The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-03-03
Copyright. 1905. by
Edward j. Clode

the rifles. If you fell you might dam
age them, and the incoming tide will
so hopelessly rust those l leave behind
that they viii! be useless"
81 will preserve them at any cost,
though with six in our possession there
Is a margin for accidents. However, to
reassure you, will go back quickly"
Before he cold protest she started off
Mt run. jumping lightly from rock to
Jock. Designating his shouts, she per-
severed until she stood safely on the
sands. Then, saucily waving a fare
well, she set off toward the cave.
Had she seen the look of fierce de-
spair that settled down upon jerks
face as he turned to his task of guild
ing the raft ashore she might have
wondered what it meant In any case
she would certainly have behaved diff
ferently
BY the time the sailor had safely
landed his cargo Iris had cooked their
midday meal She achieved fresh
culinary triumph. The eggs were fried!
II am seriously thinking of trying to
boil ham," she stated gravely. "Have
you any idea how long it takes to cook
one properly"
"a quarter Of an hour for each
pound"
Admirable! But we can measure
neither hours nor pounds"
II think we can do both. 1 will
construct balance of some kind.
Then, with ham slung to one end and
rifle and some cartridges to the other,
I will tell you the weight of the ham
to an ounce. To ascertain the time l
have already determined to fashion Il
sundial. 1 remember the requisite
divisions with reasonable accuracy,
and little observation will enable us
to correct any mistakes"
you are really very clever, Mr..
jerks" said Iris, with childlike candor.
"Have you spent several years Of your
life in preparing for residence on a
desert islandW
Something of the sort. / have led
queer kind OF existence, full of use
less purposes. Fate has driven me in
to q corner where my odds and ends
of knowledge are actually valuable.
Such accidents make men millionaires. y
useless purposes" she repeated. Il
can hardly credit that. One uses such
q phrase to describe fussy people, alive
with foolish activity. Your worst enc
my would not place you in such a
category"
"My worst enemy made the phrase
effective ut any rate, Miss Deane.'
you mean that he ruined your ca
reer?"
"Well-er-yes. 1 suppose that de-
scribes the position with fair accura-
cy"
"Was he a very great scoundrel?
"IIe was and is
jerks spoke with quiet bitterness
| The girls words had evoked sudden
flood of recollection. For the moment
he did not notice how he had beer
trapped into speaking Of himself, MOI
did he see the quiet content on Iris
face when she elected the information
that his chief foe was man. A Ger
tain tremulous hesitancy in her man
ner when she next spoke might have
warned him. but his hungry sou
caught only the warm sympathy of nel
words, which fell like rain on parche(
SOIL
you are tired" she said. "Won'
you smoke for little while and tall
to meF
He produced his pipe and tobacco.
| &c, tn nj
clared. "NIy father always said that
straight stem, with the bowl at righ
angle. was the correct shape. You eyi
IDENTIFY agree with him."
absolutely"
"You will like my father when yol
meet him. He is the very best MAI
alive, am sure"
"You two are great friends, then?'
"Great friends. He is the only frien(
/ possess in the world"
"What. Is that quite accurate?'
ooh, quito. OF course, Mr. jerks,
can never forget how much / owe t
you. like you immensely, too, al
though lou are $3.50 gruff to me a
times. But--but-you sec, my fathe
and l have always been together.
have neither brother nor sister, no
even cousin. My dear mother die
from some horrid fever when l wa
quite little girl. My father is every
thing to me-"
"Dear childv' he murmured, appar
emily uttering his thoughts aloud ratll
err than addressing her directly. IS
you find me gruff, eh?"
"a regular hear when you lecture me
But that is only occasionally. You cal
be very nice when you like, when yo
forget your past troubles. And pray
why do you call me child?"
"Have done sop
mot moment ago. How old ar
you, Mr.. jerks? / am twenty-twent
last December"
"And l." he said, twill be twenty
eight in August"
Good graciousv' she gasped. IT ar
very sorry, but / really thought 20
were forty at least"
II look it, no doubt. Let me be equal
ly candid and admit that you, toe
show your age markedly"
She smiled nervously. What 10
of trouble you must have had toto
to give you those little wrinkles in tn
/ 81.