Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-11-03
CHAPTER III-Continued.

CHATTER uI-Continued.
II will now tell you who the Young
man Is" said Bullet, drawing his chair
eeerer to his daughter. "His name is
Ralph Kemplin."
"Ralph Kemplinq Any relation to
The Ksmplins in whose ship you used
eyes, tho only son Of that Kemplin.
= see that have not talked to you in
pain about my old employer and his
FAMILY. This youth Is now on his way
bundle Of papers by which his identity
is perfectly established. I do not know
exactly how he got into his present fix,
but am going to town soon to make
Enquiries, and in the meantime I can
guess about how it Was"
In what kind of fix is hep"
l. He has been waylaid-probably
with an eye to robbery, az his pocket
book is gone, his watch, and 30 on-and
In the struggle he has received blow
on the head that has utterly destroyed
his memory. You've heard of similar
gases; at least the medical books are
full Of them. He don't know anything
about himself and his history. It's
all a blank to him-his past, who he is
and where he is. He don't even know
his own name"
Alma looked shocked.
"He's an idiot, then?" she MUIR
INJURED.
''No, nothing Of the kind. He has
simply lost his memory, forgotten how
TO read, forgotten his friends-even his
sweetheart, If he happens to have
any. He has the same tastes and pas
IsiOns, however, as before his injury.
He is, in fact, the same man as before,
except in so far as regards memory
and it's various Offices and connec-
tions."
"How odd!" CALCULATED Alma. "He
must be sort Of grown-up babyl"
"The very thing" returned Bullet.
'"That expression describes him per-
|fectly. Yet he still has the airs and
manners of q cultivated gentleman,
doing from habit and instinct what he
has been accustomed to do by reason"
He narrated briefly how Kulu had
fallen in with Ralph, and all the cir
oumstances- far as known-under
which the sufferer had come into his
keeping.
. "And, now that he is here" concluded
Bullet, what field Of action is opened
10 you! In three or four days the poor
fellow will be physically well, but in all
probability his past will continue q
blank to him. We will give him a new
name, and you must teach him his let
tors, and get him to reading again, and
study geography and history with him
i'm q word, make a man of him upon
his new basis. And, while you are
thus engaged, if you are as able as
think you are, you will at least win the
his affection, and 80 become his wife.
And once you are his wife, I will speed
fly make q pretense of discovering who
and where his father is, and restore
them to each other. AS you and your
husband will be the sole heirs of the
merchants vast wealth, you become q
great lady at one jump. Nov, what dc
you say to the project?"
II think it can be carried out" an
swered Alma, as look Of eager reso-
luton mantled her face. AT least,
will do all can to make success Of
H."
A few details established full un
derstanding and harmony between the
father and daughter, and they awaited
with Impotence the moment OF Ralph
awakening to enter upon their nefari'
Gus conspiracy.
stir in the little bedroom announced
that the sufferer was awake, and in al
instant Bullet was lowering over him
"You feel better now, sir!"
ooh, so much better"
do you feel we'll enough to see m.
daughter? She's to help me take carr
Of YOU"
Ralph assented, and Alma at once
entered. Bullet introduced her to tn
patient, who greeted her with mechan
lcal politeness. l..
"You can't recall your name yet, Cal
you?" asked Bullet.
The sufferer contracted his brow
painfully few moments, and shook hi
head sadly.
1--WE shall have to give you a ne,
name, SIR" pursued Bullet. "Suppos
We We call; call YOU ; Ashley Benning' after a
Ralph nodded a weary assent.
ashley Benning it is, then"
A few minutes the father and daugh
tor conversed with their patient, an
then they proceeded to their littl
kitchen, intent upon making him
nice broth and Cruel.
"You see that he is started upon hi
new ife," muttered Bullet, rubbing hi
- hands gleefully together. "All trac
of Ralph Kemplin is lost until W
choose to find it. This young man
simply Ashley Benning, and his Iii
dates from the present. He Is, In fact
an entirely new creation. All we hav
TO do Is to be secret and cautious, an
keep all knowledge of him from. every
body until you are his wife, and W
shall then find ourselves on the YER
pinnacle of happiness and fortune! Tn
arst great step Is taken!"
It was, indeed. It only remained t
be seen what would come of 1t.
CHAPTER ".
RALPH N HIS NEW CHARACTER
Beneath 4 cOcoanut tree, upon tn