Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1915-03-11

effort
Il think I ought to have more- ~
said quietly. There arr Signs Of eeno
on one part of this property which has
never been worked. IL Is nowhere neaR
the place marked in the plans. as 700
win easily see. You understand thsf
Tom Gallon and were partners wheR
he located that rich ore Never mind
Bygones are bygones. But | wanf
$4,000 and that little claIm. 10 may
not amount to anything nut then again
1t may. Fifty thousand is soon speat
A mine is a mine"
The plansv' demanded Sir Donald
Wilkerson pulled out Of his shirt
bosom an oilskin folded around q
square paper He laid this on the tn
bic.
There they are" he said. as though
driven to bay.
Mrs. Darnell's movement of protess
did not escape either Everett or Faver>
sham. They looked at the little packea
that had cost 50 much agony ana
bloOdshed
at is "a gentlemans agreement
said Sir Donald presently. taking Out
his check book.
The money passed, and then Everett
| picked up the oilskn packet and put
| it In his pocket
The deeds and the master key" hs
said gently.
Mrs. Darnell's face became splendid
in its futile rage. She tore the ribbon
from about her throbbng throat and
flung the key on the table.
Sir Donald picked it up carefully and
rose. At the same moment Everett
pocketed the deeds and started for the
door.
He and Faversham passed out into
the starry night and vanished. leaving
Wilkerson still at the desk fumbing
| the check.
Suddenly he reached for pen and ink
and scrawled his name on the back.
Then be silently handed it to Jean
Darnell. biting her red lips and moving
almost imperceptibly. like an animal
about to spring.
She took the bit of paper aud tucked
it In her bosom. Then she turned ON
her companion. He met her fiery gaze
I coldly.
The mother lode is on that little bic
| got them to give u.s." he said calmly.
| The plans Everett has are false"
| And the look that she allowed him
to see in her eyes was such as no 9th
er man had ever seen there II was
as If her tortured and lonely proud soul
had found its mate IN some darkneaz
made lurid by the flames of hell.
| Sir Donald spoke q brief good nighG
to Everett when they had left the o.
fee and turned toward the bungalow,
leaving the other to 90 up to wherg
| the light burned In John DORIS cabin
and tell him of the events Of the even
ing -
He met Ruth at the door and quietly
told her that all was we'll She looked
up at him with her great eyes alled
! with unshed tears and he bent over her
a little
Then he drew out the master key
and put the ribbon over her head until
the dull brass shonr ON her white
! throat
You are once more the mistress Of
the master key" he said gently, and
! of my heart"
Something in her expression told him
| he had said enough With a cheerful
word he went away.
But the next day Sir Donald renew
cd his wOOing in such fashion that
Ruth was sorely put ,o it to keep him
! frour demanding such carcsses as her
engagement made him rightfully ask
for
The hardest part WAS that she per-
ceived that John DOr' now knew that
she was TO marry Sir Donald
He did not know. nor ever would.
what that marriage was the price of.
Everett, OF course. had quietly intro
duced Sir Donald's assertion OF his
new relation to Ruth into his narrative
of what had occurred 10 the office.
John had taken the blow steadily,
but he was not one 10 walk in tho
dark. lie sought out Ruth and In q
few words drew from her the truth.
Now we all know where we stand"
John said bravely. smiling ut her
But IL thought you loved me too"
she murmnred.
That doesn't alter the matter" he
said comfortingly. "NOw | must get
to work. I've lots to do. WiIkersou
has already started work around the
spur. and | must begin driving into
the place where your father found
that rich vein. We may drift into IL
amy day" ....
Naturally enough the two camps kept
pretty MUCH 10 themselves. but Tom
Kauv carried the gossip 10 John Dorr.
evidently IN an effort to distract his