The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-03-29

naif a century, she WOulu never, never
leave him, nor, of course, could he
ever. ever leave her. Some things were
quite impossible-for example, that
they should part.
jerks brought her a biscuit, a tin of
ment. and that most doleful cup of
champagne.
TT is not exactly frappe," he said,
handing her the insipid beverage, but
under other conditions. it is wine al
most worthy to toast you in
She fancied she had never before no.
ticed what a charming smile he had.
Toast is a peculiarly suitable
word" she cried. Il am simply friz-
zling In these warm clothes"
She stopped. For the first time since
that prehistoric period when she was
Miss Deane" and he "Mr. jerks" she
remembered the manner of her gar
ments.
''It is not the warm clothing you feel
so much as the want of air." explained
the sailor readily. This tarpaulin has
made the place very stuffy, but we
must put up with it until shutdown. By
the way, what is that?'
A light tap on the tarred canvas di-
rectly over his head had caught his
ear Iris, glad of the diversion, told
him she had heard the noise three or
four times, but fancied it was caused
by the occasional rustling of the sheet
on the uprights.
jerks had not allowed his attention
to wander altogether from external
events. Since the Dyaks' last escapade
there was no sign of them in the val
ley or on either beach. Not for trivial
cause would they come again within
range of the Lee Metfords.
They waited and listened silently.
Another tap sounded on the tarpaulin
in a different place, and they both con-
CURED i'm the belief that something had
darted in curved flight over the ledge
and fallen on top of their protecting
shield.
Let us see what the game is" ex-
claimed the sailor. He crept to the
back of the ledge and drew himself UP
until he could reach over the sheet.
He returned. carrying, in his hand a
couple of tiny arrows.
There are no less than seven of
these sticking in the canvas" he said.
'They don't look very terrible. / sup
pose that is what my Indian friend
meant by warning me against the trees
on the right
He did not tell Iris all the Mahom-
medan said. There was no need TO
alarm her causelessly. Even whilst
they examined the curious little missile
another flew up from the valley and
lodged on the roof of their shelter.
The shaft of the arrow, made of
some extremely hard wood, was about
ten inches in length. Affixed to it was
pointed fish bone, sharp, but not
barbed, and not fastened in a manner
suggestive of much strength. The ar
row was neither feathered nor grooved
for bow string. Altogether it seemed
to be a childish weapon to be used by
men equipped with lead and steel.
jerks could not understand the ap-
pearance of this toy. Evidently the
Dyaks believed in its efficacy or they
would not keep on pertinaciously drop
ping an arrow on the ledge.
How do they fire ito" asked LIS.
DO they throw it?'
Il viii soon tell you" he replied,
reaching for rifle.
DO not go out yet" she entreated
him. They cannot harm us. Perhaps
we may learn more by keeping quiet.
| They will not continue shooting these
things all day
Again a tiny arrow Travelled towards
them in a graceful parabola. This one
fell short. Missing the tarpaulin, it al
most dropped on the girls outstretched
| they had succeeded in inf1icting a NOR
tai wound, or to wait until the next ar
row fell, rush out, and try conclusions
with dum-dum bullets against the
sumpitan blowers.
He decided in favor of the latter
| course. He wished to dishearten his
assailants, to cram down their threats
the belief that he was invulnerabie.
and could visit their every effort with a
deadly reprisal
| Iris, of course, protested when he ex-
planned his project. But the fighting
1 c-r,fr- III
| yield to the needs of the hour.
He had not long to wait. The last
arrow fell, and he sprang to the ex-
IRENE right of the ledge. First he
looked through that invaluable screen
! of grass. Three Dyaks were on the
ground, ana a fourth I'm the fork of a
tree. They were each armed with a
blowpipe. He in the tree was just fit
ting an arrow into the bamboo tube.
The others were watching him.
jerks raised his rifle, fired. and the
warrior in the tree pitched headlons to
the ground. A second shot stretched a
companion on top of him. One man
jumped into the bushes and got away,
but the fourth tripped over his I'M
| wieldy sumpitan and a bullet tore a
large section from his skull. The sailor
then amused himself with breaking the
bamboos by firing at them. He came
back to the white-faced girl.
Il fancy that further practice with
blowpipes will be at a discount on
Rainbow island he cried cheerfully.
But Iris was anxious and distract.
1T is very sad she said, that we
are obliged to secure our own safety by
the ceaseless slaughter of human be-
| ings- Is there no offer we can make
them, no promise of future gain, tO
tempt them to abandon hostilities?"
None whatever. These Borneo Hy-
axis are bred from infancy to prey on
their fellow creatures. To be stran-
gers and defeneeless Is to court pillase
and massacre at their hands. l think
no more of shooting them than OF
smashing a clay pigeon. Killing a mad
dog is perhaps a better simile."
But, Robert dear, how long can we
hold out?'
What. Are you growing tired of ne
already?"
He hoped to divert her thoughts from
this constantly recurring topic. Twice
within the hour had it been preached
and dismissed. but Iris would not per-
limit him to shirk it again. She made
no reply, simply regarding him with a
wistful smile.
So jerks sat down by her side, and