The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-06-29
BY LOUIS
TRACY
Copyright. 1908. by
Edward J. Clode


by success, you may poison yourself
"Secondly?"
You must never pass out Of my
sight without carrying a revolver, not
so much for defense, but as a signal.
Did you take one when you went birds
nesting?'
"No. Why?"
There was troubled look in his eyes
when he answered.:
1T is best to tell you at once that
before help reaches us we may be Wis
tied by cruel and bloodthirsty saw
ages. would not even mention this
IT it were a remote contingency. AS
matters stand, you ought to know that
such thing may happen. Let US
trust in Gods goodness that assist
ance may come soon. The island has
seemingly been deserted for many
months, and therein lies our best
chance Of escape. But I am obliged to
warn you lest you should be taken
unawares.'
Iris was serious enough now.
"How do you know that such dan
ger threatens us?'' she demanded.
He countered readily. because I
happen to have read good deal about
the China sea and it's frequenters," he
said. II am the last man in the world
to alarm you needlessly. All mean
to convey is that certain precautions
should be taken against risk that is
possible, not probable. No more"
She could not repress shudder. The
sailor wanted to tell her that he would
defend her against a host of savages
If he were endowed with many lives,
but he was perforce tongued tied. He
even reviled himself for having spo-
ken, but she saw the anguish in his
face, and her woman's heart acknowl-
edged him as her protector, her shield.
"Mr. Jenks," she said simply, 1--WE
are in Gods hands. put my trust in
him and in you. I am hopeful-nay,
more, confident. I thank you for what
you have done, for all that you will do.
If you cannot preserve me from threat
ening perils no man could, for you are
as brave and gallant a gentleman as
lives on the earth today"
Now, the strange feature of this ex,
traordinary and unexpected outburst
Of pent up emotion was that the girl
pronounced his name with the slightly
emphasized accentuation of one who
knew it to be mere disguise The
man was so taken aback by her dec
laration of faith that the minor Incl
dent, though it did not escape him, was
smothered in tumult Of feeling.
He could not trust himself to speak.
He rose hastily and seized the ak to
deliver a murderous assault upon a
sago palm that stood close at hand.
Iris was the first to recover degree
Of self possession. For a moment she
had barred her soul. With reaction
came sensitive shrinking. Her deli
cate nature disapproved these senti-
mental displays. She wanted to box
her own ears.
With innate tact she took keen in
terest in the telling of the tree.
what do you want it for?" she in
quired when the sturdy trunk creaked
| and fell.
jerks felt better now.
'This is a change Of diet" he ex-
planned. ''No; we don't boil the leaves
| or nibble the bark. When l split this
palm open you will find that the in
| terror is full Of pith. l will cut it out
for you, and then it will be your task
| to knead it with water after we'll wash
| ing it, pick out all the fiber and finally
permit the water to evaporate. In a
couple of days the residuum will be-
come a white powder, which, when
boiled, is sago.''
Good graciousv' said Iris.
''The story sounds unconvincing, but
| l believe am correct It is worth a
trial.
II should have imagined that sage
| grew on a stalk like rice or wheat"
'Or Topsyy"
She laughed. A difficult situation
had passed without undue effort. Un-
happily the man reopened it. While
using crowbar as a wedge he en-
deavored to put matters on a straight
forward footing.
"A little while ago." he said, "you
| seemed to imply that had assumed
| the name Of jerks"
| But Miss Deane's confidential mood
had gone. Nothing Of the kind" she
said coldly. II think jerks is an ex-
cellent name"
She regretted the words even as they
fell from her lips. The sailor gave a
mighty wrench with the bar, splitting
the log to it's clustering leaves.
"You are right he said. 1T is dis
tinctive, brief, dogmatic. I cling to it
passionately."
Soon afterward, leaving Iris to the
manufacture Of sage, he went to the
leeward side Of the island, search for
turtles being his ostensible object.
When the trees hid him he quickened
his pace and turned to the left in or
der to explore the cavity marked on
the tin with a skull and crossbones.
To his surprise he hit upon the rem
nants Of roadway-that is, line
through the wood where there were no