Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-05-30
"That was a pardonable exaggera-

| from Sllln 10 DOrueo. lHe Sifud
misht have been driven anywhere il
the typhoon.. Didn't You say so. MI
.icnks:"
!Ie wavered under this merciles
cross examination.
II had no idea your memory was s.
good" lie said weakly.
Excellent. assure you Moreover
during our fortyfour days tOgethe
you have taught lie to think. Why d
you adop. suJtcrfIee with me? w
are partners in al else. Why canno
share your despair as well as you
to;l:"
Size blazed out in sudden wrath. ant
| hc understood that size would not b
ien.cd Tie full extent of his secre
fear. He bowed reverantiy before her
as Il mortal paying homage to an in
cry goddess.
~ can only admit that you ar
light" lie murmured. I'VE must pra!
that God will direct our friends to thi'
island Otherwise we may not b'
found for a year, as unhappily th'
| fishermen who once came here nov
avoid the place. They have beer
frightened by the contents Of the hol
low behind the cliff. am glad yol
have solved the difficulty unaideI, Miss
Deane | have striven at times to bt
coarse. even brutal. toward you, bu
my hear: tiinched from the task of tell
ing you tile possible period of your i'm
prisonment."
Then Iris. for the first time In many
days, wept bitterly, and .!enGs. blind tt
the true cause of her emotion. picked
up rifle to which. In spare moments
he had affixed Il curious device. and
walked slowly across Prospect parH
toward the half ob!iterateI road lead
ing to the valley of death.
The girl watched him disappear
among the trees. Through her tears
shone q. sorrowful little smile.
He thinks only of me. never Of him
SELF" she communed. IF 1t peaSes
Providence to spare us from these saw
ages. what does 1t matter to me how
long we remain here! | have never
been SO happy before In my life. / feal
l never will he again. If it were moi
for NY fathers terrible anxiety
would not have u care in the world.
Only wish to get away SO that one
brave soul ut 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 cogitations would
not bear strict analysis. Perhaps she
harbored a sweet hope that the future
might yet contain bright hours for her.
self and the man who was so devoted
to her. She refused to believe that
Robert Anstruther, strong Of arm and
clear Of brain, knight of the Round
Table In all that was noble and chival-
ric, would permit his name to bear 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 q
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
the distant exit, she heard him hewing
manfully at the rock for couple OF
hours. At last he emerged, grimy with
dust and perspiration. just in time to
pay last visit to Summit rock before
the sun sank to rest. He asked the
girl to delay somewhat the prepara-
tiOns for their evening meal, US he
wished to take bath; 50 it was quite
dark when they sat down to eat.
Iris had long recovered her usual
state Of high spirits.
"Why were you burrowing In the
cavern again" she inquired. "Are you
In hurry to get rich!'
81 was following an air shaft, not a
lode" he replied. II am occasionally
troubled with after wit, and this Is an
instance. Do you remember how the
flame Of the lamp fickered while we
were opening up our mine?"
"Yes."
"I was so absorbed in contemplating
our prospective wealth that failed u
bay heed to the true significance of
that incident. 1t meant the existence
of IN upward current Of air. Now,
where the current goes there must be
passage. and while was busy this
afternoon among the trees over there
= he pointed toward the valley Of
death-'.it came to me like an inspira-
ton that possibly n few hours hewing
and delving might open Il shaft to the
ledge. | have been well rewarded for
the effort. The stuff in the vault is so
eaten away by water that 1t is no
more solid than hard mud for the most
part. Already l have scooped out a
chimney twelve feet high
What good can that be!'
AT present we have only II front
door-up the face of the rock. When
my work Is completed-before tomor-
row night, l hope-we shall have a
back door also. OF course may ell
counter unforeseen obstacles as | ad-
vance. \ twist in the fault would be
nearly fatal. but l am praying that 1t
may continue straight to the ledge"
81 still don't see the great advantage
to Us"
"The advantages are many. believe
me. The more points of attack pre-
sented by the enemy the more effective
will be our resistance. | doubt If they
| would ever be able to rush the cave
were we to hold it. whereas | can 60
I'D and down our back staircase when
ever choose. II you don't mind being
left in the dark | will resume work
now by the light Of your lamp"
C-.:n~ Hu~nee