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

" al -sfAlAl no HUMANE mitigation OF II,
horrors and penalties, the last dread
arbitrament of man forced to adopt the
methods of the tiger.
His guess at the weather conditions
heralded by the change of wind was
right. As the two partook of theil
evening meal the complaining surf
dashed the reef, and the tremulous
branches of the taller trees voiced the
approach of a gale. A tropical storm
not typhoon, but a belated burst OF
the periodic rains. deluged the island
before midnight. Hours earlier Iris re-
tired. utterly worn by the events OF
the day. Needless to say, there was nc
singing that evening. The gale chanted
wild melody in mOurnful chords, and
the noise of the watery downpour on
the tarpaulin roof of Belle Vue castle
was such as to render conversation i'm
possible. save in wearying shouts.
Luckily, jerks carpentry was effec-
tive, though rough. The building was
fright, and he had calked every
crevice with unraveled rope until Iris
apartment was free from the tiniest
draught.
The very fury of the external tur-
moil acted as lullaby to the girl She
was seon asleep, and the sailor was left
to his thoughts
Sleep he could not. He smoked
steadily, with a magnificent prodigal-
lty, for his small stock of tobacco was
fast diminishing He ransacked his
brains to discover some method of es-
cape from this enchanted island, where
fairies jostled with demons, and hours
OF utter happiness found their bane in
moments of frightful peril.
OF course he ought to have killed
those follows Vyhn nod gThait-
pan might have provided a last desper-
ate expedient if other savages effected
a landing. Well, there was no use in
being wise after the event, and, scheme
as he might, he could devise no way 10
avoid disaster during the next attack.
This, he felt certain, would take place
at night The Dyaks would land in
force, rush the cave and hut, and over
power him by sheer numbers. The
fight, if fight there was, would be
sharp, but decisive. Perhaps, if he re-
ceived some warning, Iris and he might
retreat in the darkness to the cover of
the trees. A last stand could be made
among the boulders on Summit rock
But of what avail to purchase their
freedom until daylight? And then
If ever man wrestled with desper-
ate problem, jerks wrought that night.
He smoked and pOndered until he
storm passed. and. with the change
fulness of a poets muse, a full moon
flooded the island i'm glorious radiance.
He rose, opened the door and stood
without, listening for a little while to
the roaring of the surf and the crash
of the broken coral swept from reef and
shore by the backwash.
The petty strife of the elements was
soothing to him.
They are snarling like whipped
dogs he said aloud zone might al
most fancy her ladyship the Moon
appearing on the scene as a Uranian
Venus, cowing sea, and storm by the
majesty of her presnce."
Pleased with the cOnceit, he looked
steadily at the brilliant luminary for
some time. Then his eyes were at
tracted by the strong lights thrown
upon the rugged face of the precipice
into which the cavern burrOWed I'm
consciously relieving his tired senses
he was idly wondering what trick of
color Turner would have adopted to
convey those sharp yet weirdly beau
tiful contrasts. when suddenly he ut
tered a startled exclamation
by JOve," he murmured. 81 never
noticed that before"
The feature which so earnestly claim
ed his attention was a 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 darkly
inwards. suggesting a recess extend
ing by haphazard computation at least
a couple of yards. 1t occurred TO him
that perhaps the fault in the interior
Of the tunnel had its toutcrOp here
and the deoXidizing influences of rain
and sun had extended the weak point
hrTC gIy in . nnr I.-.1l E
stone
He surveyed the ledge from different
points of view. 1t was quite inacces-
sible, and most difficult to estimate ac-
from the ground level. The
sailor was a man of action. He chose
he nearest tall tree and began to
climb. He was not eight feet from
he ground before several birds flew
lut from its leafy recesses, filling the
air with shrill clucking
The devil take theml" he growled.
or he feared that the commotion would
awaken Iris. He was still labOrfousIy
his way through the inner
maze of branches when well known
voice reached him from the ground.
Mr.. jerks. what on earth are you
ioing W there ?"
OH so those wretehed fowls aroused
you?" he replied.
Yes: but why did you arouse them?"
81 had a fancy to roost by way of
/ change"
please be serious
II am more than serious This tree
grows a variety of small sharp thorn
hat induces maximum of gravity
before one takes the next step"
But why do you keep on climb
ns?"
ut is sheer lunacy. l admit. Yet
m such a moonlit night there is some
reasonable ground for even a mad ex-
use"
MIR. jerks, tell me at once what you |
re doing"
Iris strove to be severe, but there |
vas a touch of anxiety in her, tone |
hat instantly made the sailor apollo |
etic. He told her about the ledge, and |
Explained his half-formed notion that /
hey might secure a safe retreat in |
ase of further attack refuge from |
which they might defy assault dur |
ng many days. 1t was, he said, abso- /
utely impossible to wait until the
morning. He must at once satisfy |
imself whether the project was i'm
or worthy of further inves-
igatiOn.
So the girl only enjoined him to be
areful, and he vigorously renewed the |
limb. At last some TWENTY-FIVE feet