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?jj f?feWii fe Morai: ~*Tn~otiier~words," she said, "I mi fte seen by them dressed only in m; . cta&ing?' "Yes; as a last resource, that is. Save some hope that they may not d ?.var our whereabouts owing to t - ^?cautions we have adopted. Perch ^n> lhere on the ledge, we will be pi tepidly uncomfortable, but that w &esu>rning if it secures our safety." "Si? did not reply at once. Th one ?aid musingly: "Forty-four da} Surely there has been ample time scour the China sea from end to ei fa search of us! My father would ne <ar abandon hope until he had t mst positive knowledge that the S; ?far was lost with all on board." The sailor, through long schooliD *was prepared with an answer: "Ea< >'; ^fey makes the prospect of esca] ^ ^tighter. Though I was naturally di appointed this morning, I must sta <5ulte emphatically that our rescue mi come any hour.'* Iris looked at him steadily. **Do yon remember, Mr. Jenks, th soon after the wreck you told me T might have to remain here mai aramias?" That was a pardonable exaggen tann." ""Xo, no! It was the truth. You a] seeking now to buoy me up with ralf Inope . It is 1,600 miles from Hon; &ong to Singapore, and half as muc from Siam to Bornea* The Sirdi slight have been driven anywhere i ?se typhoon. Didn't you say so, M Jenks r He wavered under this merciles cross examination. "*T had no idea your memory was. s good," he .said weakly. "Excellent, I assure you. Moreove: ?hiring our forty-four days toge the 3TOU have taught me to think. Why d yon adopt subterfuge with me? W sse partners in all else. Why carmo I share your despair as well as you She blazed out in sudden wrath, an? lie understood that she would not b denied, the full extent of his secre ?tear. He bowed reverently before hei as a mortal paying homage to an ac jgrj goddess. "il can only admit that you an t?ght,"" he munnured. "We must pra: that God will direct our friends to thi Island. Otherwise we may not tx fionna for a year, as unhappily th< fishermen who once came here no\* avoid the place. They have beer frightened by the contents of the hoi Sow behind the cliff.- I am glad yoi Stave solved the difficulty unaided, Miss .Deane. I have striven at times to Ix coarse, even brutal, toward you, bul any heart flinched from the task of tell? ing you the possible period of your im ?dsonment" "Then Iris; for the first time in many Storys, wept bitterly, and Jenks, blind to Sbe true cause of her emotion, picked sp a rule to which, in spare moments, > 2ie -had affixed v, curious device, and walked slowly across Prospect park toward the half obliterated road lead? ing te the valley of death. 4 The girl watched him disappear among the trees. Through her tears shone a sorrowful little smile. "He thinks only of me, never of him aelf," she communed. "If it pleases ^Providence to spare us from these sav? ages; what does, it matter to me how long we remain here? I have never ?been so happy before in my life. I fear 3E never will be again. If it were not ?Cor my father's terrible anxiety I veuld not have a care in the world. I -zznly wish to get. away so that one Snare soul at least may be rid of need? less tortures. All his worry is on my account, none on his own." That was what tearful Miss Iris Ssought or tried to persuade herself to ?irJb. Perhaps her cogitations would I mot bear strict analysis. Perhaps she Sterno red a sweet hope that the future n?ght yet contain bright hours for her? self and the man who was so devoted 3? feez. She refused to believe that Sgpfaert Jknsthiiher. strong of arm and dear ?of brain, a knight of the Round *2Dakle .m .ali that was noble and chival tfc, -would ?errait his name to bear an ?awarrantable stigma when-and she IthCLsbed like a June rose-he came to ?s& ber that which he had written. The sailor returned hastily, with the mazraer of one hurrying to perform a wegiected task. Without any explana? tion to Iris he climbed several times tm the ledge, carrying armloads of ageass roots, which be planted in full yftsvr. Then he entered the cave, and, although be was furnished only with ??se dim light that penetrated through S3? cQstant exit she beard him hewing amanfully at the rock for a couple of J&csars. At last he emerged, grimy with <SBSt and perspiration, just in time to jiay a last visit to Summit rock before Ste sun sank to rest. He asked the ?girl to delay somewhat the prepara? r?ais for their evening meal, as he -wished to take a bath; so it was quite ?Sari when they sat down to eat. "Tris Tiaa long recovered her usual state of high spirits. **Why were you burrowing in the cavern again?" she inquired. "Are you Ht a hurry to get rich?". ~I was following an air shaft, not a V?O3BT be replied. "I am occasionally Scoobled with after wit, and this is an aastance. Do _you remember how the "?7i, J see/'* he growled. flame of the lamp flickered while we frere opening np our mine?'' ?Tes." "I was so absorbed in contemplating our prospective wealth that I failed to pay heed to the true significance of that: incident It meant the existence of an upward current of air. Now, where the current goes there must be a passage, and while I was busy this afternoon among the trees over there" -he pointed toward the valley of death-"it came to me like an inspira? tion that possibly a few hours' hewing and delving might open a shaft to the ledge. I have been well rewarded for the effort The stuff in the vault is so eaten away by water that it ls no more solid than hard mud for the most part Already I have scooped out a chimney twelve feet high." "What good can that be?" "At present we Have only a front door-up the face of the rock. When my work is completed-bef?se tomor? row night, I hope-we shall have a back door also. Of course I may en? counter unforeseen obstacles as I ad? vance. A twist in. the fault would be nearly fatal, but I am praying that it may continue straight to the ledge." "I still don't see the great advantage tons." "The advantages are many, believe me. The more points of attack pre? sented by'the enemy the more effective will be our resistance. I doubt if they would ever be able to rush the cave were we to hold it whereas I can go up and down our back staircase when? ever I choose. If you don't mind being left in the dark I will resume work now by the light of your ?amp." But Iris protested against this ar? rangement. She felt lonely. The lon? hours of silence had been distasteful to her. She wanted to talk. "I agree," said Jenks, "provided you do not pin me down to something 1 told you a month ago." ? "I promise. You can tell me as much or as little as you tJbink fit. The) sub? ject for discussion is your courf mar? tial." He could not see the tender light in her eyes, but the quiet sympathy of her voice restrained the protest prompt on his lips. Yet he blurted out after a slight pause: .That is a very unsavory subject" "Is it? I do not think so. I am a friend. Mr. Jenks, not an old one, I ad? mit but during the past six weeks w* have bridged an ordinary acquaintance? ship of as many years. Can you not trust me?" Trust her? He laughed softly. Then, choosing his words with great delibera? tion, he answered: "Yes. I can trust you. I intended to tell you the story some day. Why not tonight?" Unseen in the darkness. Iris' hand sought and clasped the gold locket sus? pended from her neck. She already knew some portion of the story be would tell. The remainder was of minor importance. "It is odd," he continued, "that you should have alluded to six years a mo? ment ago. It is exactly six years al? most to a day since the trouble began." "With Lord Ventnor?" The name slipped out involuntarily. "Yes. I was then a st?ff corps sub? altern, and my proficiency in native languages attracted the attention of a friend in Simla, who advised me to apply for an appointment on the po? litical side of the government of In? dia. I did so. He supported the appli? cation, and I was assured of the next vacancy in a native state provided that I got married. I was not a marrying man, Miss Deane, and the requisite qualification nearly staggered me. But I looked around the station and came to the conclusion that the commission? er's niece would make a suitable wife. I regarded her 'points,' so to speak, and they filled the bill. She was smart, good looking, lively, understood the art of entertaining, wa3 first rate in sports, and had, excellent teeth. Indeed^ a if a man selected a wife as he does a horse, she" "Don't be horrid. Was she really pretty?", "I believe so. People said she was." "But what did you think?" "At the time my opinion: was biased. I have seen her since, and she wears badly. She is married now and after thirty grew very fat" Artful Jenks! Iris settled herself comfortably to listen. "I have jumped that fence with a lot in hand," he thought "We became engaged," he said aloud. "She threw herself at him," commun? ed Iris. "Her name was Elizabeth-Eliza? beth Morris." The young lieutenant of those days called her Bessie, but no matter. "Well, you didn't marry her, any? how," commented Iris, a trifle sharply. And now the sailor was on level ground again. "Thank heaven, no!" he said earnest? ly. "We had barely become engaged when she went with her .uncle to Sim? la "for the "hot~w??ther. ' There she met Lord Ventnor, who was on the vice? roy's staff, and-if you don't mind, we will skip a portion of the narrative I discovered then why men in India usually go to England for their wives. While in Simla on ten days' leave I had a foolish row with Lord Ventnor in the United Service club-hammered him, in fact, in defense of a worthless woman-and was only saved from a severe reprimand because I had been badly treated. Nevertheless, my hopes of a political appointment vanished, and I returned to my regiment to learn after due reflection what a very lucky person I was." "Concerning Miss Morris, you mean?" "Exactly. And now exit Elizabeth. Not being cut out for matrimonial en? terprise, I tried to become a good of? ficer. A year ago, when the govern? ment asked for volunteers to form Chinese regiments, I sent in my name and was accepted. I had the good for? tune to serve under an old friend, Colo? nel Costobeil, but some malign star sent Lord Ventnor to the far east this time in an important civil capaci? ty. I met him . occasionally, and we found we did not like each other any better. My horse peat ms ror me ra goda Hurdle handicap. Poor old Sul? tan, I wonder where he is now!" "Colonel Costobeil fell ill, and the command of the regiment devolved up? on me, our only major being absent in the interior. The colonel's wife, unhap? pily, chose that moment to flirt, as peo? ple say, with Lord Ventnor. Not hav? ing learned the advisability of minding my own business, I remonstrated with her, thus making her my deadly ene ,my. Lord Ventnor contrived an offi? cial mission to a neighboring town and detailed me for the military charge. I sent a junior officer. Then Mrs. Costo? beil* and he deliberately concocted a plot to ruin me,' he for the sake of his old animosity-you remember that I had also crossed his path in Egypt she because she feared I would speak to her husband. On pretense of seek? ing my advice she inveigled me at night into a deserted corner of the club grounds at Hongkong. Lord Ventnor appeared, and as the upshot of their vile statements, which created an im? mediate uproar, I-well, Miss Deane, I nearly killed him." Iris vividly recalled the anguish he betrayed when this topic was inadver? tently broached one day early in their acquaintance. ' Now he was reciting his painful history with the air of a man far more concerned to be scrupulously accurate than aroused in his deepest passions by the memory of past wrongs. What had happened in the in? terim to blunt these bygone sufferings? Iris clasped her locket. She thought she knew. "The remainder may be told in a sen? tence," he said. "Of what avail were my frenzied statements against the definite proofs adduced by Lord Vent? nor and his unfortunate ally? Even her husband believed her and became my bitter foe. Poor woman! I have it in my heart to pity her. Well, that is all I am here!" "Can a man be ruined so easily?" murmured the girl, her exquisite tact leading her to avoid any direct expres? sion of sympathy. "It seems so. But I have had my re? ward. If ever I meet Mrs. Costobeil again I will thank her for a great serv? ice." Iris suddenly became confused. Her brow and neck tingled with a quick access of color. "Why do you say that?" she asked. And Jenks, who was rising, either did not hear or pretended not to hear the tremor in her tone. "Because you once told me you would never marry Lord Ventnor, and after what I have told you now I am quite sure you will not" "Ah, then you do trust me?" she al? most whispered. He forced back the words trembling for utterance. He even strove weakly to assume an air of good. humored badinage. "See how you have tempted me from work. Miss Deane," he cried. "We have gossiped here until the fire grew tired of our company. To bed, please, at once." Iris caught him by*the arm. "I will pray tonight and every night" she said solemnly, "that your good name may be cleared in the eyes of all men, as it is in mine. And I am sure my prayer will be answered." She passed into her chamber, but her angelic influence remained. In his very soul the man thanked God for the tribulation which brought this woman into his life. He had traversed the wilderness to find an oasis of rare beauty. It was a beautiful night. After a baking hot day the rocks were radiat? ing their stored up heat, but tho pleas? ant southwesterly breeze that general? ly set in at sunset tempered the at? mosphere and made sleep refreshing. Jenks could not settle down to rest for a i.v^.t? \v*4.?e a/ier iris leic u.m. bte did not bring forth her lamp, and, un? willing to disturb her, he picked up a resinous branch, lit it in the dying fire and went into the cave. He wanted to survey the work al? ready done and to determine whether it would be better to resume operations in the morning from inside the exca? vation or from the ledge. Owing to the difficulty of constructing a vertical upward shaft and the danger of a sud? den fall of heavy material he decided in favor of the latter course, although it entailed lifting all the refuse out of the hole. To save time, therefore, he carried his mining tools into the open, placed in position the cheval de frise long since constructed for the defense of the entrance, and poured water over the remains of the fire. This was his final care each night before stretching his weary limbs on his couch of branches. It caused delay In the morning, but he neglected no precaution, and there was a possible chance of the Dyaks failing to discover the eagle's nest if they were persuad? ed by other indications that the island was deserted. He entered the hut and was in the aet of pulling off his boots when a dis? tant shot rang sharply through the air. It was magnified tenfold by the in? tense silence. For a few seconds, that seemed to be minutes, he listened, cher? ishing the quick thought that perhaps a turtle, wandering far beyond accus? tomed limits, had disturbed one of the spring gun communications on the sands. A sputtering volley, which his trained ear recognized as the firing of muzzle-loaders, sounded the death knell of his last hope. The Dyaks had landed! Coming si? lently and mysteriously in the dead of night, they were themselves the vic? tims of a stratagem they designed to employ. Instead of taking the occu? pants of Rainbow island unawares they were startled at being greeted by a shot the moment they landed. The alarmed savages at once retaliated by firing their antiquated weapons point blank at the trees, thus giving warning enough to wake the seven sleepers. ins, ruily dressed, was out in a mo? ment % "They have come!" she whispered. "Yes," was the cheery answer, for Jenks'face to face with danger was a very different man from Jenks wres? tling with the insidious attacks of Cu? pid. "Up the ladder! Be lively! They will not be here for half an hour if they kick up such a row at the first difficul? ty. Still, we will take no risks. Cast down those spare lines when you reach the top and haul away when I say 'Ready." You will find everything to hand up there." He held the bottom of the ladder to Steady it for the girl's climb. Soon her voice fell, like a message from a star: "All right! Please join me soon!" The coiled up ropes dropped along the face of the rock. Clothes, pick, hatchet hammer, crowbars and other useful odds and ends were swung away into the darkness, for the moon as yet did not illumine the crag. The sailor darted into Belle Vue castle and kicked their leafy beds about the floor. Then he slung all the rifles, now five in num? ber, over his shoulders and mounted the rope ladder, which, with the spare cords, he drew up and coiled with careful method. CHAPTER XI. HE sailor knew so accurately the position of his reliable sen? tinels that he could follow each phase of the imaginary conflict on the other side of the island. The first outbreak of desultory firing died away amidst a chorus of protest from every feathered inhabitant of the isle, so Jenks assumed that the Dyaks had gathered again on the beach after rid? dling the scarecrows with bullets or slashing them with their heavy razor edged swords. A hasty council was probably held, and, notwithslal??llng their fear of~~tl?? silent company in the hollow, an ad? vance was ultimately made along the beach. Within a few yards they en? countered the invisible cord of the third spring gun. There was a report and another fierce outbreak of mus? ketry. This was enough. Not a man would move a step nearer that abode of the dead. The next commotion arose on the ridge near the North cape. "At this rate of progress," said Jenks to the girl, "they will not reach our house until daylight" "I almost wish they were here," was the quiet reply. "I find this waiting and listening to be trying to the nerves." They were lying on a number of ragged garments hastily spread on the ledge and peering intently into the moonlit area of Prospect park. The great rock Itself was shrouded in som? ber shadows. Even if they stood up none could see them from the ground, so dense was the darkness enveloping them. He turned slightly and took her hand. It was cool and moist It no more trembled than his own. *The Dyaks are far more scared than you," he murmured, with a laugh. "Cruel and courageous as they are, they dare not face a spook." "Then what a pity it is we cannot conjure up a ghost for their benefit All the spirits I have ever read about were ridiculous. Why cannot one be usjeful occasionally_?l_ _ % [TO BE CONTINUED.] irV-'- _._ Damages Enough. There had been a railway collision near a Scottish country town, and an astute local attorney had hurried to the scene of disaster. Noticing an old man with a badly damaged head lying on the ground, he approached him with notebook in hand. "How about dam? ages, my man?" he began. The In? jured man waved him off with the re? mark: "Na, na; ye'll get nee damages 1 fae me. It wasna me that hit yer bloomin' auld train." Activity in Manchuria. St. Petersburg, May 19. Brief reports showing there was some activity on the part of the armies in Manchuria, is being received by the war office almost every day. The dispatches give no indication, however, of the beginning of a general engage? ment, which, it is beMeved, will be fought in the near future. CASTOR IA Por Infants and Children. fhe Kind You Have Always Bought Bears the rf, y?ttZ?~ Signature of LfLzf/ZT&Zi&M PATENTS I Promptly obtained or no fee. Write for our CONFIDENTIAL LETTER before applying for patent ; it is worth money. We 0Dtak>ATENtS THAT PAY. and help inventors to success * Send model, photo or sketch, and we send IMMEDIATE FREE REPORT ON PAT? ENTABILITY. 2ayears'practice. Regis? tered Patent Lawyers, write or come to os at 505-507, 7ifc St. WASHINGTON, D. C. Hi XPER!?NCE TRADE MARKS DESIGNS COPYRIGHTS &C. Anyone sending a sketch and description may quickly ascertain our opinion free whether an invention is probably patentable. 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