Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-12-30
This Picture Is Shown Each Week at

road and then lost consciousness again.
Il was only for a moment. for Tom
Kane, desert wise. travelling In the cool
of the evening, stopped his burros at
the top of the declivity, wondering
what the fire was. He saw that the
bridge was gone. This might be due
to tramps camped in the dry bed OF
the creek, not attending to their blaze
He led the burros Off the road and
down the slope, only to stop with an
exclamation such as he had not used
in years. John Dorr lay there with
his fingers clutched into the gray
mari
He stopped over and saw that the
body, bulking heavily in the misty
light, still held its vital spark.
where is Hickman, the driver?' +,
The cook peered around and then once
more bent over the motionless form
of the young engineer. With great ex-
ertion he managed to lift him up and
place him across one of the pack sad
dies, Johns arm automatically clasp
Ing the little animals neck. Seeing
him secure. and coming to his senses,
Kane went down to the smoldering re-
mains of the machine to search for
his companion. One glance was suffl-
cient He quietly went back and start
ed his Journey toward the mine. His
old hands. scared by years of cooking.
patted the almost inanimate form OF
Dorr.
They were almost to the Master
Key" mine when Dorr came to himself,
slipped Off the pack saddle and stood
up weakly.
what happenedY' he muttered.
Nothing much" said Kane, putting
his arm about him. You had bad
fall. That bridge never was any too
strong"
"Bridger said Dorr. 1.-The bridge is
gomez"
"Sure," said old Tom Kane easily.
whistling to his burros again. you
just come along with me-"
"But I haven't got my coat"
The cook looked at him with swift
understanding. His coat had been In
the seat of the machine and was burn
ed. '.i'll get you another coat when
we get back to camp he said COM
fortingly. So they progressed the long
and dusty road back to the Master
Key" It was dark when they ar
rived, and Kane was able TO take MS
dazed and much bruised charge into
the cook shanty without being observ-
ed by any of the miners Dorr was
| still but half conscious and willingly
submitted to being put to bed, though
he still protested that he wanted his
coat.
what do you want your coat forw
demanded Kane.
! John opened his eyes widely, for the
| first time cognizant Of his surround
ings. Then he leaped from the bed.
+, "All my money Is In it,
Tom Kane sat on the chair beside
him, dish towel In hand, as sort OF
emblem of authority. and demanded in
his careful tones, There wasn't any
thing else in the coat, John?" He bent
his white head as If to catch a whis-
per. Instead Dorr gave a raucous
shout:
There was that check from the
mint
II saw you myself give that check to
Wilkerson," said the cook soothingly.
"But that doesn't change matters any.
You've got to get to san Francisco.
and you're busted" Tom Kane pulled
out an old deerskin poke and fiom it
spilled on the table few hundred dol
| lars.
"Just as soon as you get able. JOHN
he said huskily, you take this money
and get to Frisco. Find Ruth. That's
all that matters-fnd that little girl.
Hurry he whispered. "Wilkerson
is gone. He's been gone since mid
afternoon
But / am badly hurt" said John
Dorr stupidity. Then Kane under
stood that he must take desperate
measures.
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