The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1871-11-17
and examined it attentively.

ihls " TIC place, tnlllk, ,ue Htiu.
" Now, don't express any surprise ..at
what you behold; carry yourself at
your ease, like IA man of the town, you
understand" so saying, he pulled
the bell.
The door,Was opened Immediately
by II waiter who bowed as he .ushcrcd
us ,ipto, the wcll-lighted hall.
.".Follow me-" whispered Joe, as he
deposited his hat in the entry and
coln,nenced to ascend the staigs. Ar
rjying on the second floor, we found
ourselves in couple OF brilliaptly IL
lpminated apartments. where.a num-
Der of men were .1busily engaged at n
gambling table. 10 my horror
Ralph Moplton sat lin the midst, ab-
sqrbed in betting. He had his back
toward us, and lid not observe us
A,when we entered .Joe pulled,sn by
The sleeve. | co.td only gaze.at him
with spcechlcss .astonishnent. just
then Ralph turned his head, aud the
next moment bc !ost his bet The
color came and Meut from BIZ face,
and thought ! hear. smothcral pro-
ianity escape his lips. lie arose and
came where we were standing.
How is this The asked, locking at
us tiercely; "do, yau come here to spy
me out a: If YOU do
Joe held up his finger and beckoncd
him to - retired part Of the roQm.
"Ralph,' he said, "the old man has
heard something of this. Only yes
tcrday, he questioned me on thls sub.
jcct, but. | knew nothing about it,
We c;Ane here tonight to see il the
runor we heard was really true
Unfortunately, it seems To be So
Let me. advise You to leave Storcr at
once, ior should he discover this, yoa
will be dismissed IN disgrace Don't
imagipc we will carry any tales-we
are your friends. You've got into
bad company; that's perhaps the
worst that can be said: but, ii YOU
are prudent, you'll stop where you
are"
Joe Thorn spoke quickly, but with
friendly carncstness.
Ralph gazcd at ihim steadily for q
moment and then answered:
Il will take your. estimate and will
consider your visit here friendly act
to myself Your advice may be
good; yonder gambler, who sits al
| the bead Of the liable, warned me
away. lie certainly was iisintarest.
ed; LCr they would SOONER have .call
ers than goers j followed my own
ipslination however. am. in eonse
quepce, several thousand dollarsi rich.
er, and he is that much poorer, for
Won the money off him"
Ralph Moultop did not return
home that night, hut the next morn
ing he sent me a,pate saying he wa:
sick, and requested .Hre to report the
same to the heal. book-keeper. That
day Ralph was, discharged from AIr.
Storcr's employ.
From that. bour the career of Ralph
Moulton was. closed to the old moral
teachings 10 which he had been reared
He left our boarding house. accusing
me of conspiring against him, and
avowing the most bitter vengence on
my head, His unjust suspicious; gave
rne the .gs4altest sorrow | had ever
known.
After this, saw but little of Ralph
and was careful never TO utter {
word that might injure him. ln.non'
of my letters fsAme did | ever iincn
ton what had occurred.
1t was midsummer, and had nc
ceptel an invitation from Mr.. Hobar,
to spend week at his country-house
| hal not seen Ralph for a long time
in fact i only heard of him accession
ally. lie was drinking hard, it wa.
said, and was very much changed
TO add TO this trouble, he had pro
posed TO julia Hobart, and sine hat
rejected him. Ills life was becoming
.niQse notorious.
I.had been at .Nr. IIobart's ibut :
single day wher.L walked ont will
.Julm to view a,remarkable cliff tha
rose a couple of hundred feet above :
creek that ran Though Mr.. HOBART
property. She wore that morning
the knot of blue ribbon in her hal
that now lies before me.
We had reached the precipiae an,
were standing on tue brink gazing be
low, when gust of wind swept tn,
ribbon trom her hair and lodged j
some twenty or thirty feet down tn,
side OF the cliff on some tangled vine
that grew upon the rocks.
A foolish desire to obtain the rib
bon took possession of me, and not
withstapding Jplia's entreaties,
united IL rope which was used as
swing that happened to be pear a
hand, end commenced to make m,
descent. There was really very lit
tie danger so long as | had the aid o
the rope; without it could do moth
ing, apd must inevitably fall.
| ] bad reached the shelving rock
aud had secured the ribbon which
tied in the button hole of nay Goa,
4 when cast my eyes upward aad saw
\ Ralph Moulton with a knife in hi
hand running for the cliff. In saothe
instant he was there and had com
menced to saw at the only SGppor
that preserved me from death. Julii
Hobart caught him by the srRas AM
screamed for nae to ascend. / sa,
I the glittering blade as it severed tn
strands Of the rope, and already
could see that he had cut half wa,
through it. My blood ran cold as
commenced to climb upward, Ever
instant expected to be cast headlon
below. If it had not been for Julia
struggles to stay Moulton's hand
should not now be writing thes
lines.
] Several times / thought bot