davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18

steps, another bend aud another disht
Of stairs. Then along long corridor.
where scarcely ray of light was visi-
BILE. All the time the shutting feet Of
the little yellow man could be heard In
the advance.
Then door stopped the procession.
Another series Of signals. Another long
wait. The door opened with pecu.
liar rumbling sound. They entered q
queerly arranged room. At first glance
1t seemed very small. but as the eye
Travelled around its walls its strange
shape gave one a feeling Of fearsome
apprehension. 1t was completely cyl.
indrical.
Wilkerson at sign from the China.
man laid Ruth on the door and Chi
nese woman shuffied to her at the beck
Of the yellow man. Leaving her tn
the charge of the oriental, the others
returned the way they had come.
On the arrival Of Dorr In San Fran
cisco he was met by Everett at the
ferry. and together they started the
search for Ruth. First they began a
round of the hotels. Failing to locate
her ut any of the smaller hotels. 6rst
inquiring at the st. Francis. where she
was supposed to stop. they arrived at
the Manx.
Weary and sore from his narrow es-
cape of the night before. Dorr was
ready to retire to his room. intending
to purchase wearing apparel the next
day.
Desiring to put some of his personal
effects away. he tried to open the dres-
ser drawers and discovered them to DO
locked. He sent for key, and to his
amazement, on opening one Of the
drawers be discovered Ruths papers
to the NINE
He made speedy inquiry ut the office
and from the clerk and the detective
learned Of the getaway Of Mrs. OAR
nell and her party.
Drake In the interim secured quar-
tiers for the quartet, and still leaving
Ruth in secure hiding, well guarded by
the watchful Wah Sing. former
smuggling partner Of Wilkerson In the
days Of the "opium ring" they walked
to the lodging house and settled them
selves to await further developments.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18
Left Handed Men Not Defective.


AS left handedness Is an inherited
characteristic, apparently behaving a.
Mendelian recessive, 1t Is interesting
to note the belief of some investigators
that 1t is one of the stigmata of degen-
eracy, says the Journal Of Heredity.
Bardeieben is quoted In German peri
odicals as saying:
THAT few great men. such az
Leonardo da vinci. were left handed
does not neutralize the prevalent be-
lief in all ages that left handedness
implies a substandari subject. The
percentage of left handed recruits Is
but So; of school children somewhat
higher. These figures are very decep-
tive. however, for of the left handed
children who become right handed the
percentage is some 20. This. added to
the persistently left landed. raises the
original percentage of left handed con-
siderably."
After pointing out that the gibbon
and orang outang are as rule right
handed and the gorilla and chimpan-
zee left handed the speaker decided
there was no evidence at all that q
left handed person was mentally Or
physically inferior.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18
CHAPTER TX.
cluster of the master Key" Mine.

fVIYl HEN Ruth Gallon did not call
y" upon him and he found him
SN:5I self unable to locate her
EGD Charles Everett was mt Il loss
Mnul to do. He hnd wired Dorr of his
anxiety about her and had received
word in reply that the Young engineer
had received conflicting messages.
unhappily for the gin, Everett was
called out of town. And so when he
found himself forced to make II hur
ried trip to San Francisco her predica
! ment became the more pronounced
The false Everett. George Drake. took
1t upon himself to call at the Ritz for
her mail. and. returning with word
that there was none for her. Ruth felt
strange preiion.iion that matters
We're not progressing as they should
Mrs. Darnell found her gazing out OF
the drawing room window. hnddlcd i'll
pathetic little heap. detection stamp
ed on features and form
"Dearie." purred the hostess. you
look as If you had lost your last friend
Oh earth. DO cheer up What is the
trouble?"
Ruth turned her head. but remained
In the same queer little attitude, reply
ing in II plaintive voice:
II do not understand why Mr.. Dorr
has not written or wired me- Really.
Mrs. Darnell am beginning to fear
that something has happened to him"
Mrs. Darnell looked ut her searching
ly. but recovered quickly under the
questioning return gaze
do not worry. Ruth Everything
will come out all right. Surprising we
take drive. The air and sunshine
will do you II world of good"
Every minute was one of delight to
the unsophisticuted girl. and each new
sight and vista opened Il new world
to her inexperienced mind. After Il
stop ut Grants tomb they speeded
downtown. reaching Columbus circle
after run through Central park y
blowout of one of the tires caused y;
delay. Ruth tired of sitting in the
car. and, jumping out, she spied Il flor
lists window. Before Mrs Darnel
could think Of the possibility OF Il mis-
carriage of her well laid plans the girl
was inside She purchased violets fol
both and was on her way out when
she saw II telephone. Intllitively, ruth
er than from any other motive. she
hastily called up Mr. Everett's office.
To her amazement she learned that he
had gone west
Her news was even more startling
to Mrs. Dnrnell than it had been to.
Ruth Quick action was needed. and,
leaving Ruth in the car with Il pre-
varicated excuse, the older women was
soon phoning to Drake, telling him to
20 west Mt once and instructing him
to meet them in San Francisco. where
he was to pose as Everett and continue
carrying out the plot to secure posses.
sion of Ruths mining property.
And thus 1t came about that five
days later found them in the metrop.
oils of the Pacific coast. where they
were met by Drake. still posing us Ev-
erett
The greatest difficulty lay in rcconcil.
ing Ruths mind to the mystery OF
Everett's sudden departure after she
had seen him at Mrs. Darnell's the
night before. But the cleverness Of
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18

NAYl ITH quick decision Wilkerson
+" turned his horse toward Vale
EGEsS Vista. He felt in his pockets
G.z4&Y to see how much money he
had. He discovered that through an
oversight he had put into his pocket
before leaving the office the last San
Francisco mint check for something
like $4,000. There was besides this u
couple of hundred dollars.
He pulled this out. stared at it, laugh.
ed and went on. Frisco for mine,"
said he.
The evening sun was pouring pale
blue light through a high Pacific fog
when Jehn Dorr came to his senses.
Twenty feet away the machine was
smoldering and the smell of Oil and
varnish lay like ii miaslnu III the gulch.
He could hardly breathe. He strug-
glcd painfully up the slope toward the
road and then lost consciousness again.
1t was only for a moment, for Tom
Kane. desert Wise. travelling in the cool
of the evening, STOPPED his burros at
the top Of the declivity. wondering
>.
bridge was gone This might be due
to tramps camped in the dry bed of
the creek not attending to their blaze
He led the burros off the road and
down the slope, only to stop with an
exclamation such as he had not used
in years. John Dorr lay there with
his fingers clutched into the gray
mari
He stopped over aud saw that the
body. bulking heavily in the misty
light still held its vital spark.
Where is Hickman. the driver?
The cook reered around ana then once
more bent over the motioness form
of the young engineer With great ex-
ertion he managed to lift him up and
place him across one of the pack sad
dies. Johns arm automatically clasp
ing the little animals neck. Seeing
him secure. and coming to his senses
Kane went down to the smodering re-
mains of the machine to search for
his companion. One glance Svas suffi
cient. He quietly went back and start
ed his journey toward the mine. His
old hands. scared by years of cooking
patted the almost inanimate form of
Dorr
They We're almost to the Master
Key" mine when Dorr came to himself,
slipped off the pack saddle and stood
up weakly
What happened?" he muttered
Nothing much," said Kane, putting
his arm about him. You had bad
fall. That bridge never was any too
strong.'
Bridget" said Dorr. 1.-THE bridge is
gomez"
Sure" said old Tom Kane easily,
whistling to his burros again You
/, just come along with me-
But haven't got my coat
The cook looked at him with swift
understanding His coat had been in
the seat Of the machine and was burn
ed. "Pll get you another coat when
we get back to camp" he said com
fortingly. So they progressed the long
and dusty road back to the Master
Key" 1t was dark when they ar
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18
BROOK FISH.
Why They Do Not Get Carried Away
Out Into Deep Waters.

Why They Do Not Get Carried Away
Out Into Deep Waters.
If you watch a school of minnows in
some stream that has strong and
swift current you will see that they
always head upstream. The reason
IL plain. Only by constantly swim
ming against the current can the brook
fish remain brook fish and not dnal-
ly be carried out to sea, as the brook
empties into river, and the river
empties into the ocean. But We can
not suppose that the brook Dish knows
that this will happen IL 1t weakly al
lows the stream to carry It along. The
young minnow is born with the In
stinct to resist the flow Of the brook.
The most natural supposition would
be that the instinct amounts to ten
dency to push against the pressure
of the water, but experiments have
shown that it is not the sense Of
touch, but the sense of sight that
plays the important part. The instinct
of the brook fish is not to swim against
the current, but to keep near the same
SCENERY" on the banks or bottom Of
the stream.
The experiments that proved this
were performed some years ago BY
Professor q. P. Lyon. He put some
little fish into bottle filed with wa
ter and corked the bottle, which he
then placed in an aquarium. whose
sides had seaweed upon them. When
he moved the bottle along by the wall
all the fish crowded to the hinder end
of the bottle. OF course there was no
current in the bottle. The fsh were
trying to keep alongside that part Of
the seaweed covered wall that was op-
posite them before the bottle was
moved.
In another experiment the professor
reversed the conditions. He made .
wooden box with wire netting at each
end. Its bottom he covered with sand
and its inner sides with seaweed. Then
he put the fish into this box and plac.
ed it in a stream. AS long as the box
was kept still the fish headed against
the current, but as soon as the box
was allowed to float away in the
stream the fish inside 1t swan In any
direction. While the box was still the
fish. unless they made head against
the stream. were carried along past
their landmarks on the sides and bot.
tom of the box. But when the box
foated along with them they carried
their landmarks with them, and 90
they made no opposition to being
swept along by the stream.-Youth's
Companion.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18

was worth while. He would win the
mine and the woman also.
The mine! The Master Key
The thought brought him hack like
the swapping Of whip.
where h the grip he asked almost
beusquely.
I'm there" and Mrs. Darnell pointed
b the curtains dividing Ruth's room
from the other.
wilker,on started tovsrd the arch.
way.
Harry
Hs turned
.You mustn't 60 In there"
why notT
She's sleeping-you'll awaken her."
sOh, Ill right! He paused and look
ed from Drake to Mrs. Darnell. well,
lets get down to business. Where are
The papers1 Have you got them yet2'
''ssh! Not 90 loud aud Mrs. Oar
neu looked apprehensively toward the
heavy plush hangings.
'-Oh. that's all right, Jean. But we
must hurry this thing up
In her bed Ruth stirred. The muir
mar q voices came to her as In trou-
bled dream Whose were they2 Where
had she heard that voice before2 The
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18

After moiling over the problem he
felt that he must contide in some one
OF all the men in the mine he trusted
only Tom Kane. He strobe down the
hill to the cook shanty and found the
old man engaged in his task of prepar
ing the MONDAY meal
LOOK here. Tom" John said alb
rGptly. holding out the telegram. u
haven't said anything before, but Ruth
is lost In San Francisco. I've wired
Everett before. He can't find her."
Without word the cook reached
for the yellow slip and read it slowly
He glanced up and said with the ut
most simplicity. II reckon you'd bet
ter catch this evenings express.
But my work here-somebody has
got to look after the mine and Wilker-
SON
Tom Kane glanced at him and then
at the bit of paper. II know how yon
feel" he muttered. but Eve cooked
years enough to know that If you leave
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18


heavy onef She turned on her side
anil the moonlight shone on her in q
white light.
! Il tell you. Jean. you must do as
say! II We want to get possession Of
those papers and secure the mine we
must actr'
"Will you be quietY' Mrs. Darnell's
EYES bla1ed In angered resentment.
What were the voices saying? Ruth
sat up. listened. slipped from the bed
and tiptoed to the curtains.
"You'li do as say or
"Harry!"
sOh. come, old man. What's the
uss Of all this argument?" and Drake
laid his hand on Wilkerson's arm re-
strainingly. Their eyes met wilker-
son calmed himself.
"Oh. all right. AZ you say" And
b stepped to Jean and turned her
around to him.
Slam! Bang!
"Hello, hello!'
With one rush the trio were upon
be-. Mrs. Darnell seized the affrighted
| girl and dragged her from the phone.
She screamed
"stop her yellingl Stop hery' com.
mapded Wilkerson.
George. for Gods sake. do some
tAingl"
With beg hand over the girls mouth,
Mn. Darnell held her by sheer
strength. while the always cowardly
Wtlkerson screamed his commands in
| louder tone than those Of the girl had
been.
| Her head fell back. and her body
became limp.
"she's faintedl Call taxi at oncel
We must get her out of this hotel!''
| In less than five minutes they were
shooting down the elevator. Another
quarter minute and Wilkerson. with
the unconscious form of the girl in his
arms. Der face covered by the cape of
the maid, was rushing across the lobby.
preceded BY Drake. Mrs Darnell stop
ped ct the desk long enough to throw
down q twenty dollar bill.
':The girl Is sick, and we must hurry
her to hOspttal! she managed to
gasp
Before the dumfOunded clerk or the
amazed guests could stop to act they
were out Of the hotel and in a taxi.
The house detective sprang from al
most out Of nowhere and in second
was speeding after the fleeing ones,
accompanied BY another plain clothes
man.
They, sighted the first taxi as It
rounded the corner Of Powell and Eddy
"Keep that car in sight. and catch it
II you cant"
The chauffeur made answer with his
| foot.
Az the detectives saw the course the
other car was taking they both muir
INJURED. sChinatown!"
| Into the realm Of the yellow man
shot the auto.
BEFORE a doorway Wilkerson stopped.
| Rap! Pause-rap! Rap! Pause rap!
a faee appeared as the door creaked
open. the face Of Chinaman. deeply
lined. the almond shaped eyes scarcely
visible elrough the nearly closed lids.
signal and whispered word from
Wikerkon. and the door widened the
0psninss and all passed through.
I WithNewhisk It closed.
Around bends and corners and down
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18

rived, and Kane was able to take hia
dazed and much bruised charge into
the cook shanty without being 0bserv-
ed by any Of the miners. Dorr was
still but half conscious and willingly
submitted to being put to bed. though
he still protested that he wanted his
coat.
what do you want your coat forT'
demanded Kane
John opened his eyes widely, for the
first time cognizant of his surround.
ings. Then he leaped from the bed
IAN my money is in it,
Tom Kane sat on the chair beside
him, dish towel in hand. as sort Of
emblem Of authority, and demanded In
his careful tones, "There wasn't any
thing else in the coat, John?" He bent
per. Instead Dorr gave q raucous
shout:
"There was that check from the
mint
Il saw you myself give that check to
Wilkerson," said the cook sOothingly.
But that doesn't change matters any.
You've got to get to San Francisco.
and you're busted" Tom Kane pulled
out an old deerskin poke and from II
spilled ON the table few hundred dol
lars.
Just as soon as you get able. john
he said huslsily, you take this money
and get to Frisco Find Ruth That's
all that matters-find that little girl.
"Hurry!' he whispered "WilkersoD
Is gone. He's been gone since mid
afternoon"
but ! am badly hurt" said John
Dorr stupidity. Then Kane under
stood that he must take desperate
measures.
Fifteen minutes later Dorr was
pounding down the road toward Silent
Valley His head was roughly band.
aged, his chest had heen tightly strap
ped with the ripped wooden blanket,
and in his nostrils was the pungent
odor of ammonia. He was ut last
awake and knew that in his pocket
was thousand dollars in gold. An
hour later he boarded the Sunset ex-
press and>automatically paid his fare.
bought his Pullman ticket and, not
withstanding the porter's earnest in
quiry as to his injuries. went to bed az
silently as he arrived in San Francisco
day later.
EXultant in his triumph. Wilkerson
stifed the small voice of his conscience
and strobe on. One thought now mas
tered his every action-he must reach
San Francisco and Jean Darnell.
Jean Darnell! The woman who stir.
red him to the depths of his innermost
soul.
Jean Darnell and the Master Key!'
Arrived at the station he sent her q
wire telling of his coming. Two min
utes later he was aboard the train. Az
he gazed backward bend Of the rails
drew curtain to his musings. and be
turned and entered the car.
-
Upon their arrival in San Francisco
Mrs. Darnell acted upon her decision
made during the journey-that they
would stop at less pretentious hotel
than the st. Francis, where the chances
of her plans being spoiled by chance
meetings with the real Everett or per-
hars John Dorr were too great. And
SO they took taxi to the Manx.
A word with Drake and the older
woman stepped to the desk and In q
firm. bold hand wrote:
Mrs. Darnell and daughter. New
York"
Quickly she turned to Ruth and. fol.
lowing the lead of the bellboy, escort
ed her toward the elevators.
No sooner had they removed their
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18

the schemer counterbalanced all doubts,
aud the girl was therefore persuaded
to hasten to San Francisco to carry out
her plans
Accordingly she wired Dorr. but
again tile wires crossed" for. al.
though he learned that she was go.
ing to the western city, he again learn.
ed that Everett had failed to connect
with her.
Ruth had been gone many days
when John Dorr received another tele-
gram from Everett that made his heart
stop its regular beat. Alone in his
cabin he pored over it as if there
must be some hidden meaning beneath
the words. 1t was unbelievable. Aft
err all his pain and his very careful
forethought for her comfort and safe,
ty something had gone wrong. Ev-
erett was brief:
San Francisco. April 2
John Dorr. Silent Valley, CAL:
Have been unable to find Miss Gallon.
EVERETT.
For awhile his mind refused to work
logically. All that he could think of
was little Ruth Gallon, she of the slen-
der hands and pure eyes. lost in the
great city and piteously seeking ia
miliar face. But he pulled himself Wig
orously together and called up the
agent at the station.
BILL" he said over the telephone.
'"This is Dorr. l want to get a wire
through to San Francisco
".All right, John: what is it?''
John thought moment and then die
tated this message:
Charles Everett. Call Building. San Fran
cisco:
Miss Gallon was to have gone to the st.
Francis. as wired you before DORR
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18

"fhe girl is sick, and we must hurry
her to hospitall"
wraps in the luxurious apartments than
a rap at the door interrupted their talk.
See who it is" commanded Mrs.
Dalmell to her maid.
The latter returned with q telegram
from Harry Wilkerson saying that he
was ON his way and would join them
soon.
Wearied by the long trip across the
continent. Ruth was glad to retire eas.
ly. and shortly after the dinner hour
she was tucked in her bed and sleeping
soundly
Drake hustened to the depot and met
Wilkerscn. driving him to the Manx
with all haste
Pm awfully glad to see you, Har.
ry." was the ELUSIVE greeting he ~
eeived from Jean.
His heart pounded with the Joy Of I'll
After all his scheming and plotting
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18

Consult an optometrist, if
you suspect failing sight. There
is no way in which you can
profit by putting it off. Eyes
do not get better without help.
Blurripg Of vision, lines rum
ming together, or darting pains
in the eyeballs, are symptoms
of eye defects, which should
be looked after at once.
Little eye troubles may be-
come serious ones, if neglected.
We are ready and willing to
help you. a.
j. d. Brown & Son,
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18
lzzSz!zzzzz5.
FOR STOMACH TROUBLE
Iohn w. skillen Of Sidney. Ohio.
Has Found a Remedy.

Joa0 w. S01len o. oldney, On0t
Has Found a Remedy.
Experts declare that the reason
stomach disorders are 60 common in
this country is due to hasty and care
less habits Of eating. Stomach
troubles and rundown conditions
usually 90 together.
John w. skillen Of Sidney, Ohio,
says: II had bad stomach trouble
Tor years. and became 30 weak that
I could hardly walk or do any work.
Ny appetite was poor, and it seemed
impossible to get any relief. Since
taking 'Vinol' I find q remarkable Inn
provement In my health, my digestion
u much stronger, and ! have gained
In weight I would not be without
Vinol."
Vinol makes weak stomachs strong
because It strengthens and tones up
the weakened, tired and overtaxed
nerves Of the digestive organs. vinol
10 easily assimilated by the weakest
stomachs. and is delicious to the taste.
Try bottle Of Vinol with the UNI
derstanding that your money will be
returned II It does not help you.
r. s-Stop scratching, our Saxa
5alye stops itching. We guarantee It.
Robt. w. Harvey, Druggist
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18
+. j. HENNEssE Y
BUY GUARANTEED COAL
Ceal In stock and ready for de-

Coal In stock and ready for de-
livery:
Illinois Nut. per ton. s. S SO
Illinois Lump per ten y. 6 So
Old Ben per ton. ....... 6 50
Tennessee Nut per ton. z 90
Tennessee Lump per ton 4 90
Saginaw Nut per ton. 3 90
Saginaw Lump per ton. 3 90
HARD Ccal per ton. ....... lllOs
Petroleum Coke. ....... 10 90
50 cents per ton extra for car.
ryln9 Ccal. Coal at bin so cents
per ton less.
jEasx&: 2zzA
ssm'l Holmes,
Manager.
Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-18
CHAPTER x.
In the Heart of Chinatown

In the Heart Of Chinatown.
fNAY1 ITH quick decision Wilkerson
IL" turned his horse toward Vale
|CTsSs5I Vista. He felt in his pockets
Gs1&Y to see how much money he
The Elbert County tribune., 1915-11-12
If You Are Coming
To Denver

We would like to have you soc the iuew
goods we have selected in fine Jewelry
Watches, Clocks and erything found
in first class jewnlry store. But il
you cannot come Just write and tell us
what you want and you will receive the
ssme careful attention and prompt serv-
ice you would receive over our counter.