Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 June 1905 — *vV*Vvv#» • •fi* #• \w.\ • \«r • »v l ..:•: v»V ••*•*. *£• !#> %•*/.*• (he Mlk M • -f By LOUIS Sv iMornmg •S’.\ Edward J. Clode £%; .n--a*.s.'.’v. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

*vV*Vvv#» • •fi* #• \w.\ • \«r • »v l ..:•: v»V ••*•*. *£• !#> %•*/.*• (he Mlk M • -f By LOUIS Sv iMornmg •S’.\ Edward J. Clode £%; .n--a*.s.'.’v.

By LOUIS TRACY

Ccpyright. 1903. by Edward J. Cloda

SYNOPSIS. I Chapter I—The Sirdar, having among her j 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 Paeiflo. Jenkins recovers stores and weapons from the wrecked vessel. Be 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 riles from the wreck of the Sirdar. Yl—Jenks tells Iris that his real name is Anstruther and that, through the machinations of Lord Yentnor, he has been unjustly dismissed in disgrace from the English army. Lord Yentnor has been mentioned on the Sirdar at pffianoed to Iris. Vll—iris is attacked by a party of fierce Dyaks (Polynesian natives). They are beaten »ff by-lenks, three, however escaping in their boat. The castaways dread their return. Vlll—Anstruther prepares to defend Iris and himself, fortifying a ledge of rock above their cave. LX—A rich gold mine, indicated on the mysterious chart of the island, is discovered in the cave. Iris looked at him steadily. - “Do you remember, Mr. Jenks, that soon after the wreck you told me we might have to remain here many months?” “That was a pardonable exaggeration." “No, no! It was the truth. You are seeking now to buoy me up with false hope. It is 1,000 miles from Hongkong to Singapore, and half a» much from Siam to Borneo. The Sirdar might have been driven anywhere, in the typhoon. Didn’t you say so, Mr. Jenks?” He wavered under this merciless cross examination. "I had no idea your memory was so good,” he said weakly. “Excellent, I assure you. Moreover, during our forty-four days together you have taught me to think. Why do you adopt subterfuge with me? We are partners in all else. Why cannot I share your despair as well as your toil?” She blazed out in sudden wrath, and he understood that she would not be denied the full extent of his secret fear. He bowed reverently before her, as a mortal paying homage to an angry goddess. “I cun Only admit that you are right,” he murmured. “We must pray that God will direct our friends to this island. Otherwise we may not be found for a year, as unhappily the fishermen who once came here now avoid the place. They have been frightened by the contents of the holldw behind the cliff. I am glad you have solved the difficulty unaided. Miss Deane. I have striven at times to he course, even brutal, toward you, but my heart flinched from the task of telling you the possible period of your imprisonment.” Then Iris, for the first time In many days, wept bitterly, and Jenks, blind to the true cause of her emotion, picked up a rifle to which, in spare moments, he had uftixed a curious device, and walked slowly across Prospect park toward the half obliterated road leading to the valley of death. The girl watched him disappear among the trees. Through her tears shone a sorrowful little smile. “He thinks only of me, never of himself,” she communed. “If it pleases Provldeuce to spare us from these savages, what does it matter to me how long we remain here? I have never been so happy before in my life. I fear I never will he again. If it were not for my father's terrible anxiety I would not have a care in the world. I only wish to get away so that one brave soul at least may be rid of needless tortures. All his worry is on my account, none on his own.”

That was what tearful Mias Iris thought or tried to persuade herself to think. Perhaps her cogitations would not bear strict analysis. Perhaps she harbored a sweet hope that the future might yet contain bright hours for herself and the man who was so devoted to her. She refused to believe that Robert Anstruther, strong of arm and Clear of bralg, a knight of the Round

Table in nil that was'noble and chTvalric, would permit his name to bear an unwarrantable stigma when—and she blushed like a June rose—he came to tell her that which he had written.

The sailor returned hastily, with the manner of one hurrying to perform a neglected task. Without any explanation to Iris he climbed several times to the ledge, carrying armloads of grass roots, which he planted in full view. Then he entered the cave, and, although he was furnished Only with the dim light that penetrated through the distant 6xit, she heard him hewing manfully at the rock for a eouple bf hours. At last he emerged, grimy with dust and perspiration, Just in time to pay a last visit to Summit rock before the suu sank to rest. He asked tbe girl to delay somewhat the preparations for their evening meal, as he wished to take a bath; so it was quite dark when they sat down to eat. Iris had long recovered her usual state of high spirits. “Why were you burrowing in the cavern again?” she inquired. “Are you in a hurry to get rich?” “I was following an air shaft, not a lode,” he replied. “I am occasionally troubled with after wit, and this Is an instance. Do you remember how the flame of the lamp flickered while we were opening up our mine?” “Yes.’'

“I was so absorbed In contemplating our prospective wealth that I failed to pay heed to the true significance of that incident It meant the existence of an upward current of air. Now, where the current goes there must be a passage, and while I was busy this afternoon among the trees over there” —he pointed toward the valley of death—“it came to me like an inspiration that possibly a few hours’ hewing and delving might open a shaft to the ledge. I have been weir rewarded for the effort. The stuff in the vault is so eaten away by water that it is no more solid than hard mud for the most part. Already I have scooped out a chimney twelve feet high.” “What good can that be?” “At present we have only a front door—up the face of the rock. When my work is completed—before tomorrow night. I hope—we shall have a back door also. Of course I may encounter unforeseen obstacles as I advance. A twist id tbe fault would be nearly fatal, but I am praying that it may continue straight to the ledge.” “1 still don’t see the great advantage to us.”

“The advantages are many, believe me. The more points of attack presented by the enemy the more effective will be onr resistance. I doubt if they would ever be able to rush the cave were we to hold it, whereas I can go up and down our back staircase whenever I choose. If you don’t mind being left in the dark I will resume work now by the light of your lamp.” But Iris protested against this arrangement. She felt lonely. The long hours of silence had been distasteful to her. She wanted to talk. “I agree,” said Jenks, you do not pin me down to something I told you a month ago.” “I promise. You can tell me as much or as little as you think fit. The subject for discussion is your court martial.” He could not see the tender light in her eyes, bat the quiet sympathy of her voice restrained the protest prompt on his lips. Yet he blurted out after a slight pause: “That is a very unsavory subject”

“Is it? I do not think so. I am a friend, Mr. Jenks, not an old one, I admit, but during the past six weeks we have bridged an ordinary acquaintanceship of as many years. Can you not trust me?” * Trust her? He laughed softly. Then, choosing his words with great deliberation, he answered; “Yes, I can trust you. I intended to tell you the story some day. Why not tonight?” Unseen in the darkness. Iris’ hand sought and clasped the gold locket suspended from her neck. She already knew some portion of the story he would tell. The remainder was of minor importance. “It is odd,” he continued, "that you should have alluded to six years a moment ago. It is exactly six years almost to a day since the trouble began.” "With Lord Veqtnor?” The name slipped out involuntarily. "Yes. I was then a Btaff corps subaltern, and my proficiency In native languages attracted the attention of a friend In Simla, who advised me to apply for an appointment on the political side of the government of India. I did so. He supported the application. and I was assured of the next vacancy In a native state provided that I got married. I was not a marrying man, Miss Deane, and the requisite qualification nearly staggered me. But I looked around the station'and come to the conclusion that the commissioner’s niece would make a suitable wife. I regarded her ‘points,’ so to speak, and they filled the bill. She was smart food looking, lively, understood the art, of entertaining, was first rate In sports and had excellent teeth. Indeed, If a man selected a wife as he does a frgßgjJbg.--

“Don’t be horrid. Was she really pretty?” “I believe so. People said she was.” “But what did you think?” “At the time my opinion was biased, I have seen her since, and she wear# badly. She is married now and after thirty grew very fat.” Artful Jenks! Iris settled herself comfortably to listen. “I have jumped that fence with a lot in hand,” he thought. “We became engaged,” he said aloud. “She threw herself at him.” communed Iris. “Her name was Elizabeth—Elizabeth Morris.” The young lieutenant of those days called her Bessie, but no matter. “Well, you didn’t marry her, anj how," commented Iris, a trifle sharplj. And now the sailor was on level ground again. “Thank heaven, no!” he said earnest ly. "We had barely become engaged W'hen she went with her uncle to Simla for the hot weather. There she met Lord Ventnor, who was on the viceroy’s staff, and—if you don't mind, we will skip a portion of the narrative— I discovered then why men in India usually go to England for their wives. While in Simla on ten days’ leave I bad a foolish row with Txinl Vcntnor in the United Service club—hammered him, in fact, in defense of a worthless woman—and was only saved from a severe reprimand because I had been badly treuted. Nevertheless, my hopes of a political appointment vanished, and I returned to my regiment to learn after due reflection what a very lucky person I was.” “Concerning Miss Morris, you mean?” “Exactly. And now exit Elizabeth. Not being cut out for matrimonial enterprise, I tried to become a good officer. A year ago, when the government asked for volunteers to form Chinese regiments, I sent in my name and was accepted. I had the good fortune to serve under an old friend. Colonel Costobeil, but some malign star sent Lord Ventnor to the far east, this time in an important civil capacity. I met him occasionally, and we found we did not like each other any better. My horse heat his for the Pagoda Hurdle handicap. Poor old Sultan, 1 wonder where lie is now!” "Colonel Costobeil fell ill, and the command of the regiment devolved upon me, our only major being, absent in the interior. The colonel's wife, unhappily, chose that moment to flirt, os people say, with Lord Ventnor. Not having learned the advisability of minding my own business, I remonstrated with her, thus making her my deadly enemy. Lord Ventnor contrived an official mission to a neighboring town and detailed me for the military charge. I Bent a junior officer. Then Mrs. Costobeil and lie deliberately concocted a plot to ruin me, he for the sake of his old animosity—you remember that I had also crossed his path iu Egypt—she because she feared I would speak to her husband. On pretense of seeking my advice she inveigled me at night into a deserted corner of the club grounds at Hongkong. Lord Ventnor appeared, and as the upshot of their vile statements, which created an immediate uproar, I—well. Miss Deane, I nearly killed him.” Iris vividly recalled the anguish he betrayed when this topic was inadvertently broached one day early in their acquaintance. Now lie was reciting his painful history with the air of a man far more concerned to be scrupulously accurate than aroused in his deepest passions by the memory of past wrongs. What had happened in the interim to blunt these bygone sufferings? Iris clasped her locket. She thought she knew.

“The remainder may he told in a sentence,” he said. "Of what avail were my frenzied statements against the definite proofs adduced by Lord Yentnor and his unfortunate ally? Even her husband believed her and became my bitter foe. Poor woman! 1 have it in my heart to pity her. Well, that is all. I am here!” “Can a man be ruined -so easily?” murmured the girl, her exquisite tact leading her to avoid any direct expression of sympathy. “It seems so. But I hove had my reward. If ever I meet Mrs. Costobell again I will thank her for a great service.* Iris suddenly became confused. Her brow and neck tingled with a quick access of color. “Why do you say that?" she asked. And Jenks, who was rising, either did not hear or pretended not to hear the tremor In her tone. * “Because you once told me you would never marry Lord Ventnor, and after what I have told you now I am quite sure you will not.” “Ah, then you do trust me?” she almost whispered. He forced back the words trembling for utterance. He even strove weakly to assume an air of good humored badinage. “See how you have tempted mo from work. Miss Deane,” he cried. “We have gossiped here until the fire grew tired of our company. To bed, please, at once.” Iris caught him by the arm. “I will pray Jonight and every night,” she said solemnly, “that your good name may be cleared In the eyes of all men, as it is In mine. And I am sure my prayer will be answered.” She passed into her chamber, but her apgelic influence remained. In his very soul the man thanked God for the tribulation which brought this woman into his life. He had traversed the wilderness to find an oasis of rare beauty. it was a beautiful night After a baking hot day the rocks were radiating their stored up heat but the pleasant southwesterly breeze that generally Bet in at sunset tempered the atmosphere .and made sleep refreshing. Jenju cou!4_BotJsettl£.d9HUL to. testXor

a little while after Iris left him. She did not bring forth her lamp, and, unwilling to disturb her, he picked up a resinous branch, lit it In the dying fire and went Into the cave. [TO BE CONTINUED.] See Baughman & Williams for farm and city loans. We want eggs, highest market price paid. Fen dig’s Fair. Just received, our Hominy Meal at Rensselaer Feed Store. Don’t get “rattled” when you want to buy a buggy or carriage. A few extra springs and two or three dollars less in price is not always a good investment. jg

C. A. ROBERTS.

“Oh, I see!” he growled.