The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-03-01

square ON his feet when the volcano
within him fired his blood.
No, by Godr' he almost shouted. 81
viii break the spell. l am sent here
by Providence, not to search for gold
but TO save a woman's life. and if all
the devils of China and Malay are in
league against me 1 will beat theml''
The sound of his own voice startled
him He had no notion that he was so
hysterical. Promptly his British
phlegm .throttied the demonstration
He was rather ashamed of it.
What was all the fuss about? With
barrow-load of gold he could not
buy an instant's safety for Iris, not to
mention himself. The language diff
Guilty was insuperable Were il other
wise, the Dyaks would simply humbug
him until he revealed the source of his
wealth, and then murder him as an eff
fective safeguard against foreign in
reference.
Iris, Not once since she was hurled
ashore in his arms had jerks so long
forgotten her existence. Should he tell
her? They were partners in everything
appertaining to the island-why keep
this marvellous intelligence from her?
Yet was he tempted. not ignObly. but
! by reason Of his love for her Once,
years ago, when his arduous profess
sional studies were distracted by a
monetary infatuation for fair face,
woman had proved tickle when
tempted by greater wealth than be
possessed. For long he was a cen
firmed misogynist, to his great and
lasting gain as a leader of men. Sui
with more equable judgment came a
fixed resolution not to marry unless MS
prospective bride cared only for him
and not for his position. To a staff
corps officers, even one with small
private income, this was no unattain-
able ideal. Then he met with his de-
bacle in the shame and agony of the
eourt-martial. Whilst his soul still
Quivered under the lash of that ter
rible downfall, Iris came into his life
He knew not what might happen if
they were rescued. The time would
quickly pass until the old order was re-
sumed, she to go back to her position
In society, he to become again q dis
graced ex-Officer, apparently working
out mere existence before the mast
or handing plates in a saloon.
Would it not be sweet defiance of
adversely were he able. even under
such conditions, to win her love-
and then disclose to her the poten-
| tialities of the island? Perchance he
ihiSAb Act4i- 1iiOuSl IiCu dS 0TOeSuS he
would still be under the social ban
melted out to a cashiered officer She
was a girl who could command the
gift of coronets. With restoration to
her father and home, gratitude to her
preSerVer would aSSuredly remain, but,
alas love might vanish lie a mirage
Then he would act honOrably. Half
of the stored wealth would be hers to
do as she chose with it.
Yes, this was a possible alternative
In case of accident to himself, and her
ultimate escape, he must Immediately
write full details of his discovery, and
entrust the document to her to be
opened only after his death or six
months after their release.
The idea possessed him so thorough
ly that he could brook no delay He
searched for one of the notebooks taken
from the dead officers of the Sirdar,
and scrubbed the following letter:
Dear Miss Deane:
whether l am living or dead when
you read these words, you will know
that I love you. Could l repeat that
avowal million times, in as many
varied forms, I should find no better
phrase to express the dream l have
cherished since a happy fate permitted
me to snatch you from death. So I
simply say, I love you I will con-
tinue to love you whilst life lasts and
it is my dearest hope that in the life
beyond the grave I may still be able
to voice my love for you.
But perhaps / am not destined to-
be loved by you Therefore, in the
event of my death before you leave the
island, I wish to give you Instructions
how to find a gold mine of great value
which is hidden in the rock containing
the cave. You remember the sign on
the piece of tin which we could not
understand. The figure 80 denotes the
utmost death of the excavation. and the
signifies that one foot below the
surface, on reaching the face of the
rock, there is a rich vein of gold. The
hollow on the other side of the cliff
became filled with anhydrate gas, and
this stopped the operations of the Chi
nese, who evidently knew of the exist
ence of the mine. This is all the in
formation the experts employed by Sir
Arthur Deane will need. The facts are
unquestionable.
Assuming that 1 am alive, we will,
of course, be co-partners in the mine.
If I am dead, I wish One-sixth share
TO be given to my uncle, William An
struther, Crossthwaite Manor, Northal-
lerton, Yorkshire, as a recompense for
his kindness to me during my early life.
The remainder is to be yours abso-
lutely.
ROBERT ANSTRUTHER."
He read this remarkable document
twice through to make sure that it ex-
actly recorded his sentiments. He even
smiled sarcastically at the endowment
of the uncle who disinherited him.
Then, satisfied with the persual, he
tore out the two leaves covered by
the letter and began to devise a means
of protecting it securely whilst in Iris
possession.
At that moment he looked up and
saw her coming towards him across
the beach, brightly flushed after her
bath. walking like a nymph clothed in
tattered garments. Perceiving that he
was watching her, she waved her hand
and instinctively quickened her pace.
Even now, when they were thrown to-
gether by the eXigencies of each hour.
she disliked to be long separated from
him.
Instantly the scales fell from his men,
tai vision. What Distrust Irisl Imag-
inc for one second that riches OF pow
erty, good repute or III. would affect |
that loyal heart when its virginia. font |
was filled with the love that once in |
her life comes to every true womanI |
Il