Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-02-15

up with Iris. were it not for the watch.
ful eyes of Mir Jan. The Mohammedar
sprang at him. with an oath. and gave
him such murderons whack with the
butt of rifle that the Dyak chief col.
lapsed and breathed out his fierce spirl,
In n Rroan.
At the first glance Jerks did not rec
ogniZe Taung sab owing to his change
of costume. Through the thinner smoke
he could see several sailors running M.
But, with the passing Of the chief.
their last peril had gone. The next in.
slant they were standing on the firm
ground, and a British naval lieutenant
was saying eagerly:
1--WE seem to have turned up in the
nick of time. DO you, by any chance
belong to the Sirdari'
I'VE are the sole survivors" answer
ed the sailor.
You two only?"
yes. She struck on the northwest
reef Of this island during q typhoon
This lady. Miss Iris Deane, and | were
flung ashore
Miss Deane Can it be possiblei
Let me congratulate you most heart.
lily. Sir Arthur Deane is on board the
Orient Mt this moment"
"Thc Orient"
Iris was dazed. II was all too won
derful to he quite understood yet. Sh,
turned to Robert:
"Do you hear? They say my father
is not far away. Take me to him"
mo need for that. miss" interrupted
q warrant officer. Here he Is comini
ashore. He wanted to come with W.
but the captain would not permit II
as there seemed to be some trouble
ahead"
Sure enough, even the girls swim
ming eyes could distinguish the gra.
bearded civilian seated beside an Off
Ger in the stern sheets of small 81,
now threading path through the bro
ken reef beyond Turtle beach. In f1v,
minutes father and daughter would
meet
Meanwhile the officer, intent on duty
addressed jerks again.
May / ask who you are?"
"My name is Anstruther-Robe-t An
struther."
Iris, clinging to his arm, heard th.
reply.
SO he had abandoned all pretepse,
He was ready to face the world at heI
side. She stole a loving glance at him
as she cried:
Yes; 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 me-
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?'
II would recommend that they dras
the green stuff off that fire and stop
the smoke. Then a detachment should
90 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 a 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 I'M
conscious prates-fOr every wounded
man who could move limb had
crawled away after the first shell burst
and drew a deep breath
How long We're you up there?" he
asked.
over thirty hours"
at 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
a couple of minutes
by the way" he said, will you
tell me your name?"
"Playdon - Lieutenant Philip II.
Playdon.'
do you know to what nation this
island bolonCs?'
1T is no mans land, think. 1t is
marked 'uninhabited' on the chart"
Then" said Anstruther, Il 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
a moment amazed his hearers. Iris
alone had an inkling OF the underlying
motive.
Il 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 mystifcs-
ton. II only wished to secure sutfi
Gent number OF witnesses for verbal
declaration. When have a few min
utes to spare l will aux a legal notice
on the wall in front Of our cave"
Playdon bowed silently. There was
81 49, 4 .,s, hat