The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-03-10

out of my quarters penniless, but free
from debt"
"And all through a deceitful wo-
manw
"Yes."
She ventured q further step.
"Was she very bad to you, Mr..
Jenks?"
He stopped and alphabetically
roared-at the suggestion.
bad to mev' he repeated. 81 had
nothing to do with her. She was hum
bugging her husband, not me. Fool
| that l was, l could not mind my own
| business"
So Mrs. Costobell was not flirting
with the man who suffered on her ac-
count. 1t is a regrettable but true
statement that Iris would willingly
have Rugged Mrs. Costobell at that mo-
ment
Rounding Europa point, the sailors
eyes were fixed on their immediate
surroundings, but Iris gazed dreamily
ahead. Hence it was that she was the
first to cry in amazement:
"a boat! See, there! On the rocks!'
There was no mistake A ships boat
was perched high and dry on the
north side of the cape. Even as they
scrambled toward it jerks understood
how it had come there.
When the Sirdar parted amidships
the after section fell back into the
depths beyond the reef, and this boat
must have broken loose from its davits
and been driven ashore here by the
force Of the western current.
Was it sntact? Could they escape?
Was this ark stranded on the island
for their benefit? If it were seaworthy,
whittier should they steer-to those is
lands whose blue outlines were visible
on the horizon?
These and hundred other questions
coursed through his brain during the
race over the rocks, but all such wild
speculatiOns were promptly settled
when they reached the craft, for the
keel and the whole of the lower tim
bers were smashed into match wood.
But there were stores on board.
jerks remembered that Captain Ross
foresight had secured the provisioning
Of all the ships boats soon after the
first wild rush to steady the vessel
after the propeller was lost. Masts,
sails, oars, seats-all save two water
casks-had gone, but jerks, with eager
hands, unfastened the lockers, and
here he found good supply of timed
meats and biscuits. They had barely
recovered from the excitement of this
find when the sailor noticed that be-
hind the rocks on which the craft was
firmly lodged lay small natural basin
full of salt water, replenished and
freshened by the spray Of every gale
and completely shut off from all sea-
ward access.
| 1t was not more than four feet deep,
beautifully carpeted with sand and Sc
cluded by rocks on all sides. Not the
| tiniest crab or fish was to be seen. 1t
| provided an ideal bath.
Iris was overjoyed. She pointed to-
ward their habitation.
"Mr jerks" she said, 81 will be with
you at teatime."
He gathered all the tins he was able
to carry and strobe off, enjoining her
to fire her revolver if for the slightest
reason she wanted assistance, and Civ
fng parting warning that if she de-
layed too long he would come and
shout to her.
81 wonder" said the girl to herself,
watching his retreating figure, what
he is afraid Of Surely by this time
we have exhausted the unpleasant sur
prises of the island. Anyhow, now for
q splashv
She was hardly in the water before
she began to be afraid on account of
jerks. Suppose anything happened to
him while she was thoughtlessly enjoy
ing herself here! SO strongly did the
thought possess her that she hurriedly
dressed again and ran off to find him.
He was engaged in fastening q num-
Der of bayonets transversely to long
piece of timber.
"What are you doing that for?' she
asked.
"Why did you return so soon? Did
anything alarm youT"
II thought you might get into mis-
chief" she confessed.
"No. On the other hand, I am trying
to make trouble for any unwelcome
visitors" he replied. 81 intend to set
this up in front of our cave in case we
are compelled to defend ourselves
against an attack by savages. With
this barring the way they cannot rush
| the position"
On the nineteenth day of their resi-
dence on the island the sailor climbed,
as was his invariable habit, to the
Summit rock while Iris prepared break
fast At this early hour the horizon
was clearly cut as the rim of a sap
phire He examined the whole arc Of
| the sea with his glasses, but not sail
was in sight. According to his calcu-
| lations the growing anxiety as to the
| fate OF the Sirdar must long ere this
| have eliminated in the dispatch from
| Hongkong or Singapore Of a special
| search vessel, while British warships
In the China sea would be warned to
| keep q close lookout for any traces OF
| the steamer, to visit all Islands on their
route and to question fishermen whom
| they encountered. So help might come
| apy day or II might he long deferred.