Evening star., 1904-03-11

l.,
he turned to Iris.
IT Think he said, "that your father
should take you on board the Orient, Iris.
There you may, perhaps, find some suitable
clothing, eat something, and recover from
the exciting events of the morning. After
ward, you must bring Sir Arthur ashore
again, and we will guide him over the is
land. am sure you will find much to tell
him meanwhile"
The baronet could not fail to note the
manner in which these two addressed each
other, the fearless love which leaped from
eye to eye, the calm acceptance of rela-
tonship not be questioned or gainsaid
Robert and Iris. without spoken word on
the subject, had tacitly agreed to avoid
the slightest semblance of subterfuge as
unworthy alike of their achievements and
their love. Yet what could Sir Arthur
Deane do? To frame suitable protest at
such moment was not to be dreamed Of
AS yet he was too shaken to collect his
thoughts. Anstruthers proposal however
helped him to blurt out what he intutively
felt to be disagreeable fact. Yet some
thing must be said, for his brain reeled.
Your suggestion is admirable he cried
striving desperately to affect careless
complaisance. The ships stores may pro-
vide Iris with some sort of rig-out, and an
old friend of hers is on board at this mo-
ment, little expecting her presence. Lord
Ventnor has accompanied me in my search.
He WILL of course. be delighted"
Anstruther flushed a deep bronze, but
Iris broke in
Father, why did he come with you?'
Sir Arthur. driven into this sudden squall
of explanation, became dignified.
well, you see, my dear. under the cir
cumstances, he felt an anxiety almost COM
mensurate with my own
But why, why?"
Iris was quite calm. With Robert near.
she was courageous. Even the perturbed
baronet experienced a new sensation as his
troubled glance fell before her searching
eyes. His daughter had left him joyous,
needless girl. He found her a woman,
strong, self-reliant, purposeful. Yet he kept
means as the only honorable way of clear
ing course SO beset with unsuspected OBJ
stacles.
1T is only reasonable, Iris. that your affi
anced husband should suffer an agony of
apprehension on your account and do all
that was possible to effect your rescue"
observation-disclosures
"Well, my dear girl, perhaps that is hard
ly the correct phrase from your point of
view. Yet you cannot fail to remember that
Lord Ventnor-'
Father dear" said Iris solemnly but in
a voice free from all uncertainty. my aff1-
anced husband stands here! We plighted
our troth at the very gate of death. 1t was
ratified in the presence of God and has
been blessed by Him. have made no COM
pact with Lord Ventnor. He is a base and
unworthy man. Did you but know the
truth concerning him you would not men
ton his name in the same breath with mine.
Would he, Robert?"
Never was a man so perplexed as the
unfortunate shipowner In the instant that
his beloved daughter was restored to him
out of the very depths of the sea, he was
asked either to undertake the role of
disappointed and unforgiving parent, or
sanction her marriage to a truculent-look-
ing person of most forbiddng if otherwise
manly appearance who had certainly saved
her from death in ways not presently clear
to him, but who could not be regarded as
suitable son-in-law solely on that account
What could he do what could he say, to
make the position less intolerable?
Anstruther, quicker than Iris to appre-
ciate Sir Arthur Deanes dilemma. calamity
helped him. He placed loving hand on
the girls shoulder.
BE advised by me, Sir Arthur and you
too, iris, he said. This is no hour for
such explanations. Leave me to deal with
Lord Ventnor. I am content to trust the
ultimate verdict to you, Sir Arthur. You
will learn in due course all that has hap
pened. Go on board, Iris Meet Lord Vent
nor as you would meet any other friend.
You will not marry him l know. l can
trust YOU He said this with smile that
robbed the words of serious purport. BE
lieve me, you two can find plenty to occupy
your minds today without troubling your
selves about Lord Ventnor."
II am very much obliged to you," mur-
INJURED the baronet, who, notwithstanding
his worry, was far too experienced a man
Of the world not to acknowledge the good
sense of this advice, no matter how ruff1an-
ly might be the guise Of the strange person
who gave it.
THAT is settled, then" said Robert,
laughing good naturedly, for he well knew
what weird spectacle he must present to
the bewildered old gentleman
Even Sir Arthur Deane was fascinated by
the ragged and hairy giant who carried so
himself so masterfully and helped every
body over the stie at the right moment.
He tried to develop the change in the con-
verSation.
by the way" he said, chow came you
to be on the Sirdar? / have a list of all
the passengers and crew, and your name
does not appear therein"
"Oh, that is easily accounted for 7 ship
ped as steward, in the name of Robert
jerks"
Robert jerks, A stewardv
This worse than ever. The unhappy
shipowner thought the sky must have
fallen.
Yes. That forms some part of the prom
ised explanation.
Iris rapidly gathered the drift Of her
lovers wishes.
Come, father she cried merrily 81
am aching to see what the ships stores,
which you and Robert pin your faith to.
can do for me in the shape of garments. /
have the utmost belief in the British navy,
and even skeptic should be convinced of
its infallibility if H. NJ. S. Orient is able to
provide a lady's outfit
Sir Arthur Deane gladly availed himself
of the prOffered compromise. He assisted
Iris into the boat. though that active young
person was far better able to support him,
and a word to the officer In com
mand sent the, gig flying back to the
Ship Anstruther, during momen-
tary delay, made a small request on his
own account Lieut.. Playdon, nearly as
big a man as Robert, dispatched a note to
his servant, and the gig speedily returned
with a complete assortment Of clothing and
linen. The man also brought a dressing
case. with the result that dip In the
bath and ten minutes in the hands of an
expert valet, made Anstruther a new man.
Acting under his advice, the bodies of the
dead were thrown into the lagoon, The
wounded were collected in the hut TO rs
attended to by the ships surgeon and, the
prisoners were paraded in front of Mir Jan,
who identified every man, and found by
counting heads. that none was missing
Robert did not forget to write out a for
NAL notice and fasten 1t to the rock This
proceeding further mystifled the officers of
the Orient, who had gradually formed a
connected idea of the great fight made by
the shipwrecked pair, though Anstruther
souirmed inwardly when he thought Of the
manner in which Iris would picture the
scene. AS 1t was. he had the first innings,
and he did not fail to use the opportunity
In the few terse words which the militant
Briton best understands. he described the
girls fOrtituda her uufa ohaarf,I-