Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-07-04

He looked the qucStiOner squdrely In the
tdce.
Deane tells he l believe lie Is an ex-
oftl .rr Of the Indian army"
"Ah. He has left the service?"
Eyes. met him last in IIongkong."
"Thcn you know him!'
Quite well, if he is the man I i'm.
agine."
THAT is really very nice of Ventnor,"
thought the shipowner. ''The last thing
I should credit him with would be
forgiving disposition.
Meanwhile Anstruther WAS reading
Iris little lecture. Sweet one" he
explained to her, do not allude to me
by my former rank. | am not entitled
to it. Some day, please God. it will be
restored to me. At present l am Il
plain civilian, and. by the way. Iris,
during the next few days say nothing
about our mine"
"Oh, why not!'
Just personal whim. 1t will please
me-"
IF it pleases you, Robert, am salts
fed"
He pressed her arm by way Of an
swer They were too near to the wait
ing trio for other comment.
Captain FitZroy." cried Iris. 'let me
introduce Mr.. Anstruther to yoI. Lord
ventnor, you have met Mr.. Anstruther
before"
The sailor shook hands. Lord Vent
nor smiled affably.
Your enforced residence on the is
land seems to have agreed with you"
he said.
admirably. Life here had its draw
backs, but we fought our enemies in
the open. Didn't we, Iris!"
"Yes, dear The poor Dyaks were
not sufficiently modernized to attach us
with false testimony"
His lordship's sallow face wrinkled
somewhat. SO Iris knew of the court
martial nor was she afraid to pro-
claim to all the world that this man
was her lover. AS for Captain Fitz-
roy, his bushy eyebrows disappeared
into his peaked cap when he heard the
manner of their speech.
Nevertheless Ventnor smiled again.
even the Dyaks respected Miss
Deane," he said.
But Anstrutser, sorry for the mani
fest uneasiness of the shipowner, re-
pressed the retort on his lips and
forthwith suggested that they should
walk to the north beach In the first
instance, that being the scene OF the
wreck.
During the next hour he became audi
tor rather than narrator. 1t was Iris
who told Of his wild fight against wind
and waves; Iris who showed them
where he fought with the devilfsh;
Iris who eXpatiated on the long days
of ceaseless toll, his dauntless cour-
age in the face of every difficulty. the
way in which lie rescued her from the
clutch of the savages, the skill of his
preparations against the anticipated
attack and the last great achievement
of all, when time after time lie foiled
the Dysks' best laid plans and flung
them off, crippled and disheartened'
during the many phases Of the thirty
hours battle.
There were tears in her eyes when
she ended. but they We're tears or
thankful happiness, and Lord Nentnor.
silent listener who missed neither
word nor look. felt deeper chill In his
cold heart as lie realized that this wo-
mans love could never be his. The
knowledge excited his passion the
more. His hatred Of Anstruiher now
became a mania, an insensate resolve
to mortally stab this meddler who III
ways stood in his path.
Robert hoped that his present ordeal
was over. 1t had only begun. He was
called on to answer questions without
number. Why had the tunnel been
made? What was the mystery OF the
valley of death? How did he manage
to guess the dimensions Of the sundial!
How came lie to acquire such III amaz-
ing stock of out Of the way knowledge
of the edible properties of roots ana
trees? How? Why? Where? When!
They never would be satisfied. for not
even the British navy, poking its nose
into the recesses of the world. often
comes across such an amazing story
as the adventures Of this couple on
Rainbow island.
He readily explained the creation OF
quarry and cave by telling them Of the
| vein Of antimony imbedded In the rock
| near the vault. Anthony is one OF the
| substances that covers multitude OF
doubts. No one, not excepting the doc
tors who use 1t, knows much about IT,
and in Chinese medicine 1t might he a
chief factor Of exceeding nastiness.
Inside the cavern the existence OF
the partially completed shaft to the
ledge accounted for recent disturb
ances ON the face Of the rock. and new
comers could not, Of course, distinguish
the bones Of poor u. s." as being the
remains Of European.
Anstruther was satisfied that none OF
them hazarled the remotest guess as
to the value Of the gaunt rock they
were staring ut, and chance helped hin
to bafiie further INQUIRY.