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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1905-12-08, Page 11ten. - F.ft‘ 311 fa4S L••• -i„ ' • • i te t 1-1 3 - iT4 DECEMBER 8, 1905 -;= • ' -'= 5. 3 • • ,` "esAWree.. ereee, ed•••reee-eeeedroree.d=teee.es!niaeeeereeeeeee.dreeereeedtspt.o,rleWitdll " "e deeee.t.elder-• 'dtrriddedithetee_••:•-" t":4' r • . ,,,,, • •• •-••• • • r' • o• •Z•t . • !r• 3 111 By LOUIS TRACY ddd:ds:t *. • ft.e.";• ee:eeeeee . ••, Copyright, 1903, by Edward J. Close **4sheld. teee.';',,te...`:.;••!te`.;:y."•::1:*••••e'S::e.,eeeeeeve et: ••••-•::::e.e.e:;•,e't,te . • - • iis'eisiegr`e.44edierelmediarrisieeilimessig. eitecauqu se it le inine, not made up in the little tabloids, bet au natureld, It will not be a had plan if we prepare a strong. infiision arid take a small el:entity every morning on the excel- ient'principle that prevention is better taan eure." The girl laughed. Curiously enough, the lifdng of the • evil upon the man's earlier history made these two much better friends.' With More eomplete acquaintance there Wag far less tendency toward cer- tain passages which under ordinary 'conditions could be construed as noth- ing else than downright flirtation. Thenceforth for ten days they labored easingly, starting work at daybreak. and stepping only when. the lightlailed, finding the long hours of sunshine all mended of them, yet thankful tXa\he t too short for the manifold task:le- •might brought rest The sailor made -out a programme to which he rigidly -adhered. In the first place, he 'com- pleted the house, which had two com- partments—an inner room, in which Iris slept, and an outer, which served trs a shelter for theirmealsand provided a bedroom for the man. Then he constructed a gigantic sky sign on Summit rock, the small cluster -•of bowlders on top of the cliff. His chief difficulty was tohoistinto place the tali poles he needed, and. for this purpose he had to again visit Palm Tree rock in oe•der to secure the pulley. By exercising much ingenuity in devis- ing shear -legs he at last succeeded in lifting the masts into their allotted re- ceptacles, where they were firmly se- cured. Finally he was able to swing iuto air, high above the tops of the •neighboring trees, the loftiest of which ie felled in order to clear the view on all sides, the name of ithe ship Sirdar, The it,traic ,oY the 4tip. fashiened iu eix foot letters nailed and epliced teeefher eeetioes end made I from the timbers of that ill tited ves- sel. Aleahwhile he taught Iris how' to weave a net eat of the strande of un- raveled *cordage. With this, weighted be- hullete, coatriVed a easting /i7efe and ceught a- it of srnall hell in_ the I • • fl • irltlls. hit epun tw speeiee whiehcenost re- eembled wihing eed haddock, and these turned out to be vory palatable arid who're -cleat, Jenks knew a good deal of ,hotany and enough ebout birds ta differentiate between oaIlliVOr(JUS gr/Nieg aiicl thOge fit for human food, while the salt in their Most fortunate supply of hams rendered their meals almost epicurean. From the mete rides on the reef lenke brought away the bayonets and seeured althe serewe, wits and other email oddand ends, which might be • servieeable. From the barrels he built a handy grate.t) facilitate Iris' cook- ing oriel -alio -as, and a careful search each morning amid the ashes of any burnid w 'Telt:ft ge accumulated a store • of most ueeful nails. The pressing need for a safe yet ac- cessible bathing plaee led him and the girl to devote elle afternoon to a com- pIete Hervey of the coast line By this time they had given names to alI the 'thief haealities, The northerly promon- tory was naturall-y christened North tape; the western, Europa point; the portion of the reef between their hab- itation and Palm Tree rock became Filey Brig; the other section Northwest n.-eef. The flat sandy passage across the island, containing the.:eave, house and well, was Lisped Prospect park, and the exterdive stretch of sand on the routheeed With its guard of broken ieefs, was at onee dubbed Turtle teeacia when Jenks discovered that an immense number of green turtles were paying their spring visit to the island to betry their eggs in the sand. • The two began their tour of inepec- flan by passing the scene of the first desperate struggle to estape from the clutch cf the typhoon. Iris would not he content until the &Woe showed her the roek behind which he placed her for ehelter while he searched for water. Por e moment the recollection of their entorturiatd companions on board ship brought c.a lump illt0 her throat and dimmed her eyes. "I remember them tn my prayers elk rat sb fid d t! multesrably sad that they liuuid be lot while fee are alive and 'fhb man distracted her attention 1)y pointing out the embers of their first - tire. It was the only way to choke back the tumultuous feelings that sud- denly stormed his heart. Happy! Yes, he had never before kdown such hap- 1 piness. How long would it last? High 1 up on the cliff swung the signal to anx- ious Searchers of the sea' that here would be found the survivors e the Sirdar. And then when rescue came, when Miss Deane became once, more the daughter of a wealthy baronet and lie a disgraced and nameless outcast! He set his teeth and savagely struck ata full cup of the pitcher plant whtch had so providentially relieved their killing thirst. "Oh, why did you do that?" pouted Iris. "Poor thing; it was a true friend in need. I wish I could do something for it to make it the best and leafiest plant of its kind on the island." "Very well," he answered, "you can gratify your wish. A tinful of fresh water from the well applied daily to its roots will quickly achieve that end." The moroseness of his tone and man- ner surprised her. For once her quick intuition failed te,divine the source of his irritation. "You give your advice'ungraciously," she said, "but I will adopt it neverthe- A harmless incident, a kindly and quite feminine resolve, yet. big with fate for both of them. 1 Jenks' unwonted ill humor—for the passage of days had driven from his face all its harshness and from his tongue all its ' assumed bitterness -- created a passing cloud. until the phys- ical exertion of Scrambling over the; rocks to -round the North cape restored their normal relations. 1 At last they reached the south side, and here they at once found them- selves in a delledfully secluded and tiny bay, sandy, tree lined, sheltered on three sides by cliffs and rocks. "Oh," cried Iris excitedly, "what -a lovely spot, a perfect Smugglers' cove!" "Charming enough to look at," was the answering comment, !tut open to the sea. If you look at the smooth ri- band of water out there you will per- ceive d passage through the !reef. A great place for sharks, Miss Deane, but no place for bathers." 1 They passed on. While traversing the coral strewn south beach, with its patches of white soft sand baking in the direct rays of the sun, Jenks per- ceived traces of the •turtle which Swarmed in the neighboring sea. "Delicious eggs and turtle soup!" he announced when Iris asked him why he was so intently studying certain marks on the sand, caused by the great sea tortoise during their nocturnal its to the breeding ground. "If, they are green turtle," he con- tinued, "we are in the lap of luxury. They lard he alderman and inspire \the poet. When ,a ship comes to our ;ssistance I will persuade the captain o freight the Vessel with them and, ake my fortune." "I suppose, under the circumstances, You were net a dela man, Mr. Jenks," said Iris timidly: "I possess a wealthy bachelor uncle who made me his heir and allowed me four hundred a year, so I was a sort of Croesus among staff -corps officers. When the smash came he disowned me by cable. I3y selling ray ponies and my, other belongings I was able to walk out of my quarters pennilesi, but free from debt" "And. all through a deceitful Tir0- man!" 4 • She ventured a further step. "Was she very bad to you, Mr. Jenks?" He stopped and lauglred--actuarlm roared—at the suggestion. "Bad to me!" be repeated. "I had nothing to do with her. She was hum- bugging her husband, not me. Fool that I was, I could notlnind my own business." So Mrs. Costobell was not flirting with the man who suffered on her ac- count. It is a regrettable but 'true statement that Iris would willingly have hugged Mrs. Costobell at that mo-_ merit . Rounding Europa point, the Sailor's eyes were fixed on' their immediate surroundings, but Iris gazed dreamilm ahead. Hence it was that she was the first to cry in amazement: "A boat! See, there! On the rocks!" There was no mistake. A ship's boat was perched high and dry ,on the north side of the cape. Even as they scrambled toward it Jenks understood how it had come there. When the Sirdar parted .amidships the after section fell back into the depths beyond the reef, and this boat must have broken loose from its davits and been driven ashore here by the force of the western current. 'Was it intact? Could. they escape? Was this ark stranded on the island for their benefit? If it were seaworthy, whither should they steer—to those 'e- lands whose blue outlines were visible on the horizon? These and a hundred other questions , coursed through Ills brain during the race over the rocks, but all such wild specuistions were promptly settled. when they reached the draft, for the keel and the whole of the lower tim- ber, were smashed into match wood. Bet there were stores on board. Jen! s remembered that Captain Ross' foresight had secured the. provisioning of all the ship's boats sodn after the first, wild rush to steady the vessel THE HURON EXPOSITOR. atter the propeller was lost Masts, sails, oars,; seats—all save two water casks—hadigone, but Jenks., with eager bands, unfastened the lockers, and here he found a good supply of tinned meats atici biscuits. They bad barely recovered from; the excitement of this find when'i the sailor noticed that bed bind the rocks on which the craft was firmly lodged lay a small natural paSia full of salt water, replenished and freshened by the spray of every gale and completely Shut Off from all Sea- ward access. 'It Was not more,than four feet deep, beautifully carpeted with sand and se - eluded by rocks on all sides. Not the Uniest crab or fish wag ,to be seen. It provided.an ideal bath. Iris was overjoyed. She pointed ter ward their habitation. ".ikir. Jenks," she said, "I 'will be witb'. you at teatime," , Ile gathered ell the tins he was eble to carry and strode off, enjoining her to fire her revolver if for the slightest reason she wanted assistance, and giv- ing a parting warning that if • she de- layed too long he would come and shout to her. "I wonder," said die girl to herself, watching his retreating ,figure, "what he is afraid of. Sprely by this time we have exhausted the unpletteant sur- prises of the island. Anyhow, now for a splash!" She was hardly in the water before she- began to be afraid on accoent of Jenks. Suppose anything happened to him while she was thoughtlessly enjoy- ing herself here! So strongly- did the thought possess her that she hurriedly dressed again and ran off to find him. He was engaged in fastening a num- ber of bayonets transversely to a long piece of timber. dWhat are you doing that for?" she -asked. "Why did you return so soon? Did, anything alarm you?" "I thought you might get into mis- chief," she confessed. • "No. On the other hand, I am trying to make trouble for any Unwelcome visitors," he replied. "I intend to set this up in front of our cave in case we are compelled to defend ourselves against an attack by savages, . With this barring the way they caanot rush the position." On the nineteenth day of their rest- •.dence on the island the sailor climbed, as was his • invariable habit, to the Summit rock while Iris prepared break- fast. _ At this early hour the horizon was clearly cut as the rim of a eap- phire. Re examined the whole are of the sea with his glasses, but not a sail; was in sight. According to his calcue lations the growing anxiety as to the fate of the Sirdar must long ere this have culminated in the dispatch from Hongkong or Singapore of e special search vessel, while British warship -s In the China sea would be warned to keep a close lookout for any traces of the steamer, to visit all islands on their ronth and to question fishermen whoni they encountered. So help might come any day or it might be long deferred. He could not pierce the future, and it was useless to vex his soul with ques- tionings as to what might happen next week. The great certainty of the hour .was Iris—the blue eyed, smiling divin- ity who had come into his life—wait- ing for him drn there beyond the trees, waiting to welcome him with a sweet voiced greeting-, and he knew, with a fierce devouring joy, that her cheek .would not pale nor her lip treni- ble when he announced that at least another sun must set before the ex- pected relief reached them. He• replaced the glasses in their case and dived into the wood, giving a pass- , Ing thought to the fact that the wind, after blowing steadily from the -south for nearly aeweek, had veered round to the northeast during the night. Did the change portend a storm? Well, they they Were now prepared for all such eventualities, and he had not forgot- ten that they possessed, emote; other treasures, a box of hooks for rainy days. And a rainy day with Iris for company! What gale that ever blew could offer such compensation for ,en- forced idleness? 'The morning sped in uneventful week. Iris didnot neglect her cherish\ ed pitcher plant. _After luncheon it Was her custom now. to carry a dish- ful of water to its apparently arid _ roots, :paid she rose to fulfillsher self im- posed task. "Let me help you," said Jenks. "I am not very, busy this afternoon.' "No, thank you. I simply won't al- low -you to touch that shrub. The dear thing looks quite glad to see Mee It drinks up the water as'• greedily as a thirsty animal." Iris had been gone perhaps five min- utes when he heard a distant shriek, twice repeated, and then there came • faintly to his ears his own name, not "Jenks," but "Robert," in the girl' voice. Something terrible had hap- pened. It was a cry of supreme dis- tress. Mortal agony or deerarhelming terror alone could wring that name from her lips. Precisely in such mo- ments this man acted with the deci- sion, the unerring judgment, the in- stantaneous acceptance ofgreat ri•sle to accomplish great results, that melted him out as a born soldier. He rushed into the ihouse and snatched from the reek elle of the ri- fles reposileg there in apple pie order, each with a filled Magazine attached and a cartridge' already in position. Then he ran with long strides not' through the trees, where he 'could eee nothine. but toward the beach, whence In forty yards the place where Iris probably was would become -visible. At once he saw her strugglidg in the grasp of two ferocious looking Dyaks, one by his garments a person of conse- quence, the other a half naked savage, hideous and repulsive in appearance. Around them seven men armed with guns and parangs were dancing with -excitement. Iris' captors were endeavoring. to tie her arms, but sae was a strong and ac- tive Englishwoman, with muscles well knit by the constant, labor of secent busy days and a franie developed by years of horse ritling and tennis play- ing. The pair evidently found her a tough handful, and the inferiOr Dyak, either to stab her screams—for she 'was .11 shrieking, "Robert, comO-to melt' with all her might—or to stifle her into sub-, mission, roughly placed his huge hand over her mouth. These things the sailor noticed in- stantly. Some men, brave to rashness, ready as he to give his life to save her, would -have raced madly over the inter- vening ground, scarce a furlong, and. attempted e, heroic combat of one against nine. Not so Jenks. With the methodical exactness of the parade ground he settled. down on One knee and leveled the rlfie. . , None of the Dyaks saw him. All were intent on the sensational prize- - In the grasp • of two ferocious looking Dyaks. ,they Lad secured, a young and beauti- ful white woman so contentedly roam- ing about the shores of this fetish is- land. With the slow speed advised by the Roman philosopher the bach sight and fore sight of the rifle came Into line tvith the breast of the coarse brete clutching'the girl's face. Then something bit him above the heart and simultaneously tore half of his back into fragments. He fell, with a queer sob, and the others turned to face this unexpected danger. Iris, knowing only that she was free from that hateful grasp, wrenched her- self free from the chief's hold and ran with all her might along the beach. to - Jenks and safety. A.gah and yet again the ride gave its -short, sharp s rl, and two more Dyaks collapsed 011 the sand. Six were ,left, their leder being Still , uncon- • sciously preserved rom death,by the -figure of the flying girl. A fourth, Dyak dropped. . \ The surviirors, cruel savages, but not -cowards, unslung their guns. The 8ail- or, wlgte.. faced., grim, with an unpleas- ant gleam in ,his deep set, eyes and a lower jaw protruding, noticed. their preparations. • "To the left!" he shouted. "Run to- ward three!" leis heard him and stroVe to obey, but her strength was failieg her, and she staggered blindly. After a few de- spairing efforts she lurched feebly to her knees and tumbled face downward on the brok.en coral that had tripped her faltering footsteps. . Jenks was watching her, watching the remaining Dyaks, front whom a , spluttering volley came, picking out his quarry With the murdereue ease of a terrier in a rat pit. Soniethiegjike a bee in a viOlent hurry hummed past his ear, and/ate rack near his right foot Wag struck 'teemendoue blow by ,an unseen ageney. He liked this. It would be a battle, ,aot a 'battue. 1 i The fifth 1 Deak crumpled ,into the distortion •Of death; and then their leader tobk deliberate aim at the kneel- ing marksnian who threatened. to wipe him and bus band out of ,.exietence. But his d liberation, thongI skillful, was to pr found. The sailor lfirecl first and was . jrofessiona1iy asto ished to L', see the gaudily attired individual fine ly pitChing headl ng to ,the tossed vilently backward or ' many.. yards, sf earth.' Had be been charged by a bull in full carter he could not have been more utterly discomfited. The incident was sensational, but inexplicable. Yet another member of theiband was prostrated ,ere the two as yet unscath- ed though fit to beat a retreat. This , they now !did with celerity, but they dragged their chief with thena It was no part of Jenks' programmh to allow them to scape. He aimed again • at the man. nearest the trees. irhere was a sharp chIlek and nothing- more, The cartridge was a misfire. He hastily sought to ject it, and the rifle jammed. • Springing to his feet, wait a yell, he ran forward. The flying mecaught a glimpse of him and accelel ated their movements. Just as he reached Iris they vanished among the tr s. i iilingingl the rifle, over hi shoulder., , ,4 he picked up the girl in his arms. She was cons ions, but breathle s. , "You a e not hurt?" he asped, his eyes blaz ng into her face ith an in- tensity that she afterward remembered as appall ng. 41N0,1., s ewhispered. "Listenj" he continued in labored Jerks. " ry and obey m exactly. I will carry you—to the cave; Stop there. Shoot an one you see—till I come." She betird him wonderin ly. Was he going- to 'leave her, now t at he had her safely clasped to his reast? Im- possible! Ah, she understood Those men mut have landed in a boat. He intended to attack them again. He was going to fight theta sir gle banded, and she *mid not know w art happen- ed to hhi until it was all ver. Grad- ually her vitality returned. She ahnost smiled at the fantastic coneeit that she would desert him. Jenks placed her on her feet at the entranadto the cave. "You understand," he critfci, and with- out waiting foe an auswe • ran to the house for another rifle, a hifl tirne, to • 3 h irhmazement, he Wilted bock through Prospect park toward the soutlf beach. The sailor knew that the Dyaks had lelnded at the sandy bay Iris had chris- tened Smugglers' cove. They were ale - o' Milted with the passage through the ref and came from the distant islands. ow they would endeavor to . escape the same channel. They must be p evented 'at all costs. , . Ile was right. As they carne out into the open' he saw three men, not two, pushing off a large sampan. One 0 them Was the chief. Then Jenks un- d6rstood that his bullet had hit the l.vc.k of the Dyak's uplifted weapon, ith be result already d.eseribed. By ; • a miracle he had eseaped. 1He coolly prepared to slay the three of them with the same calm purpose that distinguished the opening phase of this singularly one sided conflict.' fbie distance was much greater, per- haps SOO yards from the point where the boat came into view. Ile knelt and llred. He judged that the missile struck the craft between the trio. "I didn't allow for the sun on the idelif the fore sight," he said, "or per- aps I am a bit shaky after the run. In any event they can't go far." A hurrying step on the coral behind iim caught his ear. Instantly he 1 prang up and faced about—to see Iris. "They are escaping," she saki. "No fear of that," be replied, turning way from her. . "Where are the others?" "Dead!" "Do you mean that you killed nearly 11 those men?" "Six of them. There were nine in '1I," He knelt again, lifting the rifle. Iris threw herself on her knees by his side. There was something awful to her in this chill and businesslike deelaration "of a fixed. purpose. "Mr. Jenks," she said, clasping her hands in an agony of entreaty, "do not kill More men for my sake!" -, "For my own sake, then," he growl- ed, annoyed at the interruption, as the sampan was afloat "There 1' ask you for God's sake not to take another life. What you have al- ready done was unavoidable, perhaps right. This is murder!" r' ' He lowered his weapon and looked at her. "If those men get away they will bring back a host to avenge their com- rades—and secure you," he added. - i "It may be the will of Providence for such a thing to happen. Yet I implore you to spare them." Ile placed the rifle on the sand and. "raised her tenderly, for elle had. yield- ! ed tQ a paroxysm of tears. Not another • Word did either of them speak in that hour. The large triangular sail of the sampan was now bellying out in the south wind. A figure stood. up in the stern of the boat and shook a menacing i arm at the couple on the beach. It was the Malay chief, cursing them with the rude eloquence of his barba - roue, tongue. And Jenks well knew what he eves saying. i CHAPTER VIII. HEY looked long and steadfastly at the retreating boat. Soon it diminished to; a -there speck on the smooth • sea. The even 1 breeze kept its calivae taut, and the I sailor knew that no ruse was intended. The Dyaks were flying from the island in fear and rage. They 'would return with a force sufficient to Inure the wreaking of their vengeance, • That he would again encounter them , at no distant date Jenks had no doubt whatever. ;They would, land in guch numbers as to render any resistance, difficult and. a prolonged defense im- i possible. WOuld help come first?—a distracting question to which 'definite answer could not be given. The sail- or's brow frbwned in deep lines; his ! brain throbbed nowwith an anxiety singularly at variance with his cool de- meanor during the fight: He vas ut- terly unconscious that his left Rem en- circled the sh.oulcier of the giri until 1, she gently disengaged herself and said appealingly: e "Please, Mr. Jenks, do not be angry with me. I could not help it. I could not bear to see you ehoot them." , Then he abruptly awoke to the real- ities of the moment. "Come," he said, his drawn features 'relaxing into a wondeefully pleasing smile. "We will return to our castle. 'We are safe for the remainder of this day, at any 'rete." Something must be said or done to reassure her. She was stillegrievously disturbed, and he naturally ascribed her agitation to the horror, of her cap - tare. He dreaded a complete' collapse if any further alarms threatened at once. Yet he was almost positive— though searchalone would set at rest the !ast misgiving—that only one Ram - pan had visited the island. Evidently the Dyaks were. unprepared as be for the events of the preceding half hour. They were either -visiting the island to procure turtle and .beche-de-mer or, had merely called there en route to some other destination, and the change in the wind had unexpectedly compelled them to put ashore. Beyond all doubt they must have been surprised by the warmth of the reception they encount serdeed tered. Probably when he wt to Summit rock that morning the savages •had lowered their sail and were steadily' paddling north against wind and cur rent. The most careful scrutiny of the sea would fail to reveal them beyond, a distance of six or seven miles et the utmost. After landing in the hidden hay on the south side they crossed the island through the trees instead of taking the more natural open way along the beach. Why eh The fact that he and Iris were then `passing the grown over tract leading tO the ',valley of death instantly determined this point. The Dyaks knew of this affrighting hollow and would not approach any nearer to it than was unavoidable. Could he twist this circumstance to advantage if Iris and he were still stranded there when the superstitious sea rovers next put in an appearance? He would see, All depended on the girl's strength. If She'gave way now; if, instead of tak- ing instant measures for safety, he were called upon to nurse her through a fever, the eutlook became uot ouly • desperate, but litipeless, And, while bp bent his brows in 'worrying thought, the color wns re- turning to Iris' chNiks and natural buoyancy to her step, it is tile fault of,all men to underrate the marvelous -courage and constancy of Woman in the face of difficulties and trials, Jenks was no exception to the rule. I "You do not ask.me for any account of my adventures," she saidquietly, after watching 'his perplexed expres- sion in silence for gOltifT tillle. Her tone almost stared him, ite un- assumed cheerfulness las so unlooked for. .e‘ "No.," he answered. 'I thou:Olt you werertoo overwrought to talk of them at present." "Qverwrought! Not e bit of it! I was dead beat with the struggle and. with screaming; for you, but please don't imagine that I am going to faint or treat you to a display of hysteria now that all the excitement has ended. I admit that I pried a little when you meshed me aside on the beach and rais- ed your gun to fire at those poor wretches flying for their lives. Yet perhaps I was Wrong' to hinder you." "You were wirong," he gravely inter- rupted. ' "Then you should not have heeded me. No, I doU't mean that. You .al- ways. • feminine nathre, but -Iris rattled on: • ability to grasp the complexities of he has preserved us • from so many would save. me. But you; Mr, denks, v0:1:1:Tyc. ,notinhc ni de*r firSt, don't you? No dangers to 'permit us to perish mis- ou their camping ground, and helfa.stened you don't want a drink, I do." the men would not hurt me—after the she really needed`!no such adeentitious support, she saide passed, ratan. I also knew that yon had to do the fighting. You were called upon to rescue precious me. Good. gra- cious! No weirder you were excited." matter what I 1ask you to do you en- deavor to pleaee me, even when you his veins. erably a few hOurs or days before help first drink till's."• They built eached to procure a small quantity of brandy. "Your case is very different. I knew first shock • of theit appearance had arrns before I could reach my re, know all the triple that 1. am acting or speaking foolishly." sent the blOod Coursing wildly through very good to us. carmot believe that comes. And I, do want to tell you ex- actly what happened." pitcher plant and was listening to the greedy root gurglittg away for dear life .when suddenly four men sprang out from ahrong the trees and seized earnest simplipity. "God has been The sailor mentally expressed his in - "I can quite believe it," she retorted. The unthinking naivete of her words "Then you shall," he answered. "But She swallorv-ed• the spirit, although "All right," comraehted Jenks. "If "Never mind," she weat on, -with "I carried d my tin of water to the he'lavert yo la failed!" that if I had fred at them they liould have retaliated. Yeo, espe- cially if 1 41 lilt the chief. But it was he who instantly gave some order, and I suppose limeantethat they were not to hurt me. As a Matter of fact, they seemed to b quite as much astonished as I was alarmedBut if they could bold my haids the Y could not stop ine'r" voice so rea ily. Oh, didn't I yell?" "You did." " , "I suppose you could not hear me distinctly'?" I"Quite distinctly." • "Every word?" t`Yes." She bent to, pick some leaves and blts of dry grasS from her dress. "Well, you knoW," be centipued rapidly,."in such moments one calinot choose one's words. 1 just shouted the first thing that came Into my head." "And 1," he said; "picked up the first rifle I could 1a my, hands on. Now, Miss :Deane, as the affair has ended so happily, may; I vehture to ask you to ' remain in'the Ica -ye untie return?" I "Oh, please"— she began. "Ready, I mast insist. I would not leave you if it were adt quite impera- tive. You cannot emir' -with me." Then she understood chie at least of the tasks he 'must perform, and she meekly obeyed. He thought it best to go along Turtle beach to the cove and thence follow the Dyaks' trelil through the wood, as this line of adVance would entail pra ticaliy a complet4 circuit of the island. He omitted nol, precautions in his ad- vance. Ofteu ie stopped and listened intently. Whene-ver he doubled a point or passed =Ong the trees le crept back and peered along the way be had • eome to see if any lurking foes were breaking shelter behind. him. • The marks on the sand proved that • ouly- one sampen had been beached. Thence he found nothing of special in- terest until he icame upon the chief's gun lying close to the trees on the north side. It Was a veryOrnamental taniele loader. The stock with gold and. ivory, and ha !efficiently been looted mktda1n's junk surprised former foray. wdsilsmashed by the impact bullet, but close in - weapon, a was inlaid the piece from some and sacked . The lock of Jenks' vestigation the discover;eP evidences on the Dyak le three lingers 'SO lie ha passionto n at. any rater, In no mood I some time t He dread should. be on by to' live. his nerves ti dumdums b to permit aril He gathe creeses t • couth belts ance of a ete ture action the men of' collected si like invert placed in plants: Th e1E the trigger guard and f certain unmistakable "he beach showed that er had lost two if not his right hand. 8 omething more than his e," mused Jenks. "That, fortunate, He will be r further enterprise for onie." lest any of the Dyake y badly wounded and like - was. an actual relief to find that the improvised done their work too well ety on that score.' 4 the guns, swords and e slain, _with all their un - ad ornaments. In pursu- ely defined plan of fu - e also divesthd some of t eir coarse garments and queer looking hats' shaped ,ibasins. These things he heap near the pitcher neeforth for half an hour the placid SUrface _of the lagoon was disturbed 1y the black dorsal fins of mny sha 1 4 • 1 Ms- guess all the :weather conditiong heralded. by the change of wind was right. As thelitro partook of their even- . 1, ing meal the i. eomplaining eurf laShed , the reef, and te trenmlens branches of the taller tree it voiced the approaeh of a gale. A trdi . m al stor—not a typhoon. but a belate(, i burst of the periodic rains—deluged the island before mid- night. Hours earlier Iris retired, utter- : ly worn by phe events of tbc day., The gale chanted a wild invio:ly ixg mournful chords, and Ow noi,:t of the watery downpour *on the tarpa (did roof of Belle Vue e4stle was such as to ren- der conversaden impossible save, in wearying shouts, Luckily Jenks' 'carpentry was effec- tive, though r ugh.' The ,building wag .water tight, aid be bad calked every Crevice with unraveled rope until Iris' apartment waa free from the tiniest draft. ; The very fupt Of the eIter-nal -turmoil acted as a lulleby to the girl. She was shoonthaosulgeehpt, asleep, the sailor was left to us Sleep he could not. Ire -smoked stead- ily, with. a ma ifieent prodigality, for . his small atm' :of tobacco was fast di- minishing. He, ransacked his brains to discover some ;method of escape from this enchanted:i island, where . fairies .r jostled with dei, ons and hours of utter happiness faunitheir bane in moment of frightful peril.s Of course htti ought to have killed those fellowteclho escaped. Their haw. pan might ha.vd provided a last desper- ate expedient It 'other savages effectet a landing. Well, there was no use lix being wise after the event, and, scheme as he might, he could devise no way te avoid disaster 4turing the next attack. This, re fel , certain, would take place at night. 1The Dyaks would land in force, rush the cave and hut and e•eerpower him 1by sheer numbers. The fight, it fight 'there 'was, woydd bei sharp, but dec ' tee, Perhaps it he -re , If k,- kt,. ttbwit ' ,,-- 1 • Had clone their work too well. • ceived some ile-arning- Iris and, he might retreattin the darkness to the cover of the trees. Al last stand. could be made among the bowlders on Summit rock. But of what avail .to purchase their freedom until daylight? And then— If ever mdb wrestled with desperate. problein, Jenks • wrought that night ,He smoked.1 and pondered until the storm passed, and, with the ehameeful- ness of a Poet's muse, a furl moon - flooded the Wand in glorious radiance., He rose, d,pened the door an stand without, locking steadily at the bril- liant luminary for sometime; then his eyes were 'attracted by the strong lights throsvise upon the rugged face of • the precipiee into which the cavern - burrowed. .13(1.4.enly he uttered a star- tled. exclamation. , "By Joveli' he murmured. "I -never noticed that before."h The feature which so earnestly claInte ,ed his attention was a deep ledge di- • reedy over the mouth -of-the eave, but some forty eet from the gronnd. Be-' hind it the wall of rock sloped clerk- ly Inward; suggesting a tecees extend- ing by haphazard computation at least • a couple of !yards. It winded to thine that perhaPs the fault in the interior of the tun41 had its outcrop here, and the influenees of rain -and sun had ex- tended the ',weak point thus emposed iix the bold panoply Of stone. • Ile surveydd the ledge from Ilifferent points of View. It was quite inacces- sible and Most- difficult to estimate ac- curately from the ground level. The sailor was a than of action. He chose, the neareet tall tree and began tie: climb. Hi was not eight feet from tpat- ground before several birde flew °NA; from its, leafy recesses, filling the air with shrill clucking. • 7 sr. 3 3 , "The devil take them!" be growled for he feared that the cornmotiors.• would awaken Iris. He was still la- bor1ous1y:4e worming his way througlx the inner maze of branches -when sa well known yelee reached him frora the ground. "Mr. Jenks, what on eallh are yot* doing up there?" "Oh! So those wretched -fowls arous- ed you?" he' replied. .. "Yes, but why did you arouse them?' 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