Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-03-22

meats and biscuits. They had barely
recovered from the excitement of this
find when the sailor noticed that be-
hind the rocks on which the craft was
firmly lodged lay small natural basin
full Of salt water, replenished and
freshened by the spray Of every gale
and completely shut Off from all sea-
ward access.
1t was not more than four feet deep,
beautifully carpeted with sand and Sc,
Guided by rocks on all sides. Not the
tiniest crab or fish was to be seen. 1t
provided al ideal bath.
Iris was overjoyed. She pointed to.
ward their habitation.
''AIr. Jenks," she said, 81 will be with
you at teatime,"
He gathered all the tins he was able
to carry and strobe off, enjoining her
to fire her revolver il for the slightest
reason she wanted assistance, and CIV
ing parting warning that If she de-
layed too long he would come and
shout to her.
II WONDER" said the girl to herself,
watching his retreating figure, what
he is afraid of. Surely by this time
we have exhausted the unpleasant sur
prises of the island. Anyhow, now for
splash!"
She was hardly in the water before
she began to be afraid on account of
jerks. Suppose anything happened to
him While she was thoughtlessly enjoy
Ing herself here! So strongly did the
thought possess her that she hurriedly
dressed again and ran off to find him.
He was engaged in fastening mum.
Der of bayoncts transversely to long
piece of timber.
"What are you doing that for?" she
asked.
"Why did you return so soon? Did
anything alarm you?"
II thought you might get into mis-.
chief" She confessed.
"No. On the other hand, 1 am trying
to make trouble for any unwelcome
visitors" he replied. II intend to set
this up in front of our cave in case we
are compelled to defend ourselves
against an attack by savages. With
this barring the way they cannot rush
the position"
On the nineteenth day of their resi-
dencc on the island the sailor climbed,
as was his invariable habit, to the
Summit rock while Iris prepared break
fast. At this early hour the horizon
was clearly cut as the rim of sap
phire. He examined the whole arc of
| the sen with his glasses, but not sail
was in sight. According to his calcu-
lntfons the growing anxiety as to the
| fate Of the Sirdar must long ere this
have eliminated in the dispatch from
Hongkong or Singapore of special
search vessel, while British warships
in the China sea would be warned to
keep close lookout for any traces Of
the steamer, to visit all islands on their
route and to question fishermen whom
they encountered. So help might come
! any day or it might be long deferred.
He could not pierce the future, and ii
| was useless to veX his soul with ques-
tionings us to what might happen next
week. The great certainty of the hour
was Iris-the blue eyed. smiling divin-
ity who had come into his life-wait-
ing for him down there beyond the
trees, waiting to welcome him with q
sweet voiced greeting. and he knew,
with a fierce devouring joy, that her
check would not pale nor her lip trem
bic when he announced that at least
another sun must set before the ex
mn tod tot al,
He replaced the glasses in their cast
and dived into the wood, giving pass
ing thought to the fact that the wind
after blowing steadily from the soutl
for. nearly week, had veered round Il
the northeast during the night DID
the change portend storm? We'll
they were now prepared for all sucl
eventualities, and he had not forgot
ten that they possessed, among othe
treasures, box of books for rain,
days. And rainy day with Iris 70
company! What gale that ever blew
could offer such compensation for en-
forced idleness?
The morning sped in unevcntfu
work. Iris did not neglect her cherish
ed pitcher plant After luncheon /
was her custom now to carry a dish
full Of water to its apparently art
roots, and she rose to fulfill her self i'm
posed task.
LET me help you," said jerks. Z"
am not very busy this afternoon"
"No, thank you. I simply won't al
low you to touch that shrub. The dea
thing looks quite glad to see me.
drinks up the water as greedily as
thirsty animal"
Iris had been gone perhaps five min
utes when he heard distant shrek
twice repeated. and then there cam
family to his ears his own name, no
"Jenks." but Robert" in the girl
voice. Something terrible had hap
pened. 1t was n cry of supreme dis
tress. Mortal agony or Overwhelming
terror alone could wiring that nam
from her lips. Precisely in such me
) ments this man acted with the dec
sion, the unerring judgment, the In
Simultaneous acceptance Of great risk t
accomplish great results, that marhc,
him out as born soldier.
He rushed into the house an,
snatched from the rack one of the RI
fles reposing there in apple pie order
each with filled magazine attaches
and n cartridge alrcad. In position.
Then hc ran with long strides no
, through the trees where lie could Sc
nothing. but toward the beach. whenc
III forty yards the place where Ir
probably was would become visible.
AT once he saw her struggling In til
grasp of two ferocious looking Dyak
one by his garments a person of cons,
quellcc, the other a half naked savag
lideous and rcpulsive in appearance,
Around them seven men armed wit
guns and parangs were dancing wit
. excitement.
Iris captors were cndeavoring to Il
her arms, but she was strong and n,
tive Englishwoman, with muscles we
knit by the constant labor of recer
busy days and n frame developed b
years of horse riding and tennis play
| infr sl,n vat,