Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1907-01-31

| When n man ocnUcfatciys e"J w
signedly entices his friends TO exces-
sIye drink. has them carried TO his
room-in a burst OF good fellowship
cares for them. furnishes them up 70
meet their lady friends. and incident
ally relieves them Of . ten-twenty-
fifty, az the case may warrant. you
would call that man thicf. wouio
you not? And with all good reason.
So then. Bettison was thief. But
walt: a thief from necessity. not pref
erence. Certainly not the pinchins
necessity that makes men beg bread.
shovel snow or work In mines. but
sort OF refined want-the lack OF those
little dainties OF life without which
some people find It next to Impossible
to exist The paltry two thousand
year. Bettison argued. would be scarce
ly sufficient 10 keep him In trousers.
to say nothing OF enabling him TO wed
the fair lady OF his heart, she who
claimed all that was good and best In
him.
A thief from choice IN essentially
mean. scheming. without honor. A
thief from necessity may be none OF
these things--or at least not al OF
them-only weak. pitiably weak. and
with a conscience.
Still We shall have to admit that
Bettison was a thief. a common thief.
notwithstanding this nicely Of distinc-
ton.
On this particular morning the gen
tleman in question reclined before an
open window. reading and rereading
\ curious letter that the mornings
post had brought him. IL was the
third OF a series The first had caused
him some neaslness-mostly amuse'
ment--the second looked serious. and
COW this other forced a sense or dis
tInct alarm upon him. The following
Is what he read:
Il have appealed TO your honor.
your conscience, your pride--all 10 no
avail. I am now going TO try your
common sense. Stop this miserable
practice at once. At present II Is
known certainly only 10 myself. who
am your best friend don't wish to
disclose my identity. 80 take this. the
one way TO help you. Common sense
viii show you that although over an
anonymous signature. there Is only
truth in what say. The time will
come when exposure will be inevita-
BILE. Take my advice. The world pro-
vides labor 70. every honest hand.
and you yourself have keen distaste
for this business. A FRIEND"
Bettison crumpied the sheet OF pa
per viciously and tossed II In the IRE
place.
"D-n such a letter." he fumed. IF
the fellows really my friend. rs be
says, why In thunder doesn't he come
20 me in a decent way and talk II
over?" He snapped his finger with n
, !!...le gesture Of annoyance and took
one or two excited turns up and down
the room. Then he paused In front
OF the crate and fished out the crum-
pied letter from the charred ashes and
studied Il narrowly. II 70 fact that
our attention to trivialities ia very
marked at a time Of great seriousness
or Importance. and Il Is no less tr9e
that our faculties are extremely dull
In the direct face OF overwhelming
evidence also. at such a time.
Bettison studied the paper carefully
for traces OF familiarity In the hand
writing to that OF his friends-those
he numbered as such. rather. There
was something subtly familiar about
the shape OF the p's and his. but
close comparison failed 10 disclose
any even distant likeness to the writ
ing contained in letters he had re-
ceIved from time 10 time from his
friends and acquaintances.
No one-not one OF them. his VIC
tins. could have been the author. He
felt almost sure OF that much. In the
frst place. they had really never su<
pected-indeed. what should man
suspect upon recovering from a spell
OF alcoholism. except that he had
played the fool. spent or gambled
away his money. and been charitably
spirited on by thoroughly good fell
low who was bent only on protecting
his reputation. as any gentleman
would? Furthermore. even supposing
they could talk. would they? Hardly.
In all probability some one was
playing q practical joke on him-or
maybe one OF the men did vaguely.
Just vaguely. suspect him and was
stretching this neat little trap to catch
him. That settled one aspect Of the
case. Under no circumstances must
he cease suddenly TO practice these
somewhat furacious little courtesies.
Such had been his intention q while
back, but the letters put all thought Of
that out Of the question for the pres
ent. His marriage must be postponed
anything but that he should fall into
the trap, n trap Il really was He
could not be too cautious.
So tho days came and went. with
every now and then renewed appeal
from The unknown friend" The let
tiers finally grew ominous. almos;
threatening. and Bettison grew nerv-
Gus. pale and restless. Where was his
alternative? II he keot the thing mp
he would be caught beyond q doubt: