The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1909-12-28

person a load fit for pack mule.
Jacqueline looked around in bewilder-
ment. The beach lay flooded with
moonlight, but empty Of all life.
Where are st. George and the
boat?" she said, wildly Where are
Mrs. Trevor and Peter and the skip
peri"
Vic regarded her with alarm.
"Oh, miss, I've seen no onel There
isn't soul about. You must be
dreaming"
They were all here when I fell, :,
insisted Jacqueline. 1.-THE men were
struggling together, and the skipper
had fred pistol at Mr.. st. George"
Miss Hatton, dear, I'm afraid
your heads little queer" said Vic,
soothingly. THAT was close CALI
II the rock had struck you fair you'd
have been killed complete She
supported her companion tenderly.
DO you feel able to walk across the
island with me? / know a spot on
Dragons Nose where we can safely
spend the night
Il think" answered Jacque1ine, Il
am quite able.'
They rested awhile till her head
was again steady, then Vic spoke anx-
iously:
Say, miss, we ought to be moving!
1t amt safe to stay here longer. You
keep close to my heels-I'll help you
what can.
The two turned from the beach and
set their faces toward the opposite
end of the island. Vic led the way,
bearing her heavy load jauntily. BY
struggling paths, made by cattle, the
girls entered on the savage, uninhab-
tied portion of Deadman's. It was
rough tramp. Often treacherous
swamps barred their advance-often
they plunged into gorges, strewn with
the bleached debris of dead cedars,
and altogether impervious to moon
light A resinous underground, black
and seemingly impenetrable. covered
most of the ground. Through this
WY guided her companion slowly
by the slender tracks and the dark
burrows which the sheep had every
where left. Long MOSES hung from
the spruces, and swept their faces,
like bats wings. For mile or more,
in unbroken silence, the pair went on
and reached at length that extreme
northern point of the island known
as Dragons Nose.
This was simply a detached portion
OF Deadman's, separated from tho
main island by channel, through
which the sea boiled at high tide.
Luckily for the fugitives, the bed of
this passage was now bare
Wen go over on the rocks said
Vic. Look out you don't slip in the
seaweed, miss,
She picked her way carefully, and
Jacqueline followed So they came
to what seemed bank of rugged
granite, towering high in the moon
light, with fringes of drawfed spruce
and cedar about its base. Bending
down, Vic pushed aside the green
growth and disclosed to Jacqueline
an opening in the rock-the mouth,
in fact, OF natural cave, formed by
two masses of granite, cloven at the
base, but firmly united at the top.
The entrance was high enough to
admit even Jacqueline's tall figure.
Vic led the way into this unlocked
for refuge and from the numerous
parcels about her person she pro-
duced candle and lighted it.
Amy port in STORM" she said.
Jacqueline looked and found her
self in fair-sized room, with rough
flint walls and floor Of dry earth.
Vic drew breath of relief, and pro-
ceeded to divest herself of her various
burdens.
i've known this cave good while
back" she said to Jacqueline. "Joe
Raby told me about it when I first
came to the island and afterward l
looked it up myself. Here we must
shelter for tonight. I'll light fire
now and make you a cup of tea
Her admirable forethought had
provided well for the occasion. She
opened her bundles and shook out
quantity of soft wool blankets. She
stuck her candle in a tin candlestick
and set it on rock shelf over Jac-
quelines head Then she brought
in leaves and dry branches from the
outside thickets and lighted a fire.
There's a current Of air moving
here" she explained, that sweeps
the smoke to some opening overhead,
so 1t won't choke us out-Joe Raby
told me that also. Best of all, on
'tother side of the rock spring of
fresh water comes up from the cedar
roots. I've got provisions here, and
matches and candles and lots OF
things" MN
To be Continued.