The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1905-03-17
By LOUIS
TRACY
Copyright. 1908. by
EIuyard rlnd.

Your case Is very different. l knew
the men would not hurt me-after the
first shock of their appearance had
passed, l mean. l also knew that you
would save me. But you, Mr.. jerks,
had to do the fighting. You were called
upon to rescue precious me. Good gra-
cious! No wonder you were excited"
The sailor mentally expressed his in
ability to grasp the complexities OF
feminine nature, but Iris ratified on:
II carried my tin of water to the
pitcher plant and was listening to the
greedy roots gurglng away for dear
life when suddenly four men sprang
out from among the trees and seized
my arms before l could reach my re-
volver"
"Thank heaven you failed!'
"You think that if / had fired at them
they would have retaliated. Yes, espe-
cially if l had hit the chief. But it was
he who instantly gave some order, and
/ suppose it meant that they were not
to hurt me. AS matter of fact, they
seemed to be quite as much astonished
as 1 was alarmed. But if they could
hold my hands they could not stop my
voice so readily. Oh, didn't / yell?"
"You did,
81 suppose you could not hear me
1istinctlyY
"Quite distinctly"
every word?"
Eyes"
She bent to pick some leaves and bits
Of dry grass from her dress. "Well,
you know" she continued rapidly, Gin
such moments one cannot choose ones
words. l just shouted the first thing
that came into my head"
"And l." he said, picked up the first
rifle | could lay my hands on. Now,
Miss Deane, as the affair has ended so
happily, may | venture to ask you to
remain in the cave until l return?'
"Oh, please she began.
REALLY, l must insist 1 would not
leave you if it were not quite impera-
five. You cannot dome with me-"
Then she understood one at least of
the tasks he must perform and she
meekly obeyed.
He thought it best to go along Turtle
beach to the cove and thence follow
the Dyaks' trail through the wood, as
this line of advance would entail prac-
tically Il complete circuit of the island
He omitted no precautions in his adj
vance. Often he stopped and listened
intently. Whenever he doubled point
or passed among the trees he crept
back and peered along the way he had
come to see if any lurking foes were
breaking shelter behind him.
The marks on the sand proved that
only one sampan had been beached.
Thence he found nothing of special in
terest until he came upon the chiefs
| gun lying close to the trees on the
north side. 1t was very ornamental
weapon, muzzle loader. The stock
was inlaid with gold and ivory, and
the piece had evidently been looted
from some mandarin's junk surprised
-ad sacked in former foray.
The lock was smashed by the impact
of jerks rifle bullet, but close in
vestigation of the trigger guard and
| the discovery of certain unmistakable
evidences on the beach showed that
the Dyak leader had lost two if not
three fingers of his right hand.
$50 lie has something more than his
passion to nurse" unused jerks That
at any rate, is fortunate. He will be
in no mood for further enterprise for
some time to come"
He dreaded lest any of the Dyaks
should be only badly wounded and like
Nv to live. 1t was an actual relief to
his nerves to find that the improviscd
dumdums had done their work too well
to permit anxiety on that score.
lie gathered the guns, swords and
creeses of the slain, with all their un
couth belts and ornaments. In pursu
ance of q vaguely defined plan of fu
ture action he also Invested some OF
the men of their coarse garments ant
collected six queer looking hats shaped
like inverted basins. These things h'
placed in heap near the pitcher
plants. Thenceforth for half an houl
the placid surface of the lagoon was
disturbed by the black dorsal fins o.
many sharks.
His guess ut the weather condition:
heralded by the change of wind was
right. AS the two partook of their even
ing meal the complaining surf lashet
the reef, and the tremulous branches o
the taller trees voiced the approach o
gale. A tropical storm-not typhoon
but belated burst of the periodic
rains-deluged the island before mid
; night. Hours earlier Iris retired, utter
ly worn by the events Of the day
! The gale chanted wild melody II
mournful chords, and the noise of tn
watery downpour on the tarpaulin roo
of Belle vue castle was such as to rem
der conversation impossible save Fl
wearying shouts.
Luckily jerks carpentry was effec
tive, though rough. The building wa
, water tight, and he had calked ever
crevice with unraveled rope until Iris
apartment was free from the TIMES
draft.
II The very. fury Of the external -turmol