Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1925-01-28

bar. To this loop he tied the highest
rope he could find and threw the other
end to Iris BY pulling slightly she
was able to land at her feet even the
| cumbrous rifle-chest, for the travelling
angle was so acute that the heavier
the article the more readily it sought
the lower level.
They toiled in silence until jerks
could lay hands on nothing more of
value. Then, observing due care, he
quickly passed the channel. For an
instant the girl gazed affrightedly at
the sea until the sailor stood at her
side again.
"You see," he said, you have scared
every cutie within miles" And he
thought that he would give many years
of his life to be able to take her in
his arms and kiss away her anxiety.
But the tide had turned; in few
minutes the reef would be partly sub
merged. To carry the case of rifles
to the mainland was manifestly i'm
possible feat, so jerks now did that
which, done earlier, would have saved
him some Iabor-he broke open the
chest, and found that the weapons
Lwere apparently in excellent order.
He snapped the locks and squinted
down the barrels of half dozen to
test them. These he laid on one side.
Then he rapidly constructed small
raft from loose timbers binding them
roughly with rope, and TO this argosy
he fastened the box of tea, the barrels
of flour, the broken saloon-chair, and
other small articles which might be of
use. He avoided any difficulty in
launching the raft by building it close
to the waters edge. When all was
ready the rising tide foated it for
him; he secured it to his longest rope,
and gave it vigorous push off into
the lagoon. Then he slung four rifles
across his shoulders, asked Iris to car
ry the remaining two in like manner,
and began to manoeuvre the raft land
wards.
whilst you land the goods 1 will
prepare dinner" announced the girl.
please be careful not to slip again
on the. rocks" he said.
Indeed l will. My ankle gives me
reminder at each STEP"
81 was more concerned about the
rifles. If you fell you might damage
them, and the incoming tide will SO
hopelessly rust those l leave behind
that they will be useless.
She laughed This assumption at
brutality no longer deceived her.
"I will preserve them at any cost,
though with six in our possession
there is margin for accidents. How
ever, to reassure you, I will go back
quickly If I fall second time you
will still be able to replace any de-
ficiencies in our armament"
Before he could protest she started
off at run, jumping lightly from
rock to rock, though the effort cost
her a good deal of pain. Disregarding
his shouts, she persevered until she
stood safely on the sands. Then sauc-
lily waving a farewell, she set off
towards the cave.
Had she seen the look of fierce de-
spair that settled down upon Jenks's
face as he turned to his task of guild
ing the raft ashore she might have
wondered what it meant. In any case
she would certainly have behaved diff
ferently.
/ BY the time the sailor had safely
landed his cargo Iris had cooked their
midday meal. She achieved a fresh
culinary triumph. The eggs were
fried!
81 am seriously thinking of trying
to boil ham," she stated gravely.
Have you any idea how long it takes
to cook one properly"
"A quarter of an hour for each
pound"
"Admirablei But we can measure
neither hours nor pounds"
Il think we can do both l will con-
struct balance of some kind. Then,
with ham slung to one end, and a
rifle and some cartridges to the other,
will tell you the weight of the ham
to an ounce. To ascertain the time,
have already determined to fashion
a sun-dial. l remember the requisite
ldivisions with reasonable accuracy,
and little observation will enable
enable us to correct any mistakes"
''You are really very clever, Mr..
Jenks," said Iris, with childlike can
dor. Have you spent several years of
lyour life in preparing for residence on
a desert islands?
Something of the sort. I have led a.
queer kind of existence, full of useless
purposes Fate has driven me into
corner where my odds and ends of
knowledge are actually valuable. Such
|
Useless purposes!" she repeated.
II can hardly credit that. One uses
such a phrase to describe fussy peo-
pie, alive with foolish activity. Your
worst enemy would not place you in
such a category"
| my worst enemy made the phrase
effective at any rate" Miss Deane.
you mean that he ruined your
career?"
| "Well-er-yes. suppose that de-
scribes the position with fair accur-
lacy"
| WAS he very great scoundrel?"
"He was. and is.'
jerks spoke with quiet bitterness.
The girls words had evoked a sudden
flood of recollection. For the moment
he did not notice how he had been
trapped into speaking of himself, nor