The Twins of Table Mountain and Other Stories

Bret Harte was an American author and poet, best remembered for his accounts of pioneering life in California. Harte moved to California in 1853, and worked there in a number of capacities -- as a miner, a teacher, a messenger, and a journalist. His story, "The Luck of Roaring Camp," appearing in "The Overland Monthly" magazine, propelled Harte to nationwide fame.

"The Twins of Table Mountain" is another collection of longer tales, including the title story -- "The Twins of Table Mountain" -- as well as "An Heiress of Red Dog," "The Great Deadwood Mystery," "A Legend of Sammtstadt," and "Views from a German Spion." The Twins of Table Mountain are Rand and Ruth, sharing a cabin and working a mine. They are twins, not easily told apart, and a strain on the relationship occurs because of it. Ruth has been seeing Mornie, a local girl, the "daughter of a shyster and a drunk." Mornie has mistaken Rand for Ruth, and gone on about their meetings and their plans. Ruth is fond of Mornie, but Rand disapproves. Will brotherhood or love triumph?