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

on Will ne SIdu ~ near tllil tilt
cut hns stopped bleeding. 1t is only
a scratch"
So n kindly Providence had spared
them yet II little while. The cloud
passed from his mind, the gathering
mist from his eyes. In that instant he
thought he detected slight rustling
among the trees where the cliff shelly
cl up from the house. Standing as he
was on the edge of the rock, this was Il
point lie could not guard against.
When her welcome assurance recall
cd his scattered senses he stepped
back IL speak To her. and in the same
instant couple of bullets crashed
against the rock overhead. Iris had
unwittlnEly saved him from n serious,
perhaps fatal, wound.
He sprang to the extreme right of
the ledge and boldly looked into the
trees beneath. Two Dyaks were there,
belated wanderers cut of from the
main body. They divcd hendlong into
the underground for safety, but one
Of them was too late. jerks rifle
reached him, ard its reverberating CON
cussion, tossed back and forth by the
echoing rocks. drowned his parting
scream.
In the plcnitudc of restored vigor the
sailor waited for no counter demon
stration. lie turned and crouchingly
approached the southern end OF his
parapet Through his screen of grass
he could discern the long black hair
and yellow face Of man who lay on
the sand and twisted his head around
the base of the farther cliff. The dis
lance oft measured. was ninety yards.
the target practically six inch bulls
eye jerks took careful aim, fired. and
a Whit Of sand flew up.
Perhaps he had used too fine sight
and plowed n furrow beneath the by
axis ear. lie only heard faint yell,
but the enterprising head vanished. ami
there were no more volunteers for that
particular service.
He was still peering Mt the place
when n cry Of unmitigated anguish
came from Iris:
"Oh. come quick! Our water! The
casks have burst!'
1t was not until jerks had torn the
tarpaulin from Off their stores and he
was wildly striving with both hands to
scoop up some precious drops collected
in the small hollows Of the ledge that
he realized the full magnitude Of the
disaster which had befallen them.
During the first rapid exchange Of
fire before the enemy vacated the cliff
several bullets had pierced the tarpau-
lin. BY stroke Of exceeding bad for
tune two Of them had struck each Of
the water barrels and started the
staves. The contents quietly ebbed
away beneath the broad sheet and.
flowing inward by reason Of the sharp
slope Of the ledge. percOlated through
the fault. Iris and he, Notwithstanding
their frenZied efforts, were not able to
save more than a pint Of gritty discol-
Ored fluid. The rest, infinitely more
valuable to them than all the diamonds
Of De Beers. was now Oozing through
the natural channel cut by centuries of
storm. dripping upon the headless skel-
etOn in the cave. soaking down to the
very heart Of their buried treasure.
jerks was SO parHlyzed by this ca
tastrophe that Iris became alarmed.
As yet she did not grasp its awful sig
nificance. That he. her hero. SO brave.
80 confident in the face Of many dan
gers, should betray such sense Of IRE
deemable loss frightened her much
more than the incident itself.
Her lips whitened. Her words be-
came incOherent
"Tell me-" she whispered. II can
bear anything but silence Tell me, 1
implore you. Is it SO badT"
The sight Of her distress sobered
him. lie ground his teeth together as
a man does who submits to painful
operation and resolves not to finch be-
meath the knife.
ut is very bad" he said; mot quite
the end. but near It,"
1.-THE end" she bravely answered, "ls
death! We are living and unintured.
You must fight on. II the Lord wills 1t
we snail not die"
He looked in her blue eyes and saw
there the light Of heaven. Her glance
did not droop before his In such mo-
ments heart speaks to heart without
concealment
1--WE still have little water" she
cried. FORTUNATELY we are not thirsty.
You have not forgotten our supply of
champagne and brandy?"
He could only fall In with her unre-
Elective mood and leave the dreadful
truth to its own evil time. In their lit
tie nook the power Of the sun had moi
yet made itself felt. BY ordinary com
putation 1t was about 0 o'clock. Long
before noon they would be grilling
Throughout the next few hours they
must suffer the torture Of Dives with
one meager pint of water to share be
tween them. or course the wine and
spirit must be Stunned like a pesti.
lence. To touch either under such con.
oitions would be counting heat. apo
plexy and death. And next day!
lie frightened his jaws before he an.
swered:
1--WE will console ourselves with bot.
tie Of champagne for dinner Mean
while l hear our friends shouting to
those left on this side Of the island. I
must take an active interest In the
conversation"
He grasped rifle and lay down on
the ledge, already gratefully warm
There was good deal Of sustained
shouting going on. jerks thought he
recognized the chiefs voice giving In.
structiOns to those who had come
from Smugglers' cove and were now
standing on the beach near the quarry,
Il wonder II he is hungry" he
thought. III SO. l will interfere with
the cOmmissariat."
Iris peeped forth at him.
Mr.. Jenks!"
YES" without turning his head. He
knew 1t was an ordinary question.
May l come too?"
What. expose yourself on the ledger
hnf 4