Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-05-27

|
ing it."
"But father, dear" interrupted the
| girl earnestly, what Robert says is
true. We have a gold mine there. 1t
| is worth so much that you will hardly
believe it until there can no longer be
any doubt in your mind. / suppose that
is why Robert asked me not to men
ton his discovery to your earlier"
! mo, Iris, that was not the reason,
said her lover, and the older men felt
that more than idle fancy red the
astounding intelligence that they had
| lust heard. "Your love was more to
me than all the gold in the world.
had won you. meant to keep you,
| but l refused to buy you"
He turned to her father. His pent-
up emotion mastered him, and he
spoke as one who could no longer
restrain his feelings.
"I have had no chance to thank you
for the words you uttered at the mo-
ment we Quilted the ship. Yet | will
treasure them while life lasts. You
gave Iris to me when | was poor, dis
| graced, an outcast from my family
and my profession. And | know why
YOU did this thing. 1t was because you
valued her happiness more than riches
or reputation. / am sorry now L did
not explain matters earlier. 1t would
have saved you much needless suf-
fering But the sorrow has sped like
an evil dream, and you will perhaps
not regret it, for your action today
binds me to you with hoops of steel.
And YOU, too, uncle. You Travelled
thousands of miles to help and COM
fort me in my anguish. Were | as PAD
as l was painted, your kind old heart
still pitied me; you were prepared 10
pluck me from the depths of despair
and degradation. Why should L nate
Lord Ventnor? What man could have
served me as he did? He has given
me Iris. He gained for me at her ia
theirs hands concession such as NOR
tai has seldom wreSted from black
proved fate. He brought my uncle 10
my side in the hour of my adversely.
Hate him! I would have his statue
carved in marble, and set on high to
tell all who passed how good may
spring out of evil-how Gods wisdom
can manifest itself by putting even
the creeping and crawling things of
the earth to some useful purpose"
dash it all, lad" vociferated the
elder Anstruther, what ais thee?
never heard you talk like this before!"
The old gentleman's amazement was
so comical that further tension was
out of the question.
Robert, in calmer mood, Informed
them of the manner in which he hit
upon the mine. The story sounded like
widest romance-this finding of
volcanic dyke guarded by the bones OF
81. S." and the poison-filled quarry
but the production of the ore samples
changed wonder into certainty.
Next day a government metallurgist
estimated the value of the contents of
the two oil-tins at about 500 pounds,
yet the specimens brought from the
island were not by any means the
richest available.
And now there is not much more to
tell of Rainbow Island and its cast
Always. On the day that Captain Rob-
ert Anstruthers name appeared in the
Gazette, reinstating him t. his rank
and regiment, Iris and he were mar
ried in the English Church at Hong
Kong, for it was his wife's wish That
the place which witnessed his ignom-
my should also witness his triumph.
A good natured admiral decided that
the urgent requirements of the British
Navy should bring HI. M. S. Orient to
the island before the date fixed for
the ceremony. Lieutenant Playdon Of
ficiated as best man, whilst the Orient
was left so scandalously short-handed
for many hours that a hostile vessel,
at least twice her size, might have
ventured to attack her.
Soon afterwards, Robert resigned
his commission. He regretted the ne
cessity, but the demands of his new
sphere in life rendered this step i'm
perative Mining engineers, laborers.
stores, portable houses, engines, and
equipment were obtained with all
haste, and the whole party sailed on
one of Sir Arthur Deane'S ships to
convoy small steamer specially
hired to attend to the wants of the
miners.
At last, one evening, early in July,
the two vessels anchored outside
Palm-tree Rock, and Mir Jan could
be seen running frantically about the
shore, for no valid reason save that
he could not stand still. The sahib
brought him good news. The Governor
of Hong Kong felt that any reasonable
request made by Anstruther should be
granted if possible. He had written
such strong representation of the
Mahommedans case to the Govern
ment of India that there was little
doubt the returning mail would con-
vey an official notification that Mir
Jan, formerly naik in the Kumaon Ris-
sala-he who once killed aman-had
been granted a free pardon.
The mining experts verified Rob-
erts most sanguine views after brief
examination of the deposit. Hardly
any preliminary work was needed. In
twenty-four hours small cOncen-
trating plant was erected, and ditch
made to drain off the carbonic anhy-
bride in the valley. After dusk party
of coolies cleared the quarry of its
former occupants Towards the close