Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1905 — the wings of the Morning [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

the wings of the Morning

By LOUIS TRACY

SYNOPSIS. Chapter I-The Sirdar, having among her passengers Iris Deane,.daughter of the owner of the ship, and Robert Jenks, who is working as a waiter, is wrecked. ll—All are lost save Miss Deane and Jenks, who are oast ashore on an islet in the Pacific. Jenkins recovers stores and weapons from the wrecked vessel. He finds the skeleton of a European on the island. IV—A cave on the island is fitted up as a habitation. A chart of the island, mysteriously marked, is found on the skeleton. V—Jenks finds a hollow filled with human skeletons, the remains of a mining party. He is rescued from an octopus by Iris while recovering rfles from the wreck of the Sirdar. Vl—Jenks tells Iris that his real name is Anstruther and that, through the machinations of Lord Ventnor, he has been unjustly dismissed in disgrace from the English army. Lord Ventnor has been mentioned on the Sirdar as affianced to Iris. ■

Jenks’ unwonted ill humor—for the passage of days had driven from his face all its harshness and from his tongue all its assumed bitternesscreated a passing cloud until the physical exertion of scrambling over the rocks to round the North cape restored their normal relations. At last they reached the south side, and here they at once found themselves in a delightfully 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, “but open to the sea. If you look at the smooth riband of water out there you will perceive a passage through the reef. A great place for sharks, Miss Deane, but no place for bathers.” 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 perceived 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 visits to the breeding ground. “If they are green turtle,” he con-tinued,-“we are in the lap of luxury. They lard the aiderman and inspire the poet. When a ship comes to our assistance I will persuade the captain to freight the vessel with them and make my fortune.” “I suppose, under the circumstances, you were not a rich 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. By selling my ponies and my other belongings I was able to walk out of my quarters penniless, but free from debt.” “And all through a deceitful woman!” “Yes.” She ventured a further step. “Was she very bad to you, Mr. Jenks?” He stopped and laughed—actually roared—at the suggestion. “Bad to me!” he repeated. “I had nothing to do with her. She was humbugging her husband, not me. Fool that I was, I could not mind my own business.” So Mrs. Costobell was not flirting with the man who suffered on her account. It is a regrettable but true statement that Iris would willingly have hugged Mrs. Costobeli at that moment. Rounding Europa point, the sailor’s eyes were fixed on their immediate surroundings, but Iris gazed dreamily 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? Couldtheyescape? Was this ark stranded on the island for their benefit? If it were seaworthy, whither should they steer—to those islands whose blue outlines were visible on the horizon? These and a hundred other questions coursed through bin brain during the race over the rocks, but nil such wild speculations were promptly settled when they reached the craft, for the keel and the whole of the lower timbers were smashed into match wood. But there were stores on board. Jenks remembered that Captain Ross’ foresight had secured the provisioning of al) the ship’s boats soon after the first wild rush to steady the vessel after the propeller was lost. Masts, sails, oars, seats—all save two water casks—bad gone, but Jenks, with eager hands, unfastened the lockers, and here he found a good supply of tinned meats and biscuits. They had barely recovered from the excitement of this find when the sailor noticed that behind the rocks on which the craft was firmly lodged lay a small natural basin full of salt water, replenished and freshened by the spray of every gale and completely shut off from all seaward accent. It was not more thanfour feet deep,

beautifully carpeted with Sand arid secluded by rocks on all sides. Not the tiniest crab or fish was to be seen. It provided ah ideal bath. Iris was overjoyed. She pointed toward their habitation. “Mr. Jenks,” she said, “I will be with you at teatime.” He gathered all the tins he was able to carry and strode off, enjoining her to Are her revolver if for the slightest reason she wanted assistance, and giving a parting warning that if she delayed too long he would come and shout to her. “I wonder,” said the girl to herself, watching his retreating figure, “what he is afraid of. Surely by this time we have exhausted the unpleasant surprises of the island. Anyhow, now for a splash!” She was hardly in the water before she began to be afraid on account of Jenks. Suppose anything happened to him while she was thoughtlessly enjoying herself here! So strongly did the thought possess her that she hurriedly dressed again and ran off to flijd him. lie was engaged in fastening a number of bayonets transversely to a long piece of timber. “What are you doing that for?” she asked. _ “Why did you return so soon? Did anything alarm you?” “I thought you might get into mischief,” she confessed. "No. On the other hand. lam 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 tills barring the way they cannot rush the position.” On the nineteenth day of their residence on the island the sailor climbed, as was his invariable habit, to the Summit rock while Iris prepared breakfast. At this early hour the horizon was clearly cut as the rim of a sapphire. He examined the whole arc of the sea with his glasses, but not a sail was in sight. According to his calculations the growing anxiety as to the fate of the Sirdar must long ere this have culminated in the dispatch from Hongkong or Singapore of a special search vessel, while British warships in the China sea would be warned to keep a close lookout for any traces of the steamer, to visit all Islands on their route and to question fishermen whom 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 questionings as to what might happen next week. The great certainty of the hour was Iris—the blue eyed, smiling divinity who had come into his life—waiting for him down there beyond the trees, waiting to welcome him with a sweet voiced greeting, and he knew, with a fierce devouring joy. that ber cheek would not pale nor her lip tremble when he announced that at least another sun must set before the expected relief reached them. He replaced the glasses in their case and dived into the wood, giving a passing thought to the fact that the wind, after blowing steadily from the south for nearly a week, had veered round to the northeast during the night. Did the change portend a storm? Well, they were now prepared for all such eventualities, and he had not forgotten that they possessed, among other treasures, a box of books for rainy days. And a rainy day with Iris for company! What gale that ever blew could offer such compensation for enforced idleness? The morning sped in uneventful work. Iris did .not neglect her cherished pitcher plant. After luncheon it was her custom now to carry a dishful of water to its apparently arid roots, and she rose to fulfill her self imposed task. “Let me help you,” said Jenks. “I am not very busy this afternoon.” “No, thank you. I simply won’t allow you to touch that shrub. The dear thing looks quite glad to see me. It drinks up the water as greedily as a thirsty animal.” Iris had been gone perhaps five minutes 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’s voice. Something terrible had happened. It was a cry of supreme distress. Mortal agony or overwhelming terror alone could wring that name from her lips. Precisely In such moments this man acted with the decision, the unerring judgment, the instantaneous acceptance of great risk to accomplish great results, that marked him out as a born soldier. He rushed into the house and snatched from the rack one of the rifles reposing there in apple pie order, each with a filled magazine attached and a cartridge already in position. Then be ran with long strides not through the trees, where he could see nothing, but toward the beach, whence In forty yards the place where Iris probably was would become visible. At once he saw her struggling in the grasp of two ferocious looking Dyaks, one by his garments a person of consequence, 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 endeavorfag to tie her arms, but she was a strong and active Englishwoman* with muscles well knit by the constant labor of recent busy days and a frame developed by years of horse riding and tennis playing. The pair evidently found her a tough handful, and the inferior Dyak, either to stop her screams—for she was shrieking, “Robert, come to me!” with all her might—or to stifle her into submission, roughly placed his huge hand over her mouth. These things the sailor noticed Instantly. Some men, brave to rashness, ready as he to give his life to save her, would have raced madly over the intervening ground, scarce a furlong, jfnd attempted a heroic combat of one agalust nine. Not so Jenks. With the methodical exactness of the parade ground he settled down on one knee and leveled the rifle. None of the Dyaks saw him. < All were intent on the sensational prize

they hjid secured, a young and beautiful white woman so contentedly roaming about the shores of this fetish island. With the slow speed advised by the Roman philosopher the back sight and fore sight of the rifle came into line with the breast of the coarse brute 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 herself free from the chief’s hold and ran with all her might along the beach to Jenks and safety. Again and yet again the rifle gave Its short, sharp snarl, and two more Dyaks collapsed on the sand. Six were left, their leader being still unconsciously preserved from death by the figure of the flying girl. A fourth Dyak dropped. The survivors, cruel savages, but not cowards, unslung their guns. The sailor, white faced, grim, with an unpleasant gleam In his deep set eyes and a lower jaw protruding, noticed their preparations. “To the left!” he shouted. “Run toward the trees!” " Iris heard him and strove to obey, but her strength was failing her, and she staggered blindly. After a few despairing efforts she lurched feebly to her knees and tumbled face downward on the broken coral that had tripped her faltering footsteps. Jenks was watching her, watching

the remaining Dyaks, from whom a spluttering volley came, picking out his quarry with the murderous ease of a terrier in a rat pit. Something like a bee in a violent hurry hummed past his ear, and a rock near his right foot was struck a tremendous blow by an unseen agency. HC liked this. It would lie a battle, not a battue. The fifth Dyak crumpled into the distortion of death, and then their leader took deliberate alm at the knee) ing marksman who threatened to wipe him and his band out of existence. But his deliberation, though skillful, was too profound. The sailor fired first and was professionally astonished to see the gaudily attired individual tossed violently backward for many pitching headlong to the earth. Had he been charged by a bull in full career he could not have been more utterly discomfited. The incident was sensational, but Inexplicable. Yet another member of the band was prostrated ere the two as yet unscathed thought fit to beat a retreat. This they now did with celerity, but they dragged their chief with them. It was no part of Jenks' programme to allow them to escape. He aimed again at the man nearest the trees. There was a sharp click and nothing more. The cartridge was a misfire. He hastily sought to ejec.t it, and the rifle jammed. Springing to his feet, with a yell, he ran forward. The flying men caught a glimpse of him and accelerated their movement*. Just as he reached Iris they vanished among the trees. Slinging the rifle over his shoulder, he picked up the girl in his arms. She was conscious, but breathless. “You are not hurt?” he gasped, his eyes blazing into her face with an Intensity* that she (ifterward remembered a* appalling. **No," she whispered. " “Listen.” be continued in labored

jerks. “Try and obey me—exactly. T will carry you—to the cave. Stop there. Shoot any one you see—till I come.” She heard him wonderlngly. Was he going to leave her, now. that he had her safely clasped to his breast? Impossible! Ah, she understood. Those men must have landed in a boat. He intended to attack them again. He was going to flghtthem single handed, anA she would not know what happened to him until it was all over. Gradually her vitality returned. She almost smiled at the fantastic conceit that she would desert him. Jenks placed her on her feet at the entrance to the cave. “You understand,” he cried, and without waiting for an answer ran to the bouse for another rifle. This time, to her amazement, he darted back through Prospect park toward the south beach. The sailor knew that the Dyaks had landed at the sandy bay Iris had chriscove. They were acquainted with the passage through the reef and came from the distant islands. Now they would endeavor to escape by the same channel. They must be prevented at all costs. He was right. As they came out into the open he saw three men, not two, pushing off a large sampan. One of them was the chief. Then Jenks understood that his bullet had hit the lock of the Dyak's uplifted -weapon, with the result already described. By a miracle he had escaped. lie coolly prepared to slay the three’ of them with the same calm purpose that distinguished the opening phase of this singularly one sided conflict. The distance was much greater, perhaps 800 yards from the point where the boat came into view. He knelt and fired. He judged that the missile struck the craft between the trio. "I didn’t allow for the sun on the •side of the fore sight,” he said, “or perhaps l am a bit shaky after the run. In any event they can’t go far.” A hurrying step on the coral behind him caught his ear. Instantly he sprang up and faced about—to see Iris. “They are escaping,” she said. “No fear of that,” he replied, turning away from her. “Where are the others?” “Dead!” “Do you mean that you killed nearly all those men?” “Six of them. There were nine in all.” He knelt again, liftfag the rifle. Iris threw herself on her knees by his side. There was something awful to her in this chill and businesslike declaration 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 growled, annoyed at the interruption, as the sampan was afloat. » “Then I ask you for God’s sake not to take another life. What you have already done was unavoidable, perhaps right. This Is murder!” He lowered his weapon and looked at her. “If those men get away they will bring back a host to avenge their comrades—and secure you,” be added. “It may be the will of Providence for such a thing to happen. Yet I implore you to spare them.” He placed the rifle on the sand and raised her tenderly, for she had yielded to 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 arm at the couple on the beach. It was the Malay chief, cursing them, with the rude eloquence of his barbarous tongue. And Jenks well knew what he was saying. [TO BE CONTINUED. J

In the grasp of two ferocious looking Dyaks.