Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-07-22

Yes. the stock. You understand
that she came to New York simply to
raise money for this mine. You are
supposed to handle the business for
her. If you don't learn all that is to
be learned about The Master Key
mine in the next two days you are
more than the fool 1 take you for"
She drew him back to where Ruth
stood amid the suit cases and hand
bags and said. Miss Gallon, Mr.. Ev-
erett has been telling me that he, too.
has heard from John Dorr about your
coming"
Ruth scanned him politely. But the
interest died in her eyes when she
saw what sort of a man he was. He
might be a friend of Johns; he might
be the man to rescue THE Master
Key" from bankruptcy. but he did not
interest her.
Drake. trying to play the part at the
busy broker and. being thoroughly and
temperamentally an actor. felt the chilli
Of this lack Of interest and would GER
tainly have fallen down on his part
had he not been prompted by Mrs.
Darnell. He was glad to hasten away
to find the elusive taxi
The real George Everett got out Of
his limousine on the corner of Wander
bilt venue and hurried through the
revolving doors; brisk. debonair, alert,
decided; with that happy style which
denies foppery and avoids surveillance.
1t seemed strange that he should have
a photograph in his hand at which he
looked intently until he got in the con-
course. There he stopped and, with the
picture still In his hand. commenced
watching the faces Of the people
thronging through the gates under the
vast dome. AS he waited be frowned
slightly. why had John Dorr sent
him during business hours on a wild
goose chaser" He thought Of this ar
ticulately and hen smiled to himself.
"a wild goose!" he muttered. 1t
brought up darkling sunset vistas,
lakes smooth as quicksilver under the
evening sky. and slim, gray, beautiful
birds homing downward The frown
left his forehead.
"After all it will be good to see some
body from out of DOORS" he said to
himself.
Half an hour later he discovered that
he had irretrlevably missed the ar
rival Of the Chicago express and with
it Ruth Gallon. He went back into
his car and drove to his Office. Once
there he called bis head clerk. an an
cient and fragile man. as crisp and
bloodless as the money that passes on
Wall street. and told him to see at
what hotel Miss Ruth Gallon was stop
ping. Then he wired John Dorr:
LII Broadway. New York
John Dorr, Master Key Mine. Silent
Valley. Cal:
Could not find Miss Gallon at train. Am
seeking for her. as 1t is important that
the business be settled Immediately. Wire
any possible address.
GEORGE EVERETT.
Far out on Broadway, above the
another message addressed to Harry
Wilkerson. 1t read:
Is A West Eighty-fourth ST., New York.
Harry Wilkerson. Master Key" Mine, via
Vale Vista, CAL:
Everything all right. George met Ruth.
She is now with me and waiting further
particulars. Have seen Everett under
guise Of prospective purchaser of stock.
The girl is charming.
JEAN DARNELL.
Some houses, like some people, should
never be illumined with sunshine, and
Mrs. Darnell's residence, overlooking
the Hudson. was of this type Its dull.
red stone front, marked by windows
that seemed blind to all that went by,
was not distinctive in that neighbor.
hood. A thousand doors within a mile
would have suggested to the passerby
nothing more nor less than the great
oak portals within which she lived. To
Ruth Gallon. Of course, the house
seemed tremendously formal and state
ly. Within she found an atmosphere
so absolutely strange and alien to all
she had ever known that she shrank
within herself and had nothing to say
until she had been conducted to her
W room on the third floor and a dis.
Greet maid was busy unpacking her
things. Ruth felt that society had al
ready laid its restrictions on her. She
recognized the maid as the gown and
hat' policeman.
This silent. but exceedingly obtrusive
parsonage having retired at last, Ruth
studied her surroundings. When she
had completed her survey she thought
to herself that there were two things
wanting. One was a silk haired Per
sian cat and the other a flaming color.
ed scarf across the bed that completed
the altogether of an apartment severe
ly luxurious. Then she tried to ina.
lyze the odor, delicate yet insistent,
which she was ever afterward to asso-
ciate with Jean Darnell and her expe.
rience in New York.
At last she traced it to some pallid
flowers in the great green and dark red
vase, whose unwholesome beauty was
that Of plants whose roots have never
been in good, sound soil. They looked
to her much like lilies, whose pads had
aoated on some dark and opalescent
pool. viscid with odors OF the night.
She was still staring at these and
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