Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-07-29

exclamation such as he had not used
in years. John Dorr lay there with
his fingers clutched into the gray
mari.
He stopped over and saw that the
body, bulking heavily in the misty
light. still held it's vital spark.
Where is Hickman. the driver?:"
Ihe COOK peered around and then once
more bent over the motionlesS form
of the young engineer. With great en-
ertion he managed to lift him up and
place him across one Of the pack sad
dies, Johns arm automatically clasp
ing the little animals neck. Seeing
nm secure. and coming to his senses.
Kane went down to the %smoldering re.
mains of the machine to search for
his companion. One glance was suf1i.
cient. He quietly Went back and start
ed his journey toward the mine. His
old hands, scared by years of cooking.
patted the almost inanimate form of
Dorr.
lhey were almost to the Master
Key mine when Dorr came to himself.
slipped off the pack saddle and stood
up weakly.
What happened?' he muttered.
Nothing much" said Kane, putting
his arm about him. You had a bad
fall. That bridge never was any too
strong"
Bridge" said Dorr. THE bridge is
gomez"
Sure" said old Tom Kane easily,
whistling to his burros again. You
just come along with me-"
But haven't got my coat"
The cook looked at him with swift
understanding. His coat had been in
the seat Of the machine and was burn
ed. "lll get YOU another coat when
we get back to camp" he said com
fortinsly. SO they progressed the long
and dusty road back to the Master
Key" 1t was dark when they ar
rived. and Kane was able to take his
daZed and much bruised charge into
the cook shanty without being observ-
ed by any OF the miners. Dorr was
still but half conscious and willingly
submitted to being put to bed, though
he still protested that he wanted his
Goa
"What do you want your coat for?"
demanded Kane.
John opened his eyes widely, for the
first time cognizant Of his surround
inSS. Then he leaped from the bed.
"All my money is in it,"
Tom Kane sat on the chair beside
him, dish towel in hand, as a sort Of
emblem Of authority, and demanded in
his careful tones, There wasn't any
thing else in the coat, John?" He bent
his white head as if to catch a whis-
per. Instead Dorr gave a raucous
shout:
There was that check from the
mint
Il saw YOU myself give that check to
Wilkerson," said the cook soothingly.
'But that doesn't change matters any.
You've got to get to San Francisco,
and you're busted" Tom Kane pulled
out an old deerskin poke and from it
spilled on the table a few hundred dol
lars.
"Just as soon as you get able, John"
he said huskily, you take this money
and get to Frisco. Find Ruth. That's
all that matters-find that little girl.
Hurry! he whispered. "Wilkerson
is gone. He's been gone since mid
afternoon"
But 1 am badly hurt" said John
Dorr stupidity. Then Kane under
stood that he must take desperate
measures.
Fifteen minutes later Dorr was
pounding down the road toward Silent
Valley. His head was roughly band
aged, his chest had been tightly strap
ped with the ripped wooden blanket,
and in his nostrils was the pungent
odor Of ammonia. He was at last
awake and knew that in his pocket
was a thousand dollars in gold. An
hour later he boarded the Sunset ex-
press and automatically paid his fare,
bought his Pullman ticket and, not
withstanding the porter's earnest in
quiry as to his injuries, went to bed as
silently as he arrived in San Francisco
a day later.
Exultant in his triumph. Wilkerson
stit1ed the small voice of his conscience
and strobe III. Gne thought now mas.
tered his every action-he must reach
San Francisco and Jean Darnell.
Jean Darnell! The woman who stir
red him to the depths of his innermost
soul.
Jean Darnell and the Master Key"
Arrived at the station he sem her a
wire telling Of his coming. Two min
utes later he was aboard the train. As
he gazed backward a bend Of the rails
drew a curtain to his musings, and he
turned and entered the car.
Upon their arrival in San Francisco
Mrs. Darnell acted upon her decision
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