Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1915-01-14
CHAPTER XIII.
The Second Story Man.

EH n Fan DARNELL paced bacb
Ri and forth in the miserable
ES1s3SA room where Harry Wilker
&szx29 son had lodged her and her
maid pending the outcome of his wild
plotting to get possession Of Ruth Gal.
Ions precious papers. Her handsome
and cruel face was clouded with slow
now and again till the knuckles were
E'ysite.
Nor one thing. Mrs. Darnell loved
pinsh of life. Physical luxury was
NIsest wish. the goal of her lofti-
1V5 ition. the one price she had set
--s1h neb soul. The dull surroundings
she bad been forced to accept nauseat-
ed her. She hated Wikerson for max.
ing her uncomfortable
So when he came in. walking very
slowly and quietly. she turned on him
like a wildcat
81 won't stay here another hour, Ruth
or no RUTH
WilkersOn fiinched. I'm sorry" he
rasped. but Drake made a mess of
the whole affair, the police are after
Sing Wah and that girl got away"
Mrs. Darnell stopped in her almost
hysterical walk about the room and
stared at Wilkerson with burning eyes
He returned her look defantly. "Fd
never had TO do all this If you had
done your part long ago and got the
papers when she was in your charge"
be said. But there is no use in cry
ing over what can't be helped"
At this moment Drake entered. pre-
sentSrg himself sullenly. He had al
readf received WilkersOn's acrid com
sFdisl4ets ON his astuteness in failure,
and he expected nothing less from
the conspiracy.
Jeans quick instinct did not fail her,
and she instantly smiled on Drake and
murmured: You poor boy! Now tell
me all about it!''
When he had finished his relation of
the mornings experiences, with much
emphasis on the shooting and his mar.
row escape from Sing Wah's den, she
looked at him thoughtfully.
1T was a madman's scheme" she
said. She turned to Wilkerson. "Har-
ny, you used to do things better. Use
your wits! This isn't the desert Force
won't avail and time is getting short
We must have those papers immediate
" and raise the money on them and
get enough capital ahead to find the
old plan to the mother lode OF the Mas
ter Key mine. Use your wits!'
FOR long moment the three Of them
stood IN silence. Then Wilkerson
smiled sardonically.
"All right. Jean; think understand
you. I'll see what can do today.
First | must find out a few things.
Drake and | will go together"
Thanks" said the young man drily,
'IAhave a notion that I'm about fed
up with your plans and plots"
Before Wilkerson could respond with
the bitter reprOaches ready on his lips
AIRS. Darnell interposed, curbing her
own unruly temper.
George" she said, looking at him
with suddenly soft eyes, II know Just
hksYyou feel But it means everything
th}Ee-to all of us. have trusted you
E5.Nand II you fail me now She
threw out her arms In a gesture of
pleading. Then she came closer to him
and whispered. "And are you going TO
give up the stake YOU are playing forf
You are in love with her~
'Thats but little reason why should
help Harry here out with all kinds of
preposterous plans. That one of last
night nearly did for us all. If she
hadn't escaped as she did the police
would be at the door now"
'John Dorr is stupid fool" Wiiker
son broke In. 'Its been mere luck
that's helped him so far. Nobody ever
crossed Harry Wilkerson yet and got
away with II. Old Tom Gallon found
that out"
Jean Darnell glanced at his feyerish
eyes and understood him. She knew
that the reaction from the thought that
be had caused DORIS death-the sud
den surprise OF finding him alive and
In San Francisco-had shaken his
nerve. Tie would hereafter seek the