Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 31, Number 202, 19 August 1906 — Page 3

Page Three. 'passer A Romance of Love and Adventure That Is Ordinarily Told and Will Hold the Read er's Attention From the Opening Chapter IU Sfe Wind's of the l The People in the Story are Real and Not y Puppets, and the Plot Mr. Tracy Has ( Woven About Them is Most Ingenious By LOUIS TRACY ornmg Copyright. 1903. by

The Richmond Palladium, Sunday, August 19, 1906.

M

Edward J. Cloda ' ..... . .

U::;.&:":::::

CIIAFTEIt IX.

IIIE Bailor wont after thoo mon keys In a mooil of relentless severity. Thus fur the regular j denizens of Rainbow island! hnH dwelt together In peace anr mutual good will, but each diminutive , rou-woti must be taught not to pull any strings be found tied promiscuously 10 trees or stakes. As a preliminary esay Jenks resolved to try force combined with artifice. Failing; complete success, he would endeavor! to kill every monkey in the place, 1 though he bad in full measure, the in- j Lereht dislike of Anglo-India to the' slaying of the tree people. This, then, is what he did: After filling u biscuit tin with good sized pebbles he donned a Dyak hat. blouse tuid belt, rubbed earth over his face and hands und proceeded to pelt the wou-wous mercilessly. For more than tin hour he made their lives miserable until at the mere sight of him they fled, shrieking und gurgling like a thousand water bottles. Finally he constructed several Dyak scarecrows and erected one to guard each of his alarm guns. The device was thoroughly effective. Thenceforth, when Borne adventurous monkey, swinging with hands or tall among the treetops in tire morning search for appetizing nut or luscious plantain, saw one of those fearsome bogies, he raised such a hubbub that all his companions scampered hastily from the routines of the wood to the Inner fastnesses. During each of the two daily examinations of the horizon, which be never omitted, Jeuks minutely scrutinized the sea between Itainbow island ami the distant group. It was perhaps a needless precaution. The Dyaks would come at night. With a favorable wind they need not set sail until dusk, and their lleot sampans would easily coyer the intervening forty miles in live hours. lie could not be positive thut they were actual inhabitants of the islands to the south. The China sea swarms with wandering pirates, and the tribe whose animosity he had earned might be equally noxious to some peaceable fishing community on the coast. Again and again he debated the advisability of constructing a seaworthy raft and endeavoring to make the passage. Hut this would be risking all on a frightful uncertainty, and the accidental discovery of the eagle's nest had given liim now hope. Here he could make a determined and prolonged stand, and In the end help must come. So he dismissed the navigation project and devoted himself wholly to the perfecting of the natural fortress in the rock. That night they llnlshed the rope ladder. Indeed .lenks was determined not to retire to rest until It was placed. He dJd not care to try a second time to carry Iris to that elevated perch. One of the first things he contemplated was the destruction if possible of the point on the opposite cliff which commanded the ledge. This, however, was utterly impracticable with the appliances at his command. The top of the rock sloped slightly toward the west, and nothing short of dynamite or regular quarrying operations would render It untenable by hostile marksmen. During the day his rifles at ninety yards' range might be trusted to keep the place clear of intruders. Hut at night that was the ditlieulty. He partially solved it by fixing two rests on the ledge to support a ritle in exact line with the center of the enemy's supposed position, and as a variant on the outer rest he marked lines which corresponded with other sections of the entire front available to the foe. liven then he was not satisfied. When time permitted, he made many experiments with ropes reeved through the pulley and attached to a ritle action, lie might have succeeded in his main object had not Ids thoughts taken a new Hue. His aim was to achieve Konie method of opening and closing the breech block by means of two ropes. The dilliculty was to secure the preliminary and final lateral movement of the lever bolt, but it suddenly occurred to him that if be could manage to convey the impression that Iris and lie had left the island the Dyaks would go away after a fruitless search. The existence of ropes along the face of the rock an essential to his mechanical scheme -- would betray their whereabouts or at any rate excite dangerous curiosity. So he reluctantly abandoned hia original design, though not wholly,, as will be "seen in due course. In pursuance of his latest idea he fodulously removed from the foot of the clilT all traces of the clearance effected ou the lodge, and, although he provided supports for the tarpaulin covering, be did not adjust it. Iris and! he might lie perdu there for days with-! ouLthcir retreat being found out. Tlx; ? .1 . ...... .... development suggested the necessity ot luiiing their surplus stores and am-1 munition, and what spot could be more; suitable than the cave-.' j So Jeuks began to dig once more in the interior. Hhoring manfully with , pick and shovel in the locality of the; fault with it- vein of antimony. i Rainbow island had given him the' one thing a man prizes ahovo all else j n pure yet passionate love for a woman beautiful alike in body and ln'.nd. And now It was to endow him with riches! that might stir the pulse of even a: S.mth Africa!: magnate, for tin- sail-' or, unmindful of purpose other than providing the requisite c at he. shovel ing and delving with the energy peculiar to all bis actions, suddenly struck a ' deep vein of almost virgin gold. To facilitate the disposal at a distance of the disturbed debris ho threw j each shovelful on to a canvas sheet,! which he subsequently uraggeu among the trees in order to dislodge its contents. After doing this four times lie noticed certain metallic specks In the fifth load which called the presence of the antimonv. Hut the anoearunca

or the sixrn cargo was so remarKaniei when broucht out into the sunlight ' that it invited closer inspection. J Though his knowledge of geology was ; slight, he wa3 ..forced to believe that: the specimens Tie handled so dubiously j contained neither copper n )r iron j pyrites, but glittering yellow gold. J Their weight, the distribution of the; metal through quartz In n transition j scat between ci oxide and a telluride, ! compelled recognition. I Somewhat excited, yet half skeptical, he returned to the excavation and scooped out yet another c Election. 1 This time there could be no mistake, j Nature's own al'hemy had fashioned j

a veritable ingot. l here were sma.l lumps in the ore which would only need alloy ft the mint before they could be issued as sovereigns, so free from drws.--, were they. Iris had gone to Venus' bath and would be absent for some time. Jenks sat down on a tree stump. He held in his hand a small bit of ore worth perhaps 2'. Slowly the conjectures already pieced together in his mind during early days on the island came back to him. The skeleton of an Englishman lying there among the bushes near the well, the (iolgothu of the poison tilled hollow, the mining tools, both Chinese and European; the plan on the piece of tin-ah, the piece of tin! Mechanically the sailor produced it from the breast pocket of his jersey. At last the mysterious sign "U2 divided by 1" revealed its significance. Measure thirty-two feet from the mouth of the tunnel, dig one foot in depth, and you came upon the mother lode of this gold bearing rock. This, then, was the secret of the cave. The Chinese know the richness of the deposit and exploited its treasures by quarrying from the outer side of the hill. Hut their crass ignorance of modern science led to their undoing. The accumulation of libera ted carbonic acid gas in the workings killed them in scores. They probably fought this unseen demon with the tenacity of their race until the place became accursed and banned of all living things. Yet had they dug a little ditch and permitted the invisible terror to flow quietly downward until its potency was dissipated by sea and air they might have mined the whole cliff with impunity. The unfortunate unknown, J. S. he of the whitened bone.; -might have done this thing too. Hut he only possessed the half knowledge of the working miner and while shunning the plague stricken quarry adopted the more laborious method of making an adit to strike the deposit, lie succeeded, to perish miserably in the hour when he saw himself a millionaire. Was this a portent of the fate about to overtake the latest comers? Jenks, of course, stood up. Ho always stood square on hia feet when the volcano within hini tired his blood. 'No!'' he almost shouted. "I will break the spell. I am sent here by Providence, not to search for gold, but to save a woman's life, and if all the devils of China and Malay are in league against me I will boat them!" The sound of his own voice startled him. What was all the fuss about? With a barrow load of gold he could not buy an instant's safety for Iris, not to mention himself. The language dilliculty was insuperable. Were it otherwise the Dyaks would simply humbug ldui until he revealed the source of his wealth, and then murder him as an effective safeguard against foreign interference. Iris! Not once since she was hurled ashore in liis arms had Jenks so long forgotten her existence. Should he tell her? They were partners in everything appertaining to the island. Why keep this marvelous intelligence from her? Yet was he tempted, not ignobly, but by reason of his love for her. Once years ago, when his arduous professional studies were distracted by a momentary infatuation for a fair face, a woman had proved tickle when tempted by greater wealth than hu possessed. For long he was a con. lirnied misogynist, to his great and lasting gain as a leader of men. Hut with more equable judgment came a fixed resolution not to marry unless his prospective bride cared only for him and not for his position. To a staff corps officer, even one with a small private income, this was no unattainable ideal. Then he met with the shame and aconv of the court mar tial. While his soul still quivered' under the lash of that terrible down-; fall Iris came into his life. He knew' n t what might happen if they were ! rescued. The time would quickly pass! until the old order was resumed, shej to go back to her position in society, ; he to become again a disgraced ex-1 officer, apparently working out a mere; exjftenco before the mast or handing! plates in a saloon. j Would it not bo a sweet defiance of j adversity were he able, even under such conditions, to win her love and j then disclose to her the potentialities i of the island? Perchance ho might j fa 'I. Though rich as Croesus, he would j still be under the social ban meted out j to a cashiered officer. She was a girl ' who could command the gift of coronets. With restoration to her father and home, gratitude to her preserver would assuredly remain; but, alas, love might vanish like a mirage! Then he would act honorably. Half of the stored wealth would bo hers to do as she chose with it. Yes. this was a possible alternative. In case of accident to himself and her ultimate escape ho must immediately write full details of his discovery and intrust the document to her, to be opened only after his death or six months after their release. The idea possessed l.irn so thoroughly that he could brook no delay. He searched for one of the notebooks taken from the dead officers of the Sirdar and scribbled the following letter:

Dffir Mi.s Dano XVhthT I am liv'ntr or rai nhfn you rf-ad these lines, you v.ill know that I love you. Could I rePit thit avowal a million tim.s In as 'many vnricd forms I should find no bettor phrnso to .xjrss the dream I havo cherished sinrc p happy fate permitted me to snatch ou Trom death. So I pimply say, "I love you." I will continue to love you while life iats. find It is my dearest hope that in the life beyond the grave I may Btlll be nble to voice my love for you. But perhaps I am r.ot destined to be loved !v yo';. Therefore, In the event of

my d:ith before you k-ave the island. I! wish o give you instructions how to linj j n gold mi!.': of preat value which is hidden in the ruck containing ihe cave. You remember ibo s-ign on tin; piece of tin which v. t? could not understand. The figure Zl denotes the utmost depth of the excavi-ti'-n. and the 1 signifies that one font below the surface, ou reaching the face of the rock. thc;-j is a rich vein of roM. The hoilow cn the other side of the cliff became tilled with anhydrate Kas, and this Stopped the operations of the Chinese, who evidently knew of the exisu-nce of the mine. Tlii.s Is all the information the experts employed by Sir Arthur l'vune wlil need. The facts are unquestionable. Assiir.lin; that I am alive, we will, of course, be copartners in the mine. If I nin dead, 1 wish one-sixth share to bo given to tny uncle, William Anstruther, Crosstliwaite Manor. Northallerton. Yorkshire, as a recompense for his kindness to me durinK my early life. The remainder id to be oiirs ab-solutelv. KOliKRT AN STRUT II EK. He read this remarkable document twice through to make sure that it exactly recorded his sentiments. He even siuiled sarcastically at the endowment of the uncle who disinherited him. Then, satisfied with the perusal, he tore out the two leaves covered by the letter anil began to devise a means of protecting it securely while in Iris' possession. At that moment he looked up and saw her coming toward him across the beach, brightly Hushed after her bath, walking like a nymph clothed in tattered garments. Perceiving that ho was watching her, she waved her hand and instinctively quickened her pace. Even now, when they were thrown together by the exigencies of each hour, she disliked to be long separated from him. Instantly the scales fell from his mental vision. What! Distrust Iris! Imagine for one second that riches or poverty, good repute or ill, would affect that loyal heart when its virginal font was tilled with the love that once in her life conies to every true woman! Perish the thought! Laughing at his fantastic folly Jenks tore the letter into little pieces. It might havo been wiser to throw the sheets into the embers of the the close at hand, but for the nonce ho was overpowered by the great awakening that had come to him. "tJood gracious! Don't gaze at mo in that fashion. I don't look like a ghost, do 1?" cried Iris, when near enough to note bis rapt expression. "You would not object if I called you a vision V" he inquired quietly, averting his ryes lest they should speak more plainly than his tongue. "Xot if you meant it nicely. But I fear that 'specter' would be a more appropriate word. Just look at my best gown!" yhe spread out the front widths of her skirt, and certainly the prospect was lamentable. The dress was so patched and mended, yet so full of fresh rents, that a respectable housemaid would hesitate before using it to clean lire irons. "Is that really your best dress?' he said. "Yes. This is my blue serge. The brown cloth did not survive the soaking it received in salt water. After a few days it simply crumbled. The others are muslin or cotton and have been er adapted." "There is plenty of men's clothing," he began. "Unfortunately there isn't another Island." she said severely. ".No. I meant that it might be possible to er contrive some sort of rig that will serve all purposes." "But all my thread is gone. I have barely a needleful left." "In that case we must fall back on our supply of hemp." "I suppose that might be made to serve." she said. "'ou are never at a loss for an expedient." "It will be a poor one, I fear. Rut you can make up for it by buying some nice gowns at Doucet's or Worth's." he laughed delightedly. "Perhaps in his joy at my reappearance my dear "Is that roiUy your bent dressT" old dad may let me run riot in Paris ou our wr.y home. But that will not last. We are fairly well oS, but I cannot afford ten thousand a year for drt&a alaoa.'

1

CONTINUED FROM LAST SUNDAY

"If any v.-yniau can afford such a sura f?r t!:e purpose you are at least her equal." Iris looked puzzled. "Is that your way of telling me that fine feathers would make me a fine bird?" sh? asked. "No. I intend my words to be understood in their ordinary sense, You are very, very rich. Miss Deane, nn extravagantly wealthy young person." "Of course you know you are talking nonsense. Why, only the other day my father huid" "Kxcuse mo. What is the average price of a walking dress from a leading I'aris house?" "Thirty pounds." "And an evening dress?" "Oh, anything from fifty upward." He picked up a few pieces of quartz from the canvas sheet. "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." "Io you mean by pelting her?" she inquired mischievously. "Par worse. I'.y wearing a more expensive costume." His manner was so earnest that he compelled seriousness. IrLs took the proffered specimen and looked at it. "Prom the cave, I suppose? I-thoticht you said antimony was not very valuable?" "That is not antimony. It is gold. ly chance I have hit upon an extremely rich lode of gold. At the most modest computation it is worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. You and I ure quite wealthy people, .Miss Deane." Iiis opened her blue eyes very wide , at this intelligence. It took her breath ; away. Put her first words betokened j her innate sense of fair dealing. I "You and I! Wealthy!" she gasped, j "I am so glad for your sake, but tell ; me, pray, Mr. Jenks, whut have I got to do with it?" "You!" he repeated. "Are we not! parinors in this island? By squatter's' right if by no better title we own land, ; minerals, wood, game and even such weird belongings as ancient lights and fishing privileges.',' j "I don't see that at all. Y'ou find a j gold mine and coolly tell mo that I ami a half owner of it because you dragged j me out of the sea, fed me, housed me, j isaved my life from pirates and general-j ly acted like a devoted nursemaid in ; charge of a baby. Iteally, Mr. Jenks" j "Really, Miss Deane, you will annoy j me seriously if you say another word. I absolutely refuse to listen to such an argumeut." For some time they stood in silence until the sailor commenced to reproach himself for his rough protest. Perhaps he had hurt her sensitive feelings. Whtit a brute he was to be sure! She was only a child in ordinary affairs, and he ought to have explained things more lucidly and with greater command over his temper. And-all this time Iris' face was dimpling with amusement, for she understood him so well that had he threatened to kill her she would have laughed at him. "Would you mind getting the lamp?" he said softly, surprised to catch her expression of saucy humor. "Oh. please may I speak?" she inquired. "I don't want to annoj- you, but I am simply dying to talk." He had forgotten his own injunction. "Let us first examine our mine," he said. "If you bring the lamp we can have a good look nt it." Close scrutiny of the work already done merely confirmed the accuracy of his first impression. While Iris held the light he opened up the seam with a few strokes of the pick. Each few inches it broadened into a noteworthy volcanic dike, now yellow in its absolute purity, at times a bluish black when fused with other metals. The additional labor involved caused him to follow up the line of the fault. Suddenly the llame of the lamp began to flicker in a draft. There was an air passage between cave and lodge. 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 there," she said. "Tons of it." "No need to quarrel about division. There is enough for both of us." "Quite enough. We can even spare some for our friends." The hour drew near when Jeuks j climlicd to the Summit rock. He slioul- j Uered ax 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 fuel, passed the spot where the torn scraps of paper littered the sand. She was the soul of honor for a woman, but there was never a woman yet who could take her eyes off a written document which confronted her. She could not help seeing that one small morsel contained her own name. Though mutilated, it had clearly read "Dear Miss Deane." "So it was intended for me!" she cried, throwing down her bundle and dropping to her knees. She secured that particular slip and examined it earnestly. Not for worlds would she pick up all the scraps and endeavor to sort them. Yet they had a fascination for her. and at this closer range she saw another which bore the legend "I love you!" Somehow the two seemed to fit together very nicely. Y'et a third carried the same words "I love you!" They were still quite coherent. She did not want to look any further. She did not even turn over such of the torn pieces as had fluttered to earth face downward. Opening the front of her bodice, she brought to light a small gold locket containing miniatures of her father and mother. Inside this receptacle she

carefully placed the three really material portions of the sailor's letter.

When Jenks walked down the hill j again he heard her singing long before j he caught sight of her sedulously tend- j ing the fire. j As he came near he perceived the remains of his useless document, lie stooped and gathered them up. forth- j with throwing them among the glow- j ing logs. P.y the way, what were you writing while I had my bath?" Inquired Ms demurely. "Some information about the mine. On second thoughts, however, I saw it was unnecessary." i "Oh, was that all?" j "Practically all." i "Then some part was impracticable?" ; He glanced sharply at her, but she was merely talking at random. "Well, you see." he explained, "one' can do so little without the requisite fore you '. " sort of ore requires a a smelting furnace, perplant This crushing mill haps big tanks filled with cyanide of potassium." "And of course, although j-ou can do wonders, you cannot provide all those things, can you?" .Jenks deemed this query to be unanswerable. They were busy again until night fell. Silting down for a little while before retiring to rest, they discussed for the hundredth time the probabilities of speedy succor. This led them to the topic of available supplies, and the sailor told Iris the dispositions he had made. CHAPTER X. IGITT after night the Pleiades swung higher in tbe firmament. Day after day the sailor perfected his defenses and anx N iously scanned the ocean for sign of j friendly smoke or hostile sail. This respite would not have been given to j him were it not for the lucky bullet 1 which removed two fingers and part of I a third from the right hand of the j Dyak chief. Not even a healthy sav- I age can afford to treat such a wound ; lightly, and ten days elapsed before the ! maimed robber was able to move the; injured limb without a curse. j Meanwhile each night Jenks slept ' less soundly. Each day his face be-! came more careworn. Ho began to j realize why the island had not been ' visited already by the vessel which ! would certainly be deputed to search for them. She was examining the ! great coast line of China and Siam. j It was his habit to mark the progress , of time on the rudely made sundial, j which sufficiently served their require- j merits as a clock. Iris happened to watch him chipping the forty-fourth i notch on the edge of the horizontal ; block of wood. j "Have we really been forty-four ' days here? ' she inquired after counting the marks with growing astonish- j ment. ! "I believe the reckoning is accurate," ; he said. "The Sirdar was lost on the : ISth of March, and I make this the 1st ; of May." I "It seems to be a tremendous time; indeed, in some respects, it figures in my mind like many years. That is ; when I am thinking. Otherwise, when 1 busy, the days fiy like hours." I "It must bo convenient to have such ; an elastic scale." j "Most useful. I strive to apply the quick rate when you are grumpy." ! Iris placed her arms akimbo, planted her feet widely apart and surveyed Jenks with an expression that mighty almost be termed impudent. They ; were great friends, these two. now. 1 When the urgent necessity for con-, tinuous labor no longer spurred them to exertion during every moment of daylight, they tackled the box of books and read, not volumes which appealed to them in common, but quaint tomes in the use of which Jenks was tutor and Iris the scholar. It became a fired principle with the girl that she was very Ignorant, and she insisted that the sailor should teach her. For instance, among the books he found a treatise on astronomy. It yielded a keen delight to both to identify a constellation and Icarn all sorts of wonderful things concerning it. As a variant Jenks introduced a study of Hindustani. His mc-thoJ was to write a short sentence and explain In detail its component parts. She knitted her brows in the effort to master the ridiculous com Dleii ties of a

langnngo wntcn. lnsrond or sunpiy s.ny-

ing say Take" or "Take-go" 'Bring." compels one to nd "Take-come." One problem defied solution that of providing raiment for Iris. The united skill of the sailor and herself would! not induce unraveled cordage to supply j the need of thread. It was either too i weak or t'V knotty, and meanwhile thej girl's clothes were falling to pieces. I Jenks tried ti'.e fibers of trees, the' sinews of birds every possible expedi- j ent he could hit unci and .Movh-ys ; iiuer experiments covering some weeks he might have succeeded. But modern dress stuffs, weakened by aniline dyes and stiffened with Chinese clay, permit of no such exhaustive research. It must be remembered that the lady passengers on board the Sirdar were dressed to suit the tropics, and the hard usage given bv Iris to her scanty stock was never contemplated by the Man-! Chester or Bradford lo.inis responsible for the durability of the material. As the days passed the position became irksome. It even threatened complete collapse during some critical moment, and the two often silently stir-j veyed the large number of merely male! garments in their possession. Of course in the matter of coats and waistcoats' there was no dilliculty whatever. Iris had long been wearing those portions of the doctor's uniform. But when it came to the rest At last one memorable morning she crossed the Rubicon. Jenks had climbed, as usual, to the Summit rock. Ho came back with the exciting news that he thought ho could not be certain, but there were indications inspiring hopefulness that toward the west of the faroff island he could discern the smoke of a steamer. Though he had eyes for a faint cloud of vapor at least fifty miles distant, he saw nothing of a remarkable change effected nearer home. Outwardly Iris was attired in her wonted manner, but if her companion's mind were not. wholly monopolized by the bluish haze detected on the horizon he must have noticed the turned up ends of a pair of trousers beneath the hem of her tattered skirt. It did occur to him that Iris received his momentous announcement with an odd air of hauteur, and it was passing strange she did not offer to accompany him when, after bolting his breakfast, be returned to the observatory. He came back in an hour, and the lines on his face were deeper than before. "A fal,se alarm," he said curtly In response to her questioning look. And that was all, though she nerved herself to walk steadily past him on her way to the well. This was disconcerting, even annoying, to a positive young woman like Iris. Resolving to end the ordeal, she stood rigidly before him. "Well." she said, "I've clone it!" "Have you?" lie exclaimed blankly. "Yes. They're a little too long, and I feel very awkward, but they're better than than my poor old dress unsupported." She blushed furiously, to the sailor's complete bewilderment, but she bravely persevered and stretched out an unwilling foot. "Oh, I see!" he growled, and he, too, reddened. And during the remainder of the day he did not once look at her feet. Indeed, he had far more serious matters to distract his thoughts, for Iris, feverishly anxious to be busy, suddenly suggested that it would be a good thing were she able to use a rifle if a fight at close quarters became necessary. The recoil of the Lce-Metford Is so slight that any woman can manipulate the weapon with effect, provided she Is not called upon to tiro from u standin' position, in which case the weight i liable to eaus-? bad aiming. Though came rather late in the day, Jenks lught at the idea. He accustomed her in the first instance to the use of blank cartridges. Then when fairly proficient in holding and sighting a child can learn how to refill the clip and eject each empty shell she fired ten rounds of service ammunition. The target was a white circle on a rock at eighty yards, and those of the ten shots that missed the absolute mark would have made an enemy at the same distance extremely uncomfortable. Iris was much pleased with her proficiency. "Now," she cried, "instead of being a hindrance to you I may be some help. In any case, the Dyaks will think there are two men to face, and they have good reason to fear one of us." Then a new light dawned upon Jenks. "Why did you not think of it before?" he demanded. "Don't j'ou see. Miss Deane, the possibility suggested by your words? I am sorry to be compelled to spfak plainly, but I feel sure that if those scoundrels do attack us in force it will be more to secure yon than to avenge the loss of their fellow triles:nen. First and foremost, the seagoing Dyaks are pirates and marauders. They prowl about the coast looking not so much for a fight as for loot and women. Now, if they return and apparently find two well armed men awaiting them, with no prospect of plunder, there is a chance that they may abandon the enterprise." Iris did not flinch from the topic. She well knew its trrave importance. "In ether words." she sail, "I must be seoa by them dressed only in male clothing?" "Y'ck; as a last resource, that is. I have some hope that they may not discover our whereabouts owing to the precautions we Lave adopted. Ferched up there on the ledge, we will be profoundly uncomfortable, but that will be nothing if it secures our safety." She did not reply at once. Then she 6aid musinglx: "Forty-four da vat

Mirety there Tins been ampie time scour the China sea from end to end in search of us! My father would never abandon hope until he had tho most positive knowledge that the Sirdar was lost with all on board." The sailor, through long schooling, was prepared with an answer: "Each day make the prospect of escape brighter. Though I was naturally disappointed this morning, I must state quite emphatically that our rescue may come any hour." Iris looked at him steadily. "Do you remember, Mr. Jenks. that soon after the wreck ytm told me wo might 1ihv to remain here many months?" "That was a pardonable exaggeration." "No, no! It was tho truth. You ax seeking now to buoy me up with fals hope. It is 1,000 miles from Hongkong to Singapore, and half as much from Siam to Borneo. The Sirdar might have been driven anywhere in the typhoon. DUlut 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 dci 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 can only admit that you aro right," bo murmured. "We must pray

that dod will direct our friends to this island. Otherwise we may not bo found for a year, as unhappily tho fishermen who once came here now avoid tho place. They have been frightened by the contents of the hollow behind the cliff. I am glad you have solved the ditlieulty unaided. Miss Deane. 1 have striven at times to be coarse, even brutal, toward you, but my heart flinched from the task of te'ding 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, inspure momenta, he had nuixcd 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," tdie communed. "If it pleases Providence to spare us from these savuges, what does it matter to me hovr long we remain here? I have never been so happy before in my life. I fear I never will be 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 m that one brave soul at least may bo rid of needless tortures.' All his worry is ou my, account, none on his own." That was what tearful Miss 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 wns ho devoted to her. She refused to believe that Robert Austruther, strong of arm and clear of brain, a knight of tho Round Table in all that was noble aud chlvalric, 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 tbe cave, and, although he was furnished only with the dun light that penetrated through

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"Oh, 1 tee!" he grouted. the distant exit, she heard him hewing manfully at tbe rock for a couple of hours. At last be emerged, grimy with dust and perspiration, just in time ta pay a last visit to feummitirock before the sun ssnk to rext. lie asked the girl to ccby somewhat the preparations for their evening meal, as he wishcui t) r-:.e a b-.tl.; it was quite dnrk v.v.-s .v.-j t cat. (To be Continued Next Sunday.)