The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-06-17
very agreeable annarition.

turned /, calamity. You seem TO know
nv name, though don't know yours
what is it:'
Il am called Christina-Christina Ru-
dolph. II is some time since | have
known Herr Gainsborough's name," she
added.
Really! how comes that?" asked, by
no means displeased.
THE honored Herr has been kind to
a relation Of mine-a very near rela-
ton" replied Christina, with the same
Have [? I'm glad to hear it! Was
she as pretty as thou?' inquired L, ven
turing upon the familiar form of ad~
dress.
She blushed and answered:
1T was not a woman-it was my
brother"
"Oh, thy brotherl And where did l
meet thy brother"
in Paris, Herr Gainsborough."
"In Paris! Rudolph What, art thou
the sister of Heinrich Rudolph, who
lives in the Latin Quarter and is con-
sidered the cleverest jeweler III the city?'
Eyes, honored Herr" returned Chris
tina. smiling for the first time and
showing her pretty teeth and dimple
on either cheek MY brother Heinrich
cut and arranged the diamonds in the
parure of the honored Herr's mother"
/ $50 he did, Christina, and he did 1t
better than any one except him could
/ have done it. And so thou art really his
/ sister! How did he tell thee Of me-"
"He wrote to me while You were still
! in Paris and described the pretty stones,
and told how Herr GainsbOrough used
I to come and sit with him and see him
/ work and talk a great deal with him"
YES. he was we'll worth talking with.
/ And remember now that he said he
was born in this nei@aborhu0I, and that
/ he had a sister and Il father living here.
! 1t was stupid Of me not to have thought
of that when | heard yoar name. Wen,
. Christina. I'm afraid 1 wasn't Of much
use to him after all. tried to get him
customers bat | knew very few people
in Paris, and the only person did sue
coed in Introducing to hin-By the way,
it was this gentleman who is with me
now"
Herr Birchmore; yes, my brother
spoke also Of him, said Christina, her
gravity returning. But he did not
speak Of the young lady or Of the serv-
ant"
No, / believe thsy weren't with him
ut tao time. l only met them myself
since came 10 Schandau."
The young lady is Herr BirchnOre's
-wifc?"
His wife? Dear heavens, no! Hi:
] daughter, OF course. Christina"
Christina said nothing, being occupied
in neatly smoothing ont the pillow anC
laying the wadded countcrpaue over the
sheet
"Win Herr GaiEsborough stay will
US Ioug?" She asked after pause.
CAS- long as Herr Birchmore does,
suppose said carelessly.
''And Herr Birchmores daughter!'
subioined Christina with a twinkle Of
mischief 50 demure that | could hardly
be sure whether she meant it or not.
Thou art as clever as Shy brother
Christina, laughed, cOloring a little
too, however, | dare say. 1t is true
have not known them long, but-but
people see a good deal of one another IL
travelling together"
81 have heard it said that travelling
makes people acquainted with she
paused and looked down thoughtfully
at her bare feet. Presently she lifted
her blue eyes straight to mine and asked
Herr Gainsborough has his diamond
with him;'
extraordinarily They are never ava!
from me-"
IN going about this place the Her
should be cautious. Some of these hill
ana valleys are very lonely. There ar
spots not far from here where no on
goes for sometimes many months"
well III be very careful Christin
chen" reiuincd laughing, and in trutl
not Il little amused at the care my friend
took of me. But thou must remembe
that no one in Germany, except Her
I2irglmOre aud hisiaughter and thyseli
knows that any such diamonds as thes
are in existcnco-nuch less that they ar
in my pocketr'
, Christina raised her finger to her lips
: as if to caution me to speak lower
"There is at least one other who know
the man SlurkI" she said.
"Well, perhaps he may" | replied
somewhat struck by her observation
"and as | see thou hast taken dislik
, to the fellow | will cOniide to thee tina
| consider him an atrocious brute. But
; brute though he is. there's no harm /
; him of that kind. He is an old servar
, of Herr Birchmore, I believe, and woul
. of course be dismissed at once if theT
, We're anything serious against him"
Naturally" was all Christmas Al
, swer: she made no prctense Of arguin
f the point with me. "Adieu, hCnore
sir!' she said ut the door. But with he
hand upon the latch, she paused, turne
around and added, rather cOufusedly
"WiH Herr Gainsborough 90 on any e1
pedition with his friends today?
why, ! hardly think so. Christina. 81
''But tomorrow, perhaps" she persist
, ed, lifting her blue eyes to mine again.
perhaps" | admitted with Il smile.
"ThCn-if he can trust me-woul
the Herr miad leaving the diamond
with me until he comes back again"
"Nay, Christiuchcn, | cannot Civ
them up, even to thee, and although
| trust thee rs much as thy brother or my
self. But thou mightst lose them, an,
= if they are to be lost at all, | woul
rather the responsibility should be mine
[ Besides" | continued, showing my I;
volver, Il go always with this. But
, thank thee all the same, ChriStlnCheI
l and would like to dosonCthing-to' to-
| stepped toward her, the fact is,
suppose / meant to kiss her But he
! expression changed in a manner not el
p couragiug to such an advance: ST
looked both grave and hurt and Ipause,
Il was going 20 say-if thou would.
= like to see the diamonds, it would civ
g me great pleasure to show them to thee
e MANY thanks, honored sir; | woul
s rather not" And, with a formal cou
F. tesy, the fair haired little maid opene
4 the door and disappeared, leaving II
1 feeling rather foolish.
THE pretty peasant has a pride of he
S own" said to myself as l opened IN
+ trunk and got out my writing material
e '.She's actually offended because
1 wouldn't constitute her guardian {
S thirty thousand pounds worth of dii
, monds. Good graciousl why that fatht
r of hers, if l know anything of face
would cut all our threats for as man
groschen But what an unmistakab
! scamp my friend Slurk must be to hay
aroused the suspicious of such an inn'
: cent, unsophisticated little creatur
as Christinchen! By Jove, though
, ! anybody might be suspicious of
| -, ,,,1 n sIOuch like hist What