The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-07-27
Ole Wings ef the
Morning . :, ~. ~ * J,
j.. Glide

She gave him the cup over his Shout
der. He placed it to his lips and
gulped steadily.
'There," he said grufly. 81 was in a
hurry. The Dyals may have another
rush at any moment
Iris looked into the vessel
"You have taken none at ALL" she
said.
"Nonsense!''
'Mr. jerks, be reasonable! You need
it more than I. d-dont want to-live
w-without-you."
His hands shook somewhat. 1t was
well there was no call for accurate
shooting just then.
II assure you took all required -
he declared, with unnecessary vehe-
mence.
"At least drink your share to please
me-" she murmured.
"You wished to humbug me-" he
grumbled. IF you will take the first
half will take the second"
And they settled it that way. The
few mouthfuls of tepid water gave
them new life. Nevertheless by high
noon they were suffering again. The
time passed very slowly. The sun
rose to the zenith and filed the earth
and air with his ardor. 1t seemed to be
miracle now appreciated for the
first time in their lives-that the sea
did not dry up and the leaves wither
on the trees. The silence, the deathly
inactivity OF all things, became intol-
cradle. The girl bravely tried to con-
fine her thoughts to the task of the
hour. She displayed alert watchful-
ness, an instant readiness to warn her
companion Of the slightest movement
among the trees or by the rocks to the
northwest, this being the arc Of their
periphery assigned to her.
Looking at a sunlit space from cover
and looking at the same place when
sweltering in the direct rays Of a trop-
ical sun are kindred operations strange
~ diverse in achievement. Iris could
not reconcile the physical sensitiveness
Of the hour with the careless hardi-
hood of the preceding days. Her eyes
ached somewhat, for she had tilted her
sou'wester to the back Of her head in
the effort to cool her throbbing tenn
pies. She put up her right hand to
shade the too vivid reflection Of the
glistening sea and was astounded to
find that in a few minutes the back Of
of distant shouting disturbed her pain
full reverie.
"How is it," she asked, "that we feel
the heat SO much today? had hardly
noticed it before"
For two good reasOns-forced idle
ness and radiation from this confound-
ed rock. Moreover, this is the hottest
day we have experienced on the island
There is not breath of air, and the
hot weather has just commenced"
Don't you Think" she said huslily,
that our position here is quite hope
less?'
They were talking to each other side
ways. The sailor never turned his
gaze from the southern end Of the val
ley.
1T is no more hopeless now than last
night or this morning." he replied.
But suppose we are kept here for
several days?"
'That was always an unpleasant
probability"
eve had water then. Even with an
ample supply it would be difficult to
hold out. AS things are, such a course
becomes simply impossible"
Her dependency pierced his soul. A
slow agony was consuming her.
"It is hard, admit" he said. "Nev-
ertheless you must bear up until night
falls; then we will either obtain water
or leave this place.
"Surely we can do neither"
1--WE may be compelled to do BOTH"
But how?''
In this his hour of EXTREMIST need
the man was vouchsafed a shred of
luck Before he could frame a feeble
pretext for his too sanguine prediction
a sampan appeared 800 yards from
Turtle beach, strenuously padded by
three men. The vague hallooing they
lad heard was explained.
The Dyaks, though to the manner
born, were weary of sun scorched
rocks and salt water. The boat was
coming in response to their signals, and
the sight inspired jerks with fresh
hope. Like lightning flash came the
reflection that if he could keep them
away from the we'll and destroy the
sampan now fastening to their assist
ance, perhaps conveying the bulk Of
their stores. they would soon tire of
shaking their thirst on the few pitcher
plants growing on the north shore.
Come quick!' he shouted adjusting
the back sight of a rife "Lie down and
aim at the front Of that boat, a little
short if anything. 1t doesn't matter if
the bullets strike the sea first"
He placed the weapon in readiness
for her and commenced operations him
self before Iris could reach his side.
Soon both rifles were pitching twenty
shots minute at the sampan. The re-
suit of their long range practice was
not long in doubt. The Dyaks danced
from seat to r,at in a state of wild ex.