Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1905-05-26

a transient, but for Tie hour they
IN exhaust the psychic capacity
The sailor had gone through
such mental stress before 1t was yet
noon that he WAS henuInbed. wholly In
capable of further sensation.
Being In good condition, he soon re-
covered his physical powers. lie was
outwardly little the worse for the en-
counter with the deviltish. The skin
around his mouth was sore. His waist
and legs We're bruised. one sweep OF
the ax had cut clean through the bulg-
ting leather Of his left boot without
practically uninjured.
He had the doglike habit of shaking
himself at the close of n fray. lie did
30 now when he stood up. Iris showed
clearer signs of the ordeal. Her face
vas drawn and haggard, the pupils Of
her eyes dilated. She was gazing into
depths illimitable. unexplored. Com
passion awoke ut sight Of her.
Come" said jerks gently. Let US
get back to the island"
He quietly resumed predominance,
helping her over the rough pathway Of
the reef. almost lifting her when the
difficulties We're great.
He did not ask her how 1t happened
that she came SO speedily to his assist
ance. Enough that she had done it,
daring all for his sake She was weak
and trembling.
Reaching the firm sand, she could
walk alone.
"Did-the thing-grip your" she
nervously inquired.
-All over at once. it felt like. The
beast attacked me with five arms"
She shuddered. II DON'T know how
you could fight It" she said. How
strong. how brave, you must ber'
This amused him. The veriest cow
ard will try to save his own life" he an
swer0d. III you use such adjectives to
nc. what words can I End to do JUS
tee to y0u, who dared to como close
to such q vile booking creature and
Kill It must thank my stars that you
carried the revolver"
"Ah!" she said. THAT reminds me.
I found your pistol lying on the stone
In the cave. That Is one reason why
I followed you"
It was quite true. He laid the
weapon aside when delving at the rock
and forgot to replace 1t In his belt.
1T was stupid Of me-" he admitted,
but 0m not sorry"
"whyr
Because. as It Is, 1 owe you my
life"
"You owe me nothing" she snapped.
TT is very thoughtless Of you to run
such risks. What will become of me
u anything happens to you? My point
Of view is purely selfish. you see."
"Quite so. Purely selfish" He smil-
ID sadly. Selfish people Of your type
are somewhat rare, Miss Deane."
She moved toward the cave, but he
cried:
wait one minute. want to get a
couple of crowbars."
"what for?
II must 60 back there" He terked
bis head in the direction Of the reef.
She uttered little sob Of dismay.
II will incur no danger this time" be
explained. Il found rifles there. We
must have them: they may mean sal
vation."
When Iris was determined about
anything her chin dimpled. 1t puck
cred delightfully."- now.
II will come with you," she announc.
3D.
VERY we'll. will wait for you. The
tide will serve fur another hour"
He knew he had decided rightly. She
could not bear to be alone-yet. Soon
the crowbars were secured, and they
returned to the reef. Scrambling now
with difficulty over the rough and dan
gerous track, Iris was secretly amazed
By the remembrance of the daring &C
tivity she displayed during her earlier
passage along the same precar1ous
roadway.
Then she darted from rock to rock
with the fearless certainty Of cha.
mois. Her only stumble was caused,
she recollected. by an absurd effort to
avoid wettihg her dress. She laughed
nervously when they reached the place
This time jerks lifted her across the
Intervening channel.
They were standing on the taudward
aide Of the shallow water in which he
fought the octopus.
Already the dark fluid emitted by his
assailant in Its final discontinue was
n " nrx-in 80 h1c l~,I,<
ment Of the tide.
Now that you have brought me here
with so much difficulty. what are YOU
going to do"" she said. 1T will BIZ
madness for you to attempt to ford
that passage again. Where there i:
one Of those horrible things there are
Dthers. suppose"
THAT is one reason why brought
the crowbars." he explained. III yor
will sit down for a little while will
have everything properly fixed"
He delved with one Of the bars unit
It lodged In q crevice Of the coral
Then q few powerful blows with tn,
back Of the ak wedged it firmly enough
to bear any ordinary strain. The rop'
ends reeved through the pulley on thu
tree were lying where they fell from
the girls hand at the close Of tn,
struggle. He deity knotted them to tn,
rigid bar. and few rapid turns Of {
piece Of wreckage passed between tn,
two lines strung them into a tautnes.
that could not be attained by AM
amount Of pulling.
Iris watched the operation in silence
The sailor always looked at his hes
when hard at work. The half sullen
wholly self contained expression lef
bis face, which lit up with enthusiasm
and concentrated intelligence. Tha
which he essayed he did with all hi
might
He. toiling with steady persistence
felt not the inward spur which sough
relief in speech, but Iris was compelled
to say something.
Il suppose" she commented with al
air Of much wisdom. you are contriY