Evening journal., 1914-12-11
COPYRIGHT. ,Or4. BY John FLEMING WILSON

had forever fed. and he was now look
ing up into Ruth's face almost plead
lngly. trying 10 keep his grim old lips
from asking sympathy. There was
reason In his mind that he should nc
cept no tender mlnistratlon from the
lovely girl who stood beside him. His
sacrifice must be complete: so when
his daughter bent over him and asked
him II he felt all right he mustered a
smile.
There's nothing the matter with me.
Ruth" he was saying. and his glance
sought that Of John Dorr, who stood
at the foot OF the bed. The eyes OF
the two men met. and Dorr impercep-
tibly nodded his head in token that he
would not tell Not that he yet knew
the secret Of The Master Key" but
he recognized the fact that sooner or
later he was to know
Ruth stopped over and said
Papa, don't believe you do feel
well I'm going TO make you some.
thing hot to drink. I'll bring you a
tOddy." And she went into the kitch.
When she was gone John nodded a
pleasant Good night" and also left.
Then old Thomas Gallon rose and
went to his worn desk and got his well
thumbed diary.
II am haunted" be wrote slowly, 'al-
ways haunted Am 1 to die without
knowing whether Wilkerson is alive
and that Ruth is safer
At that moment he glanced up and
thought he saw the sinister face Of his
former partner at the window BY the
strongest effort OF will he managed to
control himself and went on writing:
"wilkerson still alive by night
When win he come out into the day7
He shall never have the key that
would unlock the secret to my little
girls happiness. I VIII trust John"
Fancy to yourself scenes that must
have fed like swift films before the
old mans eyes as he put the diary
away. The desert and its mortal
thirst: Wilkerson. ever drinking greed
lily OF precious water; gold; murder;
his escape with the plans, their loss
In the chest when the vessel went
down in a caldron of fame; 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 the gulcf
which marked John DORIS window
Youth was calling to youth
IL was no appartion that Gallon hat
seen at the window this time. It wa'
really wilkerson, who, after one salts
fed glance, rode swiftly away.
II was midnight when he raped a
the door OF the Vale Vista railroad
station and called the sleepy agent
! II want TO get telegram through
right away" he said brusQuely. "Ther
is an extra dollar In your pocket II yo'
can rush H."
The slender boy who represented the
Rocky Mountain Southern railroad Sd
lently led the way In, turned up thu
wick Of the lamp and 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
" and opened the drawer Of his tel
egraph desk and faced his visito
again. wilkerson caught the CLINT o
the steel barrel of a revolver In tina
DRIVER.
"You must have some money in th'
safe" he snarled
The boy looked at him with steel.
blue eyes nnd stated in a perfect.
matter of fact tone. "I merely wante'
to show you that am awake" Thei
glances met. It was Wilkerson's eye
that fell.
He grnsped the pencil and wrote ol
the yellow blank:
Vale Vista, Cal. March II.
Jean Darnell. Astor House. New Yor
Have found Gallon at last. Addres
Master Key" mine tomorrow.
wILKERsoN.
He showed the paper across TO tn
operator and said roughly: Now. ear
that extra dollar" He banged two si
yer coins on the counter.
The operator scanned the message
took another look at his customer an