Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-07-01

ioA' ~ yoo' well, lie owns IQ1S MN
but It's mostly run by a young girl
there In that bungalow on the hill.
You see. Tom amt up to what he used
to be-. The ore is getting worse every
day and the old mans sick I'D there IN
his house."
I'm going up to see him now" said
W1lkerson. He rode on a few yards
and surveyed the snug houses, stamp
mill and all the apparatus Of the grow
ing mine and snarled: 80 this is what
he wanted for HIMSELF"
Inc mar be was seeking lay prop-
ped up in bed. To Ruth he gave ev-
erything-silks and down and all the
soft things Of this life. Himself he
still slept on a hard cot with a straw
pillow under his head-that Is, he had
slept 1t seemed to him that sleep
had forever fed, and he was now look
ing up into Ruth's face almost plead
ingly, trying to keep his grim old lips
from asking sympathy. There was
reason in his mind that he should ac-
cept no tender ministration from the
lovely girl who stood beside him. His
sacrifice must be complete; so when
his daughter bent ver 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
we'll. I'm going to make you some
thing hot to drink. I'll bring you a
toddy." And she went into the kitch-
en- and shut the door.
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 we'll
thumbed diary.
Il am haunted" be wrote slowly, 'al-
ways haunted. Am I to die without
knowing whether Wilkerson Is alive
and that Ruth is safe?"
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 will he come out into the day?
He shall never have the key that
would unlock the secret to my little
girls happiness. I will 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. eve drinking greed
lily Of precious water; gold: murder;
his escape with the plans. their loss
in the chest when the vessel vent
down in a caldron Of fame: the image
Of his dying wife; the picture Of the
babe be 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 gulch
which marked John DORIS window.
Youth was calling to youth.
1t was no apparition that Gallon had
seen at the window this time. 1t was
really Wilkerson, who, after one salts
fed glance, rode swiftly away.
1t was midnight when he raped at
the door of the Vale Vista railroad
station and called the sleepy agent
Il want to get a telegram through
right away" he said b%rusquely. There
IS an extra dollar in your pocket If you
can rush it."
The slender boy who represented the
Rocky Mountain Southern railroad ST.
lently led the way in, turned up the
wick Of the lamp and showed blanks
md pencil across the counter.
You look half asleep to me-" Wilker-
son growled as he picked up the pen
Gil.
The boy scanned the stranger quiet
" and opened the drawer of his tel
eSrapn desk ana raced MS VISlCOr
again. Wilkerson caught the CLINT Of
the steel barrel of a revolver in that
drawer.
You must have some money in the
SAFE" he snarled.
The boy looked at him with steely
blue eyes and stated in a perfectly
matter Of fact tone, 81 merely wanted
to show you that l am awake" Their
glances met. 1t was Wilkerson's eyes
that fell.
He grasped the pencil and wrote on
the yellow blank:
Vale Vista, Cal. March II.
Jean Darnell. Aston House. New York
City, N. Y:
Have found Gallon at last. Address
Master Key mine tomorrow.
WILKINSON.
He showed the paper across to the
operator and said roughly: Nov, earn
that extra dollar!" He banged two sill
yer coins on the counter.
The operator scanned the message,
<ooE annfhor lonly o. h{S o1S$oro, AVID