The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-08-12
6be Winc3 Of the
Morning s e., & H. 4; J,
Edward J. CIode
By LOUIS
TRACY
CONTINUED FROM LAST SUNDAY
Copyright. 1905. by
Edward J. CIode

He thought II best TO 90 along Turtle
beach to the cove ami thence follow
the Dyals' trail through the wood, rs
this line of advance would entail prac-
ticallv Il complete circuit of the island.
He omitted no precautions in his ad-
vance. Often he stopped and listened
intently. Whenever lie doubled point
or passed among the trees he crept
back and pccrrd along the way he had
come to see if any lurking foes We're
breaking shelter behind him.
Tie marks on the sand proved that
only one sampau had been beached.
Thence he found nothing of special in
terest until he came upon the chiefs
gun living close to the trees on the
north side. II was very ornamental
weapon. Il muZZle loader. The stock
was inlaid with gold and ivory. and
the piece had evidently been looted
from some mandarius junk surprised
and sacked in former fOruy.
The lock was smashed by the impact
of jerks rifle bullet, but close in
VeStigAtiOn of the trigger guard and
the discovery of certain unmistakabIe
evidences on the beach showed that
the Dyak leader had lost two if not
three fingers of his right hand.
$50 he has something more than his
passion To nurse" unused jerks. THAT.
at any rate. is fortunate. He will be
in no mood for further enterprise for
some time to come"
He dreaded lest any of the Dyaks
should be only badly wounded and like
ly to live. 1t was an actual relief to
his nerves TO find that the improvised
dumdumS had done their work too well
to permit anxiety on that score.
He gathered the guns, swords and
CrecScS of the slain, with all their I'M
couth belts and ornaments. In pursu-
ance of Il vaguely defined plan of flu
ture action he also Invested some of
the meh of their coarse garments and
collected six queer looking hats shaped
like inverted basins. These things he
placed in Il heap near the pitcher
plants. Thenceforth for half an hour
the placid surface of the lagoon was
disturbed by the black dorSal fins of
many sharks.
His guess at the weather conditions
right. AS the two partook of their even
ing meal the complaining surf dashed
the reef, and the tremuIOus branches Of
the taller trees voiced the approach of
Il gale. A tropical storm-nOt a typhOon,
but a belated burst of the periodic
rainS-deluged the island before mid
night. Hours earlier Iris retired. utter
ly worn by the events of the day.
The gale chanted wild melody in
mOurnful chords, and the noise of the
Watery doWnpOur on the tarpaulin roof
of Belle Nue castle was such as to rem
der conversation impossible save in
wearying shouts.
Luckily jerks carpentry was effec-
tive, though rough. The building was
water tight. and he had call1ed every
crevice with unraveled rope until Iris
apartment was free from the tiniest
draft.
The very fury of the external turmoil
acted as a lullaby to the girl. She was
soon asleep. and the sailor was left to
his thoughts.
Sleep he could not. He smoked stead
lily, with n magnificent prOdigality. for
his small stock of tobacco was fast di-
m niShing. He ranSacked his brains tC
discover some method of escape from
this enchanted island, where fairies
jOstled with demons and hours of utter
happiness found their bane in moments
of frightful peril.
OF course he ought to have killed
those fellows who escaped. Their sam
pan might have provided a last desper-
ate expedient if other savages effected
a landing. Well, there was no use in
being wise after the event, and, scheme
as he might, he could devise no way to
avoid disaster during the next attack.
This. he felt certain, would take
place at night. The Dyaks would land
in force, rush the cave and hut and
OverpOWer him by sheer numbers. The
fight, if fight there was, would be
sharp, but decisive. Perhaps if he re-