Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-07-29

night. Hours earlier Iris retired. utter ly worn by the events of the day. The gale chanted a wild melody in mournful chords, and the noise of the watery downpour on the tarpaulin roof of Belle Vue castle was such as to ren- der conversation impossible save in wearylng shouts. ."
 Luckily Jenks' carpentry was effec- tive though rough. The building was water tight. and he had calked every crevice with unraveled rope until Iris apartment was free from the tiniest draft.
 The very fury of the external turmoil acted as lullaby to the girl. She was soon asleep. and the sailor was left to his thoughts.
 Sleep he could not He smoked stead fly, with a magnificent prodigality. for his small stock, of tobacco was fast di- minishing. He ransacked his brains to discover some method of escape from this enchanted island. where fairies jostled with demons and hours of utter happiness found their bane in moments of frightful peril.
 Of course he ought to have killed those fellows who escaped. Their sam- pan might have provided last desper- ate expedient if other savages effected a landing. Well, there was no use in being wise after the event. and, scheme as he might. he could devise no way to avoid disaster during the next attack.
 This. he felt certain. would take place at night. The'Dyaks would land in force, rush the cave and hut and overpower him by sheer numbers. The fight, if fight there was, would be sharp, but decisive Perhaps if he re ceived some warning Iris and he might retreat in the darkness to the cover of the trees A last stand could be made among the powders on Summit rock But of what avail to purchase theis freedom until daylight? And then
 If ever man wrestled with desperate problem, Jenks wrought that night He smoked and pondered until the storm passed. and, with the changeful ness of a poets muse, full moon flooded the island in glorious radiance.
 He rose. opened the door and stood without. looking steadily at the bril- liant luminary for some time; then his eyes were attracted by the strong lights thrown upon the rugged face oi the precipice into which the cavern burrowed. Suddenly he uttered star tied exclamation.
 By Joye.' he murmured "I neve, noticed that before"
 The feature which so earnestly claim. ed his attention was deep ledge di- rectly over the mouth of the cave, but some forty feet from the ground. Be, hind it the wall of rock sloped dark, ly inward. suggesting recess extend, ing by haphazard computation at least a couple of yards. It occurred to him that perhaps the fault in the interior of the tunnel had its outcrop here, and the influences of rain and sun had ex- tended the weak point thus exposed in the bold panoply of stone.
 He surveyed the ledge from different points of view. It was quite inacces sible and most difficult to estimate ac. curately from the ground level. The sailor was man of action. He chose the nearest tall tree and began to climb. He was not eight feet from the ground before several birds flew out from it's leafy recesses, filling the air with shrill clucking.
 "The devil take them." he growled for he feared that the commotion would awaken Iris. He was still la boriously worming his way through the inner maze of branches when a well known voice reached him from the ground.
 Mir. Jenks. what on earth are you doing up there;"
 "Oh. So those wretched fowls arous cd youT he replied.
 "Yes. but why did you arouse themT ?
 T had fancy to roost by way of g change"
 "Please be serious"
 T am more than serious. This tree grows variety of small sharp thorn that induces a maximum of gravity before one takes the next step"
 But why do you keep on climbingT
 Tt is sheer lunacy. admit. Yet or such moonlit night there is some req sonable ground for even a mad ex cuse."
 Mir. Jenks. tell me at once what you are doing
 Iris strove to be severe. but there wa, a touch of anxiety in her tone that in stantly made the sailor apologetic. H. told her about the ledge and explained his half formed notion that here they might secure a safe retreat in case ol further attack. a refuge from whicf they might defy assault during man. days. It was. he said. absolutely i'm possible to wait until the morning H, must at once satisfy himself whether the project was impracticable or wor thy ot further investigation.
 So the girl only enjoined him to b careful. and he vigorously renewed thu climb. At last. some twenty-five fee from the ground. an accidental partin: in the branches enabled him to get [ good look at the ledge One glance se his heart beating joyously. It was al least fifteen feet in length. It sheive back until its depth was lost fin tn. blsckness of the shadows. and the foo must he either nearly level or slopin. slightly inward to the line of the fault
 The place was a perfect eagles nest A ehsmois could not reach 1, from anl direction IL became accessible t0 mar