The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-07-12
By LOUIS
TRACY
ccoyrieht. 1905. by
Edward J. Ciode

q
bearded civilian seated beside an OIL
Ger Sc the stern sheets Of a small gig
now threading path through the bro
ken reef beyond Turtle beach. In five
minutes father. and daughter would
meet.
Meanwhile the officer, intent on duty,
addressed jerks again.
.May ask who you are?"
"My name is Anstruther-Robert An
struther."
Iris, clinging to his arm, heard the
reply.
So he had abandoned all pretense
he was ready to face the world at her
side She stole loving glance at him
as she cried:
Eyes; Captain Anstruther of the In
dian staff corps. If he will not tell
you all that he has done, how he has
saved my life twenty times, how he
has fought single handed against
eighty men, ask mev'
Captain Anstruther does not appear
to have left much for us to do, Miss
Deane," the officer said. Indeed" ="
turning to Robert, sis there any way
in which my men will be useful"
"I would recommend that they drag
the green stuff off that fire and stop
the smoke. Then a detachment should
go round the north side Of the island
and drive the remaining Dyaks into
the hands Of the party you have landed,
as understand, at the farther end OF
the south beach. Mir Jan, the Moham-
medan here, who has been most faith
full ally during part Of our siege, will
act. as guide"
The other man cast a comprehensive
glance over the rock, with its scaling
ladders and dangling rope ladder, the
cave, the little groups Of dead or un-
conscious pirates-for every wounded
man who could move limb had
crawled away after the first shell burst
and drew a deep breath.
"How long were you up there" ne
asked.
"Over thirty hours"
"It was a great fight!'
somewhat worse than it looks,'' said
Anstruther. ''This is only the end Of
II. Altogether we have accounted for
nearly twoscore Of the poor devils"
Robert looked toward the approach
ing boat. She would not land yet for
couple Of minutes.
"By Tie way" be said, will you
tell me your name?"
.Playdon Lieutenant Philip H..
Playdon."
"Do you know to what nation this
island belongs?"
cit is no mans land, I think. It is
marked 'uninhabited' on the chart"
'aThen," said Anstruther, 81 call upon
you, Lieutenant Playdon. and all others
here present to witness that I, Robert
Anstruther, late of the Indian army,
acting on BEHALF Of myself and Miss
Iris Deane, declare that we have taken
possession of this island in the name
Of his Britannia majesty the king Of
England, that we are the joint occu-
piers and owners thereof and claim all
property rights vested therein"
These formal phrases, coming at such
q moment, amazed his hearers. Iris
alone had an inkling Of the underlying
motive.
81 don't suppose any one will dispute
your title" said the naval officer grave
ly. He unquestionably imagined that
suffering and exposure had slightly dis
turbed the other mans senses.
| Thank you," replied Robert with
equal composure, though he felt in
clined to laugh at Playdon's mystifica-
ton. II only wished to secure sufi-
cient number Of witnesses for verbal
| declaration. When I have few min
utes to spare will af6x a legal notice
on the wall in front Of our cave
Playdon bowed silently. There was
something in tie speakers manner that
puzzled him. He detailed small guard
to accompany Robert and Iris, who
now walked toward the beach. and
asked Mir Jan to pilot him as suggest
cd by Anstruther.
The boat was yet many yards from
s..ore when Iris ran forward and
stretched out her arms to the man vino
1.ls staring at her with wistful de-
| spar.
Father! Father" she cried. Dom
you know me?'
Sir Arthur Deane was looking at the
two strange figures on the sands, and
each moment his heart sank lower.
This island held his final hope. During
many weary weeks. since the day when
4 kindly admiral placed the cruiser
Orient at his disposed, he had secured
tie China sea. the coasts Of Borneo and
s2.va for some tidings of the i'll fated
S;rlar
To examine every sand patch and
tee covered shoal in the China sea was
an Impossible task. All tho Orient
could do was to visit the principal is
lands and institute inquiries among the
fishermen and small traders. At last.
the previous night. a Malay. tempted
Il