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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1905-12-15, Page 11ECEMBER 15, 905 • mrrea.071.t6MOW7r THE • ! Vc Make doubly sure he set another snare farther within the trees. He was certain the Dyaks would not pass along Turtle beach if they could help, it By this time the light was failing. "That Will suffice for the present," he told. the girl. "Tomorrow we will place other eentries in position at strategic points. Then we can sleep in the castle with tolerable safety." By the meager light of the tiny la,nip they labored sedulously a the *rope • ladder until Iris' eyes were eltising with sheer weariness. Neither of them' had slept much during the preceding night, and they were both completely, tired. , The first streaks of dawn were tip - Ping the opposite crags with roseate tints when the sailor was suddenly, aroused by what he believed to be a gunshot. He could not be sure. Ho was still collecting his scattered senses, straining eyes and ears intensely, when there came a seeond report. Then he kneist whit had happened. The sentries on the Smugglers' cove post ,were faithful to their trust. The enemy was upon them. • Oi tnornrng. soriPIFSM --Please be serious." ie am more than serioua. This tree grows a. variety of small sharp thorn that inducea maximum of gravity— Sefore one takes the next step." -Tut why do you keep on climbing?". "It ie sheer lunacy, I admit. Yet on ch a moonlit night there is some rea- sonable ground. for even a. mad ex- "fr.. Jenks, tell Inc at once what you etre doing." Iris strove to be severe, but there was a touch of anxiety n her tone that in- atentiy made the sailor apologetic. He tolkl her about the ledge and explained tie half formed; notion that here :they might secure a safe retreat in case of further attack, a refuge from which ihey might defy assault during many days. It was, he said, absolutely Im- possibie to wait until the morning. He must at once satisfy himself whether the project was impracticable or wor- thy of further investigation. So the girl only enjoined him to be Careful, and he vigorously, renewed the .At last, some twenty-five feet from the ground, an accidental parting In the branches enabled him to get a good look at the ledge. One glance set ids heart beating joyously. It was at least fifteen fret in length. It ahelved flack until its depth wait lost in the erilackness of the shadows, and the floor Must be either nearly level or sloping lightly inward to the line of the fault. The piece was a perfect eagle's nest a chamois could not reach it from any igireetion. It became accessible to Man only by means of a Iadder or a balloon. More excited by this discovery than ie cared. for Iris to know, he endeav- ored to appear unconcerned when he ,1•.egained the ground. "Weil," she said, "tell we all about He described the naturetof the cavity as well as he understood it at the mo- raent and emphasized his previous ex - .planation of its virtues. IIere they might reasonably hope to make a sue- reseful st4nd against the Dyaks. "Then you feei sure that those awful treaturesewill come back?" she said *lowly. By LOUIS TRACY Copyright, 1903, by Edward J. Code 1. • 1. • "...lit. oo • ••••••s•••• 0. ...‘411111.00 this ieland so many days and yet hit upon this nook of safety obit mere 'chance, as: it were?" Not Mate he reached the level again could he solve the' 'puzzle. Then he perceived thee the way in which the cliff bulged out on both sides prevent- ed. the ledge from, becoming evident in profile, while, seen in the glare of the sunlight, it suggested nothing more than a slight Indentation. He ripidly sketched to Iris the de- fensive plan which the eagle'sfleet suggested. Aceess must be provided by means of a rope tadder, securely fastened inside the ledge- and. capable of 'being pulled up or let down at the will of the occupants; Then the place . niust be kept constantly stocked with a. judicious supply of proirisions, water and ammunition. They mild. be cov- ered. with a tarpaulin and thus kept in fairly good condition. • "We ought to sleep there every night": he went op, and his mind. was so engrossed with ,the tactical side of the preparations that he did not notice how Iris blanched. et the suggestion. - "Surely not until danger actually threatens?". she cried. "Danger threatens us each hour after sunset. It may conie any night, though I expect at least a fortnight's reprieve. Nevertheless I intend to act as if to- night may witness the Mist shot of the siege?' "Do you mean that?' she sighed.: "And my little room is becoming soi very cozy!" Jenks always accepted her words lit- erally. -"Well," he announced, after a pause, "it may not be necessary to take up our quarters there until the eleventh. hour. After I have hoisted up our stores and made the ladder I will en- deavor to devise an efficient cordon of sentinels around our position. We will - see." Not another word couleIris get out of him on the topic. Indeed, he provided her with plenty of work. By this time she could splice a rope more neatly than her tutor, and. her particular busi- ness -was to prepare no less than sixty rungs for the rope ladder, This was an impossible task fer ,one day, but after dinner the saiior helped. her. They toiled late, _until their fingers .were sore and their backbones creaked as they sat upright. Meanwhile Jenks swarmed up the. . pole again and drew lip after him a crowbar, the sledge hemmer and the pickax. With these implements he eet , to work to improve the accommodation. . Of course he did not attempt serioesly to remove any large quantity of rock, but there were projecting lumps here and inequalities of fitter there whieil could be thumped or Pounded outeof existence. It was surpriehig to, see what_ a clearance he mike in an hour. Thee see: istence a the fault helped him a geed -- deal, as the percolation of water at this point had oxidized the stone to rotten- ness. To bis great jai he discovered. that a few prods with the Pick laid bare a small cavity which could be . easily enlarged.; Here he contrived niche where hie could remain in ab- solute safety tith'en barricaded by stoles, while, with a squeeze, she was entirely sheltered from the one dan- gerous polite on the opposite cliff, nor need she be seen from the trees. Having hauled into 'position two boxes of ammunition—for which he had scooped out a' special receptacle-ethe invaluable water kegs from the strand- ed. boat, several tins of biscuits and all the tinned meats, together with three bottles of wine ancl two of bran- dy, he hastily abandoned the ledge and. busied himself with fitting a_ number of gunlocks to heavy fagote. Iris watched his proceedings in si- lence for some time. At last the inter- val for luncheon jenabled her to de- mand an explanation. "If you don't tell me at once What you intend. to do with those strange implements," she said, "I will gO on strike." , "If youtdo," he answered, "you will create a precedent." "I withdrew the threet and substi- tute a more genuine plea—curiosity," she cried. ' "Then you will be gratified promptly.. These are our 'sentinel. Come with me to allot his post to the most idis- tent one." He picked up a fregot With its queer attachment shouldered a rifle and smiled when he sato the businesslike air with Which his slung a reyolver around her waist. They Walked rapidly to Smugglers' \ cove, and the girl soon 'perceived the "ingenuity 'of his automatic signal. He ecurely bound the block of wood to a ree *here it was bidden' by the under- growth. Breaking the bullet out of a 'previous night abundantly verified. The artridge, he placed the b1ank charge ledge was eyen wider than he dared. to In position in ,front of the hammer, the 'tope, nearly ten feet deep in one part, ease bein.gi firmly clasped by a bent end it sloped sharply downWard from nail. To the trigger, the spring of the oeter lip of the rock. By lying fiat which he had eased to 'rt. slight pres- and carefully testing all points of view sure, he attached a piece of unraveled micertalega that the only possible rope; and tbis he carefully trained positleus from' which even a glimpse among the trees at a height of six of the 'interior floor eould be obtahaed inches from the ground, usilig as car - heel e tee branches of a few tall trees leers nails driven into the trunks. tine the extreme right of the opposing - The ultimate result woe that a mere rceipe, nearly ninety yards distant. swish of Iris' dress against the tent Iktre was ample room to store water cord exploded the cartridge. ,Ifrtt.VVIEfer.S, and he quickly saw "There!" he exclaimeal exultantly. etat even some sort of shelter from the "When I have driven stakes into .the 4fieree eays of the sun and the often sand to the water's edge on both zides -peti, I will defy them to land by, iercing cold of the night might be a the ce - echievtd. by'judiciously rigging up a night W:.:101.1t giving us warning" - Oarretelin. "Do se u know," said iris, in all se- , "This is a. geiluipe hit of good luck," riousnese, "I think you are the clever- mutted. "Here, peovided neither of est Man in the world." Ms is hit, we can hold out for a week He was manifestly pleased by the tonerer at a pinch. How can it be e success of his ingenious contrivance i° -?-041,g-- -WI -u--12"1-1 liltuali-Y44/ 9" Mid Xertielvith completed the SerilihN "Only too sure, unfortunately." "How remorseless poor humanity is When the veneer is stripped. off! Why cannot they leave us in peace? Per- haps if had not been. here they would . hot have injured you. Somehow I seem to be boand up -with your misfortunes," "I would not have it -otherwise were rt in my power," he answered. For' an instant he left unchallenged the girl's Sssumption that she was in any way responsible for the disasters Which bad broken up his career. He looked into her eyes and almost forgot him- self. Then the sense of fair dealing [hat dominates every true gentleman rose within him and gripped his waver- ing enaetions with ruthless force. ,i,Was ;his a time to play upon the high Strung sensibilities of this youthful daughter ef the gods, to seek to win from her a confession of love that a few brief Slays or weeks might prove to be only ipiasmodio but mothentarily all pow- erfu/ gratitude for the protection he had given her? And- he epoket aloud, striving to laugh, het his wordsd. nr shoulite "You ean eansole yourself with the thought, Miss Deane, that your prea- mace (in The Wand Win in no Way affect ray fate at the hamdS of the Dyaks. Had they canght me ramrepared today Viy beed would now be covered with a Solution of the -special varnish ;they earry en every foreign expedition." "And •+tth('-e Melt are huthan be - "For purpo,zec- of classification, yes. 'Keeping to t-trict fact, it was linty for me thet you raieed the alarm and gave me a ehance ti) discount the odds of merenumbers. So, you see, you really did laP a good tnrn." "Wlait can be done now to e;ave our ?Wee? .Auything will be bettmethan to await a ember attack," "The first thing to do is to try to get tenut. sleep before daylighte How did you know I was not in the trestle?" et pallet -4, tell yon. I awoke and knew yeti were not near me. If ewake In tee uight I eau always tell whether llor Lot you are in the next room. So dreesed and came (alt." ".kh!" he said quietly. "Evidently snore.- Lie -; (-treated, and the sailor, tired Out et 'me, matinged to close his weary eyet. Nes. t nicrn::gthe hastily constructed e O polr gilfti•'iellt length wed strong seuough to hear eie weight by tying two ,Sturdy young trees together wits. ropes. Eris helped him to raise it against the t ace et the precipice.. end he at once rlhabed to the ledge. t Here he found his observations of the At such a moment Jenks was not a man who peaked. , Indeed, he was prone toi invoke the' nether powers, a hal it long since acquired by the British er- my—in Flanders, it is believed. There was not a moment to be lost. Ile rushed. ipto Iris! room and gathered her- in his arms. He explained to the RON EXPOSITOR,. the Vtdod to tile inner fastnesses. inif. Buttheir crass ignorance of mod- 9 During ea4 Of the two daily 'exami- ern science led to their undoiug. . The nations of the horizon, ervialeit hnever accumulation of liberated carbonic acid orditted,. Seeks minutely seei tinized gas in the workings killed, them in 1 the sea between Rainleaw Isla a and. sceres. They probably fought this un- 1 the distant group. It Was perhaps a seen demon with the tenacity of their ' neediese precaution. The Dyakii would race until the plecie became accursed . come at night. 'With a favorable wind and. banned of all living things. - Yet ' they need not set sail until dusk, and had they dug a little ditch ' and per - their fleet sampans wohld easily cover shifted the invisible terror to flow qteet- the intervening forty miles in five j'y downward until its potency was dis- hours. elpated by sea and air they might' He could not be positive that they have mined the 'whole cliff with im- were actual inhabitants of the islands punify. to the south. The China sea swarms The unfortunate unknown, J. s.—be with warleerhig pirates, and the tribe ofl the whitened bones—might have whose anlinosity he had earned might daneel this thing too. But be only pos- be equally noxious to • some peaceable #ese d the half knowledge of the work - 1 fishing community on the eoast. Again lug/ miner and while shunning the and again he debated. the advisability plagie stricken quarryi adopted the c of construeting a seaworthy raft and zor laborious methoto of makg an endeavoring to make the passage. But dit o strike the deposit He sitsacceede this would be risking all on a fright- ed, to perish miserably to the hour ful uncertainty, .and the accidental dis- when he saw himself a millicinaire. dOvery of the eagle's nest had given . Was this a portent of the fate about o overtake the latest comers? Jenks, f course, stood up. He always stood. geare on Iris feet when. the voleano 'thin him fired his blood. i • him new hope. Here he could make a deterrained and prolonged stand, and in the end. help must come. So he dis- missed the navigation project and de- - voted himseif wholly to the perfecting "No!" he almost shouted. "I will of the natural fortress in the rock. I break the spell. I am sent here by That night they finiseed. the rope lad- Providence, not to search fee geld, but der. Indeed Jenks was determined not to save a woman's life, ai4 if all the to retire to rest until it was placed. He devils of China and Malay, are in league did not care to try a second time to against me I will beat them!" carry Iris to that elevated perch. - The sound of his own voce startled One of the first things he contem- him. What was all the fuss about? plated was :the destruction if possible of the point on the opposite cliff which commanded theeledge. This, however, was utterly ini*acticable with the ap- pliances at his command. The top of otherwise the Dyaks woild simply the rock sloped Slightly tovtar1 the humbug him until he retealed the west, and nothing short of dynamite 8C:fume of his wealth, and then murder him as an effective safeguard against foreign interference. Iris! 'Not once since she as hurled ashore in his arms had Jenks so long forgotteii her existence. ShOuld he tell her? They were partners in everything appertaining to the Island. Why keep this marvelous intelligence fr' m her? With a bateow load of gol not bete an instant's safe not to Mention himself. Tb difficulty was insuperable. he could for Iris, e language Were it or regular quarrying operations would render it untenable by hostile Marks- men. • During the day his rifles at ninety yards' range might be trusted to keep the place clear of intruders. But at night that was the difficulty. He partialy solved it/by fixing two rests on the ledge to suPport a trifle in exact line wit* the, center of the, enemy's supposed position, and aa a variant on ler rest he marked lines which onded with other sections ot Ire front available to the foe. then he was not satisfied.. When emitted, he made' many emperit the ou corres the en I Even time p ments with ropes reeved through the pulley and, 'attached to a rifle action. He might have succeeded in his main object had not his thoughts taken a . new line. His aim was to achieve some inethod of opening and closing the breech block by means of two ropes. . The difficulty .was to secure the preliminary and final lateral movement of the lever bolt, but it suddenly oc- - curredi to birn that if he could ,manage to convey the impressiop, that Iris and Up he went, hand over hand. he had left the island the Dyaks would go away after a fruitlese search. The girl as he ran with her to the foot of existence of ropes along the face of the the rock that she must cling to his rock—ain essential to his mechanical_ shoulders with unfaltering courage scheme —would betray their where - while he climbedto the ledge with the abouts or at any rate exette dangerous aid of the i pole and the rope placed curiosity. So he aieluctantly abandoned there the 'nevem day. It was a mag- • , les original desige, though not wholly, nificent feat of strength that he essay- i as will be seen in due course. ed. In calmer moments he would have t puisuance of his latest Wee he Yet was be tempted, no but by reason of his love Once years ago, when his er fessional studies were dist Ignobly, for her. uous pro - acted by a monaentary infatuation f r a fair face, a woman bad Proved fi kle when than he a con eat and tempted by greater wealth possessed. For long he wa firmed misogynist, to his lasting gain as a leader of men. But with more equable judgment fixed resolution not to mar his prospective bride' cared him and not for his position. To a staff corps officer, even one l, with a small private income, this Was no unattainable ideal; Then he +t with the shame and agony of the co rt mar- tial. While his soul still uivered under the lash of that terribi down- fall Iris came into his life. H knew not what might happeh if they were rescued. The thne would quick y pass until the old. order was resum4d, she to go back to her 'Keaton in ociety, he to become again a disgraced ex - officer, apparently working out. mere existence before the mast or h tiding Would et not be a sweet plateetin a saloon. defittace of came a unless nly for shrunk from its performance if only tL1 d f le the foot of adversity were he able, even under on the score of danger to the precious burden he carried. Now there was no time for thought\ Up he went, hand Over hand, elingieg to the rough pole with the tenacittdof a limpet and takt ing a turn of the .rope over his right wrist at each upWard clutch. At last, -breathless, but triumphant, he reached _ ?the ledge and wa4 able to gasp his in- structions to Iris t crawl over his bent back and head until, she was safely lodged on the broaril platform of rock. . Then before she coulc1 e.xplastulate be descended,- this time for the rifles. These he hastily slung to the rope, !main swarmed uri the pole and drew faieiguns _after him with infihite care. "Now' we are ready .for there," he growled, lying prime on the ledge and eagerly scanning hoth sides of Pros- pect park: for a Nflyst glimpse of their assailants. - For two shivering hours they waited there until the see was high over the cliff and filled sea and land with its brightness. At lege despite the girl's tears and prayers!, Jenks insisted on making a reconnoissance IR person. Let this portion of their adventures be pasted over with merciful brevity. Both watch guns had been fired by a troop of tiny -woutwou monkeys: Iris did not kuow whether to laugh or cry, when Jenks, with ,Much difficulty, low- ered' her to Mother Earth again and m'aryeled the while how he had man- aged to carry forty feet into the air a young woman whe weighed so solidly. They sat down to a belated break- fast, and Jenks then became' conscious that the muscles of .his arms, legs and back were aching. hugely. It was by that means he coud judge the true ex- tent of his achievement. CHAFFER IX. HE sailor went after those mon- keys in a mood of relentless severity. Thus fat the regular ' denizens f Rainbow island had dwelt togethe • in peace and mu- tual good will, but eflell diminutive wou-wou must be, taught not to pull any strings he fOund tied Promiscu- ously to trees or 1tstakes: As a pre- liminary' essay Je iks resolved to try th artifice. Failing he would endeavor key - in the place, "ull measure tlie in - Anglo -India to the e:Nple. "hat be did: After n with good sized a Dyak hat, blouse force combined w complete success, to kill every mo though he bad in herent dislike of slaying, of the tree This, then, is tilling a biscuit t pebbles he donned and belt, rubbed =lath over his face and hands and prIxeedod to pelt the won-wous merellegily. For more than their lives misera-- e sight of him they d gurgling like a. thousand water bottles. - Finally be nn hour he made ble until at the me fled, shrieking a constructed severe and erected one t alarm guns. The eughly effective. some adventurous with hands or to tops in the mornin, ing nut or lusciou, of those fearsome such a hubbub tha Dyak scarecrows guard each of his device was thor- Thenceforth, wheu monkey, swinging 11 among the tree - search for appetiz- plantain, saw _one ,bogies, he- raised all his companions ecaunnered hasten from. the centime 0 seuuiousiy finch /conditions, .to win her lovp and the cliff all traces of the clearance then disclose to her the potentialities effected on the ledge, and, although he of the iiiland? Perchance he snight provided supports for the tarpaulih covering,hedid not adjust it. Iris and fail. Though richas Croesus, he ould he might lie perdu there for days with- still be.under the social ban metd out out their retreat being found out. This to a cashiered officer. She was i girl who could command the gift of Icon - development suggested the necessity of biding their surplus stores and .a111-: munition, and what spot could. be more' suitable than the cave? So Jenks began to dig once More in the interior, laboring manfully ti with - nee!. With restoration to her father and home, gratitude to her preserver would assuredly remain; but, alas love might vanish like a mirage!' Th ,n he would aact honorably. Half the of stored tea.lth would be hers to as pick and shovel in the locality of the site chose with it Yes, this was a possible alternative. In ease of accident to himself and her fault with .its vein of antimony. i I Rainbow island had given him the' one thing a man prizes above all else -- a pure yet passionate love -for a woman , beautiful alike -in body and mind. And: now it was to endow him with riches i that might stir the .pulse of even a , 1 South African magnate, for the sail-: or, -unmindful of purpose other than i providing the requisite cache, shovel- . ing and delving with tile energy pecul- iar to all.hissactions, suddenly struck a deep vein of almost virgin_ gold.. To facilitate the disposal at a dis- tance of the disturbed debris lie threw: erica shovelful on to a eanyite sheet,! which he subsequently dragged among: the trees in order to dislodge its con- tent. After doing this four times he i , noticed certain metallic specks in the i fifth load which recalled the presence! of the antimopy. • But the appearance; of the sixth cargo was so remarkable when brought_ out into the sunlight that it invited closer iespect1on.1 Though his knowledge of geoiogy ,was slight, he was forced to- believe that the specimens he handled so'dtibiously contained neither copper' nor- iron pyrites, but glittering yellow gold. 'noir weight, the distribution of the . Metal through quartz in a transition state betlkeen an oxide and a telleridei compelled recognition. • • Somewbat:excited, yet half skeptical, ultimate_ escape he must ithMediately wyite full details of his discovery and intrnst the document to her, to be opened only after his death or six months after their release. The idea possessed him so thorough- ly that he, could brook no delay. • He searched for one of the notebooks tak- en from the dead officers of the Site dar and sdribbled the following letter: /..5ear MisS Deane -Whether I am living or deal when you read these lines,you will know that I love you. Could 1 re- peat that avowal a million times in as Many varied forms I should and no better Phrase to express the dream I have Cher- ished since a happy fate permitted me to snatch you from death. So I simply say, "I love you." I will continue to love' you while life lasts, and it is my dearest hope that in the life beyond the grave I may still be able to voice my love for you. But perhaps I am rot destined to be loved by you: Therefore, In the event of my death before you leave the island, 1 wish to give you instructions how to find a gold mine of great value which is hidden in the rock containing the cave. You re- member the sign on the piece of tin which we could not understand. The figure 32 denotes the utmost depth of the excava- tion, and the 1 signifies that one foot be- low the surface, on reaching the face of the rock, there is a rich vein of gold The hollow on the other side of the eliff be- came filled with anhydra,te gas, and this stopped the operations of the Chinese, who evidently knew of the exislgace of the mine. This is all the information the he returned to the excavation and IchimernicsedernTlhoyefil by Sir Arthur Deane scooped out yet another. collection.' areasmel vneo u we setiowniaub I eo. 'Ibis taw there could be no mistake.' Assuming theat ale Neture's own alchemy had fashioned, course, be copartners in the mine. -If I a veritable ingot. ,There were small ami e dezttd, I wish one-sixth share to. be lumps in the ore which would only: tIro'snsthowarlptye Manor, ;roirlltiha amileArtnosnt,r/ohreirti need alloy at tbe mint before they shire, as a 'recompense for hi kindness - could be issued as sovereigns, so free' to me durbie my early life. TL3 remain- , der is to be yours absolutely. from dross were they. ROBERT ANSTRUTHER. Iris bad gone to 'Venus' bath and: Ile read this remarkable document would be absent for some time. Jenks sat down on a tree stump. Ile held int twice through. to make sure that it ex- actly recorded his sentiments. He even his hand a small bit of ore worth per- smiled sarcastically at the. endowment haps e20. Slowly the conjectures of the uncle who disinherited him, . reedy pieced together in hie mind dur- Then, satisfied with the perusal, he tore ing early days on the island came! back to him. 11 out the twet leaves covered by the lettei and began to devise a means of .pro - The skeleton of an Englishman ly-1 1 tecting it securely while in Iris' pos- ing there among the bushee near the session. well, the Golgotha of the poison filled - At that moment he looked up and hollow, the mining tools, both Chinese , saw her coming toward him across the and Eertepean; the plan on, the piece beach, brightly flushed after her bath, of tin—ale the piece of tin! Meehan- : walking iiee a ,nymph clothed in tat - really the sailor produced it from the tered garmente. Perceiving that he breast pocket of his Sersey,i At last was watching her, she waved her hand the mysterious sign "32 divieed by 1" i and instinctively quickened her pace. revealea its significance. Measure thir- Been now, when they were thrown to- ty-two feet from ehe mouth of thetun- er by the exigencies of each hour, nel, dig one foot in depth, and you ' &tab she disliked to be long separated from came upon the mother lode of this gold bearing rock. This, then, wes the se- him* Instautly the scales fell from his cret of the cave. mental vision, What! Distrust Iris! The Chinese knew the richness of the imagine for one second that riches or deposit and exploited its treasures by poventy, goad renute pr jI wouhl effect giaaerehegi from the outer side of the that loyal heart When, ifs yirginal font was -filled With tile' love that once in her life comes tia every dee woman! Perish -the thought!. Laughing at his fantastic folly Jenks tore the letter into little pieces. It might have beeu wiser to throw the sheets into the tbers of the fire close at hand, but for ,he nonce he, was over- powered by the grehti awak ning that had come to bine • "Good gracioue! Don't gaee at me in that fashion. I eon't look like a ghost, do I?" cried Iris, whgn, nearl enough to note his rapt expressithe "Yoh would not object if I.called. you a visiOn?" he Inquired quietlY, averting his eyesl lest they should speak more plainly than hi ti toniue. "Noe if you meant it nicely. But I fear that 'specter' would be it more ap- pgtosswpnril„. ate word. Just look at my best She spread. out the front widths of her skirt, and certainly the prospect; WWI lamentable. The (hese was sce patched and mended, yet So full of fresh rents, time a respectable house- maid would hesitate, before 'Ming it to clean fire irons. • "Is that really your best dress?" he! said. _ "Yee. This is my bite sergeThei brown cloth did not survive the soak- ing it received in salt water. After a few days it sinaply erumbled. The oth•J ers are muslin or otton and have been —cc—adapted." "There is plenty of men's clothing," he began. "Unfortunately there isn't another ist land," she said severely. "No. I meant that it might be possit• ble to—er—contrive some sort of rig that will serve all purposes." • "But all my thread is gone. I have barely a needieful left." "In that ease we must fall back on our supply of hemp." # "I suppose that might be made to serve," she said. "You are never at a loss for an expedient" "It will be a poor one, I fear. But you can make up for it by buying 'some nice gowns at Doucet's or Worth's." She laughed, delightedly. "Perhaps in his joy at my reappearance my dear LI me serious; y if you say imolber word._ I absolutei argument" For some time they stood in siienee until the sailor commenced to reproach- - himself. foe his rough protest. Perhaps he had hhrt her sensitive feelings. What a brnte he was to be sure! Sties was only la child in ordinary affairs, and he ought to have explained. thin* more lucidly and with greater com- mend over his temper. And all this time iris' face was dimpling with amusement for she understood him set well that had he threatenedeto kill liter she would have laughed at him. "Would You mind getting the lamp?' be said softly, surprised to -catch her expressioteef saucy humor. "Oh, please may I speak?' she in - (mired, 4.‘.T don't want to annoy you but I am simply dying to talk." He had forgotten his own injunction. "Let us first examine per mine," he said. "If you bring the letup we 4284 have a good look at et." Close- scrutiny of ' the work already, done merely confirmed the aecuracy a his first impression. • While iris het* the light he opened up the seani with a few serekes of, the pick. Each few: inches it broadened,into a noteworthy, volcanic dike, now yellow in its abso- lute purity, at times bluish-eblaele When fused with other metals. The ad- ditional labor involved. Caused follow up the line of the fault. Slide denly the ilame of the lamp began tie flicker in a draft. There was an air passage between cave and. ledge. They came back- into the external glare. Iris was now so serious that she forgot to extinguish the little lamp, She stood. with outstretched hand. "There is a lot of money in thee*, - /she "Tons Of it." "No need' to quarrel about division. There is enough for both of us." "Quite enough., We can even spar* some for our frietids," The hour dreW near -when Jenks climbed to the Summit rock, - He shoul- dered az and rifle and set forth. iris heard him rustling upward through the trees. She set some water to boil for tea and, while bringing a fresh supply of fuele passed the spot where the torn 8 scraps Of paper littered the sand. • She negro the soil of honor for a *Wo- man, befeethere was never a woman yet who ccinrei take he; eyes off a written documentwhieli Confrout. her. She , could not help seeing that ene eniall morsel, Leontained her OWit Though mutilated, it had -clearly retitle -- "Dear !Miss Deane." "So lit was intended for _mei" she Cried, ithrowing down her bundle well dropping to her -knees. She secured that particular slip and examined it earneetly. Not for worlds would she pick hp all the scraps and endeavor to sort them Yet they had. a f.aseliaafion for ber, and at this -closer range- eke - saw another which bore the legend—"I * love youl" Somehow the two seemed to fit to- gether very nicely. Yet a third carried the same words— "I love you!" They were still quite eoheeent. She .did not want :to look any further. She did. not even turn over such of the torn pieces as bad fluttered. to earth face downward. 1 OPening the front of her bodice, a brought to light a small gold locket Containing miniatures of her father and mother, Inside this receptacle shs. carefully placed the three really mate- rial portions of the sailor's letter.' When Senks walked down the hill_ again he heard her singing long before. I he caught sight of her sedulously tend,-' old dad may let me run riot in Paris ing the fire. • - 1 on eur way home. Bet that will nlot ,As he came near he perceived the re-, last. We are fairly well off, but can- mains of his useless document. Hes net affprd ten thousand a year for dress aline." ' "If any woman. Can afford such a sum for the purpose you are at least her equal." Iris 1;okett puzzled. "Is that your way of telling nie that nue feathers would. make me a 'fine bird?" silo asked. 4N1 intend my words to be under- . stood in their ordinary sense. You are very, very rich, Miss Deane, an ex- travagantly wealthy young person." .efuse to listeli to suck an #,- 4‘.1`s that really vowr best dress?" "Of nurse you know* you are talking nonsense. Why, only the Ober day my father said"— "Excuse me. What is the average price of a walking dress from a lead- ing Paris house?" "Thirty pounds." "And an evening dress?" "Oh, anything from fifty upward." lie picked up a few pieces of quartz from nevelt:vas sbeet. "Here is your walking dress," he said, handing her a lump weighing about a pound. "With the balance in the heap there you can stagger the best dressed woman you meet at your first dinner in England." "-Do you mean by pelting her?" she inquired mischievously. "Far worse. By wearing a more ex- pensive costume." Th His matinee was so earnest that he compelled seriousness. Iris took the proffered specimen and looked at it. "From the cave,,I suppose? I thought you said antimony was not very valu- able?" "That is not antimony. It is gold. By chance I have hit upon an extreme- ly rich lode of gold. At the most mod- est emnputettion it is Worth hundred of. thousands of pounds. You and I are quite Wealthy people, Miss: Deane." Iris opened her blue eyes `Very Wide ,at this entelligence. It took her breath 'away. -But her first words betokened - her inuate sense of fair dealing. "Yon alai I! Wealthy!" she gaseed. "1 am so, glad for your sake, but tell me, pray, Mr. Jenks, what have I got to do with it'?" "You!" he repeated, "Are we not partners in this island? By squatter's right if by no better title we own band, minerals, wood, game and. even Mich weird belongings as ancient lights and fishing privileges." "I don't see *Mit at, all. You find a gold mine and. coollyttell me that I am a half owner of Mx:cause you dragged me out of the sea; fed. me, housed me, saved roy ilfe from pirates and, generail ly acted like a devoted nursemaid- he charge of a baby. Really, Mr. Seuktr;esi "Really, flflat497e stooped and gathered them up, forth.' with throwing them among the glove,: lug logs. "By the way, what were -you writing! while I had my bath?" Inquired Iris der mureiy, "Some information. about the Mine. On seeond thoughts, however 1 sawi; Was =necessary." "Oh, was that all?" "Practically all." "Then some part was impractica- ble?" He glanced. sharply at her, but sbn Was merely talking at raedom. "Well, in ,,you see," he expleedi can do so little without the requisite ."J love, voui" plant. 'nee sort of ore roper crushing mile a smelting furimee, heels big tnnks Iteed with esene le ot p 0 ta ssi nue" - 'Meld id (-nurse, ulthough yoe out flu emmoti, yen cannot provide I:V11K-0 things, eau you?" Jenks deemed this query 1.3 IA' '‘e'al le (To be rlon nued.) Bearste Signature aX9 C, MIL 3: .01.. Tho Riad Youllavo A142:8 4,Zzeg:4,-7