The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-02-10
CHAPTER III-Continued.


yes" he said pointing to the disl
: cover. 'Tf you polish the top of tina
with your sleeve it will serve as ,
plate. Luncheon is ready"
He neatly dishcd up two slices OF
ham on couple of biscuits and hand
ed them to her with the clasp knife.
II can depend on my fingers" he ex
planned. ut will not be the first time. y
vHave you led an adventurous life?
she asked. by way of polite conversa-
ton.
NO" he growlcd.
II only thought so because you ap-
pear to know all sorts of lodges for
prolonging eXistence-things l never
heard of.
"Broiled ham-and bscuits-for in
stance?"
At another time Iris would have
snapped at him for the retort. Still
humbly regretful for her previous at
titude, she answered meekly:
Eyes, in this manner of cooking them,
/ mean. But there are other items
methods of lighting fires. finding water,
knowing what fruits and other articles
may be found on a desert island, such
as plantains and cocoanuts and certain
sorts of birds"
When the neal was ended jerks
eprang lightly to his feet Rest and
food had restored his faculties. The
girl thought dreamily as he stood
there in his rough attire, that she had
10 n tou
sinewy and well formed. In repose his
face was pleasant, if masterful. It's
somewhat sullen, self contained ex-
preston was occasional and acquired
She wondered how he could be so ener-
getic. Personally, she was consumed
with seepiness.
He produced a revolver.
"Do you mind if I fire shot to test
these cartridges?' he inquired. "The
powder is all right, but the illuminate
In the caps may be damaged
She agreed promptly. He pointed
the weapon at cluster Of cocoanuts,
and there was a loud report. Two nuts
fell to the ground, and the air was fill
ed with shrill screams and the tapping
of innumerable wings. Iris was mo-
mentarily dismaycd, but her senses
confirmed the sailors explanation =
"Sea BIRDS"
"Can you use revolver?" he asked
"My father taught me- He thinks
every woman should know how to de-
fend herself If need be-"
Excellent. Well, Miss Deane, you
must try to sleep for couple of hours.
purpose examining the coast for some
distance on each side. Should you
want me, shot will be the best sort
of signal"
II am very tired" she admitted.
"But your"
"Oh, am all right! I feel restless
that is, l mean l will not be able to
sleep until night comes, and before we
climb the hill to survey our domain l
want to find better quarters than we
now possess"
Perhaps were she less fatigued she
would have caught the vague anxiety,
the note of distrust, in his voice. But
the carpet of sand and leaves on which
she lay was very seductive. Her eyes
closed. She nestled into q comforta-
bic position and slept.
The man moved the revolver out of
harms way to q spot where she must
see it instantly pulled his|Seu' wester
well over his eyes and walked off
quietly.
They were flung ashore on the north
west side of the island. Except for
the cove formed by the coral reef, with
its mysterious palm tree growing APP
parently in the midst of the waves, the
shape Of the coast was roughly that
of the concave side of bow, the two
visible extremities being about three
quarters of mile apart.
He guessed by the way in which the
sea raced past these points that the
land did not extend beyond them. Be-
hind him it rose steeply to a considera-
BILE height, 100 or 200 feet. In the Gen.
ter was the tallest hill, which seemed
to end abruptly toward the southwest.
On the northeast side it was connect
ed with rocky promontory by ridge
of easy grade. The sailor turned to the
southwest as offering the most likely
direction for rapid survey.
He was not surprised to- find that
the hill terminated In a sheer wall Of
rock, which stood out, ominous and
massive, from the wealth of verdure
clothing the remainder Of the ridge.
Facing the precipice and separated
from 1t by q strip of ground not TWEEN
ty feet above the sea level In the high
est part was another rock built emf
nence quite bare Of trees. blackened by
the weather and SCARED in manner
that attested the attacks Of lightning.
The intervening belt was sparsely
dotted with trees, casuarinas, pooh and
other woods he did not know, resem-
bling ebony and cedar. A number of
stumps showed that the ak had been
at work, but not recently. He passed
into the cleft and climbed tree that
offered easy access. AS he expected,
after rising a few feet from the ground
his eyes encountered the solemn blue
line Of the sea, not half mile distant.
: He descended and commenced sys-
fematic search. Men had been here.
Was there house? Would he sudden
~ encounter some hermit Malay or