San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-17
Begin Here Today.

Begin Here TOday.
Ned Cornet, his fiancee, Lenore,
and Bess. seamstress, are sur,
iiyors OF n shipwreck. They land
on an island inhabited only by. a
man named Doomsdorf' and his In
| dian wife. Doomsdorf shoots 10
death Captain knutzen' announcer
survivor.
The master of the island has
| named the island "Hell." He tells
his prisoners that they must work
and Slave for him as he once had to
| do in a Russian prison. RI,
Lenore is too weak to take up
her burden Immediately SO Dooms-
dorf sends Ned and Bess to chop
wood. They are forced to work
until they both fall unconscious,
then Doomsdorf carries them to his
cabin and throws them on the floor.
Bess is able to administer to Ned,
who seems the weaker of the two.
Now 20 ON with the story.
And perhaps the administering
hands halted in their work for
one part of an instant. His wet,
clinging clothes had been removed,
and blankets, already warmed, were
being wrapped about him. He fell
into deep, restful sleep.
But it ended all too soon. A great
hand shook him, snatching him into
sitting position, and great, beard
cd face, unspeakaby terrible in the
weird, yellow light of the lantern,
showed close to his own. up and
out" he was shouting. It'll be
light enough 10 work by the time you
have breakfast. Out before l boot
you out"
Ned pulled on his clothes, scarcely
wondering at the fact that they were
hanging, miraculously dry back of
the stove; and Immediately hurried
to IGNORES side. He forgot his own
aching muscles in distress for her
and his arms went about her, draw
ing her face TO his own.
DOomsdorf re-entered the room
then, gazing at them in amused con-
tempt and Ned instinctively straight
ened.
Il trust you're not Matching mu-
tiny?" the sardonic voice came out.
Not just now," Ned answered
with some spirit. There's not much
use to hatch mutiny, things being
as they are
"You don't say. There's rifle on
the wall"
always empty"
But the pistol L carry is always
loaded. Why don't You try to take
it away from me?" Then his voice
changed, surly and rumbling again.
But enough of that nonsense. You
know what would happen to you if
you tried anything-fve told you
that already. There's work to do
today. There's got TO be another
cabin-logs cut, built up, roof put
on-a place for the three of you TO
bunk. That's the work today. The
three of you ought to get a big
piece of it done today"
Miss Hardenworth? Is she well
enough? Couldn't she help your
wife with the housework today"
1T will,take all three of you to do
the work In lay out. Lenore can
learn to do her stint with the others.
And hereafter, when you address me,
call me Sir A mere matter of en-
ployer's discipline"
Because he knew his master, Ned
nodded in agreement. Yes. sir" he
returned simply. lone thing else.
[ can't be expected TO do real work
in this kind of clothes. You've laid
out furs and skins for the girls; L
want to get something, too, that will
keep me warm and dry"
I'm not responsible for the
\. H.
should have had greater respect Tor
the North. Besides, it gives me
pleasure, assure you, to see you
dressed as you are. 1t tones up the
whole party" -,
Stripped of his late conceit that
might Otherwise have concealed II
| from him. Ned caught every vestige
of the mans irony. DO | get the
warm clothes?" he demanded blunt
ly.
when you earn thcm," was The
answer. "In n few days more you'll
be running out your traps, and every
| thing you catch. at first, you car
| keep. You've got to prove yourself
| smarter than the animals before you
| get the right to wear their skins"
I
The previous day and night ha(
| been full of revelation for Ned; ant
as he started forth from the cabir
with his axe there occurred a little
| scene that tended even further &c
illustrate his changing viewpoint
Gloating with triumph at the youni
mans subsection, DoOmsdorf called
sardonically from the cabin doorway
Il trust / can't help you in any
way?" he asked.
Discerning the premeditated insult
in his tone, Ned whirled to face him
Then for an instant he stood SILVER
ing with wrath.
Yes" he answered. His promis'
to say "sir" was forgotten in hi:
rage. "You can at least treat mi
with respect deserved by a goot
workman"
Little, amused lines came abou
Doomsdorfs fierce eyes. "A goo'
workman. ch:" he echoed. "Yes
You did work fair enough yesterday
Wait just minute
He turned into his door, in mo
mcnt reappearing with a saw AM
several iron wedges from among hi
supplies of tools. He put them II
Ned's hands, and the latter receive,
them with delight never expert
cnced at any favor of fortune in tn
past.
As he worked. the stiffness an
pain that yesterdays toll had left i
his muscles seemed to pass away
The axe swung easily in his arms
When the first tree was choppe
down, he set Lcnore and Bess a