The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-05-14
1.-THE MAS KEY"
By JOHN FLEMING WILSON

her, with bitterness in his soul, but
the firm resolve to carry out his self
appointed task no matter what the out
come.
Faversham was as good as his word.
and the old native agreed once more to
risk the hills and guard this stranger
who, he was convinced had lost his
mind.
+ But his duty was plain and Sir Don.
AIDS injunctions not to be tri6ed with.
That evening the two Of them set forth,
following in the track of WilkersOn
and his party.
That John should have departed
without further farewell hurt Ruth
sorely.
1t seemed to mark a definite break
in their frank relations, and she felt
that when he returned with the plans
she would have to receive him on an
entirely new footing the footing of a
business man with his employer.
And while the hurt was fresh she
turned to Sir Donald gratefully. He
had acted most delicately in all their
experiences together. He had proved
his devotion by coming with them to
India and during the horrible night
mare when their hotel had been the
center of assault by fanatical natives.
He bad accepted her promise without
undue exactions. He had seemed to be
waiting till he and she could speak
more definitely.
Faversham vas by no means dull,
and he played the part Of a kind friend
during the first days of Johns alb
! sence.
He knew that Dorr was in love with
Ruth, and he strongly suspected that
her feeling for him had once bordered
on love.
He would tear open no old wounds.
He was devoted, cheerful, always at
her call. but never insistent OF his
privileges.
The American consul liked him from
the first and told his wife that Ruth
would be a fool if she preferred a hare
Drained idiot to a solid gentleman with
no nonsense about him and assured DO
sition in society.
Mrs. Reynolds. having been rebufred
when she sought Ruth's condolences.
merely stated it as her opinion that
all girls were alike. a dogma the con
sui was too wise to argue.
But he gave Sir Donald the freedom
Of the consulate and saw to it that be
had every chance to visit with Ruth.
Now, the baronet was not only no
dullard, but be had been bred in a
school that forbade him to linger too
long before claiming Ruth openly as
his 6ancee.
. At exactly the right moment he Of
fered her a gorgeous ring and pressed
his suit ardently. He said nothing of
the promise he had exacted, and Ruth
for very shame's sake accepted the
ring and the ensuing congratulations of
Mr.. Reynolds, his wife and their
friends.
Deep in her heart she felt herself
a traitor to John Dorr, alone on his
perilous errand. gone into the hills
without eve a stray word of his safe.
ty coming back.
~ was AOI iOhS OC1OiC DOl1s w
his servants ready tongue, learned of
the fight of the priests with the idol,
their subsequent. defeat by Wilkerson
and that mans escape, together with
Drake. There was but one thing TODD
follow Wilkerson. ,
The native guide received the news
of their change of objective with un
disguised contentment. Q,
Sir Donald's commands alone had
forced him to disobey his own in.
stincts. But in a matter that lay Who'll
~ between white men he saw nothing
alarming to his own safety or personal
dignity.
However, he. warned John we and
over again that the sacrilege had
reused certain fanatical tribes to a
pitch where they would ask few ques.
lions of wandering Europeans. but seek
instant vengeance.
Johns prayer was that Wilkerson
and Drake might escape till he himself
could overtake them.
Otherwise the idol would undoubted-
ly vanish once more into limbo.
Wilkerson himself was having a dit,
icult time of it. The men with him
were almost openly rebellious,. and at