Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-04-26
eye. jerks took careful aim, fired, and
1,fe.

Whit of sand flew up.
Perhaps he had used too fine a sight
and plowed furrow beneath the Dy-
axis ear. He only heard faint yell,
but the enterprising head vanished, and
there were no more volunteers for that
particular service.
He was still peering at the place
when a 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 lie
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 bcfallen 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
slaves. The contents quietly ebbel
away beneath the broad sheet and,
flowing inward by reason of the sharp
slope of the ledge, percolated through
the fault. Iris and lie, Notwithstanding
their frenZieil efforts, were not able to
save more than Il pint of gritty discol-
orcd fluid. The rest, infinitely more
valuable to them than all the diamonds
of DE Peers, 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 pnralyzed by this ca
tastrophc that Iris became alarmed.
AS yet she did not grasp its awful sig
nificance. That lie, her hero, so brave,
so confident in the face of many dan
gers, should bctray such sense of ire
deemable loss frightened Der much
more than the incident itself.
Her lips whitened. Her words be-
came incohercnt.
"Tell me-" she whispered 81 can
bear anything but silence. Tell me,
imDlore you. Is it so bad?"
The sight of her distress sobered
him. He ground his teeth together MS
man docs 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,"
"The end" she bravely answered, as
death. We are living and uninjured
You must fight on. If the Lord wills 1t
we shall not die
lie 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
conccalmcnt
Eve still have a 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 not
yet made itself felt BY ordinary com
putation it was about . o'clock. Long
before noon they would be griling.
Throughout the next few hours they
must suffer the torture of Dives with
one meagcr pint of water to share be-
tween them. OF course TIC wine and
spirit must be stunned like IL pesti-
lence. To touch either under such con
ditions would be counting heat, apo
pleXy and death And next day!
He frightened his jaws before he an
swered:
1--WE will console ourselves with bot
tie of champagne for dinner Mean
While hear our friends shouting to
those left on this side of the island.
must take an active interest in the
conversation"
He <grasped IL rifle and lay down on
the ledge, already gratefully warm.
There was n good deal of sustained
shouting going on. jerks thought lie
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 il he is hungry" lie
thought. "If so, will interfere with
the commissariat."
Iris peeped forth at him.
'AIr. Jenks."
Yes" without turning his head. He
! knew 1T was an ordinary question.
May ! come too?'
| What. expose yourself on the ledger
"Ies, even that. l am so tired of
sitting here alone"
We'll, there is no danger at present.
But they might chance to see you, and
you remember what r.
YES, l remember quite well. If that
is alp There was Il rustic of gar
ments. Il am very mannish in appear
ance. If you promise not to look at me
| will join YOU
II promise"
Iris stepped forth. She was flushed
a little, and, to cover her confusion.
maybe, she picked up a rife
Now tlere are two guns" she sail
as she stood near him.
He could see through the tail of his
eye that a slight but elegantly pro-
portioned young gentleman of the sea-
faring profession had suddenly appear
ed from nowhere. He was glad she
had taken this course. 1t might better
the position were the Dyalis to see Eer
thus.
''The moment tell you you must fall
fiat" he warned her. mo ceremony
about it. Just flop!"
81 don't know anything better cal
culated to make one flop than bullet"
she laughed. Not yet did the tragedy
of the broken kegs appeal to her.
Eyes, but it achieves It's purpose in
two ways. want you to adopt the
precautionary method"
"Trust me for that. Good graciousn'
The sailors rife went off with an
unexpected bang that froZe the excla-
nation on her lips. Three Dyaks were
attempting TO run the gantlct to their
beleaguered comrades. They carried
jar and two wicker baskets. He with
the jar fell ard broke 1t. The others
doubled back like hares, and the first
man dragged himself after them. jerks
did not fire again.