The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-12-30
CHAPTER v.
The MIGHT Rider.

The Night Rider.
f~ 1HD light in the bungalow on
the hill across the valley
winked rs some one passed
beneath 1t and the window.
II can see clearly enough" said vii.
kerson. that there is u girl mixed
up. In this affair. Tom Gallon never
walked like that"
He rode slowly down the steep hill
flll he reached the pumping engine.
Kill r'ubbs. the bulky. sodden faced
engineer, came to the doorway.
us this The Master Key?" de.
manded Wilkerson.
ut certainly is" was the response.
"And-old Tom Gallon runs it?''
WilkersOn pulled out flask. divining
Bill Tubbs' ruling vice. and the en-.
gineer. after long drink. wiped his
mouth with the back of his oily hands.
$50 you are looking for Thomas Gal
ION. are you? Well. lie owns this mine.
but it's mostly run by young girl
there In that bungalow on the lIill.
You see, Tom amt up to what lie used
to be. The ore is getting worse every
day and the old mans sick up there III
bis house."
I'm going up to see him now" said
and surveyed the snug houses, stamp
mill and all the apparatus OF the grow.
ling mine and snarled: so this is what
he wanted for hinself"'
The man he was seeking lay prop.
ped up in bed. To Ruth he gave ev.
erything-sillis and down and all the
soft things Of this life. Himself he
pillow under his head-that is, he had
slept. 1t seemed to him that sleep
had forever fed. and he was now look
ing up into. Ruth's face almost plead.
ingly, trying to keep his grim old lips
from asking sympathy. There was
reason III his mind that he should ac-
cept no tender ministration from the
lovely girl who stood beside him. Ills
sacrifice must be- complete: SO wien
his daughter bent over him and asked
him II he felt all right he mustered
. smile.
''rhere's nothing the matter with me.
Ruth" lie was saying, and his glance
sought that OF John Dorr. who stood
at the foot Qe tho bed. The eyes OF
the two men met. and Dorr ifnperccp.
ltibly nodded his head in token that he
would not tell. Not tlint he yet knew
the secret Of 1.-THE Master Key" hut
q he recognized the fact that sooner or
later he was to know.
Ruth stopped over and said:
"Papa, l don't believe you do feel
well. I'm going to make you some
thing hot to drink. Ill bring you a
toddy." And she went into the kitch.
EN- and shut the door.
I When she was gone John nodded q
pleasant Good night" and also left.
Then old Thomas Gallon rose and
went to his worn desk and got his well
thumb9d diary.
II am haunted" he wrote slowly. "al.
ways haunted. Am TO die without
knowing whether Wilkerson IL alive
and that Ruth Is safe?"
At that moment he glanced up and
thought he saw the sinister face Of his
former partner ut the window. by the
strongest effort of will he managed to
ilcontroi himself and went on writing:
4 "Wilkerson still alive by night!
When will he come out into the day?
HE shall never have the key that
would unlock the secret to my little
girls happiness. viii trust John"
Fancy to yourself scenes that must
have lied like swift films before the
old mans eyes ns he put the diary
away. The desert and its mortal
thirst; Wilkcrson. ever drinking greed
ily Of precious water: gold: murder:
his escape with the plans. their loss
In the chest when the vessel went
down in caldron Of flame: the Image
OF his dying wife: the picture of the
babe he had lifted from her chill breast
Ruth, for whom he had suffered. He
bowed his head on his folded arms
Such Is the bitterness that the night
brings upon those who are alone.
When Ruth came in with the steam
Ing glass Of toddy she quietly set the
glass down and went out on the porch
to look at the light across tile gulcli
which marked John DORIS window.
Youth was calling to youth.
1t was no apparltiOn shat Gallon bad
seen at the window this time. 1t was
really Wilkerson. who. after one salts.
{ fed glance. rode swiftly away.
1t was midnight when he raped at
Il the door OF the Vale VISTA railroad
station and called the sleepy agent.
II want to get a telegram through
right away" he said brusQuely. ''Thcre
lis an extra dollar in your pocket II you
can rush It"
The slender boy who represented the
Rocky Mountain Southern railroad 81,
Ilently led the way in. turned up the
wick of the lamp aud showed blanks
and pencil across the counter.
You look half asleep to me-" Wilker-
son growled as he picked up the pen
ell.
The boy scanned the stranger quiet
ly and opened the drawer Of his tel
egraph desk and faced his visitor
again. Wilkerson caught the CLINT Of