Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, February 26, 1915, Page 4

“THE MASTER KEY” By JOHN FLEMING WILSON CHAPTER VIl Wilkerson the Plotter. HEN he bad thoroughly learn ed bls lesson Wilkerson cool Iy, In spite of the letter be had received trow Jean Dar vell In New York. telling nhim ot her willinguess to tinance her scheme, de termined he must be friends with John Dorr, at least outwardly N0 e smoothed out the visible wrinkles n nis face, trying to veil the malicious gleam In his eyes, and spent two quietly trying to show his amiability not only to the miners, but to Dort himself. Wilkerson was absolutely certain that his old partner, Thomas Gallon bad really made a rich find and that be bad lost the location and aceepted “The Master Key” as ‘a substitute the hope that by working it thoroughly he might tind the mother tode. In other words, careful manipulation of Wilkerson, maybe both ot us have made a mistake.” the present mine. painstaking toil in -figuring ont the trend of the various setns, would lead to that particular pot of gold which had been at the end of Gallon’s youthful rainbow ot hopes Wilkerson was determined to be mas ter of *“T'he Master Key.” He nceded the skilled aid of John Dorr with bis engineering kuowledge John Dorr knew that there was-a tremendous secret in Gallon's life rep resented by the golden key which he bad torn frow his veck and handed to Ruth when he was dying. That key bad figures on it. He understood that those scratches on that golden surface represented something tremendously tmportant. and that the old man bad committed Ruth to bis charge and had spoken ot Wilkerson as his former partoer and said, “\Wilkerson knows.” What was it that Wilkerson knew? It was better, thought John, to accept bis amlable advances nnd thereby pos. sibly gain bis confidence and find out for Ruth’s sake that secret which ‘Thomas Gallon had taken to his grave. So ou the second day after the resto ratlon of the old scale of wages and his own reappointment as engineer in charge Jobn went down to the office and sald bluntly: “Look here, Wilker son, maybe both of us have made a mistake. 1I'm sure my only alm is to belp out in the promotion of *The Mas. ter Rey.' ™ Wilkerson received him amiably *I'm sure wy only iuterest in this busi: ness is to feteh into good ore. All that we are digging out now is dirt without &0y pay lu it.” *1 think | know where we can strike @rst class stuff.” Dorr returned. “There Is sure pay rock if we travel south from that main tuunel We may have to go a couple of hundred feet.” Wilkerson looked at him shrewdly *That will cost money.” he remarked “But I'll take this up with Ruth.” John looked at bim with a faint trace of the o0ld enmity in his eyes. He did oot like to bear the first name of the mistress of “The Master Key” on those ips. “If the wine Is not paying it's up tu us to make it pay.” be remarked. When Wilkerson entered the bunga low Ruth perceived a great change in bis 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 bands and asked cheerfully, “What is it. Mr. Wilkerson?" “May 1 sit down?" wardly. She motioned to a chair, and he pull ed out of his pocket a paper covered with figures. “l think you ought to know how things are going along, Miss Gallon, he sald. with unusual formality “When your father made me superin tendent of this mine | did not realize that the responsibility was so heavy as it 1s. We are not. making any money We are losing money. You can see by the reports which | have here that our ‘cleanup lately has been far less than our expenses, and our last one showed practically nothing. We must find the e again. To do so we must have money. There is no money in ‘The ' Master Key' mine.” “That's what ‘father used to say sometimes,” saild Ruth quietly. “But Be-always got it.” he suid awk | mention of Joho Dorr’s name. Wilkerson fushed ‘“Miss Gallon, nope that yon don't think that I'm pot doihg my best.” | am John Dort and 1 have gone vver this matter together He agrees with we that we bave aliso. lutely lost the vein and that if “I'he Master Key' 18 to pay anything more we must tind It.again.” Ruth's expression softened ut the *What does he thiuk?' she demanded. *“What is the chance of finding it again?" “If we run west. Dorr thinks,” salg Wilkerson slowly. “we’ll 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 a week | bave to pay out over $30,000 for the month. and 1 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." Rutb renlized that he was speaking the truth, even lessening the imie- diateness of the catastropbe, but ber distaste of the man was (oo great tv allow her to discuss the matter with him in the intimate way which she felt was necessary. She must see John Dorr, She quickly dismissed Wilkerson and then went to Dorr’s office berself, meet- g bimn at the door. She bore as a ift a small basket ot fruit. Without preliminaries she said, “John. are we broke? [le Iaughed; then his face grew ve. “The wine is not paying.” be id briefly “But can't we make It pay?t is the watter?” “Money.” said John. “But why woney?" “lt will cost $10,000 to drive that uew tunnel.” John added as they en tered the office. “But Mr. Wikkerson just sald be was z0ing to pay over $30,000 to the wen.’ Ruth said soberly. “If we have that utich money, why can’t we'— A tenderness tlooded Dorr’s eyes. He omprehended her belplessness, under- <tond why old Thomas Gallon had been <0 insistent that be, John Dorr, shonld ook after her. She was a mere child e tried to explain the exact situation with the result that Ruth finally push «d him off his high stool, got up on it verself and wrote in a large, childish tand right across the face of one of his new drawings. *1 must raise $10. noo! She swung around to John and askea “How-can | get $10,0007" Dorr hesitated. His plan was risk) in view of Wilkerson's attitnde, but after all. the money must be raised e snid quietly: “Pledge the stock you own in “I'he Master Key. 1 know a man in New York who will loan you 0000 on it” He bent over her ear 1 “But listen, Ruth. If we spend the $10.000 and we don’t tind the moth er lode, yon lose the mine It's just iike a mortgage on a farm.” “But you wouldn't snggest this if 11 weren't the only way out.” she said uriefly “Now, bow am | to do this?" “You must go to New York and see George Everctt. 1 will give you a let ter to him, and be will see to It that you get the extra money we need Meanwhile I'll keep the mine going.” Ruth gave him her full eyes. “You don’t like Mr. Wilkerson. do you?" “1 don’t trust him.” he renlied. At this moment the superintendent entered the office and, seeing their twu teads close together over the desk. he scowled. “1 came to see what we are going to do about that new tunnel,” he said roughly. *1 don’t like to start in any thing [ can’t finish.” Ruth swung around to say quietly ‘1 am going to New York city to see Mr. George Everett, a friend of Mr Dorr's, and | will come back with the $10.000.” “Everett, Everett"—repeated Wilker. son. “who is George Everett?” Despite John's frowns, Ruth volu bly explained. When she had finished What ‘Jonn, are we broke Wilkerson nodded and said: “I'll put the men to.work tomorrow. Dorr. Bet ter have yow plans ready!" He stamp «d out. “You bad vetter go this afternoon,” lohn told Ruth. “There i2 no time te Lose.” “All right, in an hour. John smiled. “All right; I'N take vou over in the motor truck or shall we ride to Silent Valley?" “I've never been to New York.” she sald timidly. and with that inconse quential logic which maidens have, she ndded. “Let's ride. ['ll take Patsy and she said. “I'll be ready vou can ride Black Joe.” Dorr did not nnderstand at all that in leaviug ber home for the great to be filled with sunshire and & famil. |° far gest of scurrying over dry Califor- nia on half broken horseflesh. ‘All right, we'll ride”” he- saild. “While you are getting ready I'll write a letter to George Hverett.” Ruth 1ald one slender band on John's shoulder. “You're always doing things for me, John,” she said simply. *“Some day I'll do something for you.” She slipped away without a backward glance. Dorr watched her trip down the nill toward her own little bungalow, and it seeined to bim as if be beld one end of a polden thread that she was spin ning through sunshine. It was an chored in bis heart. That thread would bo 8,000 miles long before she saw good old Everett. He picked up bis pen and wrote rapldly: “Master Key" Mine, June — u:;:n Everett, 111 Broadway, New York y: Dear George—When a youns, slender. brown eyed, golden haired girl walks into your office and says, “I'm Ruth Gallon,” and hands you the papers that she wili bave in her little hand bag, please see that she gets $10.000. Ever yours, JOHN DORR He would have added more. His Gner Instinct told him that Ruth should be the first to put the whole scheme before the cool beaded, rather cold hearted George Everett. He addressed the envelope and sealed it. Then be went to the telephone and called up the station at Sflent Valley. “BIIL,” be said quletly after listening a momnient to see if any one was on the line, “I want to send a telegram Take it over the wire, please. I'll be down in a little while and pay you.” ‘Sure,” floated back a cheerful voice “l wish my credit was as good as yours, ten miles away, but it seems as if 1 bave to be always present when | ask for it. Go abead, John!" *“This is it, Bill,” said John: George Everett, 111 Broadway, New York City: Miss Ruth Gallon leaves tonight to see you about ““Master Key” stock. Meet het and wire me on her arrival. Take good care of her or I'll take care of you JOHN DORR The operator repeated the message and involuntarily adopted a little of John’s savage intonation on the last four words. It woke him up to the fact that he was allowing his feelings to become public. He begun to see why it was that men looked at him strangely at times, when it Was a ques tion of Ruth's interests. He must re strain himself. The operator did not bang up imme diately, but said hesitatingly: “Say. John, there’s a wire here; just came in from ‘The Master Key' mine. It does pot seem to jibe with yours. Wil- kerson sent it 4 “ll play fair,” said John to himself, and he called back over the wire, “Bil- Iy, that's yours and Wilkerson's busi ness, not mine.” If he bad listened to the tenor of the message directed to Jean Darnpell, in New York, he would bave learned what Wilkerson was plot- ting. For years Wilkerson had bullt up for bimself a golden image in Jean Dar nell. No one realized better than him self that she was a creature of appe tite, a lover of sflk and velvet. A wo. man whose eyes widened at sight of a Persian cat. Feminine in every de gree, womanly in none. But he him self, dominated absolutely, atterly and complétely by his desires, had fallen under her spell, and he was going to win ber, no matter how. It is a strange thing that when a dishonest man finally yields to an honest passion nothing will satisfy him but the ut most observance of the ritual of socle ty. Harry Wilkerson’s vision was of walking up the aisle of a great church to meet his bride at the altar. Yet he bad always thought of her In terms of gold; that was a contrast— the pallid, satiny, blue eyed woman, voluptuous, soft—and his image of her buflt of yellow gold, dragged out of the bowels of “The Master Key” mine. This image was now before his eyes: Instead of the warm, sun blessed Call- fornia bills, with their faipt scent of sage and cactus, he saw a richly fur oished room and breathed the odor of attar of roses. Let us not follow him 0 his dreams. But looking over his shoulder an hour later we read: “Master Key" Mine, June — Jeéll:y Darnell, Astor House, New York Find George Everett at 11 Broadway and meet Ruth Gallon in Chicago on Sante Fe express leaving here this even- ng. Introduce Drake as Everett after ¥ou have seen Everett and keep the girl to yourself until I ‘can arrange matters. HARRY. “1 can’t send this through any office near here,” he thought, “so 1 guess I'll ride down to Valle Vista and band it to the conductor. He can send it from l.os Angeles.” Three days later Ruth Gallon settled nerself in the seat of a Pullman that was soon to leave Chicago for New York. - She was excited. In crossing town from one depot to another through the streets roaring with traf- fic she had heard sounds that had nev- er met her ears before—the sounds of the world's business which, oddly enough, seemed to be mostly hauled over cobblestones. The faint echo of that noise still rang in her ears.. It ap- palled her to think that she must dwell with men who lived in such an atmos- phere; also she felt very lonely. She thought ‘of the mine, of Tom Kane in the door of his cook shanty, of the great ore bucket swinging across the gulch: toward the mill, of John, bend-: ing over his blue prints and papers; of. the grave on the hill where her father lay. still within the precincts of ““The Master Key.” It had been so impressed upon her that her mission was of vital impor- tance to the mine, that these tender emotions flowed Into the same channel .| with ber really keen business instinct. She pulled. the| key, warm from her. bosom, out of 1ts hiding place and look- strunge city eho wished'her last hours ; °0 8¢ ft- - > CHAPTER VIil. Jean Darnell’s Ruse. 18 must be Miss Gallon,” said a pleasant voice. Ruth looked up to see a = woman of florid beauty and dressed in somewhat extravagant style looking down at her out of great, taw- oy, velvet eyes. Western bred, Ruth responded amiably to this salutation. though she had not the faintest idea who the woman was. “Yes, | am Miss Gallon.” “l am Mrs. Darnell,” said the wom an. “May | sit down? | am ap old friend of your friend, John Dorr’s. He wired me that 1 would fnd you on this train”’ The lie was so plausible that Rutb merely blushed. thinking that It was one more token of John Dorr's carefulness of her comfort and safety. To her inexperienced eyes this woman represented the tremendous city to which she was going. Her dress, her manner, ber jewels, the evasive per- fume that she affected were all strange and ‘impressive to her. She moved over a little to allow Mrs. Darnell to sit down. “John pever spoke of you.” said Ruth stmply. 1 did not bave the faintest notion that | was to meet any of his friends. Do-sou live ta New_York?" “Yes, 1 live in New York. | happen- ed to be in Chicago, and through Mr. Everett | beard from John." “Oh. you know Mr. Everett!" cried Ruth. “He 18 the man | am going to see iv New York," and she went on to tell. as best she could, the gist of her mission. It was typical of the woman to whom she was talking that she did oot inter rupt- this paive parrative. She sat In silken silence, occasionally allowing her great eyes to rest on Ruth’s fair face with an assumption of affection. As a matter of fuct, she was profoundly in- terested. Life had taught Jean Dar- oell a great many things, and among thew bad been the great lesson of self preservation—the saving for herself of money, of comfort, of health and of good looks Now it was a question of mouey, prime among them all. and her rather kéen wits saw precisely the chances which Wilkerson was taking. She recalled his oft repeated statements that.there was money in “The Master Key" and his latest letters imploring her to help him get control of the stock. When Ruth ended up with a gentle ~And so | told John I'd come and see what' | could do.” the elder woman smiled gently. Times were not so good with her us they bad been, and if Har- ry. Wllker‘sol_z‘ could put this deal through and ‘make mahey for them.all At would simplify many a problem which she dully pondered at night. “Mr Everett will meet us at the traln." she said briefly, “and then you can téll bim all this, Meanwhile, sup- pose“we talk about something else.” “But 1 can’t think of anything else,” said Ruth. “Oh, you will,” sald Mrs. Darnell. *“You can combine the pleasure of see- ing New York with your little busl- ness. Mr. Everett will quickly settle that part of it and I shall take great pleasure in showing you about Manhat- tan. I presume you are fond of op- era?” “I/have ‘mever been to the opera,” Ruth responded. “I should love to go, but when I do‘go | must go all alone,” she went on impulsively. “I think op- era must be like church—one wants to go all by oneself.” Mrs. Darnell turned very slowly and for the first time In many years reveal- ed a secret thought: “Do you know that my only pleasant memories, my dear, are of myself?” The bitterness of that confession, with. all its implication, wholly escaped Ruthis sensitive but tnexperfenced mind Yet there was something in the | tone that warmed her heart to this ef- fulgent creature. At least. she was oot going into the great city all alone, por confront Mr. Everett by herself. Mrs Darnell made her feel that she was cempetently protected. When they arrived the next morning at the Grand Central station In New York city Mrs. Darnell quietly intro- duced her to_a slim, rather handsome young man, who seemed il at ease un- til: he bad drawn Ruth’s companion aside for a moment for a chat while the porter collected their luggage. “I don’t just like this game,” hesaid “In the first place, Everett 1s a big man in the city. and this Miss Gallon doesn’t look to me like a girl you could fool ‘long. Amyway, | can’t under- stand what you are trying to do, Jean. You must know what sort of a fellow Harry Wilkerson is by this time. Why play bis band for him?’ “l ‘don’t notice you holding any trumps in your band,” she returned | gently, but with a faint gleam fn ber eyes which made bim draw back. “This is my game, and 1 expect you to play your part. You come on mow and be George Everett. The girl is as ig- norant as a pigeon. Remember what 1 told: you.” | “About that stock?” he sald sullenly “Yes, the stock. You understand that she came to New York simply to ralse. money for this mine. You are supposed to handle the business for | her. If you don’t learn all that {8 to be learned about ‘The Master Key' mine in the next two days you are more than the fool | take you for.” She drew bim back to where ‘Ruth stood amid the sult cases and ‘hand bags and sajd. “Miss Gallon. Mr. Ev- erett has been telling me that he, too, has heard from John Dorr abont your coming.” B8 ’ Ruth scanned bim politely. But the interest died in her eyes when she saw what sort-of a man be was, He might be a friend of John's; he might be the man to rescue “The Master Key" from bankruptcy, but he.did not interest her. P A Drake, trying to piuy the partyof the busy broker and, being thoroughly and temperamentally an actor, felt the chill of this lack of interest and would cer- tainly bave fallen down on his part had he not been prowpted by Mrs. Darnell. He was glad to basten away to find the elusive taxl ‘The real George Everett got out of his limousine on the corner of Vander- bilt avenue and hurried through the revolving doors; brisk, debonair, alert, decided; with that happy style which denles foppery and avoids surveillance. It seemed strange that he should have a photograph in his hand at which he looked intently until he got in the.con- course. There he stopped and, with the picture still in his hand, commenced watching the faces of the people thronging through the gates under the vast dome. As he waited he frowned slightly. “Why had John Dorr sent bim during business hours on a wild goose chase?” He thought of this ar ticulately and then smiled to bimself. “A wild goose!” he muttered. It brought up darkling sunset vistas, lakes smooth as quicksilver under the evening sky, and slim, gray, beautiful birds homing downward. The frown left his forehead. “After all it will be good to see some- body from out of doors,” he said to bimself. Half an hour later he discovered that he had irretrlevably missed the ar- rival of the Chicago express and with it Ruth Gallon. He went back into his car and drove to his office. Once there be called his head clerk. an an clent and fragile man, as crisp and bloodless as the money that passes on Wall street. and told him to see at what hotel Miss Ruth Gallon was stop- ping. Then he wired John Dorr: 1 Broadway, New York. John Dorr, “Master Key" Mine, Silent Valley, Cal.: Could not find Miss Gallon at train. Am secking for her, as it is important that the business be settled immediately. Wire any possible address GEORGE EVERETT. Far out on Brondway, above the eightles, an operator was ticking off another message addressed to Harry Wilkerson. It read: 2 A West Elghty-tourth 8t New York. Harry Wilkerson, “Master Key” Mine, via Valle Vista, Cal.: Everything all right. George met Ruth. She is now with me and waiting further particulars. Have seen Everett under gulse of prospective purchaser of stock The girl Is charming. JEAN DARNELL. Some houses, like some people, should never be illumined with sunshine, and Mrs. Darnell’s residence, overlooking the Hudson, was of this type. Its dull, red stone front, marked by windows that seemed blind to all that went by. Darnell flung herself into her evil pas- sion with all the nbandon of the trage- Qian; only her voice was alibost inao- dible: “Tom Guallon. Pom Gallon, dead though you are. I'k have revenge!” When her fury bad spent Itself—and, like all physically indolent wormen, sbe could not yield long to emotion—she prepared her eampuign. “First she called up George Drake and made certain that he would be at ber home for dinner that evening. Then she called up two old acquaintances who were always giad to 61l empty chairs at her well set table. _ This set- tled, she again sought Rutb and per- suaded ber from going down immedi- ately to Everett’s office. *“You must be very tired. my dear,” Mrs. Darnpell purred. *“And. anyway. you know, in New York young ladies do not go abont unescorted to men’s business offices, and 1 cannot go with you until tomorrow or next day.” “That will be too late,” cried Ruth. Mrs. Darnell opened her eyes wide, as if in surprise. “Mr. Everett is com- ing to dinner tonight,” she said sooth- ingly. . “You can talk business to your heart’s content right here.” “That will be much better,” said Ruth When her hostess -was gone she stood by the window trying to think more calmly of all that had bappened since she had left “The Master Key” wmine, but one thought was prominent: “What was John Dorr doing?' She recalled that there was three hours’ difference in time. It was now 2 o'clock in New York, and it was only 11 in SI- lent Valley. Tom Kane would be just making bis final preparations for din- ner, and she could almost smell the odor of his coffee. These homely de- tails occupied her mind tenderly for an hour; then she caught up and dressed herself for the street again. She bad barely finished when the maid came in with tea, followed by Mrs. Darnell. “My child, what in the world are you going to do?" asked Jean. “Look, we'll have tea together.” “1 was going out for a walk.,” Ruth responded. “You know 1 have never was_not distinctive in that neighbor hood. A thousand doors within a mile would have suggested to the passerby nothing more nor less than the great oak portals within which she lived. To Ruth Gallon, of course, the house seemed tremendously formal and state- ly. Within she found an atmosphere 80 absolutely strange and alien to all she had ever known that she shrank within herself and had nothing to say until she had been conducted to her own room on the third floor and a dis creet maid was busy unpacking her things. Ruth felt that soclety had al ready laid its restrictions on her. She recognized the maid as the “gown and + hat” policeman. . ‘This sllent, but exceedingly obtrusive personage having retired at last, Ruth studied her surroundings. When she had completed her survey she thought to berself that there were two things wanting. One was a silk haired Per. sian cat and the other a flaming color- ed scarf across the bed that completed the altogether of an apartment severe 1y luxurious. Then she tried to ana: Iyze the odor. delicate yet insistent. which she was ever afterward to asso- i clate with Jean Darnell and her expe irtence in New York. At last she traced it to some pallid flowers in the great green and dark red \vase, whose unwholesome beauty was that of plants whose roots have never . been' in good, sound soil. They looked to tier. much like lilies, whose pads had \floated on some dark and opalescent 'pool, viscld with odors of the night 8he was still staring at these and | eniffing their scent through widenmed @ostrils when Mrs. Darnell knocked on ¢ the door and entered slowly. She had | changed her street gown for a negligee, | which instantly caught the girl's ap- Ppreciative eye. . “You look benutiful.” she said quick- 'ly. Jean Darnell turned her tawny | eyes on ber and smiled faintly. | *1 am aot usually up until noon,” she respoaded, d—| am getting old, my dear.” She threw out ber jeweled bands with a sparkling gesture of hailf | comic resignation. Ruth laughed. “Jobn Dorr.says everybody gets old in New York. Don’t you like him?” Mrs. Darnell looked into the clear eyes of the girl and almost failed to i follow her baser instinct. Hut at that Joose throat she saw the heavy gold of [ “The Master Key.” As if it bad su- [ pernatural powers, the sight of that | key locked the door of her heart. “Of | course | like John,” she said easily ~“We must get everything fixed up now. : George will be here—George - Everett. | of course, | mean—tonight. and you i 20d he can talk the business uver.” ;; “Vou know, we simply must bave the money,” Ruth returned earnestly “The mine isn’t paying now, but John kmows where we can tind the mother Sode again; then we'll all be rich. i “Ah!" said Jesn Daruell. ®elling stock, | presume?” 2“1 own it all,” Ruth returned proud. ly. “It's my mine My father left it o mie when he died.” She did not see the sullen hatred that slowly fSamed amtfl Jenn Darnell's eyes tairly blazed. In her own room she stood a moment | breathless. Then she tore c@f her fleecy ‘meghigee In an intensity of slfent rage and despair, seen only by thé unexcited eyes of the god whom she had.defied. . 1t s wickedness, ‘not virtue, which' 1 thestrical, and at thls moment Jean, ou're “What was John Dorr doing?" been in New York, and it seems a shame to. waste this fine afternoon. Anyiay, 1 want some fresh air.” Mrs. Darpell looked at her thought- tully. and smiled presently in a way that made Ruth flush. It seemed to convict her of discourtesy to her hos- tess. “You had best have teal" and the girl obediently removed her bat and facket and sat down. It seemed to her that the rest of the afternoon passed In flashes of such en- tertainment as she had never known. It must be remembered that Ruth, lv- ing in the mine nearly all her life since leaving school, had not had the advan- tages or the society of trained, alert, smart, clever women. Mrs. Darnell was very clever and she used her ev- ery art to keep Ruth’s attention. She succeeded. % That night at dinner George Drake, posing as George Everett, suddenly flushed darkly and turned to the girl at his left. “Miss Gallon,” be said In a whisper, flashing his dark eyes to- ward bis hostess to see if she were watching, “1 really hope that the trust you put in me you won't find misplac- ed I'll do everything | can to belp you, even if it i3 funny that | didn’t know that John Dorr has red bair.” Ruth looked at him very soberly. *“1 don’t just understand a great many things,” sls» sald. It all seems so strange, Mr. Everett, and, you know, I am worrled. | ought to go to the Ritz Carlton and see if there are tele- grams for me, for that's where John would wire me. I'm afrald Mrs. Dar- pell thinks 'm awfully impolite be- cause | want to go and make sure for myself that John bas not wired.” “I'll go myself,” said the faise Ever- ett, looking at his plate. “I'll go to- night In fact, I'll go right now.” He caught Mrs. Darnell's eye and sald apologetically: “I'm afrald, my dear hostess, I'll have to leave you. | bave Just remembered my solemn promise to be at the club at 9 o'clock. and, be- eldes, I've promised Miss Gallon to'go to the Ritz and get her mail and tele- grams.” He turned to Ruth, and she uoticed a very grave look fn his eyes, which she was to understand later. He bent gallantly over ber band and lightly kissed her fingers. “You may trust me.” he sajd. s (Continued next Friday) i mfi, . FEBRUARY 96, - 1915. For Soups, Stews and Fricasseed Chickea Leit overs of roast lamb, veal or beef. :he cheaper cuts of fresh meats, and fowls 50 cld for roasting, make delicious and “ourishing stews.” K C Dumplings make aiem doubly attractive and the whole dis 5 most economical—an object to most 2miiles while meats are so high and must ¢ rade to go as far as possible. K C Dumplings By Mrs. Nevada Briggs, the well known baking expert. 2 cup.;;mtr; 38 level teaspoonfuls K C Baking Powder; § teaspoonful salt; cup shortening; milk or creant. Sift together three times, the flour, baking powder and salt; fato this work the shortening and use cream or milk to make a dough less stiff than for Discuits. Allow the stew to boil down so that the uid does not cover the meat or chicken. Add half a cup of cold water to stop its boil- g and drop the dough in large spoonfuls cn “op of the meat or chicken. Cover and i.t buil again for 15 minutes. Made with K C Baking Powder and steamed in this way, dumplings are as light as biscuits and are delicious with thickened gravy. ! Thisrecipe is adapted from one for Chicken Pot Pie in “The Cook’s Book™ by Janct McKenzie Hill, editor of the Boston Cock- ing School Magazine. The book contah.: 90 excellent recipes for things that are good o eatand that help reduce the cost of li “The Cook’s Book™ sent free for -olored_certificate packed in every 25-c an of K C Baking Powder. Send to Jaque: Mig. Co., Chicago. [OS——— DRINK HOT TEA FOR A BAD COLD apsinen. t f i t Get a small package of Hamburg Breast Tea, or as the German folks call it, “Hamburger Brust Thee,” at any pharmacy. Take a tablespoonful of tlie tea, put & cup of boiling water upon it, pour through a sieve and drink a teacup full ‘at any time during the day or before retiring. It is the most effective way to break a cold and cure grip, as it opens the pores of the skin, relieving congestion. ~Also loosens the bowels, thus driving a cold from the system. Try it the next time you suffer from s cold or the grip. It is inexpensive and entirely vegetable, therefore safe and harmless. ¥ RUB BACKACHE D LUNBAGO RGHT ouT Rub Pain and Stiffness away with a small bottle of old honest 8t. Jacobs 0il When your back is sore and lame or lumbago, sciatica or rheumatism has you stiffened up, don’t suffer! Get a 25 cent bottle of old, honest “St. Jacobs Oil” at any drug store, pour a little in your hand and rub it right into the pain or ache, and by the time you count fifty, the soreness and lame- mess is gone. Don’t stay crippled! This soothing, penetrating oil needs to be used only once. It takes the ache and pain right out of your back and ends the misery. It is magical, yet absolutely harmless and doesn’t burn the skin. Nothing else stops lumbago, sciatica and lame back misery so promptly! QUIT MEAT i HIDNEYS B Take a glass of Salts before breakfast if your Back hurts or Bladder is troubling you. No man or woman who eats meat regu- larly can make a mistake by flushing the kidneys occasionally, says o well-known authority. Meat forms uric acid which excites the kidneys, they become over- worked from the strain, get sluggish and fail to filter the waste and poisons from the blood, then we get sick. Nearly all rheumatism, headaches, liver trouble, nervousness, dizziness, sleeplessness and ninary disorders come from sluggish idueys. e moment you feel a dull ache in the neys or your back hurts or if the rine is cloudy, offensive, full of sedi- it, irregular of passage or attended by senzation of scalding, stop eating meat nd get ~about four ounces of Jad “alts from any pharmacy; take a tablespoonful in a glass of water before 'reakfast and in a few days your kidneys will act fine. This famous salts is made irom the acid of grapes and lemon juice, combined with lithia, and has been used for generations to flush and stimulate the kidneys, also to neutralize the acids in urine o it no longer causes irritation, thus ending bladder weakness. Jad Salts is inexpensive and cannot e; makes a_delightful effervescent litkia-water drink which everyone should take now and then to keep the “idneys clean and active and the blood pure, thereby avoiding serious kidney omplications. HEADACHE STOPS, "NEURALGIA GONE Dr.” James’ Headache Powders give instant relief—Cost dime a package. Nerve-racking, aplitting or dull, throbbing headaches yield in just a few moments to Dr. James’ Headache Pow- ders which cost only 10 cents a pack- age at any drug store. It's the quick- est, surest. headache relief in the wWhole world, Don’t suffer! Relieve the agony and distress now! You can. Millions” of men and women have found that headache and neuralgia misery is needless. Get what you ask for, A new device for automobilists serves as a lock, brake or jack,