Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-25
CHAPTER ".
Rainbow Island.

discarded by jerks in his alarm. He picked
st up and resumed his progress along the
pathway. So closely did he now examine
the ground that he hardly noted his direc-
ton. The track led straight toward the
wall of rock The distance was not great
about forty yards At first the brushwood
impeded him, but soon even this hindrance
disappeared. and a well-defned passage me-
andered through belt of trees, some strong
and lofty. others quite immature
More bushes gathered at the foot of the
cliff. Behind them he could see the mouth
OF cave; the six months old growth of
vegetation about the entrance gave clear
indication as to the time which had elapsed
since human foot last disturbed the soli-
tude.
A few vigorous blows with the stick
cleared away obstructing plants and leafy
branches The sailor stopped and looked
INTO the cavern for the opening was barely
I'VE feet high. he perceived instantly that
the excavation vas mans handiwork ap-
piled to a fault in the hard rock A sort
OF natural shaft existed and this had been
extended by manual labor. Beyond the en-
trance the cave became more lofty. Owing
10 It's position with reference to the sun at
that hour jerks imagined that sufficient
light would be obtainable when the trop-
icai luXuriance of foliage outside was dis
pensed with
At present the interior was dark. With
the stick he tapped the walls and roof A
Startled cluck and the rush of wings her.
aided the flight of two birds, alarmed by
the noise. Soon his eyes, more accustomed
TO the gloom, made out that the place was
about thirty feet deep. ten feet wide in the
center and seven or eight feet high.
At the further end was collection of OBJ
JectS inviting prompt attention. Each mo-
ment he could see with greater distinctness
hneellng on one side of the little pile he
ulscerned that on a large stone serving as
4 rtde bench, We're some tin utensils, some
Knives. seXtant and a quantity of empty
cartridge cases. Between the stone and
what a miner terms the face" of the rock
was four-foot space. Here. half imbed-
oed IN the sand which covered the floor
were two pickaxes, a shovel a sledge- ham,
mer fine Undertaking AK and three
crowtars.
In the darkest corner of the caves ex-
smooth. He prodded with the stick. and
there was a sharp clang of tin He dis.
covered six square kerosene-oil cases care
fully stacked up. Three were empty. one
seemed to be half full, and the contents of
two were untouched. With almost feverisb
haste he ascertained that the half filled tin
. did really contain oil.
w nat hnd!' he calculated aloud An
other pair of birds dashed from a ledge near
the roof. i00i
"Confound your' shouted the sailor He
Spfahs pack and whacked the walls vicious
iy, but III the feathered intruders had gone
SO far as he could judge the cave har-
bored no further surprises. Returning to-
ward the exit his boots dslodged more
were shells adapted to a revolver of heavy
>caiiber At a short distance from the door
way they were present in dozens
The remnants of a fight" he Thought
he man was attacked and defended him
self here. Not expecting the arrival of enc
mics he provided no store of food or water
He was killed while trying to reach the
well, probably at night
He wildly pictured the scene-a bravo
hardy European keeping a bay boatload
OF Dyak saFages, enduring manfuly the
agoIhes or munger, thirst, perhaps wounds
Then the siege, followed by a wild effort
to gain the life-giving well, the hiss of a
Malay parang welded by lurking foe and
the last despairing struggle before death
came.
He might be mistaken Perchance there
was less dramatic explanation But he
could not shake off his first impressions
They We're garnered from dumb evidence
and developed by some occult, but over
whelming sense OF certainty
hat was the poor devil doing here?'' he
asked why did he bury himself in this
rock, with mining utensils and a few rough
stores? He could not be a castaway There
Is the indication of purpose, of preparation,
or method combined with ignorance for
none who knew the ways of Dyaks and
Chinese pirates would venture to live here
alone. if he could help it, and if he really
We're alone. The thing was a mystery
would probably remain a mystery for ever.
BE 1t steel or be it lead
Anyhow the man is dead
There was relief in hearing his own voice
lie could hum, and think, and act. Aiming
himself with the ak he attacked the bushes
and branches of trees in front of the cave
He cut a fresh approach to the we'll and
Threw the litter over the skeleton. At first
he was inclined to bury IT where II Law but
he dislked the idea of Iris walking uncon-
sciously over the place. No time could be
wasted that day. He would seize an early
opportunity to act grave digger
After an absence of little more than an
hour he rejoined the girl. She saw him
from afar and wondered whence he obtain
: ed the ak he shouldered.
You are a successful explorer" she cried
when he drew near.
Yes. Miss Deane. 1 have found water.
Nmplements. shelter. even light
/ What sort of light-spiritual, or ma
; terial7'
! ON"
obi
Iris could not remain serious for many
consecutive minutes, but she gathered that
he was in no mood for frivohty.
| And the shelter-is it a house?" she con-
tinued
mo, a cave. If you are sufficiently rested
you might come and take possession
| Her eyes danced with excitement. He
! told her what he had seen, with reserva-
tions, and she ran on before him to witness
these marvels.
| why did you make a new path to the
! well?'' she inquired after rapid survey.
"A new PATH" The pertinent question
staggered him.
Yes the people who lived here must
have had some sort of free passage"
He lied easily. II have only cleared
: away recent growth he said.
And why did they dig a cave? 1t surely
would be much more simple to build
house from all these trees"
There you puzzle me, he said frankly
They had entered the cavern but little
way and now came clt.
These empty cartridges are funny. They
suggest fort battle Woman-like her
words We're carelessly chosen. but they were
crammed with induCtige force
Embarked on the toboggan slope of un-
truth the sailor slid smoothly downward
Events have colored your Imagination
Miss Deane Even In England men often
preserve such things for future use They
can be reloaded"
Yes, l have seen keepers do that. This
Is different. There is an air Of"
There is a lot to be done" broke in
jerks emphatically. I'VE must climb the
hill and get back here in time to light an
other fire before the sun goes down
want to prop canvas sheet in front of the
cave, and try to devise lamp
Must / sleep inside?" demanded Iris.
Yes. Where else?'
There was a pause, mere Whit of awk-
&ardness.
Il Will mount guard outside" went on
jerks. He was trying to improve the edge