The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-23

SAbldlidtioH OF It's virtues Here they
might reasonably hope to make a sue
eessful stand against the Dyaks.
linen you feel sure that those aw-
full creatures will come back?" she
said slowly.
only too sure, unfortunately"
How remorseless poor human ity is
when the veneer is stripped off! Why
cannot they leave us in peace? / sup
pose they now cherish a blood feud
| against us. Perhaps. if 1 had not
been here, they would not have in
Jured you. Somehowt I seem TO be
bound up with your misfortunes."
Il would not have it otherwise were
it i'm my power" he answered. For an
instant he left unchallenged 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 himself.
Then the sense of fair dealing that
dominates every true gentleman rose
within him and gripped his wavering
emotions with ruthless force Was this
time to play upon the high-strung
sensibilties of this youthful daughter
of the gods, to seek to win from her
confession of love that a few brief
days or weeks might prove to be only
a spasmodic, but momentarily all-pow-
erful, gratitude for the protection he
had given her?
And he spoke aloud, striving to
laugh, lest his words should faiter-
You can console yourself with the
thought, Miss Deane, that your pres
ence on the island will in no way af-
feet my fate at the hands of the
Dyaks. Had they caught me umpire
pared today my head would now be
covered with solution of the spe ,ial
varnish they carry on every foreign
expedition
"Varnish?'' she exclaimed.
Yes, as a preservative, you under
stand"
And yet these men are human be-
ings?''
For purposes of classification, yes
Keeping to strict fact, it was lucky
for me that you raised the alarm and
gave me a chance TO discount odds of
mere numbers. So, you see. you real
ly did me a good turn
What can be done now to save our
lives? Anything will be better than
to await another attack"
''The first thing to do is to try to
get some sleep before daylight. How
did you know 1 was not in the Cas-
tle?"
81 cannot tell you awoke and
knew you. were not near me. If I
wake in the night l can always tell
whether or not you are in the next
room. So 1 dressed and came out"
"Ah!' he said, quietly. Evidently
1 snore"
This explanation killed romance.
Iris retreated and the sailor tired
out at last, managed to close his weary
eyes.
Next morning he hastily constructed
u 2
enough to bear his weight. by tying
two sturdy young trees together with
ropes. Iris helped him to raise it
against the face of the precipice, and
he at once climbed TO the ledge
Here he found his observations of
the previous night abundantly verified
The ledge was even wider than he
dared to hope. nearly ten feet deep in
one part, and it sloped sharply down
wards from the outer lip of the rock
BY lying flat and carefully testing all
points of view, he ascertained that the
only possible positions from which even
a glimpse of the interior floor could be
obtained were the branches of few
tall trees and the extreme right of the
opposite precipice. nearly ninety yards
distant. There was ample room to store
water and provisions, and he quickly
saw that even some sort of shelter
from the fierce rays of the sun and
the often piercing cold of the night
might be achieved by judiciously rig
ging no tarpaulin.
This is a genuine bit of good luck
he unused. Here, provided neither of
us is hit, we can hold out for a week
or longer, at pinch. How can il be
possible that 1 should have lived on
this island so many days and yet hit
upon this nook of safety by mere
chance, as il were?'
Not until he reached the level again
could he solve the puzzle. Then he per-
ceived that the way in which the cliff
bulged ont on both sides prevented
the ledge from becoming evident in
profile, whilst, seen en- Dlein face i'm
the glare of the sunlight. it suggested
nothing more than slight indenta-
ton.
He rapidly sketched to iris the de-
fensive plan which the Eagles Nest
suggested. Access must De- provided
by means of a rope ladder, securely
fastened inside the ledge and capable
Of being pulled UP or let down at the
will of the occupants. Then the place
must be kept constantly stocked with
a JudiciOus supply of provisions, water,
and ammunition. They could be COW
cred with a tarDaulin. and thus kept
in fairly good condition
I'VE ought to sleep there every
night" he went on, and his mind was
so engrossed with the tactical side of
the preparations that he did not no
tice how Iris blanched at the sugges-
ton.
Surely not until danger actually
she cried.
Danger threatens us each hour after
sunset 1t may come any night, though |
expect at least a fortnight's reprieve.
Nevertheless. I intend TO act as If to-
night may witness the first shot Of
he siege"
do you mean that?" she sighed. |
And my little room is becoming so |
very cozy.''
Belle Vue Castle, their two-roomed |
nut, was already a home to them.
jerks always accepted her words lit !
,rally.
well" he announced, after pause, |
1T may not be necessary to take up |
,ur quarters there until the eleventh |
lour. After I have, hoisted up our /
stores and made the ladder l will en-
leavor to devise an efficient Gordon of |
;entineis around our position We will |
lee"
Not another word could Iris get out /
1.