The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-05-03
Had done their auork too qoell.

Had done their aDorE too acell.
ceiyed some warning Iris and he might
retreat il, the darkness to the cover Of
the trees. A last stand could be made
among the bowlders on Summit rock.
But Of what avail to purchase their
freedom until daylight? And then
If ever man wrestled with desperate
problem, jerks wrought that night.
He smoked and pondered until the
storm passed, and, with the changeful-
ness Of a poets muse, 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 q star
tied exclamation.
"By Jovew he murmured 81 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
Iy inward, suggesting a recess extend
ing by haphazard computation at least
q couple Of yards. It occurred to him
that perhaps the fault in the interior
Of the tunnel had its outcrop here, 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 flew out
from it's leafy recesses, filing the air
with shrill clucking.
.aThe devil take them!" he growled,
for he feared that the commotlon
would awaken Iris. He was still la
boriously worming his way through
the inner maze Of branches when a
we'll known voice reached him from
the ground.
"Mr. jerks, what on earth are you
doing up there?
"Oh! So those wretched fowls arous-
ed you:" he replied.
eyes, but why did you arouse them!'
81 had fancy to roost by way Of a
change"
"Please be serious"
81 am more than serious. This tree
grows variety Of small sharp thorn
that induces a maximum Of gravity
before one takes the next step.'
"But why do you keep on climblns"'
"It is sheer lunacy, admit. Yet on
such moonlit night there is some rea-
sonable ground for even mad e1-
cuse."
"Mr. jerks, tell me at once what you
are doing"
iris strove to be severe, but there was
q 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 q safe retreat In case OF
further attack, a refuge from which
they might defy assault during many
DAYS. It was, he said, absolutely I'M
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 q
GOOD look at the ledge One glance set
his heart beating joyously. 1t was a1
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 slopine
slightly inward to the line Of the fault
The place was perfect eagles nest
A chamois could not reach it from any
direction. 1t became accessible to mar
only by means of ladder or balloon
More excited By. this discovery thar