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


Ilud done their cork too Vell
/ The feature which 50 earnestly claim
ed his attention was II deep ledge di-
rectly over the mouth of the cave, but
some forty feet from the ground Be-
hind it the wall of rock sloped dark
! ly inward, suggesting Il recess extend
| ing by haphrzard computation Mt least
a couple of yards 1t occurred to him
| that perhaps the fault in the interior
Of the tunnel had its outcrop here, and
the influences of rain and sun had ex
tended the weak point thus exposed in
the bold panoply of stone.
lie surveyed the ledge from different
points of view. 1t was quite nacces
sible and most difficult to estimate ac-
curately from the ground level. The
sailor was a man of action. He chose
the nearest tall tree and began to
climb He was not eight feet from the
ground before several birds flew out
| from its leafy recesses, filling the air
with shrill clucking.
THE devil take them" he growled
for he feared that the commotion
would awaken Iris. He was still la
boriously worming his way through
the inner maze Of branches when a
well known voice reached him from
the ground.
"AIr jerks, what on earth are you
doing up there?"
ooh! So those wrctched fowls arous-
ed you?" he.repled.
"Yes, but why did you arouse them z"
Il had fancy to roost by way Of a
change"
please be serious"
Il am more than serious. This tree
grows a variety OF small sharp thorn
that induces maximum of gravity
before one takes the next step"
But why do you keep on climbing?"
1T is sheer lunacy, | admit. Yet on
such moonlit night there is some rea-
sonable ground for even mad ex-
cuse"
Mr. jerks, tell me at once what you
are doing"
Iris strove to be severe, but there was
touch Of anxiety in her tone that in
stantly made the sailor apologize. He
told her about the ledge and explained
his half formed notion that here they
might secure a safe retreat In case OF
further attack, refuge from which
they might defy assault during many
days 1t was, he said, absolutely i'm
possible to wait until the morning. He
must at once satisfy himself whether
the project was impracticable or wor-
thy Of further investigation.
So the girl only enjoined him to be
careful, and he vigorously renewed the
climb. at last. some twenty-five feet
from the ground, all accidental parting
in the branches enabled him TO get a
good look at the ledge. one glance set
his heart beating joyously. 1t was at
least fifteen feet in length. 1t shelved
back until its depth was lost in the
blackness of the shadows, and the floor
must be either nearly level or sloping
slightly inward to the line of the fault
The place was a perfect eagles nest
A chamois could not reach it from any
direction. 1t became accessible to man
only by means of Il ladder or balloon.
More excited by this discovery than
he cared for Iris to know, he endeav-
ored to appear unconcerned when he
regained the ground.
"Well" She said, tell me all about
it,"
He described the nature of the cavity
as well as he understood 1t at the mo.
ment and emphasized his previous ex.
PLANTATION OF its virtues. Here they
might reasonably hope to make a sue.
cessful stand against the Dyaks.
Then you feel sure that those awful
creatures will come backT" she said
slowly.
only too sure. unfortunately"
How remorssless poor humanity Il
when the veneer is stripped off! Why
cannot they leave us IN peace? Per.
haps II had not been here they would
not have injured you. Somehow seem
to be bound up with your misfortunes.'
II would not have 1t otherwise were
1t In my power" he answered For an
instant he left uncha llenged the girls
assumption that she was In any way
responsible for the disasters which
had broken up his career. He looked
into her eyes and almost forgot him,
self. Then the sense Of fair dealing
that dominates every true gentleman
rose within him and gripped his waver-
ing emotions with ruthless force. Was
his a time to play upon the high strung
ssnsihihtiss Of this youthful daughter
Of the gods, to seek to win from her a
confession Of love that a few by.ei
days or weeks might prove to be only
a spasmodic but momentarily all pow
srful gratitude for the protection he
had Rvs4 AAxl ----.------------