The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-07-13

COuAuduu OF Tue regiment QeVOlYed up
on me, our only major being absent in
the interior. The colonels wife, unhap-
PLY, chose that moment to firt, as peo-
pie say, with Lord Ventnor. Not hay-
ing learned the advisability of Winding
my own business, demonstrated with
her, thus making her my deadly enc
my. Lord Ventnor contrived an off,
cial mission to neighboring town and
detailed me for the military charge. I
sent a Junior officer. Then Mrs. Costo-
bell and he deliberately concocted a
plot to ruin me, he for the sake of his
old animosity-you remember that I
had also crossed his path in Egypt
she because she feared I would speak
to ner husband On pretense Of seek
ing my advice she inyeigled me at
night into deserted corner of the club
grounds at Hongkong. Lord Ventnor
appeared, and as the upshot Of their
vile statements, which created an i'm
mediate uproar, I-well, Miss Deane, I
nearly killed him.
Iris wildly recalled the anguish he
betrayed when this topic was inadver-
tently preached one day early in their
acquaintance. Now he was reciting his
painful history with the air of a man
far more concerned to be scrupulously
accurate than aroused in his deepest
passions by the memory of past
wrongs. What had happened in the in
term to blunt these bygone sufferings?
Iris clasped her locket. She thought
she knew.
1.-THE remainder may be told in a SEN
tence,' he said. "Of what avail were
my frenzied statements against the
definite proofs adduced by Lord Vent
nor and his unfortunate ally? Even
her husband believed her and became
my bitter foe. Poor woman! I have it
in my heart to pity her. Well, that is
all. I am here!'
Can man be ruined so easily?"
murmured the girl, her exquisite tact
leading her to avoid any direct express
sion of sympathy.
1T seems SO. But 1 have had my re-
ward. If ever I meet Mrs Costobell
again I will thank her for a great serv-
ice.''
Iris suddenly became confused. Her
brow and neck tingled with a quick
access of color.
why do you say that?'' she asked.
And jerks, who was rising, either did
not hear or pretended not to hear the
tremor in her tone.
Because you once told me you would
never marry Lord Ventnor, and after
what I have told you now I am quite
sure you will not"
"Ah, then you do trust me-" she al
most whispered.
He forced back the words trembling
for utterance. He even strove weakly
to assume an air Of good humored
badinage.
'See how you have tempted me from
work, Miss Deane," he cried. eve have
gossiped here until the fire grew tired
of our company. To bed, please at
once.'
Iris caught him by the arm.
II will pray tonight and every night"
she said solemnly, that your good
name may be cleared in the eyes of all
men, as it is in mine. And I am sure
my prayer will be answered."
She passed into her chamber but her
angelic influence remained. In his
very soul the man thanked God for the
tribulation which brought this woman
into his life. He had traversed the
wilderness to find an oasis of rare
beauty.
1t was a beautiful night After
baking hot day the rocks were radiat-
ing their stored up heat, but the pleas
ant southwesterly breeze that general
~ set in at sunset tempered the at
mosphere and made sleep refreshing.
jerks could not settle down to rest for
little while after Iris left him. She
did not bring forth her lamp, and, IN
willing to disturb her, he picked up
resinous branch, lit it in the dying fire
and went into the cave.
He wanted to survey the work al
ready done and to determine whether
! it would be better to resume operations
IN the morning from inside the exca-
walton or from the ledge. Owing to
the difficulty of constructing a vertical
upward shaft and the danger of a sud-
den fall Of heavy material he decided
III favor of the latter course, although
it entailed lifting all the refuse out of
the hole. To save time, therefore, he
carried his mining tools into the open,
placed in position the cheval de frise
long since constructed for the defense
of the entrance, and poured water over
the remains Of the fire.
This was his final care each night
before stretching his weary limbs on
his couch of branches. It caused delay
in the morning, but he neglected no
precaution, and there was a possible
chance Of the Dyaks failing to discover
the eagles nest if they were persuad-
ed by other indications that the island
was deserted.
He entered the hut and was in the
act of pulling off his boots when dis
tant shot rang sharply through the air.
1t was magnifed tenfold by the in
tense silence. For few seconds, that