The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-09-23


laughter for another day No need tc
embitter her joyous heart until he was
driven TO it by dire necessity.
So he resolutely brushed aside the
woebegoHe phantom of care and en-
tered into the abandon of the hour
with zest that delighted her. The
dear girl imagined that Robert. her
Robert. had made another speedy con
quest, and Anstruther himself was
much eiated by the sudden change IN
Sir Arthur Deane's demeanor.
They behaved like school children on
d picnic They roared over Iris trou-
bles in the matter of divided skirts. too
much divided to be at oil pleasant. The
shipowner tasted some of her sage
bread and vowed it was excellent.
They unearthed two bottles of cham
payne, the last of the case, and prom
ised each other a hearty toast at din
ner. Nothing would content Iris but
that they should draw farewell buck
etful of water from the well and
drench the pitcher plant with a torren-
tial shower.
Robert carefully secured the pocket
books. money and other effects found
on their dead companions. The baro-
net. of course. knew all the principal
officers of the Sirdar. lie surveyed
these mournful relics with sorrowful
interest.
1.-The Sirdar was the crack ship of
my fleet and Captain Ross my most
trusted commander" he said. You
may well imagine. Mr.. Anstruther,
what cruel blow it was to lose such Il
vessel, with all these people on board
and my only daughter among them. /
wonder now that it did not kill me-
..She was q splendid sea boat, sir.
Although disabled. she fought gallant
ly against the typhoon. Nothing short
of a reef would break her up
.'Ah, we'll" sighed the shipowner,
1.-The few timbers you have shown me
here are the remaining assets out of
1900, 000.''
WAS she not insured?" inquired
Robert.
s.No-that is, / have recently adopted
scheme of mutual self insurance, and
the loss falls pro rata on my other YES
sels'
The baronet glanced covertly at Iris.
The words conveyed little meaning to
her. Indeed, she broke in with a
laugh:
Il am afraid 1 have heard you say,
father DEAR that some ships in the
fleet paid you best when they ran
ashore
Yes, Iris. That often happened in
the old days. 1t is different now.
Moreover, / have not told you the ex-
tent of my calamities. The Sirdar was
lost on March -, though l did not
know it for certain until this morning.
But on March % the Bahadur was
sunk in the Mersey during a fog, and
turtle on the James and Mary shoal in
the Hooghly. Happily there We're no
lives lost in either of these cases"
Iris was appalled, by this list of casu-
altfes. yet she gave no thought to the
serious financial effect of such string
of catastrophes. Robert, of course, APP
preciated this side of the business, espe-
ciaIiy in view of the shipowner's re-
mark about the insurance. But Sir
Arthur Deane's stiff upper lip deceived
him. He failed to realize that the ia
Their was acting a part for his daugh-
terS sake.
Oddly enough, the baronet did not
seek to discuss with them the legal
looking document affixed near the cave.
It claimed all rights in the island in
their joint names, and this was a topic
he wished to avoid. For the time,
therefore, the younger man had no OPP
portunity of taking him into his con-
fidence. and Iris held faithfully to her
promise of silence.
The girls ragged raiment, sou'wester
and strong boots were already packed
away on board. She now rescued the
Bible. the battered tin cup. her re
volver and the rifle which had scared
the Dyaks when they nearly caught
and Mir Jan mapping. Rob
ert also gathered for her an assert
ment Of Dyak hats, belts and arms, in
Guiding Taupg SALTS parang and
These were her trophies,
the spoils of the campaign.
His concluding act was to pack two
of the empty oil tins with all the val
liable humps of auriferous quartz he
could find where he shot the rubbish
from the cave beneath the trees. On
top oI THESE some anIlInOHN
ore. and Mir Jan, wondering why the
sahib wanted the stuff. carried the con-
signnent to the waiting boat. Lieuten-
ant Playdon, in command of the last
party Of sailors to quit the island, evil
IDENTIFY expected Mir Jan to accompany
them. but Anstruther explained that
the man would await his return some
time in June or July.
Sir Arthur Deane found himself spec
1lating on the cause of this extraor-
binary resolve. but, steadfast to his
policy of avoiding controversial mat
ters, said nothing. a. few words TO
the captain procured enough stores to
zeep the Aiohammetian for six
months at least, and while these were
being landed the question was raised
low best to dispose of the Dyaks.
The commander wished to consult the
of his guests.
If we go little out Of our way and
and them in Borneo," he said. they |
will be hanged without troubling you t
.urther. If l take them to Singapore |
hey will be tried on your evidence /
md sent to penal servftude Which is |
t to be:'
1t was Iris who decided