The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-04-09
MASTER KEY
BY JOHN FLEMING VII SON

& THE sooner you let the miners know
apaln get thugs settled the better"
W 81 g4 licked cfs,< big dry lips The
battle. was on. He broke the silence
By saying gfunly, "ca al ZEN up here.
Bulv' ~ - 8 .
asNothing loath, Tubbs, went out on
the porch. and his. hoarse tones re-
sounded through the little valley. In
staptly men appeared from doorWaays,
came from q dozen. PLACES in, response
@ that call. : And women, clutching
their children, peered out to see what
was In tie air. II : sT8 ~ + 3 s.
z When The men were gathered before
him Wilkerson stepped forward and
commenced to- speak He could not
break their sullen silence. and. after, a
few words Of generalities, be mustered
bis courage and shouted. Il am the
owner of this mine! + have the deeds
right here!' ..---.
The effect of this was far other than
he had expected. Not a murmur came
from the still, motonless throng. 1t
was az It they had not heard him. In
q lower tone he repeated it, Il am the
owner Of the Master Key mine and all
that goes with it!' ~ -. J.
L He held up the papers. and Bill
Tubbs looked at them and gravely nod
ded his head, as much as to say that
he had inspected them and could vouch
tor, their authenticity. Still no sound
from the miners.
There is a quality in. the silence of
the crowd Of earnest men that Is more
questioning than any word could be.
The men who had. worked and to1led
for old Tom Gallon. who had been de-
ceiyed and batHed, who had had their
loyalty tested to the utmost. now de-
handed through their imperious 81
lence that Wilkerson open up his mind
to them. If he was indeed the own r
Of the Master Key" what did he in.
tend to do? --.
you'd better say some more quick
ly," warned Drake in a low tone. And
Wilkerson, completely bewildered, set
the match to the powder. He stepped
forward with as ugly a look as he
could assume and cried, "Now tell me
what you want?"
Instantly the air was filed with
roars Of rage and disappointment.
Fifteen minutes later Harry Wilker
son was sweating within the cabin.
With shaking hand he poured him
self out tumbler of Tubbs' whisky.
He had promised the miners back pay.
steady work, full wages and food. He
must make good. and he did not know
how.
"Tubbs.' he said sharply, you must
find out what men we can trust. Say
nothing. but get all the information
you can. ri make it worth the while
Of the men who'll stick by me-" w.
Again the engineer chuckled fatuous-
~. They'll all stick by ye,," he said
sagely, "s'long as We, pay 'em like you
said We would"
1t was late in the afternoon when
Tom Kane appeared on the mail wa g-
on: The driver had already inform ed
him of. how affairs were going, and
the cook wasted no time: He climbed
down from the high seat. jerked bis
battered case out of the wagon and
made straight for his shanty. Within
fye, minutes he had Invested himself
Of his black clothes and donned bis
official overalls and apron. Then he
appeared on the porch as calm and I'M
concerned as though he had not been
away. !.
In no time at all a couple Of dozen
miners had gathered to shake hands
and swap news. Naturally their big.
gest item was Wilkerson's proclama-
ton of ownership.
At this Tom Kane laughed scorn-
fully. He derided the papers, ridiculed
the miners for being fools easily taken
in and stated, In set terms that he,
Tom Kane, actually. held the place Of
authority. .-.-.-s5
This soon came to Wilkerson's ears,
and he hurried down the hill to stop
what he knew to be a dangerous seces-s
sion. Instantly the old cook locked
horns with him, poohpoohed him TO-
his face, called him names Of peculiar
virulence and offered to fight him on
any terms. As.
Before long the camp was in an up
roar, and it was due to certain cooler
heads that trouble did not ensue i'm
mediately. These men insisted that
there was time to settle the dispute Of
ownership. forced Wilkerson to with
draw his command that Kane leave.
the mine instantly and managed to
bring semb1ance Of peace out of dis;
order. Kane bowed his neck to the
yoke of their authority. but dispatched
trusty messenger to the station with
a telegram to.John to come as soon as
possible. Wilkerson resorted to "a
scene which was eventually to threat,
en- the very existence Of the Master
key" He sent Drake south to confer
with desperate whom he knew, who
could gather a band Of Mexicans like
himself on short notice, ready for any
thing that promised loot.
."TeIl Jose. to be here tomorrow
night" he Instructed him. I'll want
about twenty men well armed.
Drake rode away as from destruc-
ation, cursing the luck that, had put
him in the power of such man.
: In response to Kane's message John
Dorr, Ruth Gallon and Everett left
Beverly Hills for Silent Valley. They
arrived the third day after the cook.
and from the moment they were recog
nized the. miners dropped their atti-
tude Of sulky waiting and, thronged
about their mistress. cheering and
shaking hands. When thew had got