Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-01-25

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tute more genuine plea--curiosity,"
she cried.
Then you will be grnti1ed promptly.
These are our sentinels. Come with
me to allot his post to the most dis
tant one"
lie picked up fagot with its queer
attachment, shouldered rife and
smiled when he saw the businesslike
air with which Iris slung a revolver
around her waist.
They walked rapidly to Smugglers'
cove, and the girl soon perceived the
ingenuity of his automatic signal. He
tree where it was hidden by the under
growth Breaking the bullet out of a
cartridge, he placed the blank charge
in position In front of the hammer, the
case being firmly clasped by bent
nail. TO the trigger. the spring Of
which lie had eased to a slight pres
sure, he attached piece Of unraveled
rope, and this he carefully trained
among the trees ut height of six
inches from the ground, using as car
riers nails driven into the trunks.
The ultimate result was that mere
swish of Iris dress against the taut
cord exploded the cartridge.
"There!' he exclaimed exutantly.
"Whea I have driven stakes into the
sand To the waters edge on both sides
of the cove, will defy them to land by
night without giving us warning"
DO you know" said Iris, in all Sc
81. ar ato
est man in the world
He was manifestly pleased by the
success of his Ingenious contrivance
and forthwith completed the Gordon.
10 make doubly sure he set another
snare farther within the trees. He was
certain the Dyaks would not pass
along Turtle beach If they could help
it. BY this time the light was failing.
THAT will suffice for the present" he
told the girl. Tomorrow we will place
other sentries in position at strategic
points. Then we can sleep In the castle
with tolerable safety"
BY the meager light Of the tiny lamp
they laborcd scGulousiy at the rope
ladder until Iris eyes were closing
with sheer WEAKNESS. Neither of them
had slept much during the preceding
night, and they were both completely
tired
Tho first streaks of dawn were tip
ping the opposite crags with roseate
tints when the sailor was suddenly
aroused by what he believed to be a
gunshot. He could not be sure. He
was still collecting his scattered senses,
straining eyes and ears intensely, when
there came n second report.
Then he knew what had happened.
The sentries on the Smugglers' cove
post We're faithful to their trust. The
enemy was upon them.
At such a moment jerks was not a
man who prayed. Indeed, he was prone
to invoke the neither powers, a habit
long since acquired by the British ar
my-in Flanders. it is believed.
There was not n moment to be lost.
He rushed into Iris room and gathered
her in his arms. He explained to the
girl as he ran with her to the foot Of
the rock that she must cling to his
shoulders with unfalterng courage
while he climbed to the ledge with the
aid OF the pole and the rope placed
there the previous day. 1t was a mag
nifcent feat Of strength that he essay
ed In calmer moments he would have
sLrunk from its performance If only
on the score Of danger to the precious
burden he carried. Now there was no
time for thought. Up he went. hand
over hand, clinging to the rough pole
| ;tI. xE< A,tN . l.
ing turn Of the rope over his right
wrist at each upward clutch. At last,
breathless, but triumphant. he reached
the ledge and was able to gasp his in
structions to Iris to craw! over his bent
back and head until she was safely
. lodged on the broad platform of rock.
Then before she could eXpostulatc he
descended, this time for the rifles
These he hastily slung to the rope
again swarmed up the pole and drew
the guns after him with infinite care.
"Now we are ready for them" he
growled, lying prone on the ledge and
eagerly scanning both sides of Pros.
pect park for first glimpse of their
. assGilants.
For two shivering hours they waited
. there until the sun was high over the
cliff and filed sea and land with its
brightness, At last, despite the girls
tears and prayers, jerks insisted Oh
|, making a reconnaissance in person.
!, Let this portion of their adventures
, be passed over with merciful brevity
Both watch guns had been fired by a
troop of tiny wou-wou monkeys. Iris
did not know whether to laugh or cry
when jerks, with much difficulty, low.
cred her to Mother Earth again and
, marveled the while how he had man
! aged to carry forty feet into tile air O
young woman who weighed so soldly.
They sat down to belated break
fast, and jerks then became conscious
, that the muscles of his arms. legs and
back were aching hugely. 1t was by
that means he could judge the true ex'
cent of his achievement.
A