Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-05-10
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SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHPTERR.
CHAP. 1.-The Sirdar, having among
er passengers Iris Deane, daughter OF
the owner of the ship, and Robert jerks,
who is working as waiter. Is wrecked.
II-All are lost save Miss Deane and
jerks, who are cast ashore on an islet
In the Pacific. III-Jenks RECEIVERS
stores and weapons from the wrecked
vessel. He finds the skeleton of Eu-
ropean on the island. IVA cave on
the island is fitted up as 8 hebitation.
A chart of the island, mysteriously
marked, is found on the ,skeleton. "
jerks finds hollow filled with human
skeletons, the remains of mining par
ty. He is rescued from an octopus by
Iris while recovering rifles from the
wreck of the Sirdar. VI.-Jenks tells
Iris that his real name is Anstruther
and that, through the Vaccinations OF
Lord Ventnor, he has heen unjustly dis.
missed from the English army. Lord
Ventnor has been mentioned on the
Sirdar as aflianced to Iris. VII-1ris is
attscked by a party of fierce Dyacks
(Polynesian natives). They are beaten
off by jerks, three, however, escaping
in their boat. The eastaways dread
their return. VIII-Anstruther pre-
pares to defend Iris and himself, forti
flying ledge of the rock above their
cave. INA rich gold mine, indicated
on the mysterious chart of the island,
ia discovered in the cave. \ and X1-
The Dysks attack the island. Among
them is an escsped convict, an Indian
Mussulman. They discover the hiding
place, but are defeated by the English.
man. XII-An unlucky shot costs
jerks and Iris their water supply. A
truce with the savages, the Mussulman
speaking Hindoo to Anstruther, scsing
as interpreter. Mir Jan, the Indian,
agrees to aid Anstructer and supply
him with water. XIII-Iris and Rob
ert. in the midst of peril, avow their
love for each other. The fight coutin-
ues.
The sailor, in a tempest of wrath ant
wild emotion, had it In his mind IL
compel her into reason-to shake her as
one shakes u Maynard child.
He rose to his knees with this half
formed notion in his fevered brain;
then he looked at her, and mist
seemed to shut her out from his sight
Was she lost to him already? Was all
that had gone before an idle dream OF
JOY and grief, wizards glimpse OF
mirrored happiness and vague perils:
Was Iris, the crystal souled, thrown
to him by the storm dashed wave, to
be snatched away by some irresistible
and malign influence?
In the mere physical effort to assure
himself that she was still near to him
he gathered her up in his strong hands
Yes, she was there, breathing, wonder
ing, palpitating. He folded her closely
to his breast and yielding to the pas
sfonate longings OF his tired heart,
whispered to her:
My darling, do you think can sur.
vive your loss? You are life itself to
me. If we have to die, sweet one, let
us die together"
Then Iris flung her arms around his
neck.
81 am quite, quite happy now" she
sobbcd brokenly. 81 didn't-imagine-
it would come-this way, butt am
thanlSful-it has come"
For little while they yielded to the
glamour Of the divine knowledge that
amid the chaos of eternity each soul
had found its mate. There was no need
for words. Love, tremendous in its
power, unfathomable in its mystery,
had cast its spell over them. They
were garbed in light, throned in pal
ace built by fairy hands. On all sides
squatted the ghouls Of privation, mis-
cry, danger, even grim death; but they
needed not the inferno; they had Gre
ated paradise in an earthly hell.
Then Iris withdrew herself from the
mans embrace. She was delightfully."-
Shy and timid now.
$50 you really do love me?" she wills
pered, crimson faced, with shining eyes
and parted lips.
He fondled her hair and gently rub
bed her cheek with his rough fingers.
The sudden sense of ownership of this;
fair woman was enhancing 1t almost
bewildered him TO find Iris nesting
close, clinging to him in utter conf
dence and trust.
"But knew, knew" she murmur-
ed. you betrayed yourself SO many
times. You wrote your secret to inc,
and, though you did not tell me, l
found your dear words OH the sands
and have treasured them next my
heart"
What girlish romance was this? He
held her away gingcry, just so far
that he could look into her eyes.
ooh, it is true, quite true,' she cried,
drawing the locket from her neck.
"Don't you recognize your own hand
writing, or We're you not certain. just
then, that you really did love me?"
Dear, dear! How often would she re-
peat that wondrous phrase! Together
they bent over the tiny slips of paper.
There it was again, 81 love you," twice
blazoncd in magic symbols. With
blushing eagerness she told him how,
by mere accident, of course, she caught
sight of her own name. 1t was not
very wrong, was it, to pick up that
tiny scrap or those others, which she
could not help seeing and which I'M
folded their simple tale so truthfully?
Wrong! 1t was so delightfully."- right
that he must kiss her again to cmpha-
size his convictions.
they grew calmer, more sedate. II
was so undeniably true they loved one
another that the fact was becoming
venerable with age. Iris was perhaps
the first to recognize its quiet certain.
ty.
"As cannot get you to talk reason
ably" she protested, 81 must appeal
to your sympathy. am hungry, and,
oh, SO thirsty"
The girl had hardly eaten morsel
for her midday meal. Then she was
Respondent, utterly broken hearted
Now she was filled with new hope
There was a fresh motive in existence
Whether destined to live an hour OF
half century she would never, never
leave him, nor, of course, could he ever
ever leave her. Some things were
quite impossible-for example, that
they should part.
jerks brought her a biscuit n tin OF