Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-01-06
COPYRIGHT, lol4, BY JOHN FLEMl> WILSON
help out in the promotion of The Mas

T A~
ter Key 4.
WilkersOu received him M,niahly
I'm sure my only interest IT, this busi,
ness Is to fetch into good ore. All tina,
We are digging out now Is dirt withou,
any pay init II
II think know where We a strike
first class stutf." ()orr returned. There
IL sure pay rock II we travel south
from that main tunnel. We may have
to 80 a couple of hundred feet"
Wilkerson looked at him shrewdly
''rhat will cost money" he remarked
"Rut III take this up with Ruth"
John looked at him with a faint trace
Of the old enmity In his eyes. He did
not like to hear the frst name Of the
mistress of The Master Key" on those
lips. "a &C.
III the mine 70 not paying it's up t.
us to make 1t pay" be remarked.
When Wtlkerson entered the bunga
low Ruth perceived a great change in
his attitude. He was no longer sullen
and be was evidently worried. 1t was
a clean worry. and she smiled at him.
Had not her father come In with that
expression on his face many times:
SHE put her chin In the cup of her
hands I'D asked cheerfully. what Is
It. Mr.. Wilkerson?" >s.., NJ
MAY sit down." he said awk
wardly.
She motioned to a chair. and be pull.
I'd ont OF his pocket a paper covered
with figures.
Il think you ought to know how
things are going along. Miss Gallon.
ne said. with unusual Formally.
When your father made me supertn'
tendent Of this mine ! did not reaItze
that the responsibility was 50 heavy ii.
1t is. We are not making any money
We are losing money. You can see by
the reports which ! have here that out
cleanup lately has been tar less than
our expenses. and our last n showed
practically nothing. We must find the
vein again. To do 50 we must have
money. There is d money In The
Master Key NINE"
THAT'S what father used to say
sometimes" said Rutb quietly. ,.""But
ne always got it." a7
Wilkerson flushed. miss Gallon.
hope that you don't think that I'm not
doing my best | I'M John DOrr AMI
| have gone over this matter together
He agrees with me that we have absO-
utely lost the vein alld that II The
Mas'es Key ts to pay anything more
we must tind it again." ' 4.
Ruth's expression s0ftened at the
mention of JOhu DORIS name. What
does he .thinky' she delnnndcd. what
Is the chance Ut finding it agatn?"
IF we run west. Dorr thinks" said
-Wflkerson slowly. well recover the
vein. but that will cost money, which
we haven't got. DO you realize. Miss
Gallon. that the pay roll here is over
$1,000 a day? Within u week I have
to pay nj over S3O.OO for the month.
and l tell you frankly that when !
have paid that there will be no more
money to the account Of The Master
Key In the bank in Silent Valley" .
Ruth realized that he was spea king
the truth. ven lessening the tmme-
diateness Of the catastrophe. but Der
distaste Of the man was too great to
allow her to discuss the matter With
him in the intimate way which she felt
was necessary. She must see John
Dorr. ,aa
She quickly dismissed Wilkerson and
then went to DORIS office herself. meet
ing him at the door. She bore a. .
gift a small basket OF fruit Without
preliminaries she said. John. are we
broke"
He laughed; then his face grew
grave. The mine Is not, paying" be
said briefly. n
But can't We make it'payi What
is the matter?"
Money" said John.
But why money"
1T will cost $4,000. to drive that
new tunnel" John added as they =
tered the Office.
But Mr.. WiIkerson just said be was
going to pay over $4,000 to the men,"
Ruth said soberly. IF we have that
much money. why can't we"-
A tenderness flooded DORIS eyea. BE
comprehended her h~clplessness. under
stood why old Thomas Gallon had been
so insistent that he. John Dorr. should
Ioot; after her. She was a mere child
He tried to explain the exact situation.
with the result that Ruth finally push
ed him of bis high stool, got up on It
herself and wrote in a large. childish
hand right across the face Of one OF
his new dra awnings. II must raise So.
OOO!' az"
She swung around to John:and asked.
How can | get S1O,OO0"
Dorr hesitated. His plan was risky
in view Of Wilkerson's attitude. but
after all. the money be raised.
he said quietly: "PIedge' the stock yon
own In The Master Key know a
man in New York who will loan you
$lO.UOO on it." Hp bent over her ear
nestly. But listen. Ruth II we spend