Evening journal., 1915-02-06

taken the image and gone uptown with
1t, 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 we End itfr she
mOurned.
"We 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 n man had
been in to dispose OF an idol.
THAT thing seems TO be wanted pret-
ty much." he remarked. But bought
1t in good faith and sold it to a Hindu
little while after for a rug. Maybe
you would like TO buy a rug?"
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.
1--WE can't do any more just now"
John told Ruth.
NO" was the response. "But am
going 10 keep an eye out for a Hindu
rug seller. don't imagine there are
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. WiIkerson and Mrs. Darnell miss.
/ ed it," she remarked.
81 never understood Just why that
woman mixed herself up I'm 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
it seems Mrs. Darnell knew both IA.
ther and Harry Wfkerson in the old
days and-and"-
"And whatY'
"Well," she went on. blushing divine.
ly, father didn't Ike 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.
81 think he is," Ruth asserted. But
she doesn't care anything about him,
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. III he knows just where that
rich lode is he's concealed his knowl
edge pretty well. and the eagerness be
1 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 againT
Not so long as good old Everett
sticks by us" was the response.
"But-maybe father was mistaken
and we csn't pay il all backg
'Nonsense!" he said reassuringly. 81
can make the mine pay just as il
stands. But promised your father I'd
see that you got all your rights, and he
certainly meant for you 10 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, p
she sighed.
"Ill find that Hindu and his pre-
cious idol II I have TO go TO india" he
said promptly. "One thing-we wont
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 cIew. with the result
that he knew as 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.