Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-01-14

control Of the mines stock would b.
futile. He must not be allowed to g
to San Francisco. ~
But how to prevent him? Wilker
son pondered this problem till his darl
face was suffused with angry blood
There vas no way but the way Of vic
lence. Among his sensuous appetite!
was none for blood, but he nerved him
self to his task and shortly after mid
day called for biz, horse and rode out
stating that he was going across thu
divide to see about a fresh supply Of
wood. In the saddle sea bbard he car
ried a short saw. ~ H.. + "a
Il gs231s S2asltf&sr& sls
Spanning an arroyo between two hills
halfway to Silent Valley was q short
bridge Of considerable height It vas
midafternoon when Harry Wilkerrsson
threw the bride rein over his pony.s
head and climbed down, the hill slope
till he was directly under the bridge.
Then he pulled the little saw out Of .hia
shirt bosom and began, work, Fifteen
minutes later be climbed up. to the
road, broke the saw In two, flung the
pieces into the brush and rode away.
He did not 60 far. iii TIC, 3.suE lis
From his place of vantage halfway
up the hill be waited. The hour that
elapsed before he heard the coughing
Of the motor seemed an endless success.
sion Of deadly seconds. each marked
by a stabbing breath. = Then he saw
the truck emerge from thecut and com.
mence to rumble heavily down the
slope. John Dorr was driving. With
him was u of the hands. ,.@ T., ~.
The heavy truck bumped upon the
bridge, and in the desert silence the
ma on the hill saw it quietly sway to
one, side and then plunge downward
to the rocks below. Before the sound
OF that crash could reach his listening
ears he saw a sudden burst of fame
shoot up a dense swirl Of smoke. Then,
like the faraway cracking Of a tre,
came the noise Of the yielding timbers.
followed by a dull boom.
my God!" whispered Wilkerson to
himself. 1.-THE gasoline tank exploded
and the car Is on fire." BE crouched
in the brush, waiting to see whether
any one emerged from the gulch. No
one did. The bridge burned fercely.
At least no n would ever know the
cause of this catastrophe, and John
Dorr would not go to San Francisco.
Instinct told him to fee the scene.
But a stronger passion overcame him;
he must see for himself what had hap
pened. He mounted his horse and rode
swiftly down the slope.
The truck had turned completely
over and lay broken and smoldering
across the waterworn powders. VII
kerson could not see two forms; all
be discerned through the eddying
smoke was the body Of John Dorr,
flung some distance from the truck,
his pallid face turned to the blazing
sky. ~ &.
"Deadw muttered Wilkerson, chilled
with the. horror Of the thing be had
done. 1t bit into. his very soul. that
scene, until he could not stand 1t longer
and rode furiously away toward the
other side Of the divide. He must 60
on his supposed errand about the wood
~-S .~- sAkl~ln, ~ kAl~ r.' 81.
On the crest Of the mountain he halt.
ed and looked back. Far below. him q
thin. curl Of gray smoke marked the
site Of the murder. Knowing that he
was safe, Wilkerson experienced a Ire
mendous reaction.
He raised himself exultantly In his
stirrups. He was now master Of the
master Key" mine.