Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-12-01

| 81. }
| Had done their acork too aUeu
ceived some warming 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
| II ever man wrestled with desperate
| problem, jerks wrought that night
| He smoked and pondered until the
storm passed, and, with the changeful
| ness Of poets muse, a 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
/ tied exclamation.
/ "By Jovev' he murmured. II never
| noticed that before"
The feature which so earnestly claim
| ed his attention was 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 recess extend
ing by haphazard computation ut least
couple of yards. 1t occurred to him
| that perhaps the fault in the interior
| 20 A.. %,,npol hod ITO oY,tcrop horo 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 man of action. He chose
the nearest tall tree and began to
climb. He was not eight feet from the
ground before several birds few out
from it's leafy recesses, filling the air
with shrill clucking.
"The devil take themv' he growled,
for he feared that the commotion
would awaken Iris. He was still la
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-
ed you?" he replied.
Eyes, but why did you arouse them?
II had fancy to roost by way Of q
change"
"Please be serious"
II am more than serious. This tree
grows a variety Of small sharp thorn
that induces q maximum Of gravity
before one takes the next STEP"
"But why do you keep on climbingT'
'.It is sheer lunacy, admit. Yet on
such moonlit night there is some rea-
sonable ground for even a mad ex-
cuse''
"Mr. jerks, tell me at once what you
are doing"
Iris strove to be severe, but there was
touch Of anxiety in her tone that in
stantly made the sailor apologize. He
told her about the ledge and explained
his half formed notion that here they
might secure safe, retreat in case Of
further attack, refuge from which
they might defy assault during many
days. 1t was, he said, absolutely Inn
possible to wait until the morning. He
must at once satisfy himself whether
the project was impracticable or wor-
thy Of further investigation.
So the girl only enjoined him to be
careful, and he vigorously renewed the
climb. At last, some twenty-five feet
from the ground, an accidental parting
in the. branches enabled him to get a
good look at the ledge. One glance set
his heart beating joyously. 1t was ut
least fifteen feet in length. 1t shelved
back until its depth was lost in the
blackness of the shadows, and the floor
must be either nearly level or sloping
slightly inward to the line of the fault.
The place was perfect eagles nest.
A channels could not reach it from any
direction. 1t became accessible to man
only by means of a ladder or balloon.
More excited by this discovery than
he cared for Iris to know, he endeav-
ored to appear unconcerned when he
regained the ground.
"Well," she said, tell me all about
it."
He described the nature Of the cavity
as we'll as he understood it at the mo-
ment and emphasized his previous ex-
PLANTATION Of its virtues. Here they
might reasonably hope to make a sue
cessful stand against the Dyaks.
"Then you feel sure that those awful
creatures will come back?" she said
iowly.
Only too sure, unfortunately"
How remorseless poor humanity is
zen the veneer is stripped or Why
| annot they leave US in peaces Per.