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

! perstitious barbaFians, fed for their
lives, embarking so hastily that they
took from the cave neither tools nor
oil, though they would greatly prize
these articles.
Such was the tragic web he spun, a
compound of fact and fancy. 1t ex-
planned all perplexities save one. What
did '32-1' mean? Was there yet an
other fearsonie riddle awaiting solu-
ton?
And then his thoughts flew to Iris.
Happen what might, her bright picture
was seldom absent from his brain. Sup
pose, egg hunting. she had stumbled
across this valley of death! How could
he hope TO keep il hidden from her?
Was not the CHASTITY knowledge better
than the horror of a chance ramble
through the wood and the shock of dis
coVery, nay, indeed, the risk of a ca
tastrophe?
He was man who relieved his sur
charged feelings with strong language
"a habit of recent acquisition He in
dulged in it now and felt better. He
rushed back through the trees until
ne cought sight of Iris industriously
kneading the sage pith in one of those
most useful dish covers
He called to her, led her wondering
TO the track, and pointed out the fatal
quarry, but in such wise that she
could not look inside it,
You remember that round hole we
saw from the summit rock?" he said.
We'll, it is full of carbonic acid gas,
to breath which means Inconsistencies
and death. 1t gives no warning to the
inexperienced. 1t is rather pleasant
than otherwise. Promise me YOU will
never come near this place again"
Iris
deeply. Robert jerks bulked large i'm
her day dreams. Her nerves were not
yet quite normal. There was a catch
in her throat as she answered.
! don't want to die. OF course.
will keep away. What a horrid island
this is. Yet it might be a paradise"
She bit her lips to suppress her tears,
but, being the Eve in this garden. she
continued
How did you find out? Is there any
thing nasty-in there?"
Yes, the remains of animals, and
other things. I would not have told
you were it not imperative
Are you keeping other secrets from
me?"
"Oh, quite a number"
He managed to conjure up a smile,
and the ruse was effective She an
piled the words to his past history.
4 hope they will not be revealed so
dramatically" she said.
You never can tell" he answered. |
They were in prophetic vein that MORN |
ing They returned in silence to the
cave.
Il wish to go inside, with a lamp |
May I?' he asked.
Certainly. Why not?"
He had an odd trick of blushins. this
Oronzed man with a gnarled soul. He /
could not frame a satisfactory reply. /
but busted himself in refIling the lamp. |
Nay L come, tOO?" she demanded.
He flung aside the temptation to an
5wer her in kind. merely asserting, |
with an explanation of his design. |
When the lamp was in order he held
[ close to the wall and conducted a
systematic survey. The geological
ault which favored the construction of
he tunnel seemed TO diverge to the left
It the further end. The "face" of the
ock exhibited the marks of persistent
abor The stone had been hewn awav
~ main Eorce when the sdislocation of
trata ceased to be helpful.
His knowledge was limited on the
ubJect. yet jerks believed that the
Material here was a hard limestone
ather than the external basaIt. Search
ng each inch with the feeble light he 4
aused once, with an exclama ton.