air from his presence. CHANGED j.,
that b,icf interview from timid oon.Io
girl, TO firm. determined woman-ros,Iro5
either to clear the beloved name. nog sbod.
owed hy suspicion. or falling i that to f,r.
sake home, friends, aud fortune and follow
him, now daarer than ever. loved with =
deeper tenderness. because of the cIopd
darkauiue his fair fame. cloud jrto which
few save herself would enter. OH wbo
eau measure the depths Of woman's beo-,
Who can estimate the strength of woman, .
faith?
Alone in her own apartment. Elias calm
ness forsook her. and like wounded craa-
ture she paced the floor, while sharp con-
vusivc sobs shook her frame as she recall
ed her fathers cruel words, and thought Of
the peril Of her lover. A wild storm ragged
within her breast too mighty for utterance,
TOO mighty for tears, and alone she wros-
tied with her agony until, as hours passed
by, aud the chaos Of her mind resolved it.
sen 'n'o n1ed purpose OF action, che sank
.N,''us.el ln'o a seat, ana bowed her head
uPo" "tr c'a'ped handS, "hlle tears fell Ike
fnlu between her slender fingers, calming
- 'PS'',' S'u e'Siog Tue ueaf' from winch
'' "I"'u
oe ,,a;i, uI ~ 'uus 10 'ne g''herlog shadows
~ '"ji'5u'' per IatoGr measured step re-