Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-05-06

say, to make the position less intoler-
able?
Anstruther, quicker than Iris to ap-
ipreciate Sir Arthur Deane's dilemma,
CALAMITY helped him. He placed a
loving handNon the girls shoulder.
BE advised by me, Sir Arthur, and
you too, Iris he said. ''This is no hour
| for such explanations. Leave me to
| deal with Lord Ventnor. l am content
| to trust the ultimate verdict to you,
| Sir Arthur. You will learn in due
course all that has happened. Go on
| board, Iris. Meet Lord Ventnor as you
would meet any other friend. You will
not marry him, | know. | can trust
you" He said this with smile that
robbed the words of serious purport.
| "Believe me, you two can find plenty
to occupy your minds today without
| troubling yourselves about Lord Vent
nor"
II am very much Obliged to you"
murmured the baronet, who, notwith
standing his worry, was far too eX-
perienced a man of the world not to
acknowledge the good sense of this
advice, no matter how ruffianly might
be the guise of the strange person
who gave it.
"That is settled, then" said Rob
ert laughing good-naturedly, for he
well knew what a weird spectacle he
must present to the bewildered old
gentleman.
Even Sir Arthur Deane was fascin-
ated by the ragged and hairy giant
who carried himself so masterfully
and helped everybody over the stile at
the right moment. He tried to develop
the change in the conversation.
by the way he said, "how came
you to be on the aSirdar? have list
of all the passengers and crew, and
your name does not appear therein"
ooh, that is easily accounted for.
shipped as a steward, in the name Of
Robert jerks"
Robert jerks! A steward"
This was worse than ever The I'M
happy shipowner thought the sky
must have fallen.
Eyes. That forms some part of the
promised explanation"
Iris rapidly gathered the drift of
her lovers wishes.
"Come. father" she cried merrily.
81 am aching to see what the ships
stores,
faith to- can do for me in the shape of
garments. l have the utmost belief in
the British navy, and even skeptlc
should be convinced of its infall1bil1ty
if H NJ S. Orient is able to provide
lady's outfit"
Sir Arthur Deane gladly availed
himself of the proffered compromise.
He assisted IRIS into the boat, though
that active yong person was far bet
ter able to support him, and word to
the officer in command sent the gig
flying back to the ship. Anstruther,
during a momentary delay made
small request on his own account.
Lieutenant PlaydOn, nearly as big
man as Robert, despatched note to
his servant, and the gig speedily re-
turned with a complete assortment OF
clothing and linen. The man also
brought dressing case, with the re-
suit that dip in the bath, and ten
minutes IN the hands of an expert
valet, made Anstruther new man.
Acting under his advice, the bodies
of the dead were thrown into the Ia
COON, the wounded were collected IN
the hut to be attended by the ships
surgeon, and the prisoners were pa
raded in front of Mir Jan, who identi-
fed every man, and found, by counting
heads, that none was missing.
Robert did not forget to write out
formal notice and fasten it to the rock.
This proceeding further myStlt1ed the
officers of the Orient, who had grad
ually formed a connected idea of the
great fight made by the shipwrecked
pair. though Anstruther squirmed in
Wardly when he thought of the manner
in which Iris would picture the scene.
AS it was, he had the first innings, and
he did not fail to use the opportunity.
In the few terse words which the MIL
liant Briton best understands, he de-
scribed the girls fort1tude, her I'M
tagging cheerfulness, her uncompla1n-
ing readiness to do and dare.
Little was said by Lis auditors, save
to interpolate an occasional question
as to why such thing was necessary,
or how some particular drawback had
been surmounted. Standing near the
we'll, it was not necessary to move to
explain to them the chief features OF
the island, and point out the measures
he had adopted
When he ended, the first lieutenant,
who commanded the boats sent in pur-
suit of the flying Dyaks-the Orient
sank both sampans as soon as they
were aunched-summed up the gen
eral verdict
''You do not need our admiration,
Captain Anstruther. Each man of us
envies you from the bottom of his
soul"
81 do, I know-from the very bilge,"
exclaimed a stout midshipman, one of
those who had seen Iris
Robert waited until the laugh died
away.
There is an error about my rank"
he said Il did once hold commission
in the Indian army, but l was court
~ n oachiprnd in Hong