Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-05-05
which he had never before been sub

thing to do, her mind something to
work upon, and would do more in the
but she never enjoyed a mo
ment's freedom more. She ran to the
little amphitheater formed by the
cliffs where the cave was and throw
ing aside her blouse and skirt, she lux
uriated in a bath in the fresh, cool,
delightful waters of the pool at the
base of the fall. There was a certain
amount of apprehension, for, of course,
he might break his tether at any time,
but she was sufficiently confident not
to let this take away the pleasure she
felt in the bath of fresh water after
the long experience with the salt seas.
If she had had a cake of soap she
would have been completely happy.
She had much to do and she could
not linger. For m thing, she had to
face the problems of clothes. She had
absolutely nothing when she landed
except what she wor Besides the
usual underwear these consisted of
her blue serge blouse and skirt-a
short skirt at that-and a silk petit
coat. She left the blouse and skirt
outside on the rocks where they would
soon dry in the sun. They had been
wetted SO often that there was no pos
sibility of their shrinking further.
Then she took stock of the rest. With
needles and thread, of which she
possessed some store In the housewife
which had been saved from her bag,
she thought she could make shift to
manufacture three or four garments,
open at the neck, without sleeves and
with skirts that came to the knee,
garments Just sufficient for modesty.
There was no other need for clothes,
so far as that went, in that balmy
island.
Naturally she shrank from this, but
unless she restorted to this expedient
her clothes would wear out all al
once. Indeed, they were in none toe
good a condition as it was, and when
they were worn out she would have
nothing. She would not have hest
tated a moment had it not been fol
the man, but mar or not, the decision
in her mind was n to which she
must come.
Unlike most overeducated women
she was still expert with her needle
and as her garments were to be o.
the simplest she had not much diff
Guilty in making over her silk skirt il
the way she fancied. Belted in at the
waist, it would do. She would use the
rope that bound the man for that pur
pose, keeping it always about her. She
had, of course, but n pair of stock
ings and one pair of light canvas boat
ing shoes, which were almost cut tt
pieces. She would have to go bare
foot.
Putting her blue serge dress and thu
rest Of her clothing carefully away
including her shoes and stockings, sh'
stepped out on the sands, bare armed
bare footed, a cleaning figure like t
an Olympian goddess. She was
woman naturally dark in complexion
and while the sun would probably bur
her cruelty and burn her young flesh
never exposed to its intensity, darker
she would not grow red or blister. Sh'
was thankful for that with unconsciou
femininity. At any rate, she must ge
used to going out in the sun withou
a hat, too. People, natives who wer
born and lived in this latitude, di
become accustomed to such things
she knew, so undoubtedly could she.
With these thoughts, she steppe
around the headland and Wake
across the beach toward the palm tire
where she could see in the fading ligh
of the afternoon her prisoner was stil
tied.
Modesty is a negative term. Tha
which is indecent exposure in a bal
room is the height of convention on
sea shore. Certainly this man had n
concept of such a quality. He ha
not noticed before when she had com
out barefoot to swim to the barrie
! reef, and yet somehow she fancied a
{ he Stared at her approaching that thi
time he marked the difference. And
slow, fiery blush famed over her frol
J her bare feet to her bare head, e,
/ tended along her bare arms. Sh
stopped under the persuasion of in
!, pulse to turn and go back to the cav
} and resume her clothing, at least s
| long as it might last. But she was
} woman Of strong will. She reasone
that all the emotions to which she wa
, subject were in her W bosom: tn;
the man before her neither knew nc
{ cared as to the things which vexe
{ her. So she went on.
: She had in her hand the sailor
! knife, with the blade open. She coul
3 not tell exactly in what mood h,
prisoner might be. Indeed, she a
4 preached him with a certain terro
! accounted for partly by the situate
3 and partly by the fact that in ma
I ing this change in her garments 81
had, as it were, cut herself off fro
e civilization and brought herself
=
some degree at least nearer his phys
cal level. But she could not leave hi
there all night. Summoning her cou
a age, therefore, and with a bold fro
. before him, she advanced to the tr'
\ and united the rope from the trur
and united it from his neck Is we
j He stood silent, unresisting through
all, a rather pitiful figure she thong
4 at first, until he vas freed from Il
!, degrading halter.
j. Then she waited in intense al
d eager curiosity as to what he shou
do next. The iron In his situation h,
s eaten into his soul. He had been ma
It tered by force. He could not unde
s stand it. He did not love the master
Still, without the knowledge of b
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