The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, March 30, 1906, Page 3, Image 3
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1 S6e Win
| Mornin
Tv u~akc her he kissed her; he knew
not, perchance it might he their last
kiss on earth. Not yet dawn, there was
morning In the air, for the first faint
shafts of light were not visible from
their eyrie owing to Its position. But
there was much to be doue.
The canvas awning was rolled back
and the stores built into a barricade inv
tended to shelter Iris.
\ "What Is that for?" she asked when
she discovered lis nature. He told her.
She definitely refused to avail herself
of uny such protection.
"Robert, dear," she said, "if the nttnck
comes to our very door, so to
speak, surely I must help you. Even
my slight aid may stem n rush in one
place while you arc busy In another."
He explained to her that if hand to
hand fighting were necessary he would
depend more upon a crowbar than n
rifle to sweep the ledge clear. She
might be in the way.
"Very well. The moment you tell
me to get behind that fence I will do
so. Even there I can use a revolver."
That reminded him. Ilia own pistol
was unloaded. He possessed only five
more cartridges of small caliber. He
placed them in the weapon and gave it
to her.
"Now you have eleven men's lives in
i. your hands," he said. "Try not to miss
"If you must shoot."
In the dim light he could not see the
, spasm of pain that clouded her face.
No Dyak would reach her while he
lived. If lie fell, there was another use
for one of those cartridges.
The sailor had cleared the main floor
of the rock nqd was placing his four
rifles and other implements within easy
reach when a hiss came from beneath.
"Mir Jan!" exclaimed Iris.
"What now?" demanded Jenks over
the side.
"Snliib, they come!"
"I am prepared. Let that snake
get back to his hole in the rock, lest a
mongoose seize him by the head."
Mir Jan. engaged in a scouting expedition
011 his own account, understood
that the ofllccr sahib's orders must be
obeyed. He vanished. Soon they heard
a great crackling among the bushes on
the right, hut Jenks knew even before
he looked that the Dynks had correctly
estimated the extent of his fire zone
and would keep out of it.
The first physical intimation of the
enemy's design they received was a
pungent but pleasant smell of burning
pine, horuo to them by the northerly
breere and filling the air with its aroma.
'J lie Dyaks kindled a huge five.
The heat was perceptible even on the
ledge, but ilio minutes passed and the
dawn broadened into day without any
other result being achieved.
Iris, a little drawn and pale with sus
peusc, said, with a timid giggle:
"This does not seem to lie so very
serious. It reminds me of my efforts
to cook."
"There is more to follow. I fear, dear
one. Hut the Dyaks are fools. They
should have waited until night fell
again after wearing us out by constant
vigilance nil day. If they Intend to employ
smoke It wcuhl be far worse for
us at night."
Phew! A volume of murky vapor
arose that nearly suffocated them by
the first whilT of lis noisome fumes. It
curled like a black pall over the face of
the rock and blotted out sea and sky.
They coughed incessantly and nearly
choked, for the Dyaks had thrown wet
seaweed on top of the burning pile of
dry wood. Mir Jan, born in interior India.
knew little about the sea or its
products, and wlieu the savagc3 talked
of seaweed lie thought they meant
green wood. Fortunately for hltni the
ascending clouds of smoke missed the
cave or Infallibly he must have been
stilled.
"Lie fiat on the rock!" gasped Jcnks.
Careless of waste, he poured water
over a coat and m.'de Iris bury her
mouth and nose iu the wet cloth. This
gave her immediate relief, and she
showed her woman's wit by tying the
sleeves of the garment behind her neck.
Jcnks nodded comprehension and followed
her example, for by this means
iiiuir iiuhuh were icri rree.
The black cloud grew more deuse
each few seconds. Nevertheless, owing
to Qie slope of the ledge and the tendency
of the smoke to rise, the south
side was far more tenable than the
north. Quick to note thic favorable circumstance.
the sailor deduced a further
fact from It. A barrier erected on
the extreme right of the ledge would
be a material gain. lie sprang up,
dragged the huge tarpaulin from Its
former location nnd propped It 011 the
handle of the pickax, driven by one
mighty stroke deep Into a crevice of
the rock.
It was no mean feat of strength that
he performed. He. swung the heavy
nnd cumbrous canvas into position as
If It were a dust cloth. He emerged
from the gloom of the driven cloud red
eyed, but triumphant. Instantly the
vapor on the ledge lessened, and they
could breathe, even talk. Overhead
nnd in front the smoke swept In ever
increasing denshy, but once again the
sailor had outwitted the Dyaks' maneuvers.
"We have won the flrsf T.bber," he
whispered to Iris.
Above, beneath, beyond, thfly conki
*x> noUiigfc tur tW bj^tbaa
SMlMri
gsoftheg
, By LOUIS I
O TRACY frjgy
1 / % Copyright, 1903, by i?-,:Y*
Edward J. Ctode k
. . , . .. . >.v.vQ
wns hot and fetid. It was like helug
immured lu a foul tunnel, and almost
as dark. Jenks looked over tlie
parapet. lie thought he could distinguish
some vague figures on the sands,
so he fired at them. A volley of answering
bullets crashed into the rock
on all sides. The Dyaks had laid their*
plans well this time. A llrfng squad
stationed beyond the smoke area and
supplied with nil the available guns
commenced and kent nn n smnrt
lade fn tlio diroction of the ledge In
order to cover the operations of the
scaling party.
Jenks realized that to expose himself
was to court a serious wound and
achieve no useful purpose. He fell
j back out of range, laid down his rifle
and grabbed the crowbar. At brief intervals
a deep hollow boom came up
from the valley. At first it puzzled
theui until the sailor hit upon an explanation.
Mir.Tan was busy.
The end of a strong, roughly made
ladder swung through the smoke and
banged against the ledge. Before
Jenks could reach it those hoisting it
Into position hastily retreated. They
Were standing In front of the cave, and
the Mohammedan made play on them
with a rifle at thirty feet.
Jenks, using his crowbar as n lever,
toppled the ladder clean over. It fell
| outward and disconcerted a section of
the musketeers.
i"Well done!" cried Iris.
The sailor, astounded by her tone,
gave lier a fleeting glance. She was
j very pale now. but not with fear. Her
eyes were slightly contracted, her nostrils
quivering, her lips set tight and
i her chin dimpled. Resting on one knee,
. with a revolver in each hand, she seemed
no puling mate for the gallant man
who fought for her.
There was no time for further speech.
Three ladders were reared against the
Now both crowbar and revolver were
needed.
rock. They were so poised and held
below that Jenks could uot force them
backward. A fourth appeared, its
coarse shafts looming into sight like
the horns of some gigantic animal.
The four covered practically the whole
front of the ledge save where Mir Jan
cleared a little space on the level.
The sailor was standing now, with
the crowbar clinched iu both hands.
The firing in the valley slackened and
died away. A Dyak face, grinning like
a Japanese demon, appeared at the top
of the ladder nearest to Iris.
"Don't fire!" shouted Jenks. And the
iron bar crushed downward. Two oth
"I J IIIIV1IVU IUI-UI3L-I ? VII mill Ull III lim
ledge. Now both crowbar and revolver
were needed. Three ladders were
thus cumbered somewhat for those beneath,
and Jeuks sprang toward the
fourth and most distant. Men were
crowding It like ants. Close to his feet
lay an empty water cask. It was a
crude weapon, but effective when well
pitched, and the sailor had never made
a better shot for a goal in the midst
of a hard fought scrimmage than he
mado with that tub for the head of the
uppermost pirate.
Another volley came from the sands.
A bullet plowed through his hair and
sent his sou'wester flying. Again the
9UUIIIIUU IU lll? UllUCU. UUO
way or the other they must succeed.
A man and a woman?even such a. man
and such a woman?could not keep at
bay an Infuriated liqrde of fifty savages
flghtlng^t close quarters and uuder
these grierous conditions.
Jcnks knew what would happen. IIo
would be shot while repelling the scaling
patty. And Iris! Dear heart! She
was thinking of him.
"Keep back! They enn never gain
the ledge!" she shrieked.
And then, above the din of the fusillade.
the yells of the assailants and
the bawling of the wounded, there
came through the air a screaming, tearing,
ripping sound which drowned all
others. It traveled with Incredible
spcod, and before the sailor could beJieve
h(l ears?for he well knew what
jpaot-g tipl) b?$tt Ja
L 85s L ?
front of the ledge and drenched the
valley with flying lead.
Jeuks was just able to drag Iris flat
against the rock ere the time fuse oporated
and the bullets flew. He could
form no theory, hazard no conjecture.
All be knew was that a twelve pounder
shell had flown toward them through
space, scattering red ruin among the
amazed scoundrels beneath. Instantly
lie rose again, lest pere'iance any of the
Dynks should have gained n foothold
on the ledge.
The ladders were empty. He could
hear a good deal of groaning, the footsteps
of running men and some distant
shouting.
"Sahib!" yelled Mir Jan, drawn from
his retreat by the commotion without.
| "Yes." shouted Jenks.
The native. In a voice erncked with
excitement, told him something. The
sailor asked a few rapid questions to
make quite sure that Mir Jan was not
mistaken.
Then he threw his arms round Iris,
drew her close and whispered:
"My darling, we are saved! A warship
has anchored just beyond the
south reef, and two boats filled with
u?ii.N.u ouinu? mf now puuiiig ashore."
CHAPTER XV.
mllE drifting smoke was still so
dense that not even the floor of
the valley could be discerned.
Jonks dared not leave Iris at
I such a moment.
He called to Mir Jan:
"Take off your turban and hold It
; above your bead if you thick they can
see you from the warcliip."
"It Is all right, saliib,'* came the
cheering answer. "One boat is close
1 inshore. I think, from the uniforms,
they are English sahibs, such as I
have seen at Garden Reach. The Dynks
have all gone."
Nevertheless Jenks waited. There
was nothing to gain by being too pre|
cipitate. A false step now might undo
the achievements of many weeks.
Mir Jan was dancing about beneath
in a state of wild excitement.
"They have seen the Dynks running
to their sampans, sahib," he yelled,
"and the second boat is being pulled in
that direction! Yet another has just
left the ship." ,
A translation made Iris excited, ea- '
ger to go down and see these wonders.
The boom of a cannon came from the
sea. Instinctively the girl ducked for
safety, though her companion smiled
at her fears, for the shell would have
long preceded the report had it traveled
their way.
"One of the remaining sampans has
got under way," lie explained, "and the
warship is firing at her."
"Poor wretches!" murmured Iris.
"Cannot the survivors be allowed to
escape?"
"Well, we are unable to interfere.
Those caught on the island will probably
bo taken to the mainland and
hanged for their crimes, so the manner
of their end is not of much consenuence."
r
To the girl's manifest relief, there i
was no more firing, anil Mir Jan an- 1
nounceil that a number of sailors were i
actually 011 shore. Then her thoughts 1
turned to a matter of concern to the
feminine mind even in the gravest mo- 1
ments of existence. She laved her face
with water and sought lier discarded
skirt. 1
Soon the steady tramp of hoot clad
feet advancing at the double was '
heard on the shingle, and an officer's
voice, speaking the crude Ilindoostauee ]
of the engine room and forecastle. 1
shouted to Mir Jan: 1
"III, you black fellow! Are there
any white people here?" <
Jcnks sang out: j
"Yes, two of us! Perched on the t
rock over your heads. We are coming l
down." <
lie cast loose the rope ladder. Iris
was limp and trembling. t
"Steady, sweetheart," he whispered. 1
"Don't forget the slip between the cup t
and the Hp. Hold tight, but have 110 1
fear. I will be just beneath."
It was well he took this precaution. (
She was now ?r> Hint on .m_ ?
guarded movement might have led to f.
an accident, llut tlic knowledge that n
her lover was near, the touch of his t
hand guiding her feet on to the rungs n
of the ladder, sustained her. They had t
almost reached the level when a loud i
exclamation and the crash of a heavy f
blow caused Jenks to halt and look t
dov\jjward.
A Dyak, lying at the foot of one of ?
the scaling ladders and severely wound- 1
ed by a shell splinter, witnerrrmt ttirTr c
descent. In his left hand he grasped a c
parang; his right arm was bandaged, r
Though unable to rise, the vengeful c
pirate mustered his remaining strength to
crawl toward the swaying ladder. It
was Tnung S'Ali, Inspired with the f
hate and venom of the dying snake.
Even yet he hoped to deal a mortal
stroke at the man who had defied him
and all his cutthroat band. lie might j
have succeeded, as Jenks was so taken i
up with Iris, were It not for the watch- i
ful eyes of Mir Jan. The Mohammedan
sprang at him. with an oath, and gave j
him such a murderous whack with the t
butt of a rifle tlint the Dyak chief collapsed
and breathed out bis fierce spirit t
j In n groan.
At the first glance Jenks <lld not rcc- 1
ognize Taung S'All owing to his change
of costume. Through the thinner smoke i
I he could see several sailors running up.
But. with the passing of the chief, i
their last peril had gone. The next instant
they were standing on the firm 3
ground, and a British naval lieutenant 1
was saying eagerly: j
"We seem to have turned up in the t
nick of time. Do you, by any chance, 1
belong to the Sircar?" I
"We are the sole survivors," answer- c
ed the sailor. ]
"You two only?" [
"Yes. She struck on the northwest j
reef of this island during a typhoon.
This lady. Miss Iris Denne, and I were t
flung ashore"? 1
4
& TRADE MARK
J?fM;
SL REGISTERED
Fish scrap is use
under all crop c
1 for the Royster t
W hi
^ XI
Norfolk, Va. 2
ijgSlgi Columbia, S.C.
Let me congratulate you most heart
ily. Sir Arthur Deane is on board the
Orient at tliis moment."
"The Orient!"
Iris was dazed. It was all too worn
derful to be quite understood yet. She
turned to Robert:
"Do you hear? They say my fathei
Is not far away. Take me to him."
"No need for that, miss," interrupted
n warrant oliiecr. "Here he is coming
ashore. lie wanted to come with us,
Kilt tlio n'AttU **
V..|/vit?u H V/Ulfl UUL |JCi lUll 11
ns there seemed to be some trouble
ihcad."
Sure euwigh. even the girl's swim
into* eyes could distinguish the gray
L)carded civilian seated beside an ofll
?er in the stern sheets of a small gip
aow threading a path through the bro
ken reef beyond Turtle beach. In flvi
minutes father and daughter would
meet.
Meanwhile the officer, intent on duty,
addressed Jenks again.
"May I ask who you are?"
"My name is Anstruther?Robert Anitruther."
Iris, clinging to his arm, heard the
reply.
So he had abandoned all pretense.
[Ie was ready to face the world at her
side. She stole a loving glance at him
is she cried:
"Yes; Captain Anstruther of the Inllau
staff corps. If lie will not tell
rou all that he has done, how ho has
awed my life twenty times, how he
ins fought single handed against
ilghty men, ask me!"
"Captain Anstruther docs nut appear
;o have left much for us to do, Miss
Dcane," the officer said. "Indeed,"
urnlug to Robert, "Is there any way
n which my men will be useful?"
"I would recommend that they drap
he green stuff oft' that tire and stor
he smoke. Then a detachment should
;o round tne north side of the island
intl drive the remaining Dynks intc
he hands of the party- you have lo.uO.wl
is 1 understand, ati the farther end o
he south head). IVEir Jan, the Moham
aedan here, who lias l)een a most faith
>ul ally during part of our siege, wll
ict >jp? guide."
TM .'other man east a coinprclmnsivt
;lanoe over the rock, with its Vjhlim
adders and dnngling rope ladder, tlx
itve* the little groups of dead or un
onrffious pirates?for every woundec
nanj who could move a limb line
irawtied away after the first slieil burst
-and drew a deep breath.
"IIow long were you up there?" he
isked.
"Over thirty hours."
"It was a great fight!"
"Somewhat worse than it looks." said
Vnstrutlier. "This Is only the end ol
t. Altogether we have accounted foi
learly twoscore of the poor devils."
Itohert looked toward the approach'
ug boat. She would not land yet for
i couple of minutes.
"By the way." lie said, "will you
ell mo your name?"
"Playdon ? Lieutenant Philip II,
Playdon."
"Do you know to* what nation tlm
alnrwl holnmroV'
"It Is no ronn'g land, I think. It is
narked 'uninhabited' on the chart."
"Then," said Anst rather, "I call upor
'on, Lieutenant Playdon, and nil others
lore present to witness that I, Robert
Vnstrutlier, late of the Indian army
icting on behalf of myself and Miss
rls Denne, declare that we have taker
rossession of this island in the name
>f his Britannic majesty the king ol
Sng'und, that we arc the joint oceu
lievs and. owners thereof niul claim ai
iroporty lights vested therein."
These formal phrases, coining at sucl
i moment, amiv;?i his hearers. Irh
done had an Intr.llng of the nnderlylnt
nntiva
\ *
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Ttilizer proved perfect by twent
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i food for every stage of plant ;
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to corn, wheat to small truck.
IVlacJe with F"isF
:d in every ton of Farmers' Bone, in
onditions and making it famous as a
rade mark.
2RE'S THE SALES REC
IINK OF THE CROP REC
/ \
1885-250 TONS
X 1890-1,500 TONS
/ 1895-12,000 TONS
' 1900-58,455 TONS
1905-130,091 TON
S. ROYSTER GUANO I
"I don't suppose any one will dispute
, your title," said the naval officer gravely.
ITc unquestionably imagined thai
suffering and exposure had slightly dis.
turbed the other man's senses.
, : "Thank you," replied Uobcrl with
' equal composure, though he felt in.
clined to laugh at I'laydon's mystitlcation.
"I only wished to secure a sulliI
cient number of witnesses for a verbal
, declaration. When I have a few minutes
to spare 1 will affix a legal notice
on the wall in front of our cave."
Playdon bowed silently. There was
something in the speaker's manner that
puzzled him. lie detailed a small guard
to accompany Robert and Iris, who
now walked toward the beach, and
asked Mir Jan to pilot him as suggest'
cd by Anstruther.
I Tlirt I-, * ?* '
, -?UUIIV Itua Jti lllllIIV jarus Il'OlH
' shore when Iris ran forward and
stretched out her arms to the man who
was staring at her with wistful de
spall*.
"Father! Father!" she cried. "Don't
you know me?"
Sir Arthur Deane was looking at the
two strange figures on the sands, and
1 each moment his heart sank lower.
This island held ids final hope. During
many weary weeks, since the day when
1 a kindly admiral placed the cruiser
Orient at his disposal, he had scoured
the China sea, the coasts of Borneo and
Java for some tidings of the ill fated
Sirdar.
i To examine every sand patch and
> tree covered shoal in the China sea was
an impossible task. All the Orient
could do was to visit the principal is>
lands and institute inquiries among the
( fishermen and small traders. At last,
' the previous night, a Malay, tempted
- by hope of reward, boarded the vessel
when lying at anchor off the large is;
land away to the south and told the
, captain a wondrous tale of a devil
[ haunted place inhabited by two white
[ spirits, a male and a female, whither
> n local pirate ivAvattl Taung S'All had
fcOYio by chance with his men and suff
fered great loss. But Taung S'All was
. bewitched by the female spirit and had
. returned there with a great force,
j swearing to capture her or perish. The
spirits, the Malay said, had dwelt upon
} the island for many years. Ills father
, and grandfather knew the place and
? feared It. Taung S'All would never be
. seeu again.
j This queer yarn was the first indieaI
tlon they received of the whereabouts
, of any persons who might possibly be
shipwrecked Europeans, though not
, survivors from the Sinlar. Anyhow,
, the tiny dot lay in the vessel's northI
ward track, so a course was set to urj
rive off the island soon after dawn.
^ I Events on shore, as seen by the orti.
cer on watch, told their own tale.
. Wherever Dyalcs are fighting there is
mischief on fyot, so the Orient took a
hand In the proceedings.
. | But Kir Arthur Deane, after an ago|
ntzed scrutiny of the weird looking
persons escorted by the sailors to the
1 \rnfnn'o aiIcta ? a/I 1?? ' 41 4
? CU^IT, niiui; IICMIUWIfU^ni mill
neither of these coulil he tlioNdaughter
whom ho sought. lie bowed his head
in humble resignation, and he thought
j lie was the victim of a cruel hallucination
when Iris' tremulous accents
* I reached his ears:
"Father, father! Don't you know
' me?"
' I He stood up, amazed and trembling.
"Yes. father, dear, it is I, your own
' little girl given back to you."
' They had some difficulty to keep him
1 In the boat, and the uian pulling stroke
! smashed a stout oar with the next
r , Jfrcnch.
I And so they met at last, and the sail1
ors left them alone to crowd round
Anstruther and ply him with a linn1
drcd questions. Although lie fell in with
1 their humor and gradually pieced toI
gather the stirring story which was
' nuclj to*wnt toe m
| ^ A
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IMERS' BONE, the M
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ORD ||?i
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rival of ?:. :: olate Dynks and the
comments of the men who returned
from cave and heaeii. his soul was filled
with the sight of Iris and her father
r.nd the happy, inconsequent demands
with which ouch sought to ascertain
: nil relieve the extent of the other's
anxiety.
Then Iris called to hint:
"Robert. 1 want you."
The use of his Christian name created
something akin to a sensation. Sir
Arthur Donne wfcs startled, even in his
immeasurable delight at finding his
child uninjured, the picture of rude
health and happiness.
Anstruther advanced.
ri.!.~ ? ...
j i:n is my miner. sue cried, shrill
with Joy. "And, father darling, this
Anil so Ihcy met at last.
is Captain Robert Anstruther, to whom
alone, under God's will, 1 owe my lifo
many, many times sinee the moment
the Sirdar was lost."
It was no time for questioning. Sir
Arthur Deane took off his hat and held
out his hand.
"Captain Anstruther," he said, "as I
owe you my daughter's life I owe you
that which 1 can never repay. And I
owe you my own life, too, for I could not j
have survived the knowledge that she
was dead."
Itobert took the proffered hand.
"I think, Sir Arthur, that of the two
I am the more deeply indebted. There
are some privileges whose value cannot
be measured, and among them tho
privilege of restoring your daughter to
your arms takes the highest place."
Then he turned to Iris.
"I think," he said, "that your father
should take you on board the Orient,
Iris. There you may perhaps lind
- -
some suitable clothing, eat something
and recover from the exciting events
of the morning. Afterward you must
bring Sir Arthur ashore again, and wo
will guide him over the island. I am
sure you will lind much to tell him
meanwhile."
The baroneU could not fail to noto
the mnnner^n which these two addressed
each other, the fearless love
I which leaped from eye to eye, the calm
acceptance of a relationship not to be
questioned or gainsaid, itohcrt and
Iris, without spoken word on the subject,
had tacitly agreed to avoid the
slightest semblance of subterfuge as
unworthy alike of their achlevementa
and their love.
CottUuwvi WW