Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-02
cHArThR Nv-tcontlnuedl

CHAPTER Nv-(continued)
10 you think you can make them prls-
- oners without killing any more Of
them7" asked IRIS
That depends entirely on themselves.
Miss Deane. My men win not fire shot
unless they encounter resistance"
Robert looked toward the approaching
boat She would not land yet for couple
Of minutes.
by the way" he said. "wiu you tell me
your name?"
Playdon-Lieutenant Philip II. Play
dom"
'Do you know to what nation this island
belongs2"
1T Is no-man's land. think. II is marked
uninhabited on the chart"
Then" said Anstruther. ~ call upon YOU
Lieutenant Playdon. and all others here
present. TO witness that |. Robert Anstruther
late OF the Indian Army acting on behalf
OF myself and Miss Iris Deane. declare
that We have taken possession OF this island
in the name OF His Britannia Majesty the
King Of England. that we are the Joint
occupers and owners thereof. and claim all
property rights vested therein"
These formal phrases coming at such
moment, amazed his hearers Iris alone
had an inkling os the underlying motive
81 don't suppose any one will dispute
your title" said the naval officer gravely
He unquestionRbly imagined that suffering
and exposure had slightly disturbed the
other mans sehses, yet he had seldom seen
any person who looked TO be in more COM
plete possession OF his faculties
Thank you" replied Robert with equal
composure, though he felt inclined to laugh
at Playdon's mystfcation. Il only wished
10 secure a sufficient number OF witnesses
for verbal declaration. When l have a
few minutes to spare I will fix legal
notice on the wall in front OF our cave"
Playdon bowed silently. There was some
thing In the speakers manner that puzzled
him. lie detailed small guard to ac-
company Robert and Iris, who now walked
toward the bench, and asked Mir Jan to
pilot him as suggested by Anstruthcr.
The boat was yet many yards from
shore when Iris ran forward and stretched
out her arms to the man who was staring
at her with wistful despair.
Father Father!" she cried Don't you
know me?"
Sir Arthur Deane was looking at the
two strange figures on the sands, and each
moment his heart sank lower. This island
held his final hope During many weary
weeks. since the day when n kindly Admiral
placed the cruiser Orient at his disposal, he
had secured the Chinese Sea, the coasts OF
Borneo and Java, for some tidings OF the
ill.fated Sirdar.
lie met naught save blank nothlngness,
the silence OF the great ocean mausoeum
Not boat, spar, a lfe-buoy. was cast
up by the waves to yield faintest trace OF
the lost steamer Every naval man knew
what had happened. The vessel had met
with some mishap TO her machinery struck
derelict, or turned turtle, during that
memorable typhoon Of March IL and 1S.
She had gone down with all hands. Her
fate was a forgone conclusion. No ships
boat could live in that sea, even IL the crew
were able to launch one. II was another Of
oceans tragedies, with the fifth act left to
the Imagination
To examine every sand patch and tree
covered shoal in tho China Sea was an i'm
possible task All the Orient could do was
TO visit the principal islands and institute
inquiries among the fishermen and small
traders. At last, the previous night a
Malay, tempted by hope Of reward boarded
the vessel when lying at anchor off the
large island away to the south, and told
the captain wondrous tale OF a devil
haunted place Inhabited by two white spirits,
male and a female, whittier a local pirate
named Taung S'Ali had gone by chance
with his men and suffered great loss.
But Taung SAli was bewitched by the
female spirit and had returned there. with
great force. swearing to capture her or
perish The spirits. the Malay said. had
dwelt upon the island for many years. His
father and grandfather knew the place and
feared It. Taung S'Ali would never be seen
again
This queer yarn was the first indication
they received Of the whereabouts of any
persons who might possibly be shipwrecked
Europeans. though not survivors from the
Sirdar. Anyhow, the tiny dot lay in the
vessels northward track. so a course was
set 70 arrive of the island soon after dawn
Events on shore, seen by the officer on
watch. told their own tale. Wherever
Dyaks are fighting there is mischief on foot
so the Orient took a hand in the. proceed
ings.
But Sir Arthur Deane, after an agonized
scrutiny of the welrd-looking persons es-
corted by the sailors TO the waters edge,
sadly acknowledged that neither of these
could be the daughter whom he sought. He