These dreams, however, were destined never to be realised, for
within a year after their arrival in Melbourne Mrs Curtis died
giving birth to a little girl, and Robert Curtis found himself once
more alone in the world with the encumbrance of a small child. He,
however, was not a man who wore his heart on his sleeve, and did not
show much outward grief, though, no doubt, he sorrowed deeply enough
for the loss of the pretty girl for whom he had sacrificed so much.
At all events, he made up his mind at once what to do: so, placing
his child under the care of an old lady, he went to Ballarat, and
set to work to make his fortune.

While there his luck became proverbial, and he soon found himself a
rich man; but this did not satisfy him, for, being of a far-seeing
nature, he saw the important part Australia would play in the
world's history. So with the gold won by his pick he bought land
everywhere, and especially in Melbourne, which was even then
becoming metropolitan. After fifteen years of a varied life he
returned to Melbourne to settle down, and found that his daughter
had grown up to be a charming young girl, the very image of his late
wife. Curtis built a house, went in for politics, and soon became a
famous man in his adopted country. He settled a large sum of money
on his daughter absolutely, which no one, not even her future
husband, could touch, and introduced her to society.

Miss Curtis became the belle of Melbourne, and her charming face,
together with the more substantial beauties of wealth, soon brought
crowds of suitors around her. Her father, however, determined to
find a husband for her whom he could trust, and was looking for one
when he suddenly died of heart disease, leaving his daughter an
orphan and a wealthy woman.