Year: 1875

parts unknown" to those who had triet
to win her; but in reality, only to place
her in a good boarding school in one o
the'cities.


He paid for years tuition in ad
vance. He gave them his address!
wished them to write twice year and
inform him of her progress and then
bidding the girl to keep to herself al
OF her history, he took his departure
Four years passed away, Christine't
beauty had increased, not diminished
She had not looked upon her guardian
face (for as such she spoke OF her own
er), but he was ever in her mind, asso
ciated with that awful night. Ever
now. all the swarm of wild faces swan
before her vision and made her sick al
heart. From the little, Ignorant, four
teen. year old child, she had developed
into glowing, educated, refined young
lady of eighteen, and now letter came
addressed to herself. 1t read:


at is four years since | saw you
Your school days are drawing to close
am coming to ask you to be my wife,
and gowith me to home of your own,


There was no word that she belonged
to him, nothing that indicated his own
ership of her, but she shrank back from
the letter with alright She could not
meet this man She dare not meet
him What must she do?


She went out into the open cir. AT a
little distance she could see steamer at
the wharf, almost ready to leave for the
Australian shore. A wild thought to
escape came into her mind. She had
been kept with money which she had
made but little use Of Perhaps she
had enough now to take her far away.
She returned to the school, secured her
money and jewelry, and fastened to the
boat.


She had Just time to write note
before the plank was pulled in, and
amid the cheers and good-byes the
boat started on her journey. She
purchased ticket, making an excuse
for coming so late that she had Just
received n letter which summoned her
to England.


Two days later Mr.. Hardcliffe made
his appearance at the school and asked
for his ward, Christine. The matron
handed him a sealed envelope. 1t con-
tained the note she had scribbled on
the moment Of her departure. She
wrote:


81 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. | remember
what YOU have done for me; you rescued
ne from degradation worse than death,
and have given me nm education which
but few in this country received. 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
allow me to be caot on the world friend
less. Such an act / cannot permit.
You shall not be bound to Christine
Dnpray. daughter of the wickedest
woman in the colonies The blight
would be fatal to MS both. ! leave my
thanks, and Christine will pray for you
as long as the breath of life is in her
body. Farewell, forever"


He reread the note, and then turned
to the preceptress, who was standing
peryousiy awaiting him to speak.


"My protege has gone to England,
he said, quietly. "She could not wait
to consult me. / hope she had money
enough to deftay her expenses"


The woman breathed more freely.
She had expected a scene-expected to
he npbraided for not keeping stricter
watch over her pupil.


"I think she had" she answered.
"You were very liberal in your allow
ance of spending money, and Miss
Christine was very careful she never
frittered it away as other girls do"


"Have you any bill against me 2" he
queried.


"None whatever"


"Then good day T. and he was gone.


Six years later.


Guy Hardcliffe had succeeded in the
mines beyond his widest expectation.
Almost at the last moment, when hls
courage was beginning to fail, he had
struck upon such streak of gold, IN
Golden Gnlch, that his fortune was
made in few days. Then word came
to him that his uncle was dead, anu he
came into the Hardcliffe property and
title.


He 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--everything
was dull-and he gave up, and went TO
Paris, to see if he could there DE
omused for little while.


Mademoiselle santelli was advertised,
and many were focking to see her. She
was the new cantatrice about whom al
the men we're going crazy. Her beauty
and her voice were raved about, unit
Guy Hardcliffe determined to go, an'
see her for himself.
Once in the building, ne was spei
hound. In the beautiful creature
whose glowing loveliness infatuated al
who went to see or near her, he recog