The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1915-04-30
"THE MASTER KEY"
BY JOHN FLEMING WILSON

Il
knowledge that thing is impossible, -
Faversham warned him. ''and the east
has driven him mad. However, l am
much interested myself, not only for
the sake Of Miss Ruth, but from a
sporting standpoint, and promise you
III do my best to help you"
They considered the suggested plan
of taking the idol away from the Hin
du during the voyage, but Faversham
vetoed this after somewhat exten-
sive investigation. Il
''Y0u see," he told Ruth, II know
the fellows language, and he comes
from tribe far in the north of India.
Most of those chaps are looked upon
as rather sacred, and this man in spe-
cial, l see, is much respected by the
other natives in the steerage. To des-
ecrate his image would simply mean
an uproar that we could never explain
to the satisfaction Of the captain and
his officers. In fact, we should all get
into the most serious trouble"
"Then your advice is to waitr' she
murmured !.- 49,:
"Most decidedly. said the baronet.
"And the waiting isn't so bad, is itT'
The steamer was slipping easily
along across mo0nlit sea that night,
and Ruth and Sir Donald were far in
the bow" watching the waves foam
softly away from the cutwater.
The girl had awakened during the
past few weeks to- the dim happiness
Of being always the center Of mems
thoughts.
She was not in love, but she was
ready to be. The experienced man be-
side her surmised this. His own heart
was beating new tune. He had lived
much, and women had not been aloof
from his life.
But this fair, proud, inexperienced,
yet self contained girl wakened in him
| deeper feeling than he cared to con-
fess. ..
To be sure, he had John Dorr to con-
tend with. Faversham did not under
estimate him as possible rival when
he allowed himself to 60 so far as con-
templating marriage with Ruth.
He liked the young American, and
none knew better than he the effect
that constant association with Dorr
must have upon young and very i'm
pressionable girl. Johns own sent1-
ments were unmistakable-he was
deeply in love.
From Hongkong they transshipped
to P. and o. steamer for Bombay,
and under Sir Donald's expert guild
ance they shortly found themselves in
India and installed in a very good ho-
TEL
eve must wait here till discover
through natives just where that fellow
Is bound for"
"Why not simply trace him7" de-
manded Dorr. impatient to be about
his errand.
"That would be out of the question: -
Faversham explained. I'm the first
place, you don't understand any native
tongue, and in the second place the
British government doesn't look with
favor on strange and unattached Eu-
ropeans stumbling about among the
natives.
If you leave it to me think I
not only can ascertain the exact place
where this fellow comes from, but the
temple where the idol belongs"
Several days passed, during which
Sir Donald was busy among old &C.
quaintances, leaving John and Ruth to
their own devices.
They occupied their time in sight,
| seeing. At last Faversham came into
dinner one evening with smile on his
face.
1--WE found your man and learned
something Of the history Of the image
he said.
"And we can get it back?" Ruth in
quired promptly.
Sir Donald shook his head gently
Not SO fast, young lady!'
"But that is what we came for" she
went on.
1.-The fact of the matter is this." said
the baronet-"that image was stolen