Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-12

money and other effects found on their
dead companions. The baronet, OF course
He surveyed these mournful relics WITH
sorrowful interest.
THE Sirdar was the crack ship of my
fleet and Captain Ross my most trusted
commander" he said. You, may well
imagine, Mr.. Anstruther. what cruel blow
it was to lose such vessel, with all these
people on hoard, and my only daughter
amongst them. / wonder now that it did
not kill me-"
.She was a splendid sea boat, sir. AL
though disabled, She fought CALAMITY
against the typhoon. Nothing short of a
reef would break her up.
"Ah, WE'LL sighed the shipowner, the
few timbers You have shown me here are
the remaining assets out of f5oo ODD
Was she not insured?" inquired Robert.
mo- that is, i have recently adopted a
scheme of mutual self-insurance. and the
loss falls pro rata on my other vessels.
The baronet glanced covertly at Iris. The
words conveyed little meaning to her. In
deed, she broke in with a laugh
Il am afraid have heard you say father
dear, that some ships in the fleet paid you
best when they ran ashore.
Yes, Iris. That often happened in the
old days 1t is different now Moreover,
l have not told you the extent of my ca
lamities. The Sirdar lost on March
49, though l did not know it for certain
until this morning. But on March % the
Bahadur was sunk in the Mersey during Il
turned turtle on the James and Mary
shoal in the Hooghly. Happily there were
no lives lost in either of these cases
Even Iris was appalled, by this list OF
casualties.
My poor. dear dad!' she cried ITO
think that all these troubles should occur
the very moment 1 left you!
Yet she gave no thought to the serious
financial effect of such a string of catas-
trophies. Robert. of course, appre lated
this side of the business especially In view
of the shipowners remark about the IN
surance But Sir Arthur Deanes stiff W
per lip deceived him. He failed to realize
that the father was acting a part for his
daughters sake.
Oddly enough, the baronet did not seek
to discuss with them the 1egal-looking doc
ument affixed near the cave. 1t claimed all
rights in the island in their joint names,
and this was topic he wished to avoid.
For the time. therefore. the younger man
had no opportunity of taking him into his
confidence, and Iris held faithfully - her
promise of silence.
The girls ragged raiment, sou'wester. and
strong boots were already packed away ON
board. She now rescued the Bible the copy
of Tennyson's poems, the battered tin cup,
her revolver and the Lee-Metford which
scared the Dyaks when they nearly
caught Anstruther and Mir Jan mapping.
Robert also gathered for her an assert
ment of Dyak hats. belts and arms. IN
Guiding Taung SAlis parang and a sump-
itan. These were her trophies, the spoii.i
opima of the campaign.
His concluding act was to pack two OF
the empty oil tins with all the valuable
Jumps of auriferious quartz he could find
where he shot the rubbish from the cave
beneath the trees. On top of these he
placed some antimony ore, and Mir Jan.
wondering why the sahib wanted the stuff,
carried the consignment to the waiting
boat. Lieutenant Playdon. in command of
the last party of sailors to quit the is
land evidently expected Mir Jan to ac-
company them. but Anstruther explained
that the man would await his return, sone
time in June or July.
Sir Arthur Deane found himself specu-
lating on the cause OF this extraordinary
resolve, but. steadfast to his policy Of
avoiding controversial matters, said moth
ing. few words to the captain pro-
cured enough stores to keep the Mahomme-
dan for six months at least, and whilst
these were being landed the question was
raised how best to dispose of the Dyaks.
The commander wished to consult the
convenience of his guests.
IF We go little out of our way and
land them in Borneo,' he said, they will
be hanged without troubling you further.
tried on your evidence and sent to penal
servitude. Which is it to be-"
1t was Iris who decided.
Il cannot bear to think of more lives
being sacrificed, she protested Perhaps
if these men are treated mercifully and
sent to their homes after some punishment
their example may serve as a deterrent to
others"
So it was settled that way. The anchor
ratified up to it's berth and the Orient
turned her head toward Singapore. As
she steadily passed away into the deep
ening azure, the girl and her lover watched
the familiar outlines of Rainbow Island
growing dim in the evening light. For 4
long while they could see Mir JAMS tall
thin figure motionlesS on a rock at the
extremity of Europa Point. Their hut the
reef. the ledge, came into view as the
cruiser swung around to a more northeriy
course.
Iris had thrown an arm across her
fathers shoulders. The three were left
alone just then, and they were silent for
many minutes. At last, the flying miles
merged the solitary palm beyond the lagoon
with the foliage the cliff The wide
cleft of Prospect Park grew less distinct
Mir JAMS white-clothed figure was lost in
the dark background. The island was be-
coming vague, dream-like, a blurred
memory.
Robert" said the girl devoutly, God has
been very good to us"
Yes, he replied. 81 was thinking, even
this instant, of the verse that is carved on
the gate of the Memorial we'll at Gavin
pore: These are they which came out Of
great tribulation We, too. have come out
of great tribulation, happily with our lives
and more. The DEGREES of fate are indeed
inScrutable
Iris turned to him a face roseate with
loving comprehension.
do you remember this hour yesterday"
she murmured-''how we suffered from
thirst-how the Dyaks began their second
attack from the ridge-how you climbed
down the ladder and I followed YOU? Oh
father darling she went on impulsively.
Tightening her grasp. you will never know
how brave lie was, how enduring, how he
risked all for me and cheered me to the
end, even though the end seemed to be
the grave
81 think l am beginning to understand
now answered the shipoWner, aVerting
his eyes lest Iris should see the tears in
them. Their Calvary was ended, they
thought-was it for him to lead them again
through the sorrowful way? 1t was a
heartrendihg task that lay before him, a
task from which his soul revoited He
refused even TO attempt it. He sought for
getfulness in a species of mental intoxica-
ton, and countenanced his daughters love
idyll with such apparent approval that
Lord Ventnor wondered whether Sir Ar
thur were not suffering from senile decay.
The explanation of the shipowner's po-
sition was painfully simple. Being a daring
yet shrewd financier, he perceived in the
troubled condition of the far east a mag
nificent opportunity to consolidat tie the trad
ing influence of his company. He negotiat-
ed two big loans, one, of semi-private ma
ture. to equip docks and railways in the