Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-03-04

Il stop upright against the bulwarks
when it presented glazed. mysterious
eyes.
mo plans" muttered Wilkerson with
a curse.
only an idol!' laughed Jean in wild
derision.
Then her handsome face famed with
wrath. She turned her back con
temptuously on Wilkerson and stared
across the water at 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 she
went forward to get out Of sight OF
the hooking heap Of rubbish that had
cost so much.
Presently a sailor made excuse to
come aft and peered at the pile of
Junk. The idol caught his eye. and he
s~tealthily caught it up and hid it in
his shirt.
"Good in a pawnshop," he chuckled.
Thus once more the plans of the
mother lode Of the Master Key" mine
escaped from Wilkerson's filching fin
gers. 81,
When the launch put into San Pedro
, Mrs. Darnell did not wait for Wilker-
son. go. -s-
I'm going to Los Angeles" she said.
You'll find me at the hotel-if you
think it 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. F.. .sg.
She merely smiled again and left.
She paid no attention to one of the
sailors who brushed by her, clutching
a concealed object beneath his jacket.
This individual, once clear Of the wa
ter front, quickly made his way to
a pawnbroker's shop, and the idol
changed hands for u 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' is just one thing to do" John
told the broken hearted Ruth. land
that IS to find out what Wilkerson' did
with what he got from your fathers
chest"
The captain Of the other boat re-
ceived them with Il good humored
grin and in answer to their inquiries
pointed to the open box and the arti-
cles scattered on the deck.
$50 far as l could make out" he
went on, there wasn't anything in the
old chest worth the trouble of going
| after. At any rate Mr.. Wilkerson and
the lady seemed disappointed and put
out" ~..l
"Didn't they take anything" de-
manded Ruth, peering curiously at the
moldy sea chest.
mot a thing, 20 far as l could dis
cover" was the reply. I'm fact, l
heard the two Of them kind Of quar-
reling, and the lady went of by her
SELF" -n !.
The three of them stared down at
the mementos Of the long past TRACE
dy,, and then the captain suddenly ejac.
ulated. ''Yes, there is one thing miss
ing" K
"What is that?" demanded John.
IAN old idol. But I'm sure neither
of them took it,. .
But what became Of it," John con
tinued, trying to conceal his anxiety.
Maybe one of the men picked it up
for a curio," the skipper said apollo.
getically.' Everybody seemed to think
the old thing was worthless, and you
know a sailor will grab at just that
kind Of thing. Better ask some Of the
crew.
A few moments later Dorr had learn.
ed that n of the sailors had indeed
taken the image and gone uptown with
it, apparently to sell it.
John thanked the captain. and when
he and Ruth were out Of earshot he
said, "That idol is what we are after,
Ruth"
But where can VIC find it," she
mourned.
1--WE must trace the sailor. Ten to
n he'll try to sell it to a secondhand
man. Our best plan is to look into the
pawnshops, I think. Ruth" he an
swered. 80
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 idol.
''That thing seems to be wanted pref
ty much,' he remarked. But l bought
it in good faith and sold it to q Hindu
4 little while after for 4 rug. Maybe
you would like to buy a rug"
They made it 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 pcddlcr of