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

and slave. He took his pen and rap
idly wrote out an order:
after this day all wages in this
mine will be reduced % per cent"
He called II of the ~bookkeepers and
CURLY ordered him to post it on the
wall Of the office outside. A surprise
awaited him. however. in the attitude
Of the miners. They paid no attention
to the notice he had posted on the office
wall, nor did they seem to recognize
the presence Of the new superintend-
ent. He questioned Ed Mayer. the
loading boss.
Miss Ruth is running The Master
Key!" Mayer replied.
After the passing Of Thomas Gallon
things at the mine went very quietly
for a few weeks. John Dorr had &C.
cepted the subordinate position un-
der Wilkerson and was faithfully de-
voting himself in the intervals Of his
duties to soothing Ruth's grief. The
girl had really been enormously de-
pendent upon her father. She was
only a child, but now in her solitari-
ness she turned to John and old Tom
Kane with impulsive trust and affec-
ton. She tried hard to be brave, but
the days We're long and the nights long
er. The cook house bloomed with fresh
roses every day, an excuse for her 60
ing down to talk with old Tom. and
in the evening, when the shadows fell
across the gulch, John and she would
water the flowers together, and be
would tell her of his life in college and
In New York.
I'D love to see New York." she said
a dozen times, and on each occasion
John would smile at her and say, "You
SHALL"
Neither of them realized that circum-
stances would shortly take them both,
though separately, to New York. for
there was piling up in q secret drawer
in Wilkerson's desk letters written in
a woman's script Some Of them in
scented envelopes on embossed paper.
Each n of them was signed Jean
Darnell." When the seventh letter
came the superintendent reread it
many times:
Astor House, New York, May Is, 49,
Dear H~arry-From what you say and
from what 1 learn from George, I think
that I would be willing to put up the
money to buy control Of your Master
Key" mine. but you must be sure about
this. I know that old Gallon made money
out Of it, but I'm also sure that he was
concealing something, as you think. Make
the mine worth while and-well, I remem-
Der my days in that camp-I'd like my re-
venge. George Everett will handle the
stock end Of it very quietly when you say
the word. Don't let your ugly temper get
away from you and look out for Dorr.
JEAN DARNELL.
"Now," thought Wilkerson exultant-
~, II a put the screws on Dorr. I'll
fire him"
At this m the man he was
thinking so bitterly Of appeared, and
Wilkerson, while his courage was still
fresh, said %insolently: II see you are
spending q good deal of time out of
your Office. The mine can't afford
such extravaganza. l guess we'll have
to have a new mining engineer. I've
sent for one, SO you better pack"
For the moment John did not speak.
They confronted each other for a mo-
ment; then Dorr turned on his heel
and walked off. AS he did so he brush
ed into old Tom Kane.
"The miners won't stand any more
of Wilkerson, and they are going to
strike tonight. when the day shift
comes off," Tom croaked. Lots of
them are packing their duds now to
get out On him; he has ruined little
Ruthless property"
realized that the various groups of
miners, tired, sullen, as If waiting for
something, made an ugly picture.
I'm afraid it's up to them, Tom"
he said, a little huskily. 81 have been
discharged, and l am leaving myself
tonight"
He was perfectly amazed at the ef-
feet of his words. Dropping the coffee
pot with a crash on the top Of the
range, Tom Kane dashed out Of the
door and into the nearest group of
miners, ~gesticulating and laughing hys-
terically. He said two words and then
rushed back. his bright eyes cleaning
fercely.
THAT the mine for Ruthie,
john" he gaSrrd The miners were
just going to quit quietlike. Now they
will make Wilkerson take you back,
and you can make him straighten mat
ters out with them"
He peered anxiously up into the
young mans face. You won't desert
her, will you, John?'
With an in%articulate growl John
swung out into the sunshine and ell
bowed his way through the streaming
throng Of miners just coming off shift.
Ahead Of him he saw Wilkerson talk
ing to an old miner, who seemed to be
arguing earnestly. He saw the super
intendent and the miner re-enter the
Office, and a moment later Ruth ap-
peared-
AS John came to the Office door he
heard the sound of a scufle within.
He kicked open the frail barrier and
stood inside just in time to see Wilker-
son draw a gun on the old miner.
Nn-~~ 49, 5--r - H.