Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-05-16
NUMBER 20.

get some sleep before daylight. How
did you know was not in the castle|
II cannot tell you. awOke and
knew you were not near me. II wake
in the night I can always tell whether
or not you are in the next room. So
l dressed and came out"
"Ah"' he said quietly. Evidently
/ snore"
Iris retreated, and the sailor, tired
out at last, managed to close his weary
eyes.
Next morning lie hastily constructed
pole of sufficient length ard strong
enough 20 bear his weight by tying two
sturdy young trees together with ropes.
Iris helped Lin to raise 1t against the
face OF the precipir" md lie at once
climbed to the ledge.
Here he found his observations of the
previous night abundantly verified. The
ledge was even wider than he dared 10
hope nearly ten feet deep in one part.
and il sloped sharply downward from
the outer lip of the rock. BY lying tat
md carefully testing all points OF view
he uScertained tina, the only possible
| positions from which even glimpse
of the interior tloor could he obtained
we're the branches of Il few tall trees
aGd tie extreme right Of the opposing
| precipice, nearly ninety yards distant.
| There was ample room to store water
and provisions. and lie quickly saw
ftN.a
| fierce rays of the sun and the often
piercing cold of the night might he
achieved by Judiciously rigging up a
tarpaulin.
This is genuine bit of good luck"
he unused. Here. provided neither OF
| us Is hit, we can hold ont for a week
| or longer ut pinch. How can ii be
possible that | should have lived on
this island SO many days and yet hit
upon this nook Of safety by mere
chance. as il were:'
Not until he reached the level again
could he solve the puzzle. Then he
perceived that the way in which the
cliff bulged out on both sides prevent
ed the ledge from becoming evident In
profile, while. seen in the glare Of the
sunlight, it suggested no,hing more
than Il slight indentation.
He rapidly sketchei 10 Iris the de-
fensive plan which tie cages nest
| suggested. Access must Ee provided
by means of II rope ladder. securely
| fastened inSit!" tie ledge and capable
-, H. I.J lnr ,lnsyn ..
will OF the occupants. Then tie place
must he kept constantly stocke,! with
Il judicious supply Of provisions. water
and ammunition. Ilcy could lc COW
cred with Il tarpaulin ANA thus kept III
fairly good condition.
We ought to sleep there every
night" he went Oh, ANA his mind WAS
so engroSSed with The tactical side Of
tie preparations that lie uid not notice
how Iris blanchei ;.t the suggestion.
surely not until danger actually
threatensT' she cried.
Danger threaten; lis each hour after
sunset. 1t may come amy "ht, though
| expect at least "A fortnishtS reprieve.
Nevertheless | intend 10 act us II to-
night may witness the lirst siiot Of
the siege
"Do you mean that" she sighed.
"And my little room is becoming SO
very cOzy.."
jerks always accepted her words lit
era.ly.
~ ell" he announced. after Il pause.
| ..;t Lao. fn t.liS,
our u;!artr"s there unt.i the eleventh
hour After | have ho.atcd up our
stores and l.i:.,!e the ladder will ell
dyayOr 10 lc,i|c IN c..!t.rnt Gordon OF
.;c.ltinrlS around our position. We viii
see
Not another word c1a.d Iris get out
OF him on the topic Indeed. lie provided
her with rlcnty OF work. BY shi' time
she could splice rope more neatly
Than her tutor. and her particular busi-
ness was 10 prepare ID less than sixty
rlIngS for the rope ladder. This was
an impossible task for one day. but
after dinner the sailor helped her.
They toiled late, until their fingers
were sore and their backbones creaked
as they sat upright.
Meanwhile jerks swarmed up the
pole again and drew up after him
crowbar. the sledge hammer and the
pickaX. With these implements lie set
to work to improve the accommoda ton.
or course he did not attempt seriously
to remove any large quantity OF rock,
but there We're projecting Jumps here
and inequalities Of hoor there which
could be thumped Or pounded out OF
existence.
1t WAS surprising to see what
clearance Le made in an hour. The en-
istence of the fault helped him Il good
deal, rs the percolation OF water at this
point had oXidized the stone 10 rotten
ness. To his great joy lie discovered
that few prods with the pick laid
bare small cavity which could be
easily enlarged. Here he contriyed
niche where Iris could remain in alb
solute safety when barrcaded by
stores. while, with Il squeeze Sue was
entirely sheltered from the one dan
gerous point on the opposite ciiiI, nor
need she be seen from the trees.