Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1914-11-27
CHAPTER 80.
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AVA per tue tniuka ne cdnNOt NJ
UzEe ticuiatc. Thomas q Gailon,
dreaming OF two women. taci-
furn and silent as no was. wrote down
Ahe thoughts which he could not ex-
press In speech. His diary, well thumb
ed. held the history OF many q lonely
might, but OF all these nights there was
one that stood out In his mind.
II was the darkness inclosing a wom-
an on q bed. He still heard her whis.
Dered cry. "You speak of God. Tom.
but I have no religion but mother
nood." Before bis closed eyes came the
vision OF lamp lit. then almost an ap-
parition-the face OF hla daughter. One
1lfe had led. possibly appalled, by the
Aorrorn Of world that recks not OF our
poor humanity. Yet there was In the
dead woman's arms a child. gro
tesquely asleep. as n unawakened %
tie sorows this mother had known.
"Rutbr' no cried There was no an.
swer from the still woman In the dark
ness. but thus he had christened his
only child.
II seemed to him as II that echo stin
reverberated from the moon washed
hills which marked the site OF THE
Master Key
II am getting old" he thought as he
turned the pages Of the diary as II un-
consciously counting the years since a
woman had leaned over his shoulder.
Ruth he murmured again.
The problem before him was no
longer dim and vague, as Vt had been
in the days Of his prime. but absolutely
distinct and clear what was to become
Of Ruth when he died7 With his train,
ed business Intelligence be set himself
20 solve this question
lie reviewed in his mind an the men
and women be had known. 1t was a
strange procession. They marched be.
fore his shafpened vision. old partners,
fresh young girls. mature women. men
with check books in their hands, men
dying Of thirst on the desert--and VIII
kerson. He sternly pu. out OF his mind
the thought of his former partner-the
man--was ne dead2 II he had not died
that night IN the gulch. II he were still
alive. kHowing the secret of THE Mas
ter Key. who would save Ruth from
mis- vengeance7
Then there rose before his mind the
straight. strong. almost austere figure
OF his mining engineer. John Dorr--
youthful. OF course. but he had proved
himself wholly competent In almost
every task that had been given him.
The old man thought more deeply.
E7e recalled his own former years He
himself had broken down the iron bar
riers OF cold world for the sake Of a
woman whose image Ruth was. he
had seen In John DORIS eyes the grow
ing fame Of love. Long experience
had taught the old man that there IL
no passion so dependable in this world
as love.
John Dorr loved Ruth 1t needed no
monetary bond 10 assure his fidelity to
her interests. and with the sudden.
swift alert step Of man who had
made his final decision he went out on
the porch and called. ~John. Johnl''
Within the interior of the little house
down the hill the engineer Of Thomas
Gallons mine had abandoned his blue
prints to study the letters on little
pennant which represented his first
victory, touchdown on the football
field within the last ten seconds OF
play. he knew better than any one
that his mission to Vale Vista was
futile. Using every resource at his
command. he could find no paying ore.
and yet-there was the pennant, the
emblem OF victory hard fought and
hard won. Should he give up now?
He heard clear. stern call from up
the hiIl-"John, Johni''
'fT'lI win out yet for Ruth's sake"
he said as he answered that imperious
cry.
Other ears heard that call. and as
John hastened down the hill he saw
Ruth's figure by the side of the bunga-
low. and as II by the opening Of a
shutter he once more saw the lights OF
Broadway and q table spread with
linen. two people sitting there-his
evil geniuses.
In this complex and highly organized
civilization of ours no man can be as
sured that at any moment some other
man possibly thousands OF miles dis
tant is not planning an act whose por-
tent would never occur to him.
At table IN New York restaurant
man ana woman were sitting with
The words Gallon" "Dorr" and "WiI-
lkerson'' on their lips.
Harry Wilkerson has found Tom
Gallon she said quietly. II wonder
what VIII happenr
Her, companion laughed. "Gallon? l
had a college mate named 'Dorr.' who
10 working for man named Gallon
somewhere out IN the mines"
The woman's dark eyes lit up. and
she seemed more strikingly handsome
as she allowed her sudden passion to
Hood her somber face with color.
There is money In that mine. George
iCraner' she said, "But this man Dorr
what sort Of chap is he2 You min