Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-10-28


the Hill Till Only Wilkerson Was
Left.
much dynamite had beer planted and
how Wilkerson's men were actually
too nervous to work any longer.
He has to fix the fuses and fire the.
shots himself" he said.
True enough. they saw man after
man come down the hill till only VIII
kerson was left
Ruth noticed that he worked rapidly
and with an occasional glance down
toward Mrs. Darnell. who stood near
a big rock shading her eyes against
the evening Jul
At last the work was apparently
done, and Wilkerson waved his arms.
At that signal there was a general
rush for cover.
Then the man Strengthened himself
up as if master of the demons hidden
at his feet. and waved his hand to the
woman watching him from below:
then he stopped
An instant later there was Il terrific
explosion. and Il smoky gap appeared
halfway up the hillside.
AT the foot OF the slope ,ay the body
of Wilkerson. tossed There as one.
might toss an Old hat. The smoke Oh,
the hill eddieu and swirled.
No one stirred. There We're II dozen
other lneXpioueu shots IN that hill
side. any one OF which would likely
bring the toppliug crest downward
With white faces they held their
breath Wiikerson's body twitched
Slightly. the only moving thing in that
amphitheater.
Then there was Il wild scream. filed
with terror, with passion. with flaming
and awful desire. and Jean Darneu
ran over the rubble toward the smok-
ing hill, crying:
Harry. Harry!'
A dozen men started to run to drag
her back, and a hundred voices NUT
tered warnings that held them in their
tracks.
Jean reached the body Inc flung her,
self on it: then she rose and stared up
at the great rocky crest
Did she hear the roar of voices call
ing to her to fee while there was time?
Did she see the death that hung
above her. If she did she despised
it.
In this final cataclysm her wild heart
broke through the bonds of this selfish
existence and flung her q full pa~>i"; ,
ed sacrifice on the body OF the lnalL-
who had loved her and given her his
%all-honor and life!
In the quick silence they who watch.
ed heard a single. full throated cry:
Harry! Harry!T'
Then the mountain roared into the
air. and the avalanche Of rock poured
W. the two lovers in wave after wave
till it had buried them forever.
And as explosion after explosion.
rocked the earth and filed the evening
sky with lurid debris Ruth struggled
from Sir Donald's OBTAINING grasp and
fed into the arms Of John Dorr, where
she clung. sobbing:
John! joint"
Sir Donald looked at John DORIS
TRANSPORTED face and heard that cry.
meant for lovers ears alone.
Very steadily be turned away and
stared up at the terrific cataclysmG
which had united both the darkling
hearted and golden youth.
He found the cool beside him. his
gray ock streaming in the gusts OF
wind from the blasts. He pointed with
his stick to q piece OF rock that rolled :
to their feet. u in the dull Stiffness
that followed the terrific uproar he
said:
Il really believe. Mr.. Kane, that we
have uncovered the gold we have look
ed for SO long"
And Tom Kane reached down and
picked up the nugget and stared at 1t.
Then he turned to the white faced gen.
tleman beside him.
'G"The Master Keyr" the old man
muttered.
eyes," returned Sir Donald quietly.
1T unlocks strange doors"
THE END.