The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-01-23

tef nave your pans reHuy4 ne stump
vi out.
lyon had better 10 this afternoon
John told Ruth. There Is no time to
lose"
IAN right" she said. I'm be ready
In an hour"
John smiled. IAN right; III take
you owe In the motor truck or shall
we ride to Silent valIeyT"
I've never been TO New York." she
said timidly. and with that incense
quentlal logic which maldens have, she
added. Lets ride. I'll take Patsy and
you can ride Black joe"
Dorr did not understand at all that
In leaving her home for the great
strange city she wished her last hours
to be Oiled with sunshine and a famil-
lar zest OF scurrying over dry Califor.
MIA on half broken horsefhesh.
"All right. wen ride" he said.
while you are getting ready I'll write
a letter TO George Everett"
Ruth laid one slender hand on Johns
shoulder.
You're always doing things for ME.
john" she said simply. Some day III
do something for you" She slipped
away without q back ward glance.
Dorr watched her trip down the hill
toward her own little bungalow. and
IL seemed TO him as IL he held one end
OF a golden thread that she was spin
ming through sunshine. Ii was an
chored In his heart. That thread would
bc 5000 miles long before she sa
good old Everett. He picked up MS
pen and wrote rapidly:
Master Key" Mine, June -
George Everett. III Broadway. New York
City:
Dear oeorge-when a young, slendsr.
brown eyed, golden haired girl walks Into
your Office and says. I'm Ruth Gallon
and hands you the papers that she will
nave In her little hand bag. please see
that she gets $4,000. Ever yours.
JOHN DoRR
lie would have added more. His
nner instinct told him that Ruth should
be the frst to put the whole scheme
before the cool headed. rather cold
hearted George Everett He addressed
the envelope and sealed 1t. Then he
went to the telephone and called up
the station at Silent Valley.
BILL" be said quietly after listening
a moment to see II any one was on the
line. II want 10 send a telegram. Take
II over the wire. please. I'll be down
I'm a little while and pay you"
Sure" floated back a cheerful voice
II wish my credit was as good as
yours. ten miles away. but II seems as
II ! have TO be always present when
ask for It, Go ahead. Johnp'
This IL IL. BILL" said John:
George Everett. Ill Broadway. New YORK
City:
Miss Ruth Gallon leaves tonight 10 zee
you about Master Key stock. Meet her
and wire me on her arrival. Take good
care OF her or I'll take care of you.
JOHN DORR
The operator repeated the message
and ~involuntarily adopted a little OF
Johns savage intonation on the last
four words. II woke him up TO the
fact that he was allowing his feelings
tn become public. He begun to see
why II was that men looked at him
strangely at times, when IL was q Ques
ton OF Ruth Q interests. He must re
strain himself.
The operator did not hang up imme
diately, but said hesitatingly: Say
John. there's a wire here: Just came
in from The Master Key mine. IL
does not seem to 1ibe with yours. WI.
kerson sent It."
TN play fair" said John to himself,
and he called back v e the wire. "Bil-
ly. that's yours and Wilkerson's bust.
ness. not mine" III he had listened TO
the tenor of the message directed to
Jean Darnell. In New York, he would
have learned what Wllkerson was plot.
ting.
For years Wilkerson had built up FOR
himself a golden image In Jean Oar.
nell. No n realized better than him.
self that she was a creature Of appe-
tite. a lover OF silk and velvet A wo-
man whose eyes widened at sight OF a
Persian cat. Feminine in every de
gree, womanly In none. But he him.
self. dominated absolutely. utterly and
completely by his desires. had fallen
under her spell. and he vas going to
win her. no matter how. 1t Ii a
strange thing that when a dishonest
man finally yields to an honest passion
nothing will satisfy him but the ut
most observance of the ritual OF socie.
~. Harry Wilkerson's vision was OF
walking up the aisle Of a great church
to meet his bride at the altar.
Yet he had always thought OF her IN
terms OF gold: that was a contrast
the pallid, satiny. blue eyed woman,
voluptuous. soft-and his image Of her
built OF yellow gold. dragged out OF
the bowels of The Master Key" mine.
This image was now before his eyes:
Instead of the warm. sun blessed Cali.
fornia hills, with their faint scent OF
sage and cactus, he saw a richly fur
nished room and breathed the odor OF
altar OF roses. Let US not follow him
In his dreams. But looking over his
shoulder an hour later we read:
Master Key Mine, Juns
Jean Darnsil, Astor House. New York
City:
Find Qaersa- Evarssa q 1R-azassx,,