Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1905 — The Wings of the Morning. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Wings of the Morning.

By LOUIS TRACY

SYNOPSIS. Chaptkb 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 cast 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 ehart 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. Vl—Jenks tells Iris that his real name is Austruther 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. Vll—iris is attacked by a party of fierce Dyaks (Polynesian natives). They are beaten off by Jenks, three, however escaping in their boat. The castaways dread their return. Vlll—Anstruther prepares to defend Iris and himself, fortifying a ledge of reek above their cave. IX—A rich gold mine, indicated oti the mysterious chart of the island, is discovered in the cave. X and Xl—The Dyaks attack the Island. Among them is an escaped convict, an Indian Musselman. They discover the hiding place, but are defeated by the Englishman. XII. An unlucky shot costs Jenks and Iris their water supply. A truce with the savages, the Mussulman speaking Hindoo to Anstruther, acting as interpreter. Mir Jan, the Indian, agrees to aid Anstruther and supply him with water. Xlll—lris and Robert, in the midst of peril, avow their love for each other. The fight continues. CHAPTER XIV.

“(TtfIOU are a dear unreasonable litI y I tie girl,” he said. “Have you | J I breath enough to tell me why LzJ you came down the ladder?” “When I discovered you were gone I became wild with fright. Don’t you see, I Imagined you were wounded and had fallen from the ledge. What else could I do but follow, either to help you, or, if that were not posslble”—

He found her hand and pressed it to his lips. "I humbly crave your pardon,” he said. “That explanation Is more than ample. It was I who behaved unreasonably. Of course I should have warned yon.” “May Task how many more wild adventures you undertook without my knowledge?” “One other, of great magnitude. I fell in love with you.”

“Nonsense!” she retorted. “I knew that long before you admitted it to yourself.” “Date, please?” “Well, to begin at the very beginning. you thought I was nice on board the Sirdar. Now, didn't you?” And they were safely embarked on a conversation of no interest to any other person in the wide world, but which provided them with the most delightful topic imaginable. Thus the time sped until the rising moon silhouetted the cliff on the white carpet of coral strewn sand. The black shadow line traveled slowly closer to the base of the cliff, and Jenks, guided also by the stars, told Iris that midnight was at hand. They knelt on the parapet of the ledge, alert to catch any unusual sound and watching for any indication of human movement. But Rainbow island was now still as the grave. The wounded Dyaks had seemingly been removed from hut and beach. The dead lay where they had fallen. The sea sang a lullaby to the reef, and the fresh breeze whispered among the palm fronds—that was all. If the Mussulman kept his compact the hour was at hand. Then the light hiss of a snake rose to them from the depths. That is a sound never forgotten when once heard. It is like unto no other. Indeed the term “hiss” is a misnomer for the quick sibilant expulsion of the breath by an alarmed or angered serpent. Iris paid no heed to it; but Jenks, who knew there was not a reptile of the snake variety on the island, leaned over the ledge and emitted a tolerably good imitation. The native was beneath. "Sahib!” The girl started at the unexpected call from the depths. “Yes,” said Jenks quietly. “A rope, sahib.” The sailor lowered a rope. Something was tied to It beneath. The Mohammedan apparently had little fear of being detected. “Pull, sahib." “Usually it is the sahib who says •pull,’ but circumstances alter cases,” communed Jenks. He hauled steadily at a heavy weight, a goatskin filled with cold water. He emptied the hot and sour wine out of the tin cup and was about to hand the thrice welcomed draft to Iris when a suspicious thought caused him to withhold it. “Let me taste first,” he said. The s Indian might have betrayed them to the Dyaks. More unlikely things had happened. What if the water were poisoned or drugged? He placed the tin to his lips. The liquid was musty, having been in the skin nearly two. days. Otherwise it seemed to be all right. With a sigh of profound relief he gave Iris the cup and smiled at the most unladylike haste with which she- emptied it. “Drink yourself and give me some more," she said. “No more for you at present, madam. In a few minutes, yes.” “Ob, why not now?" “Do not fret, dear one. You can have all you want in a little while. But to drink much now would make yog very ill.”

Iris waited until he could spetfle again “Why did you”— she began. But he bent over the parapet. “Hello!” “Sahib!” “You have not been followed?” “I think not, sahib. Do not talk too loud. They are foxes in cunning. You have a ladder, they say, sahib. Wil. not your honor descend? I have much to relate.” Iris made no protest when Jenks explained the man’s request. She only stipulated that he should not leave the ladder, while she would remain within easy earshot. The sailor, of course, carried his revolver. He also picked up a crowbar, a most useful and silent weapon. Then he went quietly downward. Nearing the ground, he saw the native, who salaamed deeply and was unarmed. The poor fellow seemed to be very anxious to help them. “What is your name?” demanded the sailor. “Mir Jan, sahib, formerly corporal In the Kumaon regiment” “When did you leave the regiment?” “Two years ago, sahib. I killed”— “What was the name of your colonel?” “Kurnal I-shpence-sahib, a brave man, but of no account on a horse.” Jenks well remembered Colonel Spence—a fat short legged warrior, who rolled off his charger if the animal so much as looked sideways. Mir Jan was telling the truth. “You are right, Mir Jan. What is Tuang S’All doing now?” “Cursing, sahib, for the most part. His men are frightened. He wanted them to try once more with the tubes that shoot poison, but they refused. He could not come alone, for he could not use his right hand, and he was wounded by the blowing up of the rock. You near!}' killed me, too, sahib. I was there with the bazaar-born whelps. By the prophet’s beard, it was a fine stroke.”

“Are they going away, then?” “No, sahib. The dogs have been whipped so sore that they snarl for revenge. They say there is no use in firing at you, but they are resolved to kill you and the miss sahib or carry her off if she escapes the assault.” “What assault?” “Protector of the poor, they are building scaling ladders—four in all. Soon after dawn they intend to rush your position. Y’ou may slay some, they say, but you cannot slay threescore. Taung S’All has promised gold to every man who survives if they succeed. They have pulled down your signal on the high rocks and are using the poles for the ladders. They think you have a charm, sahib, and they want to use your own work against you.” This was serious news. A combined attack might indeed be dangerous, though it had the excellent feature that if it failed the Dyaks would certainly leave the island. But his sky sign destroyed! That was bad. Had a vessel chanced to pass the swinging letters would surely have attracted attention. Now even that faint hope was dis peiled. “Sahib, there is a worse thing to tell,” said Mir Jan. “Say on, then.” “Before they place the ladders against the cliff they will build a fire of green wood so that the smoke will be blown by the wind into your eyes. This will help to blind your aim. Otherwise you never miss.” “That will assuredly be awkward, Mir Jan.”

“It will, sahib. Soul of my father, if we bad but half a troop with us”— But they had not, aud they were both so intent on the conversation that they were momentarily off their guard. Iris was more watchful. She fancied there wag a light rustling amid the undergrowth beneath the trees on the right And abe could hiss, too, if that were the correct thing to do. So she hissed. Jenks swarmed halfway up the ladder. “Yes, Iris,” be said. "I am not sure, but I imagine something moved among the bushes behind the house." “AH right, dear. I will keep a sharp lookout. Can you hear us talking?” “Hardly. Will you be long?” “Another minute.” He descended and told Mir Jan what the miss sahib said. The native was about to make a search when Jenks stopped him. “Here”—be handed the man his revolver—“l suppose you can use this?” Mir Jan took It without a word, and Jenks felt that the incident atoned for previous unworthy doubts of his dark friend’s honesty. The Mohammedan cautiously examined the back of the house, the neighboring shrubs and the open beach. After a brief absence be reported all safe, yet no man has ever been nearer death and escaped it than he during that reconnoissance. He, too, forgot that the Dyaks were foxes, and foxes can He close when hounds are a trifle stale. Mir Jan returned the revolver. “Sahib,” he said, with another salaam, “I am a disgraced man, but if you will take me up there with you I will fight by your side until both my arms are hacked off I am weary of

these thieves. 111-chance threw me into their company. I will have no more of them. If you will not have me on the rock, give me a gun. I will hide among the trees, and I promise that some of them shall die tonight before they find me. For the honor of the regiment, sahib, do not refuse this thing. All I ask is If your honor escapes that you will write to Kurnal I-shpence-sahib and tell him the last act of Mir Jan, corporal In B troop.” Jenks was profoundly moved. He reflected how best to utilize the services of this willing volunteer without exposing him to certain death In the manner suggested. The native misinterpreted his silence. “I am not a rascal, sahib,” he explalmed proudly. “I only killed a man because”— “Listen, Mir Jan. You cannot well mend what you have said. The Dyaks, you are sure, will not come before morning?” “They have carried the wounded to the boats and are making the ladders. Such was their talk when I left them.”

“Will they not miss you?” “They will miss the goatskin, sahib. It was the last full one.” “Mir Jan, do as I bid and you shall see Delhi again. Have you ever used a Lee-Metford?” “I have seen them, sahib, but I better understand the Mahtini.” “I will give you a rifle, with plenty of ammunition. Do you go inside the cave, there, and”— Mir Jan was startled. “Where the ghost is, sahib?” he said. “Ghost! That is a tale for children. There is no ghost, only a few bones of a man murdered by these scoundrels long ago. Have you any food?” “Some rice, sahib; sufficient for a day or two at a pinch.” “Good! We will get water from the well. When the fighting begins at dawn fire at every man you see from the back of the cave. On no account come out. Then they can never reach you if you keep a full magazine. Wait here.” “I thought you were never coming,” protested Iris when Jenks reached the ledge. “I have been quite creepy. I am sure there is some one down there. And, please, may I have another drink?” The sailor had left the crowbar beneath. He secured a rifle, a spare clip and a dozen packets of cartridges, meanwhile briefly explaining to Iris the turn taken by events so far as Mir Jan was concerned. She was naturally delighted and forgot her fears in the excitement caused by the appeara nee of so useful an ally. She drank his health in a brimming beaker of water.

She heard her lover rejoin Mir Jan and saw the two step out into the moonlight, while Jenks explained the action of the rifle. Fortunatelj’ Iris was now much recovered from the fatigue and privation of the earlier hours. Her senses were sharpened to a pitch little dreamed of by stay-at-home young ladies of her age, and she deemed it her province to act as sentry while the two men conferred. Hence she was the first to detect, or, rather, to become conscious of, the stealthy crawl of several Dyaks along the bottom of the cliff from Turtle beach. “Robert!” she screamed. “The Dyaks! On your left!” But Iris was rapidly gaining some knowledge of strategy. Before she shrieked her warning she grasped a rifle. Holding it at the “ready”—about the level of her waist—and depressing the muzzle sufficiently, she began firing down the side of the rock as fast as she could handle lever and trigger. Two of the nickel bullets struck a projection and splashed the leading savages with molten metal. Unfortunately Jenks’ rifle beneath was unloaded, being in Mir Jan’s possession for purposes of Instruction. Jenks whipped out his revolver. "To the cave!” he roared, and Mir Jan's unwillingness to face a goblin could not withstand the combined impetus of the sahib’s order and the onward rush of the enemy. He darted headlong for the entrance. Jenks, shooting blindly as he, too, ran for the ladder, emptied the revolver just aS his left hand clutched a rung. Three Dyaks were so close that it would be folly to attempt to climb. He threw the weapon into the face of the foremost man, effectually stopping his onward nroeress.

He drove the point In the gullet. The sailor turned to dive into the cave and secure the rifle from Mir Jan, when bls shin caught the heavy crowbar resting against the rock. The naln of the blow lent emnhaste to the

swing with which tne implement descended upon some portion of a Dyak anatomy. Jenks never knew where he hit the second assailant, but the place cracked like an eggshell. He had not time to recover the bar for another blow, so he drove the point an-Jict a o'entleman who was about to make a vicious sweep at him with a parang. The downfall of this worthy caused his immediate successor to stumble, and Jenks saw his opportunity. With the agility of a cat he jumped up the ladder and reached the ledge without injury. [to be continued.]