South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-04-23
that She had just received a letter which


Two days later, Mr.. Hardcliffe made
his appearance ut the school and asked
for his ward, Christine. The matron
handed him sealed envelope. 1t con-
tanned the note she had scrubbed on the
moment OF her departure. She wrote:
cannot stay to meet you, am now
on board the Eagle, and before you get
this will be far away. am not going
out OF ingratitude. I remember what
you have done for me; you rescued me
from degradation worse than death, and
have given me an education which but
Few I'm this country receive. And now
out OF the goodness of your heart, not
knowing how else to dispose of me, YOU
are willing to marry me rather than al
low me TO be cast upon the world friend
less. Such an act / cannot permit
1 on shall not be bound to Christine Du-
/ pray, daughter of the wickedest woman
IN the Colonies. The blight would be
fatal to us both. leave my thanks, and
Christine will pray for you as long rs
the breath Of life is in her body. Fare
well, Forever"
lie re-read the note, and then turned
to the preceptress, who was standing
nervously awaiting him to speak.
"My protege has gone to England"
he said, quietly. "She could not wait to
consult me. | hope she had money e..
nough to defray her expenses
The woman breathed more freely
She had expected scene-expected TO
be upbraided for not keeping q strcter
watch over her pupil.
Il think she had" she answered.
you were very liberal in your allow
ance ofspending money, and Miss Chris
tine was very careful she never fritter-
ed it away as other girls do"
Have you any bill against me?' he
querried.
"None whatever"
"Then good day. and he was gone.
Six years later.
Guy Hardcliire had succeeded in the
mines beyond his widest expectation.
Almost ut the last moment. when his
courage was beginning to fail, he had
struck upon such streak of gold, in
Golden Gulch, that his fortune was
made i'll few days. Then word came
20 him that his uncle was dead, and he
came into the IIardcliffe property and
title.
lie sailed for England, and went to
his new home. Everything was strange
to him. The customs of his country.
the stiffness of his new life-cverything
was dull-and he gave up and went to
Paris, to see if lie could there be amused
! for little while.
Mademoiscile Santelli was advertised
and many were floc!ling to see her.
She was the new cantatrice about whom
all men were going crazy. Her beauty
and her voice were raved about until
Guy HardclitFe determined to 90 and see
her for himself.
Once in the building he was spell
| bound. In the beautiful creature, whose
glowing loveliness infatuated all who
went to see or hear her. he recognized
the girl he had won by game of cards
I Christine Dupray :"
lie watched, he listened. and in that
hour he felt his doom sealed. No wo.
man had ever thrilled him as this wo.
man did; no woman had ever seemed
the same
He made no remarks, but asked his
friend her history.
'She came from Australia" his
friend said-"an orphan, alone. Her
voice. on shipboard, attracted the atten.
ton of old Mezzo. and he engaged her
to go to Italy and have her talents ed.
ucated. She did so and when he in.
! troduced her to the public she was i'm
mediately successful. Men were mad
about her. he continued wherever she
went; and Wezzo's widowed sister ira
yeled with her, and took care of her.
and no one could say n word dcrogato.
~ to her
IIardcliGe listened like ono in n
dream.
Introduce me" he said.
When brought in close contact with
her, he admired her even more deeply
than when she was on the stage but 10
him rs 60 the rest she maintained cold
politene3s. lie saw that she did no re.
cognize him, for he had changed i'm an.
pearance, and his true name she had
never known.
Day by day JIG haunted her, and when
she was about to leave Paris, he sudden
ly became frenzicd. and told her he
could not live without her longer.
She listened 20 his torrent Of words
with trembling lips.
do not say more she pleaded, "You
know not what you ask. / shall never
marry"
why nOt?"
My past she said, quietiy-'I can
not reveal it, and it forbids such n
thing"
lie approached nearer.
Christine he said, softly-"Chris.
tine. ] know il all, and there is nothing
in IL that should separate us"
" 1ou-you she faltercd-" were
the
Tho man who won you Christine, let
me win You again
And he did. lie never regretted hav.
ing won for his wife the Christine he
won from the "wickedest woman in the
Colonies who confessed at the last
moment Of her life that she was not her
own Hnuuhfgr hat