Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-04-25
NUMBER II.

necessities. Az for the sailor. he was
| glad that the chance turn Of their con.
versation enabled him to warn her
against the lurking dangers Of the In.
COON. There was no need to mention
| tie devilfsh now. lie must spare her
| all avOdable thrills.
They gathered the stores from the
first dining room and reached the cave
! without incident. Another fire was
| lighted, and while Iris attended to the
kitchen the sailor felled several young
trees He wanted poles, and these
were the right size and shape. He
soon cleared a considerable space. The
timber was soft and so small in girth
that three cuts with the ak usually
sufIiced. He dragged from the beach
the smallest tarpaulin he could find
and propped 1t against the rock In
such manner that it effectually screen
ed the mouth of the cave. though ad.
mittng light and air.
He was so busy that he paid little
heed to Iris. But the Odor of fried
ham was waited to him. He was
lifting a couple Of heavy stones to stay
tie canvas and keep II from Tapping
in the wind when the girl called out:
Wouldn't you like to have wash
before dinner"
He Strengthened himself and looked
at her. Her face and hands were
shining. spotless. The change was so
great that his brow wrinkled with per.
piexity.
II am Il good pupil" she cried. "You
see | am already learning to help my
self. | made q bucket out of one OF
the dish covers by singing il in two
ropes. Another dish cover. some sand
and leaves supplied basin, soap and
towel. have cleaned the tin cups and
the knives. and, see. here is my great
est treasure"
She held up a small metal lamp.
"Where in the world did you find
that" he exclaimed.
Buried in the sand inside the cave"
Anything else!"
His tone was abrupt. She was so dis.
appointed by the seeming want of ap'
probation of her industry that CLEAN
OF amusement died from her eyes. and
she shook her head. STOPPING at once to
attend To the toastinI Of S)me biscuits.
This time lie was genuinely sorry.
"ForSivc ne. Miss nclDc' hc said
peni,ent!y. My words are dictated by
anxiety do not wish yon to make
discoveries on your own account. This
Is IA strange plsco. you Ii T-::n I'M
pleasant one In some re- iprctS."
Surely can rumnlage about my
own cave"
Most certainly. 1t was c:.'e'csS OF
me not 10 have examined lis interior
more thoroughly
Then why do you grumble because l
found tie lamp:"
81 did not mean any such thing. l
am sorry
II think you are horrid. II you want
to wash YOU will find the water over
there. Don't wait. The ham will be
friZZled To Il cinder."
Unlucky jerks Was ever man fated
to incur such unmerited oiium: lie
savagely laved his face and neck. The
fresh. cool water was deli"htful at
first. but when he drew neIr to the
fire he experienced an unaccountable
sensation of weakness. Could II he
possible that he was going 10 faint!
1t WAS too absurd. He sank to the
srDund. trees. rocks ;,iiu S%;iI sucWn
earth induilri in IL Md dance. lriS'
voice SounCri weak and indI>tinct lt
seemed to travel in waves from great
distance. He tried 10 brush away
troa his brain these Gin I.ar'cS. but
is icJn WI fos Oh e ra:.c'!. ":ii he
.:t...cd h,aulJn. downward mo dirk
.css
When hs.recovc.ed. the girls left
.r.l WAS around lis neck. For one
...saful instant Ec nestled there con
cnIedly. lie locke. into her eyes and
SAW that she was crying. y gust of
g4.er rose within him that lie should
he the cause of those tears.
He tried to rise.
"Oh, Are you better?" Her lips
quivered pitiful!y.
"Yes. What happened? Did faintT
Drink this"
She held cup to his mouth and he
obediently strove to swallow the con-
tents. 1t was champagne. After the
first spasm of terror and when the ap-
plication Of water 10 his face failed to
restore consciousness Iris had knocked
the head of the bottle OF champagne.
He quickly revived. Nature had only
given him warning that lie was over
drawing his resources. He was deep
~ Inundated. He did not conceive The
truth that only strong man coulu
do all that he had done and live. For
thirty six hours he had not slept. Dur
iny part of the time he fought with
wilder beasts than tley knew IT Ephe-
sus. The long exposure 10 tiie sun. tie
mental strain Of his forcboding that
the charming girl whose life depended
upon him might be exposed 10 even
worse dangers than any yet encounter
ed, the physical labor lie had under
gone. the irksome restraint he Strove TO
place upon his conduct ana utterances
all these things eliminated Ill utter
relaxation when the water touched his
heated skin.