Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1905-06-24
CHATTER MI.

stern sense Of duty. the ingrained force
or long years OF military discipline and
soldierly thought, compelled him to keep
watch and ward over his fortress. but
he could not help asking himself what
would happen IL Iris were seriously
wounded
There was one enemy more potent
than these skuiking Dyaks. foe more
irresistible In his might more pitiless
in bis strength. whose assaults would
tax to the utmost their powers OF re-
ststance. In another hour the sun
would be high In the heavens. pouring
his ardent rays upon them and drying
the blood In their veins.
Hitherto the active life OF the island
the shade of trees, hut or cave. the
power Of unrestricted movement and
the possession OF water in any desired
quantity robbed the tropical heat OF
the day OF its chief terrOrs. Now all
was changed. Instead OF working
amid grateful foliage they were bound
TO the brown rock. which soon would
glow with radiated energy and give
of scorching gusts like unto the open
ing OF a furnace door
This he had fOreseen all along The
tarpauln would yield them some de-
gree OF uneasy protection and they
both were in perfect physical condl.
ton. Buff Iris were wounded II
the extra strain brought fever in its
wake. That way he saw nothing but
blank despair. TO be ended for her by
delirium and merciful death. for him
by a Berserk rush among the Dyaks
and one last mad fight against over
whelming numbers.
Then the girls voice reached him.
self reliant. almost cheerful.
You will be glad 10 hear that the
cut has stopped bleeding. II Is only
a scratch"
So a kindly Providence had spared
them yet n little while The cloud
passed from his mind. the gathering
mist from his eyes. In that instant he
thought he detected a slight rlistllng
among the trees where the cliff shelly
ed up from the house. Standing as he
was on the edge OF the rock. this was a
point he could not guard against.
When her welcome assurance recall
ed his scattered senses he stepped
back TO speak 10 her. and IN the same
instant n couple OF bullets crashed
against the rock overhead. Iris had
unwittingly saved him from a serious.
perhaps fatal. wound.
He sprang 10 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 dlved headlong into
the underground for safety. but one
OF them was too late. jerks rifle
reached him, and its reverberating con-
cussiOn, tossed back and forth by the
echoing rocks. drowned his parting
scream.
In the plenitude OF restored vigor the
sailor waited for no counter demon
stration. lie turned and crouchlngly
approached the southern end or hfs
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
whiI OF sand flew up.
Perhaps he had used too tine n sight
and plowed furrow beneath the Dy-
axis ear. He only heard faint yell.
but the enteTprising head vanished. and
there We're no more volunteers for that
particular service
lie was still peering at the place
when cry OF unmitlgated anguish
came from Iris:
'Oh. come quick. Our water! The
casks have burst.'
IL was not until jerks had torn the
tarpaulin from OF their stores and he
was wildly striving with both hands 10
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 a stroke Of exceeding bad for
tune two of them had struck each OF
the water barrels and started the
slaves. 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 pint of gritty discoi-
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 10 the
very heart Of their buried treasure
jerks was so paralyzed by this ca
tastrophe that Iris became alarmed.
AS yet she did not grasp its awful sig
nifcance. That be, her hero. so brave.
so confident In the face OF many dan
gers. should betray such sense OF ire
deemabie 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. I
smplore you. Is IL so badr'
The sight OF her distress sobered
him. He ground his teeth together as