The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-08-26

MOI DtIuS cut Oul lOI ell
terprise, I tried to become a good of
ficer. \ year ago, when the govern
ment asked for volunteers to form
Chinese regiments, / sent in my name
and was accepted. I had the good for
tune to serve under an old friend. Colo
mel CostobelI, but some malign star
sent Lord Eentnor to the far east,
this time in an important civil capaci-
ty. / met him occasionally, and we
found we did not like each other any
better My horse beat his for the Pa
CODA Hurdle handicap. Poor old Sui
tan, / wonder where he is nowr'
Colonel Costobell fell i'll, and the
command of the regiment devolved up
on me. our only major being absent in
the interior The colonel's wife unhap-
PLY, chose that moment to flirt, as peo
pie say, with Lord Ventnor. Not hav-
ing learned the ACCESSIBILITY of minding
my own business, | demonstrated with
her, thus making her my deadly enc
my. Lord NentuOr contriyed an Off
cial mission to neighboring town and
detailed ME for the military charge. /
sent junior officer. Then Mrs. Costo-
bell and he deliberately concocted a
plot to ruin me. he for the sake of his
old animOSity-you remember that |
had also crossed his path in Egypt
she because she feared | would speak
to her husband. On pretense of seek
ing my advice she inyeigled me at
night into Il deserted corner of the club
grounds at Hongkong. Lord yentnor
appeared, and as the upshot of their
villa cta which to1 m
mediate uproar. well, Miss Deane,
nearly killed him."
Iris wildly recalled the anguish he
betrayed when this topic was inadver-
tently preached one day early in their
acquaintance Now he was reciting his
painful history with the air of a man
far more concerned to be scrupulously
accurate than aroused in his deepest
passions by the memory of past
wrongs. What had happened in the in |
term TO blunt these bygone sufferings?
Iris clasped her locket. She thought
she knew.
THE remainder may be told in a SEN
tence" he said. "Of what avail We're
my frenZied statements against the |
definite proofs aGdnced by Lord Vent |
nor and his unfortunate ally? Even |
her husband believed her and became |
my bitter foe Poor woman, 1 have it
in my heart to pity her. Well, that is |
all. / am here"'
Can q man be ruined so easi1y?"
murmured the girl. her exquisite tact
leading her to avoid any direct express
sion of sympathy.
1T seems so. But / have had my re
ward. If ever l meet Mrs. Costobell I
again l will thank her for a great serv-
ice"
Iris suddenly became confused. Her
brow and neck tingled with a quick /
access of color.
why do you say that?" she asked. /
And jerks, who was rising, either did
not hear or pretended not to hear the
tremor in her tone.
Because you once told me you would
never marry Lord Ventnor. and after
what L have told you now 1 am quite
sure you will not
''Ah, then you do trust me-" she al
most whispered.
He forced back the words trembling
for utterance He even strove weakly
to assume an air Of good humored
badinage.
See how you have tempted me from
work, Miss Deane." he cried. I'VE have
Sossiped here until the fire grew tired
of our company. To bed, please, at
once
Iris caught him by the arm
Il will pray tonight and every night"
she said solemnly. that your good
name may be cleared in the eyes of all
men. as it is in mine. And 1 am sure
my prayer will be answered"
She passed into her chamber, but her
angelic influence remained. In his
very soul the man thanked God for the
which brought this woman
into his life. He had traversed the
to find an oasis of rare
beauty.
It was a beautiful night After a
baking hot day the rocks We're radiat-
ing their stored up heat. but the pleas
ant southwesterly breeze that general
~ set in at sunset tempered the at
mosphere and made sleep refreshing
jerks could not settle down to rest for
a little while after Iris left him. She
did not bring forth her lamp, and. I'M
willing to disturb her. he picked up
reSlnOuS Dfancn, lit II IN the dying IRE
and went into the cave.
He wanted to survey the work al
ready done and to determine whether
it would be better to resume operations
in the morning from inside the eXca-
walton or from the ledge. Owing TO
the difficulty of constructing vertical
upward shaft and the danger of q sud
den fall of heavy material he decided
in favor of the latter course, although
it entailed lifting all the refuse out of
the hole. To save time, therefore, he
carried his mining tools into the open,
placed in position the cheval de frise
long since constructed for the defense
of the entrance and poured water over
the remains of the fire.
This was his final care each night
before stretching his weary limbs on
his couch OF branches. 1t caused delay
in the morning, but he neglected no
precaution. and there was a possible
chance OF the Dyaks failing to discover
the eagles nest if they Were persuad-
ed by other indications that the island
was deserted.
He entered the hut and was in the