The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1905-10-06
t1ced the turned up ends Of a pair Of
trousers beneath the hem Of her tat
tered skirt

t1ced the turned up ends Of a pair of
trousers beneath the hem Of her tat
tered skirt.
1t did occur to him that Iris re-
ceived his momentous announcement
with an odd air Of hauteur, and it was
passing strange she did not offer to
accompany him when, after boiling his
breakfast, he returned to the observa-
tory.
He came back in an hour, and the
lines On his face were deeper than be-
fore.
y false alarm" he said CURLY in re-
Spouse to her questioning look.
And that was all, though she nerved
herself to walk steadily past him on
her way to the well. This was discon-
certing, ever annoying, to a positive
young like Iris. Resolving to
end the ordeal, she stood rigidly before
him.
"Well," she said, 1--WE done it!'
Have your" he exclaimed blankly.
"Yes. They're a little too long, and l
feel very awkward, but they're better
than-than my poor old dress u1sup,
ported"
She blushed %furiously, to the sailors
complete bewilderment, but she brave
~ p~ersevered and stretched out an un.
willing foot.
ooh, l see" he growled, and he, too,
redeemed.
And during the remainder Of the day
he did not once look at her feet. In
deed, he had far more serious matters
to distract his thoughts, for Iris, fe-
verishly anxious to be busy, suddenly
suggested that it would be a good
thing were she able to use a rifle if
fight at close quarters became neces-
sary.
The recoil of the Lee-Metford is so
slight that any woman can manipulate
the weapon with effect, provided she
is not called upon to fire from a stand
ing position, in which case the weight
Is liable to cause bad aiming. Though
it came rather late in the day, jerks
caught at the idea. He accustomed
her In the first instance to the use of
blank cartridges. Then when fairly
proficient in holding and sighting-a
child can learn how to refill the clip
and eject each empty shell-she fired
ten rounds of service ammunition. The
target was a white circle on a rock at
eighty yards, and those Of the ten
shots that missed the absolute mark
would have made an enemy at the
same distance extremely uncomforta-
BILE.
Iris was much pleased with her pro-
1ciency. "Now," she cried, INSTEAD Of
being a hindrance to you l may be
some help. In any case, the Dyaks will
think there are two men to face, and
they have good reason to fear one of
u.s."
Then a new light dawned upon
jerks.
"Why did you not think of it be-
fore" he demanded. Don't you see.
Miss Deane, the possibility suggested
by your words? l am sorry to be com
PEELED to speak plainly, but l feel sure
that If those scoundrels do attack us in
force it will be more to secure you
tAoa W dfCdSC IL lOSS VI LuCA 1cllOW
tribesmen. First and foremost, the sea-
going Dyaks are pirates and maraud-
ers. They prowl about the coast look
ing not SO much for a fight as for loot
and women. Now, if they return and
apparently find two well armed men
awaiting them, with no prospect of
plumber, there is a chance that they
may abandon the enterprise"
Iris did not finch from the topic.
Bhe well knew it's grave Importance.
"In other words" she said, II must
be seen by them dressed only in male
c%lothing?"
Yes; as a last resource, that is. l
have some hope that they may not dis
cover our whereabouts owing to the
precautions we have adopted. Perched
up there on the ledge, we will be pro-
foundry uncomfortable, but that will
be nothing if it secures u safety"
She did not reply at once. Then
she said musingly: "Forty-four days!
Surely there has been ample time to
scour the China sea from end to end
in search Of us! My father would new
er abandon hope until he had the
most positive knowledge that the Sir
dar was lost with all on board"
The sailor, through long schooling,
was prepared with an answer: each
day makes the prospect of escape
brighter. Though l was naturally dis
appointed this morning, l must state
quite emphatically that our rescue may
come any. hour"
Iris looked at him steadily.
"Do you remember, Mr.. jerks, that
soon after the wreck you told me we
might have to remain here many
months?"
"That was a pardonable exaggera-
ton"
"No, no! 1t was the truth. You are
seeking now to buoy me up with false
hope. 1t is 1000 miles from Hong
kong to Singapore, and half as much
from Siam to Borneo. The Sirdar
might have been driven anywhere in
the typhoon. Didn't you say so, Mr..
Jenks?"
He wavered under this merciless
L ~----