The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-03-20


4 you 10 allow any one else to hnv
II yon"
4 'And what does Your love amour
4 to. after all. Harry" she asked. lie
me plainly Has ii done either OF y
any guods VIII II ever do Us an
good ?"
N'ilkerson stared out at the dark sea
| aud his face grew slowly very cruel.
i .t;uod:' he repeated. sAll that
/ know Is that love you more thai
4 anything else III the universe. Yol
love inxury and jcwelry and gold ant
! silk Because know what you love
\ am trying 10 get 1t for you. because
! want yo,l more than want anything
else. III think we are even."
"Even?' She said In a suddenly
| strained voice. Yes, we are even
I yon the feIon and the murderer, ! the
receiver of stolen goods. stolen happt
| ness. stolen life, stolen goldv'
When they finally reached San Fran
cisco Wikerson found her oddly dis.
trait She did not know whether to
10 to the mine or to return to New
York.
one moment she was In a tigerish
rare, Tie uext honr She was staring at
the fog haunted hills with eyes that
saw nothing.
Hr stormed and argued to no pur-
pose. He recalled 70 her constantly
tie fact that he had the deeds. the
master key itself. the plans of the lo-
cation of the mother lode.
She either listened listlessly or drove
tim away with furious upbraidings-
Yet ii the end she accompanied him
10 Silent Valley
1t was bitter moment for old Tom
Kane when the stage drove up and
Wilkerson and Mrs. Darnell got out In
stead Of John Dorr and Ruth.
He had hoped against hope; and now
his dreams were in ashes, for Wilker-
son instantly took charge, the men, rs
Tom put it to himself. followed the
mymaster. and so far as outward ap-
peurance went the Master Key" mine
WAS firmly in Wilkerson's possession.
Mrs. Darnel here proved herself the
shrewder mind Though she was little
seen. her influence was potent
And more than anything else she
worked on Wilkerson so that he did
not use the plans and open up the
rich vein
.Wait.~ she told him Don't be i'm
patient Our whole power here Is In
the fact that we have the secret once
tlut is public well likely lose every
thing"
"l.iit we ought to be at work before
porr gets back" he would argue.
"Yes. and every court in the land
will help him ~ regain this mine ana
its wealth Don't you seer Compro-
nisel'
"Compromise!' he repeated duly.
YES. you fooll''
But how"
Wait wait till John and Ruth get
back. They'll be glad enough to buy
those plans. Hary.'
When John Dorr and Ruth arrived
on the following steamer Everett met
them at the pier and told them the
news as he had gathered 1t from faith
ful Tom Kane. whom Jean Darnell had
insisted should resume his duties as
cook, sagely observing to Wilkerson
that ii would be well for them to have
d witness whose veracity Dorr would
notiInpugn. s IA5l so
Settled III the hotel, Dorr briefly re-
cited the experiences OF the past
months and then bluntly asked, What /
are we to dog"
Everett was ready with his answer. |,
Compromised
The dun red flooded Johns face. and I
he bit his lip. Had all his work gone |
for nothing?
Everett laid friendly hand on his
knee. Now listen" he said graVely /
Here is Miss Roth minus her key.
ousted from possession OF
her property and. II we are not mis-
taken. unable to lay her hands on her
most precious INTERCHANGEABLE plans of
the mother lode They're in Wilker-
sons possession"
And he's digging the gold night and
dayr, John burst out.
With swift glance to reassure Ruth.
who sat in mournful silence, Everett
went on:
'aTbat is the shrewd part. of Wilker-
sons play. He knows that the law
viii give Miss Ruth here back her mine
and all thar ii contains. It would
lake time, but as sure as we are sit
ling here. and no one knows 1t better
han he-justiee would strip him of ey-
cry III gotten cent and send him to
prison with his aceompliee So what
loes lie do? Hastily uncover the real
prize? No. He conceals it still and
merely works the original mine"
"But we can put him out of fathers
nine. can't weg' demanded Ruth.
And when we do we shall still be
10 wiser as to the location OF the real
gold. An our trouble and expense will
lave gone for naught. Wilkerson will
still hold the secret Of the Master
Key"
"And how are we going TO get 1t
from bimg" demanded Dorr. clIBching
ais fist.
Everett smiled by buying 1t from
him."
HE win ask millionsF'
The broker smiled again.