Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-05-02

Ine ptuCe UdS u ChdiHet ho"oe'
discovery indeed, the risk Of
catastrophe!
He rushed back through the trees un-
til he caught sight of Iris Industrious
ly kneading the sago pith in one of
those most useful dish covers.
He called to her, led her wondering
to the track and pointeu out the fatal
quarry. but in such wise that she could
not look inside it.
"You remember that round hole we
saw from the summit rock?' he said.
"Wefl, it is full OF ca. ,onic acid gas. to
breathe which means Inconsistencies
and death. 1t gives no warning to the
inexperienced 1t is rather pleasant
than otherwise Promise me you Will
never come near this place again.
Now. Iris, too. had been thinking
deeply. Robert jerks bulked large III
her day dreams. Her nerves were not
vet quite normal. There was catch
in her throat rs she answered:
81 don't want to die. Of course
will keep away. What a horrid island
this is. Yet it might be Il paradise
She bit her lip to suppress her tears;
but. being the Eve in this garden, she
continued:
How did you find out? Is there
anything-nasty-i there!
"Yes, the remains of animals ana
other things. | would not have told
Won were it not imperative"
"Are you keeping other secrets from
me?'
"Oh. quite number"
He managed to conjure up smile,
and the ruse was effective. She ap-
piled the words to his past history.
Il hope they will not be revealed so
dramatically, she said.
You never can tell" he answered
They were in prophetic vein that
morning. They returned in silence to
the cave.
~ wish to 90 inside with lamp.
May Il" he asked.
"Alay cone too?" size demanded.
He assentcd. with an explanation Of
his design. When the lamp was i'll or
der he held it close to the wall ana
conducted Il systematic survey. The
geological fault which favored the con-
struction of the tunnel seemed to di-
verge to the left at the farther end.
The "face' Of the rock exhibited the
marks of persistent labor. The stone
had been hewn away by main force
when the dislOcation Of strata ceased
to be helpful.
His knowledge was limited on the
subject. yet jerks believed that the
material here was hard limestone
rather than the external basalt. Search
Ing each inch with the feeble light, he
paused once, with an exclamation.
"What is it, cried Iris.
II. cannot be certain" he said doubt,
fully. would you mind holding tile
lamp while l use Il crowbar?'
In the stone was visible thin vein
blush white in color He managed to
break off fair sized lump containing
a we'll defined specimen of the foreign
metal.
They hurried into the open air and
examined the fragment with curious
eyes. The sailor picked 1t with his
knife, and the substance in the veiI
| came of in laminated layers, small
brittle scales.
els 1t silver" Iris was almost ex
cited
81 do not think so. ! am no expert
/ but have n vague ideal have seem
He wrinkled his brows and pressed
away the burrows with his hand, tina
| physical habit Of his when perplexed.
II have It," he cried. 1T Is anti
mony."
\ Miss Deane pursed her lips in dis
/ dain. Antimony! What was anti
mony?
$50 much fuss for nothing" she said
"It ia used in alloys and medicines,
I he explained. ITO US 1t Is useless"