Evening star., 1904-03-11
CHAPTER XIV.
The Difficulty Of Pleasing EverYbod,

at suCD Il moment he feared 10 DTlnS
down the ladder lest another shell might
be fired. But something must be done TO
end their suspense.
He called to Mir jan
Take off your turban and hold it above
your head If you think they can see you
from the warship."
lit is all right, sahib came the cheer
ing answer. lone boat Is close inshore
1 think. from the uniforms, they ars Eng
lish sahbs, such as 1 have seen at Garden
Reach. The Dyaks have all gone
Nevertheless jerks waited. There was
nothing to gain by being too preclpitate.
false step now might undo the achieve
mentS of many weeks.
Mir Jan was dancing about beneath IN
state of wild excitement.
They have seen the Dyaks running to
their sampans, sahb,' he yelled, "and the
second boat is being pulled in tha. direc-
ton. Yet another has just left the ship.
"A translation made Iris excited, eager to
go down and see these wonders.
Better wait here. dearest" he said. 1.-THE
enemy may be driven back in this direction,
and l cannot expose you to further risk.
The sailors will soon land and you can
then descend in perfect safety.
The boom of cannon came from the sea.
1nstinctively the girl ducked for safety,
though her campaniOn smiled at her fears,
for the shell would have long preceded the
report, had it Travelled their Wy.
under way" he explained. "and the war
ship is firing at her.
Two more guns were fired. The man-o'-
war evidently meant business.
Poor wretcheS,n' murmured Iris. Can
not the survivors be allowed to escape?'
well, we are unable to interfere. Those
caught on the island will probably be taken
to the mainland and hanged for their
crimes, so the manner of their end is not of
much consequence"
To the girls manifest relief there was no
more firing, and Mir Jan announced that a
number of sailors were actually on shore.
Then her thoughts turned to a matter of
concern to the feminine mind even in the
gravest moments of existence. She laved
her face with water and sought her dis
carded skirt,
Soon the steady tramp of boot-clad feet
advancing at the double heard on the
shingle, and an officers voice, speaking the
crude Hindustani of the engine room and
forecastle, shouted to Mir jan
Hi, you black fellow! Are any white
people here?"
jerks sang out
Yes, two of u.s. Perched on the rock
over your heads. We coming down.
He cast loose the rope ladder. Iris was
limp and trembling.
STEADY, sweetheart" he whispered.
'Don'a forget the slip between the cup
and the lip. Hold tight, But have no feari
/ Will be just beneath.
1t was well he took this preca ution. She
was now so unnerved that an unguared
movement might have led to accident.
But the knowledge that her lover was near,
the touch of his hand guiding her feet on to
the rungS of the ladder sustained her.
They had almost reached the level when a
loud exclamation and the crash of heavy
blow caused jerks to halt and look dow
ward.
A Dyak, lying at the foot of one of the
scaling ladders and severely wounded by
shell splinter, witnessed their descent In
his left hand he grdsped parang; his
right arm was bandaged. Though unable to
rise, the vengeful pirate mustered his re-
manning strength to crawl toward the
swaying ladder. 1t was Taung Sail, in
spired with the hate and venom of the dy-
ing snake. Even yet he hoped to deal a
mortal stroke at the man who had dehed
him ana all his cut-throat band. He mlght
have succeeded, as jerks was so taken up
with Iris. We're it not for the watchful eyes
of Mir Jan The Mahommedan sprang at
him with an oath and gave him such mur
derous whack with the butt of rifle that
the Dyak chief collapsed and breathed out
his fierce spirit in a groan.
At the first glance. jerks did not recog-
nize Taung s SAli, owing to his change or
costume. Through the thinner smoke he
could see several sailors running up.
Look out there he cried!' There is
lady here. If any Dyak moves knock him
on the head
But with the passing of the chief their
last peril had gone. The next instant they
were standing on the firm ground, and
British naval lieutenant was saying eager
eve seem to have turned up in the nick
of time. Do you by any chance belong to
the Sirdar?''
1--WE are the sole survivors, answered
the sailor.
'You two only?'
"Yes. She struck on the northwest reef
of this island during typhoon. This lady,
Miss Iris Deane, and 1 were flung
ashore
Miss Deane! Can it be possible? Let me
congratulate you most heartily. Sir Arthur
t. L.
ment"
''T'he Orient?"
Iris was dazed The uniforms the pleas
ant faces of the English sailors the strange
sensation of hearing familiar words in tones
other than those of the man she loved, be-
wildered her.
Yes explained the officer, with a sym
pathetic smile. That's our ship, you
know, in the ofing there
1t was all too wonderful to be quite un-
derstood yet. She turned to Robert
DO you hear? They say my father is
not far away. Take me to him"
mo need for that, miss interrupted
n warrant officer. Here he is coming
ashore. He wanted to come with us, but
the captain would not permit it, as there
seemed to be some trouble ahead"
Sure enough. even the girls swimming
eyes could distinguish the gray-bearded
civilian seated beside an officer in the stern
sheets of small gig now threading
path through the broken reef beyond Turtle
Beach. In five minutes father and daugh-
Ter WOULD meet.
Meanwhile the officer intent on duty ad-
dressed jerks again
MAY / ask who YOU are?'
my name Is Anstruther-Robert An
struther."
Iris, clinging to mis- arm, heard the reply.
SO he had abandoned all pretense He
was ready to face the world at her side
She stole loving glance at him as she
cried
Yes. Captain Anstruther OF the Indian
Staff Corps. Ii he will not tell you all that
he has done, how he has saved nv life
twenty times. how he has fought single
handed against eighty men, ask mer'
The naval officer did not need TO look a
second time at Iris face to iengthen the
list of Capt. Anstruther's achievements by
one more item. He sighed. A good sailor
always does sigh when a particularly pret-
~ girl is labeled engaged"
But he could be very polite
Capt. Anstruther does not appear to
have left much for us to do, Miss Deane."
he said. Indeed turning to Robert, tis
there any way in which my men will be
usefulT'
would recommend that they drag the
green stun off that fire and stop the
smoke Then a detachment should go
round the north eide of the island and