f AGE SIX
THE DURAlfT WIIKLT NIWI
FRIDAY JANUARY 22 19IB.
I
The Master Key
COPYRIGHTED 1914
By JOHN FLEMING WILSON
F 'CHAPTER XVII.
The Forged Oeedi.
km a fillEN the trnln pulli-cl Into Los
W Angeles the next morning
PBp John Dorr's party got off.
DffetuJ nml Jnlin left Ituth with
Tom Knno while ho went to cngugo
an automobile to take tlictn to Beverly
UUIs. a suburb recount) (-tided by Ever-
ctt ns quiet und restorative for shat-
tered nerves.
As they stood there Wllkcrson Mrs.
Darnell nnd Estcllo nlso cot off the
train still disguised nnd were hurry-
lns away when Wllkcrson observed
Ituth nnd called Join's attention to
her.
For an Instant she wns nonplused.
Then she said In n low tone: "So much
tho better. Wo can keep an cya oat
on tlictn."
"1 must And out where they arc go-
ing to." Wllkcrson returned. "1 don't
llko tho looks of It"
Ilo soon en mo back with word that
they had ordered tho car to tako them
to Dcvcrly Hills.
After soino Inquiry Wllkcrson found
tho address of a hotel that seemed to
answer their requirements nnd they
wcro soon on their wny thither In a
taxi. Within nn hour tho deft Estoll"
bad Installed herself and her mistress
In a comfortnblo suit. Wllkcrson took
a room near by. Then camo tho ques-
tion of their disguises.
"Thcro la no need of wearing them
any longer" Wllkcrson stated. "If
need bo wo can put them on again."
Mrs. Darnell laughed scornfully.
"Yes and all tho hotel pcoplo saw us
como In with our disguises on. What
will they think if tbey see entirely
different pcoplo occupying theso
rooms?"
Wllkcrson had already started to rc-
raovo his makeup. Now ho paused.
Hut bis reckless naturn got tho better
She Smiled Maliciously. "Forgery!"
of him and ho laughed at her fears.
So they both were soon their real
selves und sat down to n hearty break-
fast In Mrs. Darnell's rooms.
This ended. Jean took out tho papers
and spent nn huur going over them
carefully. Wllkcrson smoked nervous-
ly but did not interrupt her. When
aho laid tho documents down bo saw
a queer glitter in her tnwuy eyes.
"So it has como to tho old game
eh?" sho said In a low voice. "1
thought you had had enough of that"
"Enough of what?" ho demauded
quickly.
She smiled maliciously. Sho formed
tho word slowly mid precisely: "For-
gery!" His dark face grow pallid and his
eyes tlashed ominously. "I did It for
you that time und no thanks! But
this Is all right Those deeds aro gen-
uine." "They merely nssuro tho property to
Thomas Gallon nnd his heirs and as-
signs. When you found Tom Gallon
nt last nud had him ready to do any-
thing you wanted Just ns the price of
your silence 1 supposo It didn't occur
to you to havo 111 in deed over tho 'Mas-
ter Key raluo to you did It?"
"no wouldn't havo douu It!" ho burst
out furiously. "Ho shut mo once. Ho
would have shot mo again to save the
mine for tho girl."
"Then what good are theso papers?"
Gradually ho perceived tho drift of
her speech no looked at her for n
moment dumbly ns If for Instruction.
But sho was ruthless. Ho must pro-
poso the crime himself. Sho handed
him tho papers.
Ho stared nt them and then glanced
across nt Jean. She was waiting. Ho
cursed her under his breath. Sho had
always been waiting waiting for him
to break tho law. to suffer that sho
might havo comforts nnd Jewels and
beep unimpaired that beauty that had
been his downfall. But tho spell work-
ed as it had worked before.
"I'll have to go out and buy aome
blank deeds" ho said laboriously. "1
may baro to look up somo other points.
too about theso papers."
Ab ho left tho room Jean Darnell
looked after him lazy triumph In her
eyes.
"Estellc" sho said languidly "you
may dress my hair. I shall go to a
matlneo this afternoon. It Mr. Wil-
Uerson comes tell him I am engaged
till tonight"
Llfo at Beverly mils was a wclcomo
chango to Ituth nftcr tho strenuous
days that bad passed since aho left
tho "Master Key" mine
Tbero wcro not many at tho hotel
nnd tho most prominent figure among
tho guests was a tall carefully dress-
ed Englishman so typically tho tourist
that tho old cook Insisted on identify-
ing hlm on tho register.
J.'I ain't seen many of the new kinds
tr people." tie explatutst. "I've been
out In the mine so ninny years that the
tyles In real gents tins kind of escaped
me. 1 ndmlre to know Just what kind
uf birds I'm rooming with"
"Who Is he?" laughed Ituth. as they
gazed out nt the rising hills.
"He's marked down ns Sir Donald
j Fnversttnm. nnd he's from the Brit-
ish Isles.' Tom Knno rejoined "no
Is here for his health tbey say. I sup-
pose that's why he has to wear them
Iwblte nnklo warmers on his Ices."
"Tboso nre culled spats Tom" said
John stnlllug. 'That eyeglass Is a
monocle."
"Dow ho see through It?" inquired
Knne with apparent nnslcty. "I reck-
oned ho was near sighted for 1 spoke
to hlm n while ngo nnd ho didn't even
see me."
Oddly enough Ituth blushed nt this.
Sir Donald had seen her and she had
been made nwnre of it Instantly; not
that Sir Donald had been In the slight;
est offensive. He had merely silently
testified by respectful glances his ap-
preciation of tho nrrlval of a very pret-
ty woman.
John Dorr saw tho blush and Inter-
preted It rightly. He too bad ob-
served the Englishman's sudden Inter-
est In the lovely girl. For the first
time ho felt n sharp twinge of Jcal
ousy. no had so long been alono In
Ruth's regard that ho had not ana-
lyzed his own feelings toward her.
Ilo determined that Sir Donald Fnvcr-
sham should not Imposo his company
on them.
The very nest morning when Ruth
and John camo out from tho hotel
ready for n Btroll Favcrsbam lay In
wait for the old cook nnd asked hlm
for a match for bis cigarette. Tom
reached Into his waistcoat pocket and
pulled out a bunch of block matches
which ho handed out with an ulr of
doing a service to soma ono ho could
not see. Sir Donald looked at tho
queer matches not knowing the pecul-
iarities of the western sulphur nrtlcle
and In splto of himself Kane had to
Instruct him to pull off ono of the
matches nnd strike It When Sir Dqn-
aid choked nnd sputtered over nn In-
halation of brlmstouo Tom looked pro-
foundly concerned.
They're n lectio strong for Bome
people." he remarked pityingly.
"Strong!" answered Fnvershnm wip-
ing his eyes. "I should Jolly well say
they were!"
Their conversation had attracted
Ruth's attention and sho and John
both looked back. John smiled faint-
ly but Ruth was Indignant
'Tom did that on purpose" sho said.
"I'm ashamed of hlm."
now It happened only Sir Donnld
could have told but within thrco min-
utes ho wns exchanging remarks about
the scenery with them nil. "And
there's nn awfully Jolly bit Just over
tho other wny" ho said to Ruth.
Tho Ice was broken nnd Ruth
promptly accepted tho Implied Invlta
tlon to sec this specially lovely sccno
nnd Sir Donald led tho wny talking
with her. After nn Instant's hesita-
tion John nnd Kano followed.
The ncqunlntnnco thus made was
destined to have n great bearing on
tho lives of both Ruth and John. It
had ripened into n genuine liking on
Ruth's part before tho danco that night
was over.
The nest morning John nnd Tom met
Ruth walking with Sir Donald nbout
tho hotel grounds and tho young man
could not help showing In both voice
and manner that ho wns llttlo pleased
that Ruth should havo so suddenly
taken up with a stranger.
"Remember she's only n girl." Tom
warned hlm feeling his mood. "She's
been brought up In tho mountains nnd
she's ns friendly ns n pup. I don't like
tho wny tho man puts petticoats on his
feet and I'm used to being looked at
with two eyes but Ruth Is all right
You must remember that young no she
is nnd inexperienced falio has n good
lot of common sense."
"I supposo It's foolish of me" John
answereJ. "But I'm used to activity
and this dawdling about doesn't suit
me nnd that makes me generally cross
and unreasonable. If I only know
what Wllkcrson was dolngl If Everett
would only cornel"
Tho wish was fulfilled that afternoon
when Georgo Everett turned up and
was warmly greeted by both Kane
und Dorr. After n fow words ho asked
for Ruth.
"You can seo that she's nil right."
John answered quietly pointing to her
ns aho camo up tho steps with Sir
Donald. Both wcro in tennis garb and
Ruth was delightfully flushed.
Sir Donald mado a fow pleasant re-
marks and then excused himself. His
quick senses told htm that Everett
had como on business and that ha
would bo ono too many.
"I don't know that I havo anything
new and startling to tell you" Everett
told Ruth In answer to her question.
"I know a dozen places where I can
ralso tho money to Onanco your mine
but wo must havo tho deeds papers
and surveys first And they're gone
I understand."
"Yes" Dorr replied bitterly "I sup-
poso Wllkcrson has them. I ought to
havo been on his trail long ngo"
Everett glanced nt Ruth and saw the
discouragement on her face. Ho went
quickly on: "However I'vo mado torn
porary nrrnngcracnts which will re-
lievo you of all trouble for tho present.
Miss Gallon. I'll talk over tho business
details with John and Tom Kane."
She brightened and In Id one hand
affectionately on John's arm. "I knew
everything would come out nil right
when John took hold." she said ooftly.
For two days Hurry Wllkcrwon work-
ed steadily nnd secretly In his room
At Inst his task wns done.
"No one ran ever prove that old Tom
Gnlton didn't draw that deed himself.
Wllkerson wild triumphantly. "And It
makes me tin owner of the 'Master
Key mine. Jenn. And. once in charge.
I'll make ns both worth millions:
Thcn"-
Khe shrank back nt the flame In his
gaze upon !er.
"Now what nre you going to do?"
ihe detnnnded. nttcmptlng to bring the
onvcrsatlon back Into business chan-
nels. "Dorr nnd tho rest aro still at Dover
ly Hills?" she inquired.
"Sure!" he snld scornfully. "Thcy'ro
ticlng up with some blooded Britisher
they think has money. They figure on
getting hlm to 11 nan co thcui 1 reckon
And I happen to know that Sir Do mi hi
couldn't ilnnnce nnybody. Wo needn't
worry nbout Dorr."
Mrs. Darnell remained in thoughtful
silence awhile and then agreed to tho
suggestion. Wllkcrson Immediately
wrote tho message:
Clinrlc Drake. Ban Francisco. Cal.:
Go to Silent Valley nt ones nml take
charKo of "Master Key" mlno until you
henr further from mo. Am wiring Tubbs
cnelncer to this effect
IIAUHT witicnrtsoN.
When ho had sent this nud a mes-
sage to Tubbs ho resumed his gloating
contemplation of his forged deeds. Ilo
did not sec tho look of burning scorn
on Jean's face us sho left tho room.
"Why must 1 nlways havo to uso
fools?" sho murmured bitterly. "A
lovely pair Wllkerson and Drnkol"
Drake did not hesltato when bo re-
ceived Wllkcrson's telegram. Ho took
tho next train for Silent Valley and on
arrival there procured a rig and drovo
to tho mine.
On his arrival he was dismayed to
seo that no work wns being done. The
machinery was Idle nnd tho miners
wcro loafing about tho streets or gath-
ered In llttlo sullen groups. They eyed
him curiously but when ho usked for
Tubbs they made no comment nor ask-
ed any questlous.
Following their directions bo soon
found himself on tho porch of what
bad been John Dorr's house. Ilo
knocked nud there wns shullllug of
heavy boots; then the door opened nud
nn unshnved bloated faced man asked
him grullly what ho wanted.
Druko produced Wllkcrson's wire
and Instantly the engineer showed re-
lief. "Como in! Como In!" ho said.
"Como In nnd have n drink!"
The Interior of the cabin showed that
BUI Tubbs hod apparently been merely
camping out In his now quarters with-
out regard to the decencies. Rut Dniko
was not squeamish after his long trip
and shared n drink with his host A
few words bcrvcd to put the ultuutlon
before hlm.
There ain't no money to pay the
men: tho store's closed; tho cook shan-
ty ain't running; Wllkerson Is nwny;
Dorr hasn't turned up with tho money
ho promised and I'm Just kind of sit-
ting on the lid while tho pot bolts.
I'm mighty glud to see you. Maybe
you can do something with theso fel-
lows. I've dono my best nnd 1 can't
do any more."
Tho words were hardly out of his
mouth before there wns the noise of
boots on the porch and Tubbs smiled
In sickly fashion.
"I guess they spotted yon clgbt off."
ho said.
"What do they want?" demanded
Drake ns there enme u iKJuudlug on
tho door.
Two miners entered uud Tubbs In-
troduced them to Drake.
This is tho new boss boys." ho said.
"Who nent you hero?" was tho tlrst
question usked.
"Wllkcrson." resionded Drake.
"Humph!"
"I'm Just hero to tnko chnrge tempo-
rarily" Drake went on hastily not
liking tho ugly tunc of the man's
voice.
Tho other man took this information
nnd after digesting it said "Going to
start up and pay wages?"
"I'm not acquainted with the situa-
tion yet." was tho evasive reply. "I'll
go over things with .Mr. Tubbs tonight
uud then In tho mornlug I'll sec what
Is to bo done."
"Tho first thing Is to give us money
and fowl" was the curt answer. The
men stamped out leaving Druku to
look nt Tubbs In somo dismay.
Tho engineer was so relieved at hav-
ing soino one else to bear the burden
of responsibility that ho refused to bo
Worried. n
"nnvo another drink partner" ho
said familiarly "and forgot it till to-
morrow." After a very poor rncni which Tubbs
scraped up tho two sat down and
smoked. Tubbs' tonguo gradually loos-
ened under tbo Inllucnco of manyvmoro
drinks nnd before 10 o'clock brought
up a waning moon Drake knew a great
deal that mado him uncomfortable. Ho
resolved to shift tho burden to Wllkcr-
son's shoulders as quickly as possible.
Tbo next morning did not bring
cheer. His bead eched from tho fumes
of BUI Tubbs whisky and the chill of
tho mountain air was not dissipated by
a cold breakfast And before JJio sun
had risen abovo tho peak of tho moun-
tain tho miners had approached him
with questions.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The Battle In the Mine.
w lOR nn hour or so Drnko equty.
JT I ocatcd and tried to postpone
nn action. But it was mado
ISOLU plain to him that bo could
not avoid action. Tho starving men
wcro In no humor for words. They
demanded food and wages.
At lost be saw that he must do
something Immediately. Ho called
some uf the lenders Into the office nnd
with apparent frankness told tbem he
had known nothing of the situation
und that he felt sure Wllkerson was
umiwnrt- of it.
"Wh; are you going to do?" came
the dcntind.
Till.'" replied Drake writing rap-
idly. He Mhowod thetu the message:
Harry tl llkeraon. l-os Angeles. Cnl i
Come to mino at one. Trouble Is brew-ns-
DRAKE
"Will that bring him?" demanded
nno of them coldly.
"It will. Now who will take It nnd
end it?"
Two men volunteered to tnko old
Tom Kane's burros nml make the trip.
"And while you're In Silent Valley."
Drake said yielding to a sudden In-
spiration "take this $1!0 and get some
grub for the cniup."
'There's still no me locked up In the
cook house." snld another. "It's old
Tom Kane'o lookout so we didn't ex-
actly feel like taking It"
Drake urned to Tubbs quickly.
"Distribute the food ns fur as It will
go." he salil.
Tubbs looked suddenly serious. "1
guess you better Icavo that to me" ho
said In n low voice. "1 know where
It will do the most good." Ho winked
slyly.
Meantime John Dorr. Everett nnd
Tom Knno were spending long hours
In discussing what was to be done to
savo the "Master Key" to Ruth. Tom
onco more went over tho exact situa-
tion nt tho mlno nnd nsscrtcd that un-
less prompt measures were taken not
only would there bo actual distress
but likely rioting.
"You know Borne of tho worst ones
hang with Wllkerson" ho said grim-
ly "and they might nt nny time tnko
It into their heads to do n llttlo dyna-
miting. Dynamiting Is mighty dan-
gerous stuff nround Bcvcral thousand
dollars' worth of machinery nnd If
they blew up tho workings thcro
wouldn't bo nny mlno left you sec."
"I bco." snld Everett at last "Not
having the papers I can't put thts deal
through tho way I want to eventually.
But something must bo douo on tho
spot"
"In the way of money?" ndded Kane
harshly.
Precisely" Everett assented with all
cheerfulness. "Now I'm going to loan
John Dorr hero ?5.000 today for tho
Master Key' mine. Then"
John shook his head. 'That isn't
busluess-llke." he protested.
Everett Axed his keen eyes on him.
"Any reason why I shouldn't loan
money to Miss Ruth Gallons manager
nnd gunnllail? Any reason why you.
looking ufter her Interests should re-
fuse help In fixing up her uffHlrs?"
Dorr Hushed. "1 didn't mean It that
way. It uecms as if 1 kind of messed
things up myself and 11 thought I
might get 'em Bet right by myself."
"You called on me and I'm tbo doc-
tor" said Everett authoritatively. Uo
pulled out his wallet and commenced
counting out bills. "I camo prepared
for this for I thought there might be
nn emergency."
"But who will tako chargo of It?
Who will go to the mine?"
The broker laughed at hlm. "Not
you. You'd bo In a fight In thrco min-
utes specially If Wllkcrson turned up
Tom Kane Is our man." lie turned on
tho old man abruptly. "Will you take
this moiu uud go?"
Tilt old conk mured nt the crisp bills
and then tit Dorr "1 ain't handled
paper worth thuf much lately." he re-
marked. "But It you want me to go
In there uud feed them people und get
'em back to work and keep things go
lug till John can fix things up hero I'll
go."
On his wny to the mine Hnrry Wll-
kcrson's courage newly Ured by n last
conversation with Jean Darnell com-
menced to ebb.
Drake nnd Tubbs received him with
unaffected relief. A few words suf-
ficed to make tbo status of affairs
plain. Tubbs looked nt his superior
with strained anxiety In his bleared
eyes. Dull nnd sodden with liquor ns
ho was ho understood perfectly that
everything depended on the next few
days. The engineer had lived In min-
ing camps nnd on tbo desert all his
life and he knew tho passions engen-
dered by tho nrid mountains uud the
"I guess that'll fix 'em!"
remorseless desert What would Wll-
kcrson do? Was ho strong enough to
bnndlo theso men who were ready for
anything even to bloodshed If aroused?
Wllkcrson had lost his senso of fear
oddly enough. As ho bad como Into
the camp a dozen miners bad recog-
nized him nnd scowled no had felt
their hatred and It fed fat tho man's
sinister passion to do harm to hurt
to destroy. Now bo faced Drako and
Tubbs arrogantly.
"It won't bo long till theso chaps
find out who's tbo boss" bo said.
With a significant look at Drako ho
pulled out tho forged deeds and hand
cd them to Tubbs.
'Thoso mean that I'm legally tho
owner of tho 'Master Key' mine" ho
announced.
-The. engineer peered-at them dolly.
no haltlnaly mumbled over some of
the lognl phram nt the U'glnulmr.imw
the nntnes Thomas Gallon nnd Hurry
Wllkerson prominently displayed He
who Improved. He did not understand
the purport of the papers. He did nn
dcrdnnd that Wllkerwm wns smiling
with the Insolence of triumph nchlov-
ed. He grinned slowly nnd paused the
papers back
I guess that'll fix oral he said hiw-
klly
"1 guess It will." wns the rejoinder.
Tubbs seemed thoughtful glancing
out of the window now and again
Drake voiced his feeling.
"The sooner you let the minora know
and get things settled the better."
Wllkemou licked his dry lips. Tho
battle was on. He broke tho silence
by saying grutlly "Call 'em up here.
Bill!"
Nothing loath. Tubbs went out on
the porch and his hoarse tones re-
sounded through the little valley. In
stnutly men iippeored from doorwuys.
cnt o from a dozen places in response
to that cull. And women clutching
their children peered out to see what
was In the air.
When tho men were gathered before
him Wllkerson steplnd forward nud
commenced tu speak He could not
break their sullen silence and after n
fow words of generalities ho mustered
his courage uud shouted: "I um the
owner of this uilue! I have thu deeds
right bore!"
Thu effect of this was far other than
bo hud expected. Not n murmur came
from thu still motionless throng (t
was as If they had not heard hlm. In
a tower tone ho repeated It " am the
owner of tho 'Master Key mine nnd alt
that goes with It!"
Ho held up tho papers nnd Bill
Tubbs looked nt them nnd gravely nod-
ded his bend ns much ns to say Unit
be had Inspected the in nnd could vouch
for their authenticity. Stilt no sound
from the miners.
There Is n quality in tho sllenco of
tho crowd of earnest men that Is more
questioning than nny word could be
Thu men who had worked and tolled
for old Tom Gallon who had been de-
ceived and battled who bud had their
loyalty tested to tbo utmost now de-
manded through their Imperious si-
lence that Wllkcrson open up his mind
to them. If be wns tudecd the owner
of thu "Master Key" what did he In-
tend to do?
"You'd better say some more quick-
ly" warned Drnko in a low tone. And
Wllkerson completely bewildered set
tho match to the ixnvder. Uo stepped
forward with ns ugly n look ns he
could ussume uud cried. "Now tell mc
what you want?"
Instantly tho nlr wns filled with
roars "of rage nnd disappointment
Fifteen minutes later Harry Wllkcr-
sou wns sweating within tho cnbin
With n shaking hand ho poured him-
self out u tumbler of Tubbs' whisky.
Ilo bad promised tbo miners' back pay
steady work full wages and food. Ho
must make good and bo did not know
how.
'Tubbs" he said sharply "you must
find out what men wo can trust Say
nothing but get nil tho Information
you con. I'll make It worth tho while
of the men who'll stick by me."
Again the engineer chuckled fatuous-
ly. 'They'll nil stick by ye" ho said
sagely "siong as yo pay 'cm llko you
Bald ye would."
It was late In the afternoon when
Tom Knuo nppenred on tho mall wag-
on. Tho driver had ulready informed
him of how affairs were going and
the cook wasted no time. He climbed
down from the high sent Jerked tils
battered case out of the wagon and
made straight for his ubanty. Within
five minutes he had divested himself
of his black clothes und donned It's
official overalls and npron. Then he
appeared ou the porch as calm nud un-
concerned us though be had not been
nwny.
In uo time at all a couple of dozen
miners hrul gathered to shake hands
and swiip news. Naturally their big-
gest item wns Wllkcrson's proclama-
tion of ownership.'
At this Tom Kane laughed scorn-
fully. He derided tho papers ridiculed
tho miners for being fools easily taken
In and stilted In set terms that ho
Tom Kane actually held tho place of
authority.
This boon came to Wllkcrson's cars
nnd he hurried down tho hill to stop
what ho knew to bo n dangerous seces-
sion. Instantly tho old; cook locked
horns with hlm poohpoohed him to
his face culled hlm names of peculiar
virulence uud offered to fight him on
any terms.
Before rung tho camp was In an up-
roar nnd It wns duo to certain cooler
heads that trouble did not ensuo im-
mediately. These men insisted that
there was time to settlo tho dispute of
ownership forced Wllkcrson to with-
draw his command that Knno Icavo
tho mlno Instantly and managed to
bring a semblance of enco out of dis-
order. Kano bowed bis neck to tho
yoko of their authority but dispatched
a trusty messenger to tho station with
a telegram to John to come ns soon as
possible. Wllkcrson resorted to a
sccno which wns vrcntually to threat-
en tho very existence of tho "Master
Key." Ue sent Druko south to confer
with a desperado whom ho know who
could gather a bnnd of Mexicans llko
himself on short notice ready for any-
thing that promised loot
'Tell Joso to bo hero tomorrow
night" ho Instructed him. "I'll want
about twwity men well armed."
Drake rode uway as from destruc-
tion cursing tho luck that had put
him tn thu power of such a man.
In response to Kane's message John
Dorr Ituth Gallon uud Everett left
Boverly Hills for Silent Valley. They
arrived tho third day after tho cook
nnd from the moment they were recog-
nized tho miners dropped their nttl-
tudo o?sulky waiting audl.hronged
nbout their -mistress". clunrrliulima
dinklng hands. When they had got
Into the big house Knno nrrlved nprou
und nil. to report on the situation.
"It's cotne to n showdown" he re-
marked. "Wllkerson has serernl or
the worthless fellows here nnd n lot
of hnlf breeds buck In the hills. He-
knows I have thnt money of yours nnd
he's promised it to the Mexicans If
they help him You see Wllkerson
will keep his skirts clear thnt way.
He can say that It was a raid by
twndlts."
"How soon docs all this happen?"
trawled Jtflin.
Knno glanced nt htm curiously. Her
understood that warning uut to fright
en Ruth nud went on airily. "Ob. 1
reckon Just ns soon us Wllkorxon gets
Tubbs weaned from thnt bottlo of his."
But when Ruth hud gone to her own
rooms the cook wasted no words in
smoothing things over.
"You've got to net nnd net quick"'
no told John nnd Everett "It nln't
the time for fooling. Tonight may do
the business for those Mexicans nre
Impatient. Remember that Wllkersoi
has the keys to the powder house nnd
ho ban nil kinds of chance to lay his
trap."
"I don't think he nxpected us so-
soon" John remarked
"A good cook nlwnys has grub for
people thnt drop In unexpected like."
wns tho grim response. "Just tnko n
peek down there now."
Through tho wludow John saw that
the camp was quietly but surely di
viding Into two parties. Tho elder
miners were gathered nbout tbo cook
shanty. Around tho ofllco Btood a
dozen or bo malcontents half drunkv
under tho leadership of Tubbs who
The Old Cook Offered to Floht Him on
Any Terms.
was wholly drunk and on tho porch
talking to Wllkerson were a couplo of.
Mexicans.
"It looks ns If they meant to rush
tho camp" Dorr said thoughtfully. Ho-
procccdcd to arm himself nnd Everett
quietly followed suit
"I'm going to tnlk to tho boys first"'
Bald Dorr. He left tho bungalow and:
strodo off down tho hill followed by
the cook. A gun was tired up by tbo-
mine tunnel moutli.
That's n signal that tho Mexicans
nre making trouble!" Knno shouted.
"Look out for dynnmlta In the shaft
John!"
Without n word further Dorr leaped
down from the porch of the cook shan-
ty nnd stnrted up the hill followed by
n dozen faithful supporters. Other
show were Ured. Wllkerson appeared
at tho tunnel mouth nnd then vnnlshcd
Inside. John sprang 'ipou tho trestle
and rushed nftcr hlm.
Instantly a bnnd of Mexicans mate-
rialized halfway down the hill fired vc
few shots and retreated. John paid no
attention tn them but kept on.
Onco within tho tunnel he saw
fnlnt gleam of light ahead of him. Ho
understood that Knne wns right Wll-
kerson was playing n desperate gamo
In blowing up the shaft and thou In
tho ensuing confusion nllowlng tbo
Imnrtltxi to loot undisturbed.
A fow yards farther on John stopped.
A dark figure rushed by hlm toward:
the open nlr. Rut tho little glow of
light remained. For n moment Docn-
hcsltnted: then ho leaped forward nndT
began trying to extinguish a lighted
fuse.
no had almost succeeded when n
bullet whizzed by hlm; then n second
spattered on tho rock overhead. He
turned and fired blindly In tho dlrec-
tlon of tho shots nnd resumed his task.
The fuse was short but ho succeeded
In extinguishing It und started back.
He met n fusillade of bullets Ho
dashed on toward the mouth of the
tunnel nnd suddenly emerged on Wll-
kerson who not being able to see Into
tho mink of tho shaft was firing blind-
ly into tho opening.
With a shout John leaped for tho
man whom ho now know to be seeking
bis life. Before Wllkerson could flro
another shot bo was caught In n
mighty cmbrnco nnd thou began a
short sharp struggle high In the air.
John Dorr for tho first timo In bis
llfo know tho nbsoluto and terrific
thirst for killing that sometimes cornea
to a man. It was cither his llfo or
Wllkcrson's And no ono should in-
terero wltli his revenge. Ho threw
blnjclf on tho man with bat ono ob-
ject In rlow to slay him barehanded.
Wllkerson fought tlgerlshly nnd for
tbo moment had tho ndrontngo. Tbo
lofty trestle was au ill nlaco for n
heavy man llko Dorr to fight on and
the other's agility nnd lltho quickness
seemed about to win when John by a
sudden unexpected nnd despcrato ma-
neuver caucht 'hlm and tlirjjw Jilta
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