Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-11-22
MY BET.

At the little dinner of three which
Alec Bradford was giving / hadn't
drunk more than three glasses of wine
in all. But have been temperate
man throughout my life, and possibly
even this moderate indulgence made me
unwontedly rash.
Perhaps my unstrung nerves had a
good deal to do with the matter as we'll
had fed from the home of a tyrannic.
al stepfather here in New York about
six years ago, when the merest boy,
just after my mothers death. Count
less hardships had beset me since then,
but now had gained in the far west
at least hopeful semblance of prosper
ity. / had come back with only a single
purpose-to find my twin sister, Ruth
Amberley, and bring her to dwell out
there in Kansas with myself and my
beloved young wife.
fearful, yet striving to smile through
her tears, Clara had hidden me goodby
''It's dreadful to have you go alone,
Frank, " she faltered. "Stll, you know,
you owe it to your sister. You never
wrote to tell her where you were for a
long time after you'd driven your tent
stakes here into Ashbyville."
II know know, Clara. 1t was my
jealousy, l suppose
Jealousy Of stepfatherl And of
such shocking despot as you paint him
too! And how could Ruth have run
away with you as you proposed IN your
madly boyish fashion? And as for her
not answering the letters you've writ
ten her since remorse has begun to prick
you-why, there isn't doubt that she
never received them. Her gtepfather's 3
probably moved away from where he
used to live, or it may be that he's dieo
and"--
"That Ruth's dead, too, T." broke in
dismally, "or driven out into the bit
ter world by that same brute who drove
me there"
Twas destined TO learn on my arrival
in New York that my stepfather had
died over two years ago. Concerning
Ruth no one could tell me. Our former
home held new tenants / made count
less inquiries and even put advertise
ments into newspapers My stepfather
had left all his money, l discovered (no
great sum either, TO certain relations
in Baltimore. These, answering my let
ters regarding the whereabouts of Ruth.
could only tell me that she had left her
stepfather good while before his death,
and that they believed some kind OF
quarrel had caused the separation.
"Some kind Of QUARREL" forlornly
unused. "Oh, how horrible TO think that
the sister | once so dearly cherished may
be in want and sufferingl But OF ono
thing am certain. Ruth could never
90 wrong no matter what hateful crisis
overlook her. She was and will always
stay purity and refinement 10 her finger
tips. Our dear dead mother taught her
that aud gave IL 10 her as vol rs the
strange and sweet sanctity OF inherit
anoe.
Iwrote 10 my wife several sad letters
and one was 80 desperately repentant ~
its tenor that she answered Il with
/ kind Of sweet hhNhkefg'
"How dare you say, Frank, that you
feel as II you had killed huthT' ran heI
response. III you want 10 mako my
Loneliness, which am trying 10 bear ~
brayely as ! can, still more distressing
10 mo, you will not write again W
mood both 30 morbid and 80 absurd
That evening, when 1 dined az lh'
brunswick with Alec Bradford AnC
John Hathaway, two frlondH whom
had made in tho west, and who were u
New York for commercial reasons iA
different from my own, ! felt faf NOR
wyelohedly hopeloss than J cared " -
veal
Al ths end " dinner whilo we wer'
drinking our ngifoo hnd smoking on
cigars, bradford advanced his hiil'
| theory, born ~ some oonYofse NO ha'
held about tho winkedness nila anpfafli'
N darker New York -
II hslisye ! could DO jpal What yo'
ssy / can't" came ny words ailfi
! uitle fury N discussion
John Hathaway Was falhof haA',,'
! | With gnhnpaFhf 10 NN"'N'f 80
sgainsi tho table and aaid, meu'lN ~
terluuHlyi A.
DNaEp hin take your hol, iAep, Als
Wall ml a0 'slulamlug ipRVlhrl
thpy rsll u"
dThs hoL" / said 'W,u mo ~
oAds Ton dollars hDm m} .rli 70 w
|. NOM Alr0 thBi n0ihlug VIII hApprN
y aslf 1 w Win both n 300 ~h'ls'.
yoa shall direct and ip rann piece ii.I
IA known ihsi ! ealIy nu ng psit'N y
sum M a. OOQ'
y pksgsg mind laughed liHAlNla
MA Lgraty, riao0aio Nsy ~ ~ s'l.s
my het u a. ium0i a. hslhsh'
-, Njark, 900 u bid lhe Hlph's'
x NOh, ym eamo 1ses sfrply
,aay all gpi nufsalfrs mniAf'pi -
psa,sse n TaitD mY courage H''N
. laallay sHd tda "
n While ihe HHiifI ulHlt0 Nf 49,
lislhssay laslYea Hj tlN HN Al'
"A 900 1hfp $50 lliiH fAlsi p
= aoge s.,lslfaaiad, eaoh Hifllraii0'i