Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-14
CHAPTER XVII.
Rainbow Island Again-And After
rrrard

AoAoAN x11lSI-
ward.
Sir Arthur Deane was sitting alone in his
cabin in a state of deep detection when he
was aroused by a knock, and Robert en-
tered.
Can you give half an hour" he
asked II have something to say to you
before we land"
The shipowner silently motioned him to
a seat.
1T concerns Iris and myself" continued
Anstruther. L gathered from your words
when we met on the island that both you
and Lord Ventnor regarded Iris as his
lordships promised bride From your point
of view the arrangement was perhaps nat
ural and equitable, but since your daughter
left Hong Kong it happens that she and
have fallen in love with each other. No;
please listen to me. I am not here to urge
my claims on you. 1 won her fairly and
intend to keep her, were the whole house
of peers opposed to me. At this moment
want to tell you, her father, why she could
never. even under other circumstances
marry Lord Ventnor."
Then he proceeded to place before the
astounded baronet a detailed history of his
recent career. 1t was sordid story of
woman's perfidy, twice told 1t carried con-
viction in every sentence 1t was possible
of course, to explain matters more fully to
the baronet than to Iris, and Anstruther's
fierce resentment of the cruel wrong in
ficted upon him blazed forth with over
whelming force. The intensity of his wrath
In no way impaired the cogency of his ar
guments. Rather did it lend point and
logical brevity. Each word burned itself
into his hearers consciousness, for Robert
did not know that the unfortunate father
was being coerced to a dstasteful COM
pact by the Scoundrel who figured in the
narrative as his evil genius.
At the conclusion Sir Arthur bowed his
head between his hands.
II cannot choose but believe YOU he adj
mftted huskiy. yet how came you to be
so unjustly convicted by a tribunal COM
posed of your brother officers?"
They could not help themselves To
acquit me meant that they discredited the
sworn testimony not only of my coloneTs
wife, but of the civil head of an important
government mission, not to mention some
bought Chinese evidence. Am l the first
man to be offered up as a sacrifice on the
altar of official expediency?'
But you are powerless now. You can
hardly hope to have your case revised.
What chance is there that your name will
ever be cleared?"
Mrs. Costobell can do 1t If she will The
vagaries of such woman are not to be ae-
pended on If Lord Ventnor has cast her
off, her hatred may prove stronger than
her passion. Anyhow, / should be the last
man to despair of Gods providence. Com
pare the condition of Iris and myself today
with our plight during the second night on
the ledge! 1 refuse to believe that bad and
tickle woman can resist the workings of
destiny. and 1t was happy fate which led
me to ship on board the Sirdar, though at
the time saw it in another light"
How different the words. the aSpra tons,
of the two suitors. Quite unconsciousy,
Robert could not have pleaded better The
shipowner sighed heavily.
Il hope your faith will be justified. If
III he nOt-tbp more likely thing IN IA
do 1 understand that my daughter and you
intend to get married whether / give or
withhold my sanction?"
AnStruther rose and opened the door.
Il have ventured to tell you he said,
why she should not marry Lord Ventnor.
When l come to you and ask you for her,
which l pray may be soon it will be time
enough to answer that question, should you
then decide to put it,
1t must be remembered that Robert knew
nothing whatever of the older mans pre-
dlcament. whilst the baronet, full of his
own troubles, was in no mood to take a
reasonable view of Anstruther's position
Neither Iris nor Robert could make him I'M
derstand the long-drawn-out duel of their
early lie on the island nor was it easy to
depict the tumultuous agony of that terri
Die hour on the ledge when the girl forced
the man to confess his love by suggesting
acceptance of the Dyaks terms
Thus, for little while, these two were
driven apart, and Anstruther disdained to
urge the plea that not many weeks would
elapse before he would be richer man
than his rival. The chief sufferer was Sir
Arthur Deane. Had Iris guessed how her
father was toTmented. she would not have
remained on the bridge, radiant and mirth-
ful, whilst the gray-haired baronet gazed
with stony-eyed despair at some memoran-
da which he extracted from his papers
Ten thousand poundsi" he muttered
Not a great sum for the millionaire finan-
cler, Sir Arthur Deane. to raise on his note
OF hand. A few months ago men offered me
one hundred times the amount on no better
security And now. to think that a set Of
Japperlng Tools in London should so destroy
my credit and their own, that not a hank
Will discount our paper unless they are as
sured Lord Ventnor has Joined the hoard,
Fancy me, of all men. being willing TO bar
Ter my child for few pieces of goldr
Inc thought was maddening For a little
WhlIe ne yielded to utter dependency II
was quite true that a comparatively small
amount of money would restore the stabili-
" OF his firm. Even without it. were his
credit unimpaired. he could easily tide over
the period OF depression until the first fruits
OF ms enterprise were garnered Then all
men would hail him as a genius.
Nearily turning over his papers he sua
Denly came across the last letter written RI
him by Iris mother. How she dotted on
their only child He recalled one night
s sn'o before ms wife died. when the little
IRIS was brought into her room TO kiss her
and lisp her infantile prayers She had do
vised formula of her own
God bless father God bless mother,
ana what was ii she cried TO him from,
the beach? '4'ii
Your own little girl given back to wont"
Given back to hirnl For what-to marry
thal ek-hearted scoundrel whose pasfir,e
was the degradation of women and the do
tanning or honest men? That settled -
instantly the cloud WAS lifted fror, bia
soul. A great peace came upon him Tha
rum OF his business he might moi he ahje
10 avert but he would save from the wract,
that which he priced more than ali eise
his daughters love
Inc eneines dropped to half speed-tbev
were entering the harbor of Singapora i,
rev Eours the worst would be over II
Nentnof telesraphcd to London his Vii
drawal from the board. nothing short of a
caoled draft for Gl0.0G9 would prevent cor
tam creditors from hling a bankruntcv ne
luton In the local banks the baronet 10,
ABOUT thousand to his credit Snreiy
among the rich merchants of the MORT mar
VINO knew the potentialities of his schema
ne would be able TO raise the money needed
he would try hard. Already he felt brayer
Inc old lire had returned to his blood rrba
very belief that he was acting in the xvav
pest calculated to secure hts daughters
happiness stimulated and encouraged him
lie went on deck. to meet Iris skinnnp
down the hatchway