Evening journal., 1914-12-16

at JOun DOIls WIN WIS INV htitAhS !
Ruth through the crowds toward the
bungalow. followed by yelling.
tramplng. laughing. believing column
Of men.
Once inside the office wilkerson
went to his desk and unlocked the
drawer which held that seventh letter.
"Some time ne muttered meaningly.
CHAPTER VII.
Wilkcrson the Plotter.
ND HEN be mad thoroughly learn
wv ed his lesson Wilkerson cool.
sSSSrs iy. in spite Of the letter be
Szsz=zg had received from Jean Oar
nell IN New York. telling him OF her
willingness TO finance her scheme. de-
termiued be must be friends with John
DOrr. at least Outwardly. So he
smOOthed out the visible wrinkles In
mis- face. trying TO veil the malicious
gleam IN his eyes. and spent two days
quietly trying to show his amiability.
not only to the miners, but to Dor
himself
Wnkerson was absolutely cerfain
that his old partner. Thomas Gallon
! nad really made a rich ind and that
ne had lost the location and accepted
The Master Key" as a substitute IN
the hope that by working It thoroughly
| he might und the mother lode. In
other words. careful manipulation or
the present mine. painstaking toll In
/ igurine out the trend OF the various
veins. would lead TO that particular
pot OF gold which mad been at the end
OF Gallons youthful rainbow OF hopes.
/ Wilkerson was determined TO be mas
ter OF "rhe Master Key" de needed
the skilled aid OF John Dorr with his
engineering knowledge.
John Dorr knew that there was
tremendous secret In Gallons life rep
resented by the golden Key which he
nad torn from his neck and handed to
Ruth when ne was dying. That key
nad figures on IT, He understood that
those scratches on that golden surface
represented something tremendously
important. ana that the old man had
committed Ruth 10 his charge and had
spoken of Wilkerson as bis former
partner and said. 'Wilkerson knows
What was II that Wilkerson knew
IL was better, thought John. to accept
bis amiable advances and thereby pos
sibly gain his confidence and ind out
for Ruth's sake that secret which
Thomas Gallon had taken to his grave
, So on the second day after the resto
ration OF the old scale Of wages ant
his own reappointment as engineer Il
= charge John went down 70 the otlic
, and said bluntly: Look mere. WilkeE
J son. maybe both OF rs have made
mistake. I'm sure my only aim is &
help out in the promotion of The Mas
ter Key"
Wnkerson received him amiably
Pm sure my only interest In this bust
; ness is to fetch into good ore. All tina
we are digging out now is dirt witbpu
any pay in IT,"
Il think know where we can strik'
drst class stuff" Dorr returned. "Ther
= is sure pay rock II we travel soutl
. from that main tunnel. We may hav
TO go a couple of hundred feet"
wIkerson looked at him shrewdly
''rhat will cost money" he remarked
but I'll take this up with Ruth"
John looked at him with faint trac
4 OF the old enmity in his eyes. He di
4 not like 20 hear the 1rst name OF tn
4 mistress OF ''The Master Key" on thos
I lips.
\ "If the mine is not paying IT'S up {
4 Us TO make 1t pay" he remarked
When Wilkerson entered the bungs
low Ruth perceived great change 1
his attitude. He was no longer sulleI
and he was evidently worried. 1t wa
a clean worry. and she smiled at hin
Had not her father come in with ths
expression on bis face many times
She put her chin In the cup OF he
hands and asked cheerfully. What
Il. Mir. WilkersonT
May / sit DOWN." he said awl
wardly.
She motioned to a chair. and be PM
ed out OF his pocket a paper covere
with figures
B Continued Tomorrow