Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-07-21
CHAPTER y (Continued) ).

SldlltiA uUu S.tltu Ut MN Will WOIlucr-
lnG eyes.
Fearful lest she should forget her
surroundings. he placed Il warning fin
yer on his lips.
oh" she said in whisper. are
they still here
He told her what had happened and
suggested that they should have some
thing to eat while the coast was clear
beneath. She. needed no second bid
ding, for the long vigil of the previous
night had made her very hungry. and
the two hlcakfasted right royalty on
biscuit. cold fowl, ham and good water
In this, the inner section of their ref
uge. they could be seen only by bird
or by man standing on the distant
rocky shelf that formed the southern
extremity of the opposite cliff, and the
sailor kept close lookout In that d.
rection.
Iris was about to throw the remains
OF the feast into an empty oil tin pro-
vided for refuse when jerks restrained
her.
'No." he said smilingly. Scraps
should be the first course next time.
We must not waste an atom of food"
How thoughtless of Mew she ex-
claimed PLEASE tell me you think
they will go away today"
But the sailor flung himself fat on
the ledge and grasped rife.
BE still, Oh your lifew he said.
Squeeze into your corner There is q
Dyak OH the opposite cliff"
True enough. a man had climbed
to that unhappily placed rocky table
and was shouting something to q con-
frere high on the cliff over their heads.
AS yet he had not seen them nor even
noticed the place where they were con-
cealed. The sailor imagined from the
Dyak's gestures that he was commu-
nicating the uselessnesS Of further
search on the western part Of the Is
land.
When the conversation ceased he
hoped the loud voiced savage would
descend. But no. The scout looked
into the valley, Mt the we'll, the house,
the cave. Still he did not see the
ledge. At that unlucky moment three
birds, driven from the trees on the
crest by the passage Of the Dyaks,
flew down the face Of the cliff and be-
gan n circling quest for some safe
perch on which to alight
jerks swOre with IN emphasis not
the less earnest because 1t was mute
and took steady aim Mt the Dyak's left
breast. The birds fluttered about in
ever smaller circles. Then one of them
dropped easily on to the lip of the
rock. Instantly his bright eyes encoun-
tered those Of the man, and he darted
Off with a scream that brought his
mates after him.
The Dyak evidently noted the behav-
Tor Of the birds-his only lore was the
reading Of such signs-and gazed In
tently at the ledge. jerks he could
not distinguish behind the screen Of
grass. He might perhaps see some
portion Of the tarpaulin covering the
stores. but at the distance 1t must re-
semble weather beaten segment Of
the cliff. Yet something puzzled him.
After steady scrutiny he turned and
yelled to others ON the beach.
The crucial moment had arrived.
jerks pressed the trigger, and the
Dyak hurtled through the air, falling
headlong out of sight
The sound Of this. the first shot Of
real warfare, awoke Rainbow island
into tremendous activity. The winged
life Of the place filled the air with rau-
cOus cries, while shouting Dyaks sour
ried in all directions. Several came IN
to the valley. Those nearest the fallen
man picked him up and carried him to
the well. He was quite dead, and, al
though amid his other injuries they
soon found the bullet wound, they EVIL
IDENTIFY did not know whence the shot
came, for those to whom he shouted
had no inkling of his motive. and the
slight haze from the rifle was instantly
swept away by the breeze.
Iris could hear the turmoil beneath,
and she TREMENDOUSLY asked:
Are they going to attack us?"
Not yet" was the reassuring an
swer. Il killed the fellow who saw us
before he could tell the Others"
1t was n bold risk, and he had taken
It, though now the Dyaks knew for
certain their prey had not escaped
there was no prospect Of their speedy
departure. Nevertheless the position
was not utterly hopeless. None Of the
enemy could tell how or by whom their
companion Ind been shot. Many
among the excited horde jabbering be-
meath actually looked Mt the cliff over
and over again. yet failed to note the
potentialities Of the ledge. with its few
tufts Of grass growing where seeds had
apparently been blown by the wind or
dropped by passing birds
jerks understood, Of course, that the
real danger would arise when they Wis
tied the scene Of their comrades dis
aster. Even then the wavering bal
ance Of chance might cast the issue in
his favor. He could only wait, with
ready rifle. with the light Of battle
lowering in his eyes. OF one thing at
least he was certain-before they con-
Quered him he would levy a terrible
toll.
He glanced back at Iris. Her face
was pale beneath its mask of sun
brown.
The chief was listening intently to
the story Of the Dyak who saw the
dead man totter and fall He gave
some quick order. Followed by a score
or more OF bis men, he walked rapidly
to the foot of the cliff where they
found the lifeless body.
jerks stole one more hasty glance at
xa The chief and the greater num-