Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1915-03-04
The Master Key will be seen in Pictures
Every Friday Eveningat the Palm Theatre

and you can make him straighten mat.
tiers out with Them.
He peered anxiously up into the
young mans face. You won't desert
her. will you. John?"
With an inarticulate growl John
swung out into the sunshine and ell
bowed his way through the streaming
throng of miners Just coming OF shift.
Ahead Of him he saw WilkersOn talk.
ing to an old miner, who seemed to be
arguing earnestly. He saw the super.
il.,entent and the miner re-enter the
office. aud a moment later Ruth ap
erarcd
AZ Iohn came to the Office door he
seari the sound Of scuffle within
he kicked open the frail barrier and
stood inside just In time to see Wilker>
son draw gun on the old miner
Drop that gun. yon d0gT' he bellOw
ed. and with one leap was at Wilker
sons throat
Wilkerson was no pigmy in strength
and as agile as a panther. He man
aged to land two stinging hIows ON
Johns eve before Dorr drove him ~
against the wall. hid his powerful
floor In absolute helplessness. His fist
was lifted to give the tinai finishing
blow when he caught sight Of Ruth's
white face. He jerked WtlkersOD to
his feet. fung him into the corner and
strobe silently out.
John, John. What Is the matterf''
demanded Ruth
THAT hound in there discharged mel
am going to leave tonight
Her eyes slowly filled with tears.
"You are not going to leave Tile Mas.
ter Key mine. are you. John? And
and Before he could answer Tier
appeal In words there wills wild roar
down the street and the tramp of boot
ed feet.
Get the dynamite and blow the fel.
low np!" bawled couple Of hoarse
voices
Get rope and hang him to the
hoist! yelled another. Then full
chorus of angry cries rose into the
evening air and filed the valley with
raucous sound
Quickly John drew Ruth aside In the
shelter of one of the cottages and said
hurriediy: This must be stopped
Ruth. I'll get out there and stop
them"
Ruth's property was in peril. Johns
stentorian voice rang out across the
throng: stop. men! Stopr' But be
soon saw that the crowd was getting
out of hand. He perceived three Of
four of the tunnel men racing down
the hill to join in the fracas. One Of
them. he was sure. had been to the
powder house. He gritted his teeth
and made his last appeal.
"Ruth-1uth Gallon!'' he called.
Doubtless none of the miners had no
ticed her presence. and when her slen
der figure emerged from doorway
boldly yet modestly out toward the
man who was trying to hold them tn
check, there was dead silence. Thai
silence was portentous. In 1t was de
cided the fate of '''rhe Master Key"
1t was broken by wild and tumultu
GUS cheers as John lifted Ruth on the
box. aud she held out her slender arms
In girlish entreaty to the men she
knew so we'll.
Cowed. yet as ever alert to snatch al
any opening. Wilkerson now came
boldly OH the scene. Just as he hac
bluffed his way many time before
be now made IL play on which he knew
his own safety depended. He mount
ed on the box beside Ruth. miss
Gallon has asked me to restore the
former rate of wages" he shouted
ut has been done"
What meant that ominous silence
What more must he say to those faces
uptnrned to his? "And have reap
pointed John Dorr to run this mine.
he muttered
Possibly he hoped that those low
hourse tones would not carry far. bu
attentive ears caught them up anc
knew their meaning.
Old Tom Kane came through thu
crowd. thrust Wilkerson Off the 10,
without ceremony and raised his crack