The Mena weekly star., 1911-03-09

erous thing II deceives mems ears as
we'll as their eyes There's no judg
Ing distance through II When you
cried out Just now. couldn't tell
whether you were so feet below me or
800 feet was up above 1t, you see
and hadn't any way OF telling how
deep II was. There, Do you hear?"
he went on. THE firing has stopped
altcSether. Your people are almost
certainly safe"
"Will you LET me go inside this hut"
he asked. "and see II It is habitable7
If il is. you'd better go in and let me
make you as comfortable as | can.
don't think you need have any fears
about the Walrus people And worry
ing wouldn't do any good any way.
There's nothing we can do but wait
for daylight. Nothing can happen any
where until then"
He had, very distinctly. in mind
what might happen then If the Walrus
people were repulsed from the yacht.
Unless they we're all destroyed in the
attack they would undoubtedly make
trouble as soon as morning revealed
the fact that they had two hostages
in their hands. But he could fight
them of better from the doorway OF
the hut than from anywhere else. And
there was no need of troubling the
girl with that consideration. not for
the present, at least.
Its all right In there" she said.
II spent don't know how many
hours there reading before you came.
But the candle has burned out"
The open door behind them gave ac-
cess into tiny shed. protruding from
the corner of the hut and serving, evi-
IDENTIFY. as vestibule for II. The In
ner door, heavier and stronger af-
fair, opening at right angles to It,
gave access to the interior of the hut.
Cayely switched on his bull's-eye
and cast a brief glance about the
room There were two or three rude.
fimsylooking doors which undoubted-
ly opened into small. cabin-like bed
rooms; but the principal part of the
hut was taken up by the room in
which they found themselves.
Cayley set his little bull eye on
shelf where they could make the most
Of its thin pencil of light. He then
turned his attention to the door, and
after little struggle succeeded in
getting II shut. and. what was more,
securely bolted. by means OF heavy
wooden bar which dropped into an
iron crotch. II they we're attacked
with the first OF the daylight, this
place would afford them security until
the people from the Aurora could
come to their rescue. His revolver
was a Colt As. and his belt was fun of
cartridges With that weapon. he re-
membered that he had once been con
sidered the best shot In the army.
The girl, when he turned to look at
her. was seated on the edge OF bunk
at the other side of the hut. Her pal
Tor. the traces of tears he could sec
In her eyes, the pathetic droop to her
lips. all emphasized the thing her
voice had told him already namely,
that some emotional crisis, which
she had been through in those recent
hours. had left her quite exhausted
Without word, he turned to his
bundle which he had deposited in a
corner of the room. and fished out
from It his sheep-skin sleeping bag. It
was not until he approached her, with
1t across his arm, that his eye fell
upon the rosewood box and the mo-
rocco-bound book which lay beside It
Her eye followed his They're IA
theirs papers" she said Il found the
box in here. That's why l stayed
had come ashore"
Wait minute, he interrupted. He
took up the book with n gentleness
almost reverent laid 1t In the little
chest and set 1t down on the floor be-
side the bunk
The quality Of the act brought the
too ready tears to her eyes. but he did
not look up at her to surprise them
there. Now" he said, I'm going to
take OF these boots of yours, which
are wet. but which will serve excel
lently, nevertheless. for a pillow, and
you are to take of that heavy coat
ana get inside this bag. Have you ever
slept in one?"
He was already Juggling at one OF
the boots. and her protest went UNI
heeded-it was only half-hearted
protest after all.
When he had taken off the boots,
she submitted. without demur, to his
christening the frogs on her heavy
seal-skin coat and slipping it off her
shoulders.
When finally. with some assistance
from him, she nestled down inside the
great feece-lined bag. when he had
rolled her small boots into bundle
and made a pillow of them for her
head, as he had said he would, she
exclaimed, half-rebelliously, at the
comfort of It all
1T is so deliciously warm and SOFT"
she said Il didn't know you were
just being luxurious sybarite when
you refused a mattress and pair OF
blankets on the yacht. II only you
could be warm. too, and comfortable"
Il shall be-" he assured her. 'Tll
make cushion OF that great coat OF
yours and SIT down here at the foot
Of the bunk You're not to bother
about me. You're to prove the efficacy
Of the sleeping bag by going to sleep
in IT."
And what will you do all the while
sitting there and keeping watch?
Would would you like to read
fathers iournal7 IF vou uonld I'd