The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-03-17
Had done their qvork too qpel.


ceived some warning Iris and he might
retreat in the darkness to the cover Of
the trees. A last stand could be made
among the powders on Summit rock.
But of what avail to purchase their
freedom until daylight? And then
If ever man wrestled with desperate
problem, jerks wrought that night.
He smoked and pondered until the
storm passed, and, with the changeful-
ness of q poets muse, full moon
flooded the island in glorious radiance.
He rose, opened the door and stood
without, looking steadily at the bril-
liant luminary for some time; then his
eyes were attracted by the strong
lights thrown upon the rugged face of
the precipice into which the cavern
burrowed Suddenly he uttered star
lied exclamation.
"By Jove. he murmured. 81 lever
noticed that before"
The feature which so earnestly claim
ed his attention was a deep ledge di-
rectly over the mouth Of the cave, but
some forty feet from the ground. Be-
hind it the wall of rock sloped dark
" inward, suggesting a recess extend
ing by haphazard computation at least
a couple of yards. 1t occurred to him
that perhaps the fault in the interior
of the tunnel had its outcrop here, and
the influences Of rain and sun had eX-
tended the weak point thus exposed in
the bold panoply Of stone.
He surveyed the ledge from different
points of view. 1t was quite inacces-
sible and most difficult to estimate ac-
curately from the ground level. The
sailor was a man of action. He chose
climb. He was not eight feet from the
ground before several birds flew out
from it's leafy recesses, filling the air
with shrill clucking.
"The devil take themw he growled
| for he feared that the commotion
would awaken Iris. He was still Ia
boriously worming his way through
the inner maze of branches when a
well known voice reached him from
the ground.
"Mr. jerks, what on earth are you
doing Up there"
ooh! SO those wretched fowls arous
cd you%r lie replied.
Eyes, but why did you arouse themT
Il had fancy to roost by way of O
| change
please be serious"
81 am more than serious. This tree
grows variety of small sharp thori
that induces maximum Of gravity
before one takes the next step"
But why do you keep on climbingT
1T is sheer lunacy, admit. Yet oil
such a moonlit night there is some rea
sonable ground for even mad ex
cuse.'
"Mr. jerks, tell me at once what yol
are doing"
Iris strove to be severe, but there wa
touch of anxiety in her tone that in
stantly made the sailor apologize. III
told her about the ledge and explained
his half formed notion that here the.
might secure safe retreat in case o
further attack, refuge from whicl
they might defy assault during man.
days. 1t was. he said, absolutely i'm
possible to wait until the morning. III
must at once satisfy himself whethe
; the project was impracticable or wOr
thy of further investigation.
SO the girl only enjoined him to b
careful, and he vigorously renewed til
climb. At last, some twenty-five fee
from the ground, an accidental partin
in the branches enabled him to get
good look at the ledge. One glance sc
his heart beating joyously. 1t was a
least fifteen feet in length. 1t shelves
J back until its depth was lost in th