White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-02-21
Everything seems to be all right

Good said the superintendent dry
ly. I'D like to get started on that
new lead pretty soon." lie could not
repress a sour smile. "Since the old
rate of wages has been restored
guess you and ! may have to do with
out our salaries for awhile"
John looked up and caught himself.
lie "a In no position to quarrel with
this man. Pay the men first. OF
COURSE" he said. He proceeded to get
Into a package of %blueprints and mem
oranda.
Going to move?" suggested Wilker
son.
I'm going for "a trip. and | thought
I'd look oyer my notes in the mean
WHILE was the response.
Wilkerson said 10 more. He went on
the alert. From Bill Tubbs he learned
that Dorr was going to run into either
Vale Vista or Silent Valley with the
motor truck.
The superintendent of the Master
Key" belonged to the type TINT is cat
like in its ~quickness of action. based
vi lDtuitlDn liiDti t1dH VII TtdSOl.
While Ruth Gallon was carefully con
cealed. II was more than possible that
Dorr would s o stir things up with the
aid of Everett that all plans to seize
control of the mines stock would be
futile. He must % be allowed to go
to San Francisco
But how TO prevent him? Wilker.
son pondered this problem till his dark
face was suffused with angry blood
There was no way but the way Of VIC
lence. Among his appetites
was one for blood. but he nerved him
self to his task and shortly after mid
day called for his horse and rode out,
stating that he was going across the
divide to see about a fresh supply of
wood. In the saddle scabbard he car
ried a short saw
Spanning An arroyo between two hills
halfway to Silent Valley was a short
bridge of considerable height 1t was
midafternoon when Harry Wilkerson
threw the bride rein oyer his pony's
nttu uDO tiiIubtI uONH lut ull elObt
till he was directly under the bridge.
Then he pulled the little saw out of his
shirt bosom and began work. Fifteen
minutes later he climbed up to the
road. broke the saw In two, flung the
pieces into the brush and rode away
He did not 90 far.
From his place of vantage halfway
up the hill he waited The hour :hat
elapsed before he heard the coughing
Of the motor seemed an endless succeit
sion of deadly seconds. each marked
by a stabbing breath Then he saw
the truck emerge from the cut and com.
mence to rumble heavily down the
slope. John Dorr was driving With
him was one of the hands.
The heavy truck bumped upon the
bridge. and In the desert silence the
man on the hill saw 1t quietly sway to
one side and then plunge downward
TO the rocks below. Before the sound
of that crash could reach his listening
| ears be saw n sudden burst of fame
shoot up a dense swirl of smoke. Then.
like the faraway cracking of a fire,
came the noise OF the yielding timbers.
followed by a dull boom.
"My Cod" whispered Wilkerson to
himself. THE gasoline tank exploded
and the ear Is on fire. He crouehed
In the brush, waiting to see whether
any one emerged from the gulch. No
one did. The bridge burned terceIy.
At least no one would ever know the
cause of this catastrophe. and John
Dorr would not go TO San Francisco.
Instinct told him to flee the scene
But a stronger passion oyercame him;
pened lie mounted his horse and rode
| swiftly down the slope.
The truck had turned completely
over and lay broken and smoldering
| across the w~aterworn powders. VII
kerson could not see two forms; all
he diseerned through the eddying
smoke was the body of John Dorr.
dung some distance from the truck.
his pallid face turned to the blazing
sky
"Dead,' muttered Wilkerson, chilled
with the horror Of the thing he had
done, 1t bit into his very soul, that
scene. until he could not stand II longer
and rode f~uriously away toward the
other side OF the divide. He must go
on his supposed errand about the wood
and know nothing of this.
On the crest OF the mountain he halt
ed and looked back. Far below him n
thin curl of gray smoke marked the
site of the murder. Knowing that he
was safe. Wilkerson experienced a tire
mendous reaction,
He raised himself e%xultantly In his
stirrups. lie was now master of the
Master Kay" mine.
CHAPTER X.