Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-07-08

Ders that marked the position of the
lost vessel, and the chest that held the
plans. Whom could he trust with
this? He looked out Of the window
and called to John Dorr.
"John" he quavered. "I've already
told you a little about my finding this
mine and about my old partner"
"Wilkerson?"
Yes. Wilkerson; but there Is anoth-
or secret. | lost the location Of the
mother lode in q wreck at sea. The
chest slipped overboard; but find the
wreck and somewhere near it is that
OLD carved chest, and when you open
the Chest The old man suddenly
staggered forward into DORIS arms.
Il killed him once" he muttered fee
bly,, and then the silence which pres
ages the wordlessness Of eternity over
came him John gently laid him down
on the bed and called Ruth.
Father she called softly as she
knelt by the bedside.
Thomas Gallon stood on the great
divide, but he turned back a moment
to gather his strength. Then he mo-
toned with his gnarled hand for John.
The young man stepped quietly for.
ward and stopped over.
MY will, John! leave Ruth The
Master Key In my ~desk-bring it."
When the desired paper was brought
he whispered:
Read it"
John Dorr opened the document and
read it aloud:
%*.I cave all my property to my
daughter. Ruth, to come into her full
possession on her eighteenth birthday. ]
direct her never to let so Of The Master
Key which will make my little girl
happy
So ran the last words. The old man
lifted himself still farther up and call
ed for a pen and ink. Then, muster,
ing his failing powers, he wrote in a
firm hand the further words:
l direct that my daughter keep Harry
Wilkerson as superintendent until she is
eighteen. I appoint as executor of this
my last will and testament. John Dorr.
THOMAS GALLON.
The pen fell from his fingers, and be
lifted his trembling hand to his throat
and tore at the string that held the
golden key. 1t broke. and be put the
key in Ruth's lap.
THAT is the secret" he muttered
John knows-and Wilkerson. Trust
John" Again he opened his eyes and
motioned toward the desk. The let
teri" he croaked.
Ruth's quick intuition led her to the
desk again, and she found In the same
drawer that had held the will a sealed
envelope addressed:
John Dorr:
To be opened on Ruth's eighteenth
birthday. Sooner if her welfare Is threat
ned
Gallon turned his dimming eyes tt
Ruth, who took both his chilling hands
in hers.
Child! The Master Key keep al
ways near you. Some day'-he choke6
cit will bring you riches. happiness
and love-"
When he first heard that Gallon wa
dead Wilkerson was appalled,. 81
thought of the oma in New Yorl
and regained his courage. This was {
case where he must win by brute force
He must Immediately show his author
tty. He who struck first would win
he thought; yet in the back Of his con
seriousness was the realization that be
did not know what disposition Gallon
had made Of the property. And where
was that rich vein Of gold that would
buy him Jean Darnell, with her velvet
ways and her dark eyes Of topaz?
Perhaps because for several years he
had not handled other men. but beer
himself a mere cog in a great machine
Wllkerson mistook the spirit Of the
miners. He did not understand thai
they had u profound respect for Thorn
as Gallon.
II must get these people in hand
thought Wilkerson, land do it quick"
He spent the afternoon in making q
schedule for a sweeping reduction in
wages. Then he sent for Bill Tubbs,
the engineer. When he had come
gross, liquor sodden and half insolent,
the superintendent laughed at him.
'Tubbs, what do you know about
this mine?"
"Well," Tubbs answered. the ore
PANIED out pretty good for awhile, but
they lost the mother lode. There amt
a carload worth a dollar come out of
here in three months, and that little
girl up on the hill won't have moth.