THE MASTER KEY
Bv John Fleming Wilson
f > ipaeM •r «ng«nenl for lib pao«r « plioto-iir reni correipondhlg to th«
installment. of "The Majter Key' may now be leen ®t the leading mo.
u>< picture tJieateri By airangemnnt made with the Univerul
riliii Manufacturing company it u not only poitible to
raad "The Matter Key' in thii paper.   alio after-
ward to MX moving picture* of our itory
COPYRIGHT. IBI4. BV IOHN FLEMING WILSON
T
CHAPTER V.
Th« Night Rider.
TTH ll^ht In the bungalow on
the hill across the valley
winked hk some one passed
beueat-li It and ihe window
"T can aee clearly enough." ku!<1 Wll
kerson, "that there Is a £lrl mixed
up In this affair. Tom Gallon never
walked like that."
Ho rode slowly down the steep hill
till he reached the pumping engine
Hill Tubbe, the bulky, sodden fa.-ed
engineer, cm me to tiie doorway
"Is this The Master Key?* " d*
uianded Wilkerson.
"It certainly Is," was the response.
"And—old Tom Gallon runs It?"
Wilkersou pulled out a flask, divining
Bill Tubbs' ruling vice, and the en
giueer, after a long drink, wiped bin
uiouth w ith the bark of his oily hands
"So you are looking for Thomas l*nI
k>n. are you? Well, he owns this mine,
hut It's mostly run by « young girl
there In that bungalow on the hill
You see. Tom ain't up to what he used
to be. The ore is getting worse every
day and the old man's sl'k up there In
his house."
"I'm going up to see him now." said
Wilkerson. He rode on n few yards
and survey (Hi the snug houses, stamp
mill and all the apparatus of the grow
Ing mine and snarled: "So this is what
be wanted for himself!'
The man he was seeking lay prop
ped up In bed To Uuth he gave ev
erythlng silks and down and all the
soft things of this life Himself he
still slept on a hard cot witli a straw
pillow under his head that is. he had
alept. It seemed to him that sleep
had forever tied, and he was now look
lug up Into Kuth's face almost plead
Ingly. trying to keep his grim old lips
from asking sympathy There was
reason in his mind that he should ac-
cept no tender ministration from the
lovely girl who stood beside him. 11 is
sacrifice must be complete; so when
his daughter bent over him and asked
him If he felt all right he mustered a
smile.
"There's nothing the matter with me.
Ruth." he was saying, and his glance
■ought that of John Dorr, who stood
at the foot of the bed The eyes of
the two men met, and Dorr Impercep-
tibly nodded his head In token that he
would not tell. Not that he yet knew
the secret of "The Master Key,'' but
he recognized the fact that sooner or
later he was to know-
Ruth stooped over and said:
"Papa. I don't believe you do feel
well. I'm going to make you some
thing hot to drink I'll bring you a
toddy." And she weut into the klteh
en and shut the door.
When sh  was gone John nodded «
pleasant "Good night." nnd also left
Then old Thomas Gallon rose and
went to his worn desk ami grot his well
thumbed diary
"1 am taunted." he wrote slowly, "ai
wajs haunted Am I to die without
knowing whether Wilkerson i« alive
and that Ruth is safe?"
At that moment he glanced up and
thought he saw the sinister face of his
former partner at the window By the
strongest effort of will be managed to
control himself and went on writing
"Wilkerson still alive by night!
When will he come out into the day?
He shall never have the key that
would unlock the secret to my little
girl's happiness. I will trust John "
Fancy to yourself scenes that luunt
have fled like swift films before th '
eld man's eyes as he put the diary
away The desert and Its mortal
thirst: Wilkerson. ever drinking greed
lly of precious water; gold; murder;
his escape with the plans, their Iona
In the cheet when the vessel went
down in a caldron of flame; the image
of his dying wife; the picture of the
babe he had lifted from her chill breast
—Ruth, for whom be had suffered. He
bowed his head on bis folded arms.
Such Is the bitterness that the night
brings upon those who are alone.
When Kuth came In with the steam
ing glass of toddy she quietly set the
glass dow n and went out on the porch
to look at the light across the gulch
which marked John Terr's window
Youth was calling to youth.
It was no apparition i hat Gallon had
•een at the window this time. It wai
really Wilkerson. who. after one satis
ied glance, rode swiftly away.
It was midnight when he rapped at
the door of tbo Valle Vista railroad
statiou and called the aleepy agent
"I want to get a telegram through
right away." he said brusquely. 'There
la an extra dollar In your pocket 1f yon
ean rush It"
The blender boy who represented the
Rocky Mountain Southern railroad si
lentlv led the way in turned up the
wick of the lamp and shoved blanks
and pencil across the counter
"Too look half asleep to me." Wllker
son growled as he pl<k« d up th«  r**n
eli
The boy scanned the stranger quiet
ly and opened the drawer of his tel
egraph desk and fieid hi* visitor
again Wilkerson caught the glint of
the st*fi barrel < f « revolver in that
dra wer
"You muttl have aouie money in tb«
safe," he snarled.
The boy looked at him with steely
blue eyes and stated in a perfectly
matter of fact tone, "I merely wonted
to show you that I am awake." Their
glances met It was Wilkersou s eyes
that fell.
He grasped the pencil and wrote on
the yellow blank:
Valle Vista, CaL, March 11.
J*an Darnell Astor House. N«w York
City. N Y
Have found Gallon at last. Adare*
"Mflfter Kev" mine tomorrow
WILKERSON
He shoved the paper across to the
o|>erator and said roughly: "Now. earn
that extra dollar!* He banged two all
ver coins on the counter.
The operator s«'aimed the message,
took another look at his customer and
snoved one of the coins back.
The charge to New York is $1,"
he said mildly.
Wilkorson scowled, "Well, rush
that anyway!" He strode out of the
little ol Ice and mounted his horse
The weary animal tried to turn in
toward its accustomed corral, but
I its rider reined it sharply back into
j the road toward the "Master Key
I Mine "
"I think Gallon will recognize
I me," he manifested to himself.
Tom Kane, who since ihe beginning
of the cam; had been the o|ien handed
; Out close u out bed cook, sounded his
triangle.
Immediately poured < ut from the
quarters of the unmarried men a
stream of miners As lie had done foi
manv years, Thomas Gallon went to
the window to watch tlii morning
Ceremony lie saw that the men greet
risjMMt fulh vet gen
when John Dorr
I ' himself Then
tiof a horse
Iv down the street
-•I the scowls from
• ti  m he brushed
l In*, eves feebly
Ye« It was true
■ ilie that flirure or
ad John
lally
"It was a Im k.v d
came." he mutteiv<
his eye caucht tin-
man riding leisii't
apparently carele -
the men • alnst
roughly
The old man mi<
and looked a •-•tin
He could never
that saturnine vfsag*' God: Why had
his bullet not gon«- through that face?
lie reached for his .run with somewhat
of the vigor of youth, he was safe now
One shot out of that window and that
figure that had haunted him for years
would tumble and fall and forever dls
appear from Irs lif« He could do It
He put the trun down quietly and
dropped his eli n his breast He re
allied that til* \.-ir- <.f struggle had
broken down the Indomitable spirit of
bis youth and his prid He was an old
man; he could not keep Wilkerson from
coming back
Harry Wilkersou saw that face at
the window, and his smile hardened
He thought he would take Gallon by
surprise possibly hut before he rapped
"Still partners in 'The Matter Key.'"
on the redwood door t.allon had had
time to clutch the key-"The Master
Key" to the riches In San Jacinto
mine—and hurriedly thrust It iuto a
drawer in the desk and shut It from
sight
As the door swung o|>en the two men i
looked at each other Then the younger
man aaUl softly, "PardnerP
Tardner!" snld Gallon, as If liicred
ulouh He called to hl« aid all his frail
physical strength to face the final c«
tmstrophe.
"Still partners," said Wll kenton, step
ping on In and closing the door: "still
1 partners in The Master Key!* "
Involuntarily Gallon clutched st his
throat where thai golden key hung
so long Could he live to fight this
thing thmnrh"5 The nrony 1n his chest
was unbearable "What do you want?"
be asked hoarsely
Wilkerson flung his ridiuu quirt on
the table and pulled off hi* gantlets
"Well.' he drawled, "i artuer. I guese
there are several things 1 want" Be
fixed his dsrk eyes on the old man
"And there'* one thing I'm going to
have, and that's my share of *Tbe
Master Key.'"
"Your share?" parried Gallon.
MMy shareT said Wilkerson. reallr
Ing that he controlled the situation "I
have returned for my Just duo!
"Now. listen, partner. I am going to
stand no nonsense."
"What have you been doing all these
years V the old man asked dully
"Why haven't you been here before?"
"None of your business." snarled Wll
kerson. "All I've got to say is that I
managed to get to New York. Now I'm
back after finding out that you made
a strike, the flud you made when we
were partners How did you get back
here?"
Gallon looked at his enemy with the
simplicity of an old mau telling a
proved truth. They were all my
friends," he said
Friends?" said Wilkerson In a sud
denly changed voice, and, thrusting hla
contorted face close to Gallon's. "1
don't care ubout your friends, but you
better rare about the enemy you
made."
For one Instant the mine owner's
face grew stern and pitiless. But he
heard a step on the outside porch, and
tils face softened.
"My (iod. Harry; 1 did It for the
flrir
The evil eool of Wilkerson flared he
hind those cold eyes of his, and for
the first time Id his life he told the
truth of his inmost heart "And I must
have my ahare of The Master Key' to
buy a woman."
"What wwtsanr
Wilkerson leaned forward. an<l his
dps hissed hate as be returned: "Do
you remember that woman in Valle
Vista live years ago—that womun you
thought your little daughter too good
to speak to? it was you who drove
her out of camp, and now"—he smiled
fatultously—"she's rich and in New
York, aud she hates you!*'
Gallon bowed his head.
"What la It you want HarryT* be
whispered huskily
The other man pulled a peper out
of his is>cket and threw It ou the ta
ble There's a contra** for you to
sign
At this moment the door opened,
and Ruth entered She stared a mo
went at the visitor and then looked
anxiously at her father, who said
"This %ls an old partner of mioe.
liuthy—Harry Wilkerson."
Ruth shyly looked at the tall strang
er and then shook hands with him
He held her gentle Angers a second
too long. Her face flushed, and she
retired without a backward glance
Without paying any more attention
to the old man, who had now subsld
ed into a chair by the table, Wllker
son walked to the window and watch-
ed the slim, girlish figure of the young
girl tripping down the hill. Then he
swung on the old man hardily: "Well.
I need a job You need a new super
Intendent don t you? 1 gueKS I'll take
the place."
He stepped quickly to the window
once more. This time he saw Ruth,
with Tom Kane, the old cook, and an
other, hi front of the cook house.
"Come here, Tom Who la that talk
Ing to that girl of yours?" he said.
Gallon got up heavily from his chair
aud walked over to the window, and
he could not repress an expression of
relief "Oh, that'a the mining engl
neer of 'The Master Key,' John Dorr!'"
With a quick awing Wilkerson was
back, leaning over the table. He pick
ed up the paper "Sign here!" be said
Insolently.
Gallon made a last faint protest: "1
can't do ItT*
Wilkerson picked op a pen. dipped It
and put It In the old man's hand
"Sign!"
Just as the last letter of that signs
ture. which had so long stood for re-
spectability, was blotted st the foot of
the paper Ruth entered.
"Your father has Just made me su
perlntendent of this mine I'm his old
partner, you know!"
Ruth looked at her father with con
aternation "Why — why — I thought
John"—
Thomas <;allon looked up and wiped
his lips. "Yes." he said dully, "I have
made my old—my old—partner superln
teudent of The Master Key.' "
"1 expect we'll see a good deal of
each other from now on.' WUkerson
said silklly, and with those slim, white
Angers of his he reached out aud pinch
ed Ruth's cheek.
Ruth did uot draw back. She clinch
ed her firm little hand and Wilkerson
received a blow In the mouth that
made hlrn stagger back.
At the moment that he received thai
stinging blow he heard a movement to
one aide of him. aud. with the old in
stlnctlve fear of Thomas Gallon, he
drew away back with his band on the
gun at his hip. He met the flaring
eyes of the old man. who had risen
from his seat, and understood that un
til life left that decrepit frame Its maa
terlng passion-the passion which he
could uot hope to master-would be
love for th«  rfrl whom he had just In
suited
He made a dating apology, the apoio
gy of the coward and the liar "I beg
your pardon, Ruth, but you used to sit
on my knee when you were n little
one."
She merely glanced st him and went
out of the bungalow. She did not see
* er father rise to hla full height and
straighten his bent shoulders to say
#1 killed you once for her sake, and
d—n you. I'll kill you sgaln. old as I
am!"
"Come on. Wilkerson said roughly
don t get excited Now take me dowr
and introduce me to the boys '
Gallon sighed hesvtly as he obeyed
and took him to where John Porr was
now starting his day s work
"John.' he said heavily, "this Is Uar
THE
globe store
Special Sale for 15 Days un Our
NEW SPRING GOODS
SALE STARTS JANUARY 16
Cotton Goods Down
2000 Yards American Prints at 4c per yard
and not over 10 yards to our customers.
4M00 Yards Red Seal Ginghams, worth 15c.
to our customers, 9c per yard.
2000 Yards Hope Muslin, worth 10c, to
our customers, 6 l-2c per yard All other
goods marked down.
Sale Starts, Saturday, January 16
w globe store
119 SOUTH ROCK ISLAND
- * x
can't do iti
TONIGHT
till THEATRE
TONIGHT
SPECIAL THh EE-REEL FEATURE
Mary Fuller in
"THK HEART OF THE HILLS"
Special 8 reel Program in Addition to 'Creation'
Come Early to Get Seats
TOMORROW
Master Key Day
Episode No. 5
ADMISSION ALWAYS 5c AND 10c
ry Wilkersou, the new superintendent
of the mine. He used to be my part
tier. It won't Interfere with your work
any." Ele paused for breath. "In fact
It will take a lot of extra details off
your shoulders."
John looked at Wilkerson. His heart
was filled with bitterness, but he slm
ply said. "All right, Mr. Gallon," and
left
"Well," said Wilkerson. "I'll take
charge right away He picked up a
telegraph blank and sat down at the
desk with a new assurance As If he
had been dismissed by his superior
Thomas Gallon stepped feebly away
When he was gone Wilkerson wrote
rapidly:
'Mnster MIim. rtlloni Vail«jr.
March 18, IS—.
.Jean Darnel, a bum Houaa. New York
City. N. Y.:
I have Juat been appointed superintend
ent of tbta mine; tell C*«orga; letter foi
Iowa HARRY
^le stared down at Uia own slgnatvrs
with a strange feeliug that It was new
—iettera Instead of figures! He winc-
ed as he seemed to hear her say: TH
never marry you until you are rich.
Get the money and you shall have Jean
Darnell."
The new superintendent gritted his
reeth, folded up the telegram and call
ed roughly to a boy lounging outsid*
on the porch
"Here, take this to the telegraph
station, and be quick about It!" Then
he addressed himself to an ezamina
tlon of the reports and time sheet?* and
vnriona papers that explained the
working of the mlue His soft white
Angers caressed receipts that spoke of
gold extracted from the earth.
a^es the wordlessness of eternity over
came him John gently laid blm down
ou the bed and called Ruth.
"Father!" she called softly aa ahe
knelt by the bedside.
Thomas Gallon stood on the great
divide, but be turned back a moment
to gather hla strength. Then he mo
t lot ied with his gnarled hand for John
The voung man stepp< d quietly for
ward and stooped over
My will. John! I leave Uuth The
Matfifr Key In my desk bring It!"
\Vlien the desired paper wns brought
be whispered
"Head It!"
John Dorr opened the document and
read It aloud:
(To Be Continued )
I W. Warde and .Mrs. J. it. Davis,
of Gilman City, Mo., brother and
wister of Mrs. C. K. Welden, of W.
Russell, are visiting in El Reno.
mortgage said real estate should not
be had as prayed for in said appli-
cation. Witness my hand and the
seal of the said court affixed this 14
day of anuary, A. I). 191Y
R B. FORREST, Co Judge
(SEAL) 1-14-1 -29
BE
CHAPTER VI.
The Golden Kay.
KTER he had left hla former
partner hi the office Thomas
Gallon slowly went up to the
bungalow There was a glim
mer of satisfaction In hla dim eyes aa
he thought of the fact that the location
of the real lode was unknown and
that the plana that might reveal It
were far beneath the waters of the
Pacific. He went inside to the deek
and picked out of the looker drawer
the golden key which held his secret-
He stnred at it aud read the num
bera that marked the position of the
lost vessel, and the chest that held the
plans Whom could he trust with
this? lie looked out of the window
and called to John Dorr
"John!" be quavered. Tee already
told you a little about my finding this
mine and about my old partner."
**WUkerM« n V
"Ye*. Wilkerson. but there ta anoth
er secret I lost the location of the
mct.he> lode In a wreck at sea. The
chest sI1pi>ed overboard; but find the
wreok and «v>mewhere near It is that
old c«rv« d chest, and when you open
the chest' The old man suddenly
staggered forward Into I>orr's arms.
"I kllhsl hin  on' e fie muttered fee
bly. and then Ihe m en« e which pr^e
Ike Simpson, a prominent farmer
and Ed. Washecheck, of Piedmont.
are in the city today.
Uead the Want Ads
Welter Bros shipped a car of
! mules to Kansas City yesterday.
The mules were bought tor t.i Kn-
1 glish government
Mr and Mrs. eGorge W. Hamilton
have become the owners of a fine
home at 107 N. Hoiff, formerly own-
ed by Mm. Homer Lowe.
HtnTonBros., of Enid, are operat-
ing a cash grocery in the building
diagonally across from the Kerfoot
hotel.
Number 75 drew the doll given
away by the Busch millinery parlors
14 It
NOTICE
State of Oklahoma, Canadian Co.
IN COUNTY COt'RT
Notice is hereby given to all per-
sons Interested In the instate of
Thomas H. Simpson, deceased, that
on the 14th day of January, A. D .
1915, Isaac T. Simpson, as the ad
ministrator of the estate of the said
deceased, filed his petition in the
County court of the county of Can-
adian and State of Oklahoma pray
rig for an order to mortgage the real
property of said estate described In
said petitk>n and the said appl <
tion will be heard before the court
at the court house on the 30th day
of January. A D.. 1915. at the hour
of l p m when and where all pe 
sons interested In *aid eetate are re
quired to appear and show caupe, if
anv thev have, why an order to
F A R M L) K MON ST R AT IO N
To Whom It May Concern
The Board of County Cominihsion
era of Canadian County, Oklahoma,
contemplate the appropriation of
two hundred and fifty dollars, ($250)
on February 6th. 1915 for co-opera
tion with the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture in conducting
farmers demonstration work in
Canadian County, Okla , for the bal
a nee of the fiscal year 1914-15f as
provided by Sesas n Laws 1913.
Chap. 7f . Every person interested
shal have the right to appear and
be heard, or file a remonstrance ag
ainst such action contemplated b>
county commissioners
GEO. JENSEN '' > «V-
By Roy Starr, Deputy
List of PRICES at
Gibson & Paradis
THIS WEEK
18. lbs. (Jranulated Sugar $1.00
One nice Bananas 15
3 lbs. Black-eye<l I'eas 2o
One [loiiml Flake Hominy .0f>
One pound Crushed Hominy 05
8 bars Hawkeye Soap
1 gal solid pack Blackberries .00
1 gal. liOgan Berries .55
I gal. reaches .50
I bushel Northern Burbank
Potatoes I -00
1 lb. Kiche'ieu bulk Mince
Meat .20
One '2-lb can solid pack Black
Beriies. .15
One 2 1-2 lb. can solid pack
Blackberries ,'J0
One 2 1-2 lb. can Sliced Pine-
apple .25
6 cans Pet Milk .25
One can Belle Isle Asparagus
Tip® .15
(iibso . & Paradis
Phone 29
Agents f"r f'ba-e & Sunburn
Tea and C ffe>
1X1-
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