Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-03-31

And what does your love amount
TO. after all. Harry" she asked. Tell
me plainly. Has it done either Of US
any good? Will 1t ever do US any
good?"
WilkersoD stared out at the dark sea.
and his face grew slowly very cruel.
.GoodT be repeated. pa.All that "a
know is that i love you more, than
anything else in the universe. You
love luxury and jeweIry and gold and
silk. Because i know what you love !
am trying TO get it for you. because J
want you more than l want anything
else. III think we are even."
"Even" she said in a suddenly
strained voice. "Yes, we are even
you the felon and the murderer, l the
receiver Of stolen goods. stolen happi.
ness, stolen life, stolen gold!'
When they finally reached San Fran,
cisco Wilkerson found her oddly dis:
trait. She did not know whether to
go to the mine or to return to New
York. N$t
One moment she was in a tigerish
rage: the next hour she was staring at
the fog haunted hills with eyes that
saw nothing. go
BE stormed and argued to no pur.
pose. He RECALLED to her constantly
tie fact that he had the deeds, the
master key itself. the plans OF the Ia.
cation OF the mother lode. ~ sR
SHE either listened listlessIy or drove
him away with furious upbraidings.
Yet In the end she accompanied him
to Silent Valley. ~ ,
81. 1t was a bitter moment for old Tom
Kane when the tstage drove up and
Wilkerson and Mrs. Darneli got out In.
stead of John Dorr and Ruth.
He had hoped against hope. and now
his dreams were In ashes. for Wilker.
son Instantly took charge, the men, As
Tom put it to himself followed 1.-THE
payImaster, and SO far ,as outward tap-
pearance went the Minister Key" mine
was firmly in Wilkerson's possession.
Mrs. Drarnell here proved herself the
shrewder mind. Though. she was little
seen, her Influence was potent
And more than anything else she
worked on Wilkerson 60 that DO did
not use the plans and open ap the
rich vein.
"Wait," she told him. "Don't, be Inn.
patient Our whole power here Is in
the fact that we have the secret Once
that is public we'll likely lose every.
thing"
but we ought TO pc at work before
Dorr gets back" he would argue.
"Yes, and every court IN the land
| will help him to regain this mine and
its wealth. Don't you zee? Compro-
miser'' "a
COMPROMISED he repeated duly.
Eyes. you fool!"
But 'howW
"Wait-wait till John and Ruth get
back. They'll be glad enough to buy
those plans, Harry"
When John Dorr and Ruth arrived
on the following steamer Everett met
them ut the pier and told them the
news as he had gathered 1t from faith.
full Tom Kane, whom Jean Darnell had
insisted should resume his duties as
cook, sagely observing to Wilkerson
that it would be well, for them to have
a witness whose veracity Dorr would
not impugn. !,
Settled in the hotel. Dorr briefly re-
cited the experiences Of the past
months and then b!untly asked, ",What
are We to doY
Everett was ready with bis answer.
Compromise"
The dull red flooded Johns face, and
he bit his lip. Had all his work gone
for nothing2
Everett laid a friendly hand on his
knee. Nov listen." be said gravely.
"Here is Miss Ruth minus her key.
practically ousted from possession OF
her property and, IT. We are not mis-.
taken, unable to lay her hands on her
most precious INTERCHANGEABLE plans of
the mother lode. They're in Wilker'
sons possession"
And he's digging the gold night and
day" John burst out.
With a swift glance to r%eassure Ruth.
who sat in mournfui silence, Everett
went on: 20
"That is the shrewd part Of Wilker.
sons play. He knows that the law
will give Miss Ruth here back her mine
and all that, it contains. It would
take time, but as sure as we are sit.
ting here, and no one knows It better
than e-justice would strip him Of ev.
cry III gotten, cent and send him to
prison with Ills accomplice. So what
does be do? Hastily uncover the real
prize? No. he ~conceals 1t still and
merely works the original mine
but we can put him out 81. fathers
mine. can't we?" demanded Ruth.
"And when We do we shall still be
no wiser Us to tile location or the real
gold. All U trouble and expense will
have gone for naught. Wilkerson win
still hold the secret of the Muster
Key"
And bow are We going to go, II
from him." demanded Dofr. r'iuthing
his fist f1
Everett smiled. by buying 1t from
him"
HE will ask millions!"
' The broker smiled again