The Red Cloud chief., 1905-07-28
Iris looked ut him stendilY.

Iris looked At him steadily.
"Do you remember. Mr.. jerks, that
loon after the wreck you told me we
might have to remain here many
months2'
'Thnt was a %parlonable exaggera-
ton"
mo, no! II was the truth. You are
seeking nov to buoy me mp with false
hope. 1t is 1000 miles from Hong
kong to Singapore. and half ms 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 mercilcss
cross examination.
81 had no idea your memory was so
good" he said weakly.
Excellent, l assure you. Moreover,
during our forty.four days together
you have taught mt to think. Why do
you adopt slbterfugc with mc2 We
are partners in all else. Why cannot
l share your despair as well as your
toil?"
She blazed out in sudden wrath. and
he understood that she would not he
denied the full extent of his secret
fear. He b?s'e, rsver""!ly before her
as a mortal paying homage to- an an.
cry goddess.
II can only admit that you are
right" he murmured. I'VE must pray
that God will direct our friends to this
island. Otherwise we may not he
found for Il year, as unhappily the
fishermen who once came here now
avoid the place. They have been
frightened by the contents of the hol.
low behind the cliff. | am glad you
have solved the difficulty unaidcd, Miss
Deane. | have strivcn at times to he
coarse, eel brutal. toward you, but
my heart flinched from the task of tell.
ing you the possible period of your i'm.
priSonment."
Then Iris, for the first time I'm many
days. wcpt bitterly, and jerks, blind to
the true cause of her emotion, picked
up n rifle to which, In spare moments,
he had affixed n curious device. ana
walked slowly across Prospect park
toward the half oblitcrated road lead.
ing to the valley of death.
The girl watched him disappear
among the trees. Through her tears
shone a sorrowful little smile.
lie thinks only of me, never Of him
SELF" she communed. IF Ii plcases
Providence to spare us from these saw
ages, what does it matter to me how
lon1 xryn rny,ntp hn,no ,, o.a.
been SO happy before in my life. l fear
I never will be again. If 1t were not
for my fathers terrible anxiety l
would not have q care in the world. l
only wish to get away so that one
brave soul at least may be rid Of need
less tortures. All his worry is on my
account, none on his own"
That was what fearful Miss Iris
thought or tried to persuade herself to
think. Perhaps her c~ogitations would
not bear strict analysis. Perhaps she
harbored Il sweet hope that the future
might yet contain bright hours for her.
self the man who was so devoted
to her. She refused to believe that
Robert A~nstruther, strong of arm and
clear of brain, n knight of the Round
Table in all that was noble and chival.
ric, would permit his name to zeal an
unwarrantable stigma when-and she
blushed like a June rose-he came to
tell her that which he had written.
The sailor returned hastily, with the
manner Of one hurrying to perform a
neglected task. Without any explana-
ton to Iris he climbed several times
to the ledge, carrying armloads Of
grass roots. which he planted in full
view. Then he entered the cave, and,
although he was furnished only with
the dim light that penetrated through