davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

looked into his eyes and called upon
him to save them. as his prophet had
said he was able.
Thus, with the folk believing on the
god of his vision. the prophet prayed
also to the spirit of the deity. and the
rains came from the hills, and the riv-|
er rose, and the earth grew green
When they had beer saved and their
stomachs were full the people went
away and left the prophet alone with
his god and his deserted shrine.
Yet always in time of trouble and
stress they remembered the god who
had saved them and returned to his
worship, SO that in season other proph-
cts of him arose and erected a temple
and taught the people to bring offer
ings at all times.
Thus the image became the image of
the tutelary deity of the city and its
river. with other images to do him
homage and obey his commands.
Centuries passed. and the god still
maintained his place. His priesthood
prospered. his temple was never empty.
And one day a drunken sailor a
dered into the temple to stare at the
heather wonders. and when he slipped
away the niche of the god vas vacant
He has gone on a Journey" said the
terrified priests and concealed the theft.
But the high priest sent several of his
chosen acolytes throughout the world
- cnaty FOR md rAo0rar tho fr,ann
How shall we find him. they asked
by a path of death and destruc-
tion." was the answer.
So they set out and found the sailor
who had stolen it dead In a lane with
a knife between his shoulders. And
bis murderer they discovered in a Chi
nese seaport gaping horribly at the
sky, with a rope twisted tightly about
his neck.
So the image passed from hand to
hand, always bringing with it death,
until some sailor hid it In his chest,
and when he had been washed over
side in a storm and his effects were
distributed a captain bought the idol
for a curio.
1t was in his chest that Thomas Cal
Ion had found it when seeking a safe
place to hide his precious papers In
time of mutiny and fire.
Now. at last. it had fallen into the
hands of one of the seekers. and he
took it to his little tenement room and
prayed to it and swore that he would
return it to its proper place in the tenn
pie.
There was III response from the i'm
age, but when the Indian fell asleep
on his rug that night in the alien Amer
CONTINUED ON page fvel
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04
By John Fleming Wilson

COPYRIGHT. 1914. BY JOHN FLEMING WILSON
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04
CHAPTER XXI.

TIC Qut5t OF tHe HfHuu.
.VHAT night Wilkerson sought
out Jean Darnell. She re-
eeived him in a manner that
81 told him distinctly that she
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

Wilkerson stared at IL Stupsdly.
various odds and ends came TO his
hand. The pulp he carefully laid aside
rs being possibly what he was look
ing for.
I'm afraid the plans are gone" Jean
whispered.
I'VE must find them he snarled and
went on with his task.
Halfway down he came upon a gro
tesque figure dripping with woody
ooze. II stifiy stared up at him as he
held It.
AN idol" laughed Mrs. DarneIi.
"Some sailors curio. Well. go on.
Idols don't talk"
An hour afterward Harry Wilkerson
rose TO his feet and kicked the scatter
ed contents of the chest into the soup
pers.
The idol rolled away and came to
a stop upright against the bulwarks,
when 1t presented glazed, mysterious
eyes.
mo plans!' muttered Wilkerson with
n curse.
Only an idoli' laughed Jean In wild
derision.
Then her handsome face tanned with
wrath. She turned her back con
t%emptuously on Wilkerson aud stared
across the water M the launch which
was pursuing them.
In the bitterness of her heart was no
mingling of pity for her tool; only self
contempt that she had depended on
him, helped him.
When she could control herself size
went forward TO get ont Of sight of
the hooking heap of rubbish that had
cost SO muck.
Presently "A sailor made excus TO
come aft and peered AT the pile of
junk. The idol caught his eye. and he
s%tealthily caught 1t up and hid II in
his shirt.
Good In a pawnshop." be chuckletl
Thus once more the plans of tie
mother lode of the master Key" mine
escaped from Wllkerson's 6lching fin
gers.
When the launch put into San Pedro
Mrs. Darnell did not walt for Wilker-
son
I'm going to Los Angeles" she said.
You'll find me at the hotel-if you
think II worth your while"
He looked up from his business OF
settling with the divers and made a
gesture to detain her. He seemed to
call out some inarticulate plea.
She merely smiled again and left.
She paid no attention TO n of the
sailors who brushed by her, clutching
a concealed object beneath his jacket
This individual, nee clear of the wa
ter front. quickly made his way to
a pawnbroker's shop. and the idol
changed hands for a small sum after
much haggling.
Before Wilkerson had settled with
the diver John DORIS launch also
made its landing. and the two enemies
would have met except that Wilkerson
had to go to bank to cash a draft.
As he slipped away he saw the other
boat and laughed bitterly. Dorr was
welcome to what there was in the old
chest
"There Ia just one thing to do" John
told the broken hearted Ruth, "and
H
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

for nothing. Without her assistance
and her money he was helpless.
And profounder even than his hatred
of Dorr and his desire for the hidden
wealth was his agony at the thought
of his failure 10 win this woman whom
he loved.
Love Is Il noun which conveys to the
ordinary mortal no definite meaning
without an adjective. There is, indeed,
an essence of love, a complete and all
absorbing passion. before which even
the gods bow and against which the
world is powerless. Too often we
must describe it as lawless.
Yet 1t also exists when it evokes the
reverence of the most cynical. Will
kerson's love for Jean Darnell was the
very essence of his being.
1t had made a bravo of q coward
1t had welded a dozen strands of vi.
ciousness. weakness, wickedness and
righteousness into a strong charac.
ter-strong only in its relation to the
woman
The past few weeks. with their wild
ness, risk. crime and continual plot.
ting, bad made the Harry Wilkerson
who was a weakling and sport of cir
cumstances into a personality who
must be dealt with.
Jean Darnell realized something of
this when he next spoke.
"All this has been disappointing" he
said quietly, his eyes burning steadily
on hers. But the more disappoint-
ments | have to overcome the more
worth while 1t will make you"
quite an old time knight" she said
scornfully. but with ar effort.
II am going to get that idol" he
went on. Il know just two things
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

had picked 1t up and taken it to a
pawnshop and sold it."
She stamped her foot.
where is it? What has il to do with
the plans?"
~ don't know where 1t is he re-
sponded sullenly. "A Hindu rug ped
dler bought IT."
"And Dorr bought 1t from him?"
Not vet" he said, risking the state
ment. Now all l have to do is to find
Mr.. Peddler and get it back"
Mrs. Darnell flung herself into a
chair and laughed Historically.
"You mean to tell me Tom Gallon
hid his plans in a heather idol and
that we overlooked them and that a
rug peddler has them now?"
She leaned forward, clinching her
soft hands on her knees.
do you know all you have made
me go through. Harry? kidnapping.
theft. murder-yes. murder-and at the
end of 1t all. when we neither of us
dare breathe for fear Of the police fin
ally getting us. you tell me that a
tramp has got what we want! I'm
done!'
Wnkerson had expected and feared
this. He saw his wild efforts going
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

Wilkerson stared around and picked
up a m~arlinspike. He began to pry at
the lock. Mrs. Darnell angrily jerked
at his shoulder.
Harry. you fool. here Is the key!'
He took the article she handed him
and nodded. Sure enough" he assent
ed. W have the key. Funny ! had
forgot that"
With some difficulty he managed to
clear the lock and insert the key. 1t
turned with difficulty.
A moment later he had pried the lid
back from its setting of rust and slime
and they were all staring at the sod
der contents.
There was no sound except the trun-
ding Of the swiftly revolving propel-
Ter and the heavy breathing of the
sailors.
Suddenly Wilkerson swung round an
grily and ordered everybody forward.
Then he began his slow search.
Old jackets almost d~isintegrated by
the action of water. pulpy papers and
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

very many of them here. so it ought to
be an easy matter to pick him up"
As they walked back to the hotel
Ruth grew more cheerful. AT any
rate. Wilkerson and Mrs. Darnell miss.
ed it," she remarked.
+. Il never understood Just why that
woman mixed herself up In this" John
said thoughtfully. you must have
got some notion, Ruth. You were with
her some time
Yes, | have an idea" she responded.
I'm not sure of all the details, but
1t seems Mrs. Darnell knew both IA
Their and Harry Wilkerson in the old
days and-and'-
And what?"
WELL" she went on. blushing divine
ly, father didn't like Jean and
wouldn't have anything to do with her
nor allow me to either. She always
hated father after that"
'Wilkerson is certainly in love with
her." John said presently.
IL think he is" Ruth asserted. But
onc aoCoh I q ~ dhytiinS dDout Hill,
I'm sure. All she is after is money"
Later in the evening as they discuss
ed the events of the day John brought
up the subject of Wilkerson's anxiety
for the papers again and recalled the
fact that old Tom Gallon had always
insisted on Wilkerson's knowledge of
something.
Il wonder just what it was,' he went
on "If he knows just where that
rich lode Is he's concealed his knowl-
edge pretty well. and the eagerness he
is showing to get hold OF the plans is
proof that he isn't sure"
He is spending lots of money" she
sighed. How much longer can we
keep this up. john Surely we are
broke AGAIN.
Not so long rs good old Everett
sticks by u.s." was the response.
"But-maybe father was mistaken.
and we can't pay it all back!'
NONSENSE" he said reassuringly. 81
can make the mine pay just as 1t
stands. But | promised your father I'd
see that you got all your rights, and he
certainly meant for you to have the
wealth hidden somewhere in the Mas.
ter Key mine"
And we've lost the deeds and the
key. and we haven't found the plans."
she sighed.
iii find that Hindu and his pre-
cious idol If | have to go to India" he
said promptly. lone thing-we won't
have Harry Wilkerson spelling our
schemes. He'll give up now"
But Wilkerson had not given up. On
his return from the bank he had learn
ed from the launch captain of DORIS
interest In the idol, and he had prompt
ly followed this clew. with the result
that he knew rs much about its where
abouts as John and Ruth did, so far
as its getting into the hands of an
East Indian peddler was concerned.
Whether Dorr had recovered the image
from him he did not know.
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

~ 49,
said, THAT idol Is what we are after.
Ruth"
But where can we find it?" she
,nourned.
I'VE must trace the sailor. Ten to
one he'll try to sell it to "A secondhand
man Our best plan Is TO look into the
pawnshops, | think. Ruth" he an
swered.
The first places they visited gave up
no Information of value. The third
pawnbroker looked at Dorr ~curiously
when he asked whether a man had
been In to dispose of an idok
.'That thing seems to be wanted pref
ty much,'' he remarked. But l bought
1t in good faith and sold 1t to a Hindu
a little while after for a rug. Maybe
you would like to buy a rugY'
They made 1t plain that rugs did not
interest them and departed with the
poor satisfaction Of knowing that the
object of their search was in the hands
of an unknown wandering peddler OF
rugs, who was presumably an East In
dian.
I'VE can't do any more just now"
John told Ruth.
NO." was the response. But l am
going to keep an eye out for a Hindu
rug seller. l don't imagine there are
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

iii going TO get mat iooh'
there are millions in gold hidden In
the Master Key mine. and the plans
are concealed in that image"
when will You have themT' she
cried. trying TO fight against the mans
evil power.
Tomorrow" he returned.
Even if Dorr and Ruth
He nodded %gravely. She read the
message in his eyes and shuddered.
Wilkerson laughed. He had won. He
had conquered not only the woman In
that moment. but himself.
He was ready TO do murder deliber-
ately. without a oualm. There had
been born in him another physical
thirst-the blood lust.
He LEFT Immediately without uneov-
ering his plans. He knew that the
final victory would not be Won until
he could fl Jean Darnell's soft and
avaricious palms with glittering gold,
heaps of gold, gold that ran over, that
spilled in luxuriant streams over her
clutching fingers: gold that rang under
her feet, that mounted like an enyel-
oping flood about her till her flesh was
bathed in it.
That night he paced the floor of his
room, dreaming of gold and of blood.
So the next morning when John Dorr
Jared forth on his quest for the rug
peddler Harry Wilkerson was not far
behind him. watching his every move,
studying him. trying TO read what was
in his mind. And all with the great
question before him:
Had John Dorr the idol?
While these two We're seeking for
the strange image of an unknown god
there was a third who had found in it
the goal of his life's toll.
When God conceals himself from us
In time of stress and agony. when he
has closed his brazen heavens and our
prayers die in the empty air it is hu
man to build for ourselves a tangible
God. one whom we can see and feel,
into whose face We al look and be
fore whose feet We can lay our offer
ings and our petitions.
In a far city in India men had died
of famine. The earth had turned to
iron under their plows and the heavens
to brass above them.
They had implored a hundred gods
for help and made offerings at a thou
sand shrines. There had been no re-
Spouse. The smoke of the burning
CHATS by the side of the shrunken riy-
er told the sorry tale of prayer unan-
swered.
And in their last misery men turned.
as men will, to n who dreamed. Re-
atty was death. Dreams held out the
promise of life.
And this dreamer, as do all who fol
low a vision, made his dream into a
god.
People listened to his tale of a deity
who was merciful to listen and power.
full to save. They fed oil the dream
er's words and called him a prophet.
Yet still the earth refused food, and
the river shrank within its bed. Then
they went to the prophet and called on
him to save them and to call his god
to their aid.
Like many prophets, he found him
self forced to materialize his dream in
order that the common folk might see
and believe, for he had taught them
that unless they believed there was no
salvation.
How can we believe in a god whom
we cannot see?" they cried.
=" believe. though ] do not see nor
feel" he told them. But they were
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

MS shoulder as he knelt. and the per.
tune of her breathed into his nostrils.
He looked up. laughed and then or
dered the box taken aft.
." was dreaming" he said slowly.
Then he looked at her directly, and
she saw the flame In his eyes.
why dream when things are com.
Ing true?" she parted.
Il wonder whether they will all come
true he said modify and followed
the chest aft.
The curious sailors set the box do wn
and waited. 1t was evident from their
attitudes that they expected to see
nothing less than great treasure. 9th.
erwise. why this costly expedition?
But Wilkerson did not start mmedl
ately to open the chest. Its very ap-
pearance seemed to bewilder him, and
his hands shook. It was Jean Darnell
who stirred him to activity.
Now you've got it." she said imps
IDENTITY. hurry and open I'll The othe,
launch is chasing usy
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04
AT THE ELY THEATER.

The film Interpretation of The
Master Key" can be seen at the
lily Theater every Wednesday even
iog.
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

not satisfied and menaced him with
death.
So he took metals and fire and made
an image of his god and made a shrine
for 1t and set the image in the shrine.
where all might see and worship.
And the people prayed to this new
god and laid offerings at his feet and
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04
CHAPTER XXI
"only an idol"

"OnIy ar IDOL"
y1HEN the chest was hove on
deck. dripping with ocean
8GfT slime, corroded and mysteri-
- Gus. Harry Wilkerson stared
ut IL stupidity. His mind went back
down the years TO that night when
Thomas misunderstanding for his lit
t1e daughter-had drawn a plan by
candlelight. TO the quarrel, to his OWL
desperate flight and escape.
And now he was about TO see for the
first time the fatal paper-to know the
secret Of the wealth Of the Master
Key" He forgot his surroundings.
It was Jean Darnell who recalled
him to the present. She leaned yer
White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1915-04-04

out Jean Darnell. She re-
Rs-T.S,i eeived him in a manner that
ly told him distinctly that she
was In a towering rage. though she
was ontwardly calm.
Wilkerson paid no attention appar-
emily to her blazing eyes nor to her re-
strained, "Well. once more your
schemes have failed
Not failed" he said boldly. Il adj
nit We nearly passed up what We were
looking for. DO you remember that
idsl that was in the chestf"
Jean stopped her nervous pacing of
the floor and fixed her great, tawny
eyes on Wilkerson.
Harry" she said huskily, 81 am
weary of this"
"Wait a moment he pleaded.
when | went back TO the launch l
found that Dorr had been quizzing the
men about that image"
and suppose he had got it."
NO, he didn't. One of the sailors
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-11-24
Keep Fit Is Better
Rule Than Keep at 1t
Learn to Let Go, to Relax, to
Do Nothing Vigorously Says
Frank Crane

Ford. the automobile man,
stated in his testimony before
the Industrial Commission that
he gets more and better work
out of men at eight hours a day
than at ten.
It is law that holds good ev-
erywhere. The first duty of a
worker is to keep himself fit.
And an hours labor when he is
up to the mark, bright, keen,
and enthusiastic, is worth three
hours effort when he is tagged.
Keeping everlastingly at it
brings success" is a lying motto;
it rather brings poor results,
slipshod products, and paresis.
Rest and recreation are the
best parts of labor. They are
the height to which the ham,
mer is lifted; and the force of
the blow depends on that height.
To go ahead without let-up is
to deliver only a succession of
feeble, ineffective blows.
Get all the sleep you can. Stay
abed all day occasionally. Learn
10 be lazy, to dawdle, to enjoy
an empty mind; then, when you
are called to effort, you can hit
with ten times the power.
The higher the quality of your
work the more necessary it is
that you approach it only when
you are at your best.
This is especially true of in
tellectual effort. You can tell,
when you read a story or an ar
ticle, whether it is tainted with
exhaustion; it is dull, lifeless
! putty.
Those who court the quality
of brightness but do not keep
their bodies in trim, often re-
sort to artificial stimulants.
Stephen Crane said that the best
literature could be divided into
two classes; whisky and opium.
Intelligent people ought not
need to be told that this is sui
eide. The best form of enthu-
siasm is the natural reaction of
ones system after period of
relaxation.
D The pestiferous Worthwhile
you-rest" apostles are ever af-
ter us to Improve our spare
time" study French during
lunch, geometry while going to
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-11-24

4. Down with progessivism!
5. Down with snoutery!
6. Down with prohibition!
Z. Down with sociology!
8. Down with penalogy!
9. Down with the suffragets
10. Down with sex hygiene!
II. Down with eugenics!
II. Down with the niger,
white or black
13. Down with Roosevelt, Sui
ger, Billy Sunday, Bonaparte,
Munyon, Perkins, Bill Flynn,
Lydia Pinkham, Gift Pinchot,
La Toilette, Henry George, Mo-
Their Eddy, Jane Adams, Ben
B. Lindsey, DR.. Anna Shaw.
Diets and Anderson!
If they ever get that boy in
the bughouse, he will find the
terminal facilities entirely want
ing.-Lincoln State Journal.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-11-24
SAFE AND SANE"

H. L. Mencken of the Balti-
more Evening Sun guests what
he calls safe and sane plat
form for any political party
honest and brave" enough to
adopt it. 1t contains thirteen
planks, which read as follows:
1. Down with the direct pri-
mary!
2. Down with the uplift!
3. Down with the initiative
and referendum!
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-11-24

when falling snow is obliterat-
ing the trail,
Don't hurry-that's a game
where the deer has you beaten.
Don't go out without match
es, compass and bite Of
something to eat slowed about
your person. You may want to
stay out longer than you anti
cipated. And again, you may
have to when you don't want to.
Don't let getting lost fuss you.
It'll take you about week to
starve to death and you won't
freeze as long windfalls give
shelter from the wind and wood
and matches make a fire. Re
member, your companions will
begin looking for you the next
morning and that a bonfire send
ing up big smoke from the
top of a hill will help them a
heap in finding you.-C. L. Gil
man, in The Minneapolis Daily
News.
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-11-24
SOME DEAR DON'TS

Don't shoot at anything you
can't see -the chances are you
won't hit it, unless it is some
thing you don't really care to
hit-your hunting companion,
perhaps.
Don't hustle around in the
woods looking for an animal
with the architecture and action
of a cow-the critter you're af-
ter more closely resembles a col
lie dog seeking an interview with
the neighbours cat.
Don't believe all the dope
handed you by the "deer slay-
ers" assembled in the general
store Of the settlement where
The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-11-24

the cars drop you and don't
expect them to believe anything
you tell them.
Don't neglect to make care
full study of the bullet holes in
the carcass your guide has hung
up for you. It is sometimes en-
barrassing to be suddenly asked
to account for a broken hind leg
on the buck you dropped with a
single ball through his heart.
Don't go crawling through
thickets on your hands and
knees. The attitude won't de-
ceive any deer but it may mis-
lead some well-meaning strang-
er into endowing you with a
couple or three soft-points just
where they will do you the least
good.
Don't fail to shoot when you
see a deer. Shoot at him, if
possible, but by all means shoot
it makes a better impression
upon the bystanders.
Don't rest your rifle on any
hard support. It will shoot off
aim if you do. Instead rest your
body on your elbows.
Don't think it necessary to
mangle your victims throat with
a bowie knife. 1t spoils the head
for mounting. Stick him in the
chest-and be blame sure he's
dead before you do it.
Don't run after a wounded
deer, give it time to lie down
and bleed. The chances are that
it will never get up, if we'll hit.
About the only exception is