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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 15, 1905)
& I V, " - 54? Wings of The Morning Dy LOUIS TRACY Copyright, INI), by Edward J. Clodo 0 Then he turned to Iris. "I think," ho said, "that your father should take you on board the Orient, Iris. There you may perhaps llnd some Hultablo clothing, eat something and recover from the exciting events of the morning. Afterward you must bring Sir Arthur ashore again, and we will guide lilin over the Island. 1 tun sure you will find much to tell him meanwhile." The baronet could not fall to note the manner in which these two ad dressed each other, the fearless love which leaped from eye to eye, the calm acceptance of a relationship not to be questioned or gainsaid. Robert and Iris, without spoken word on the sub ject, had tacitly agreed to avoid the slightest semblance of subterfuge as unworthy alike of their achievements and their love. 'Tour suggestion is admirable." cried Sir Arthur. "The ship's stores may provide Iris with some sort of rig-out, and an old friend of hers Is on board at this moment, little expecting her pres ence. Lord Vcntnor has accompanied me in my search. Ilo will, of course, ho delighted" AiMruthor Hushed a deep bronze, but Iris broke in: "Father, why did he come with you?" . Sir Arthur, driven into this sudden squall of explanation, became digni fied. "Well, you see, my dear, under the circumstances he felt an anxiety al most commensurate with my own." ! "But why, why?" Iris was quite calm. With Robert near, she was courageous. Even the perturbed baronet experienced a new sensation as his troubled glance fell be fore her searching eyes. Ills daughter had left him a Joyous, heedless girl. He found her a woman, strong, self re JIant, purposeful. Yet he kept on, choosing the most . straightforward jnoans as the only honorable way of clearing a course so beset with unsus pected obstacles. "It Is only reasonable, Iris, that your aflianeod husband should suffer an ag ony of apprehension on your account and do all that was possible to effect your rescue." "My alllancpd husband?" "Well, my dear girl, perhaps that Is Iiardly the correct phrase from your point of view. Yet you cannot fall to remember that Lord Ventnor" "Father, dear," said Iris solemnly, 1)iit in a voice free from all uncertain ty, "my nfllaneed husband stands here! ."Wo plighted our troth at the very gato of death. It was ratllled in the pres ence of God and has been blessed by lilm. I have made no compact with Lord Ventnor. He is a base and un worthy man. Did you but know the truth concerning him you would not mention his name in the same breath jwlth udne. Would he, Robert?" "He advised by me, Sir Arthur, and you, too, IrLs," he said. "This is no hour for explanations. Leave mo to deal with Lord Ventnor. I am content to trust the ultimate verdict to you, Sir Arthur. You will learn in due course all tout has happened. Go on board, Irl3, Meet Lord Ventnor as you would meet any other friend. You will not marry him, I know. I can trust you." "I am very much obliged to you," murmured tho baronet, who, notwith standing his worry, was far too experi enced a man of tho world not to ac knowledge tho good sense of this ad vice, no matter how ruillanly might bo tho guise of tho strange person who gave it. "That is settled, then," said Robert, laughing good uaturedly, for he well knew what a weird spectacle he must present to tho bowlldered old gentle man. Even Sir Arthur Deane was fascinat ed by the ragged and hairy giant who carried himself so masterfully and . helped everybody over the stile at tho right moment. lie tried to develop tho change la the conversation. "By the way,'' ho said, "how camo you to bo on the' Slrdnr? I hnvo a list of all tho passengers and crow, and your name does not appear therein." "Oh, that Is easily accounted for. I shipped as a steward In tho name of Robert Jcnks." "Robert Jenks! A steward!' "Yes. That forma soino part of tho promised explanation." Iris rapidly gathered the drift of her lover's wishes. "Come, father," sho cried merrily. "I am aching to seo what the ship's stores, which you and Robert pin your faith to, can do for mo In tho shape of garments. I have tho utmost belief In tho British navy, nnd even a skeptic should bo convinced of its infallibility if II. M. S. Orient Is aula to provide a Cindy's outfit" Sir Arthur Deano gladly availed h im pel f of the proffered compromise. Ilo assisted Iris into the boatL though that iUe y Ming pers n was far better able to suppnrt him, and a word to the olli.-or In command sent the gig llyinj; back to the ship. Anstruther during a momentary delay made a small reiitUMt on his own account. Lieutenant Play don. nearly as big a man as Robert, dispatched a note to his servant, and the gig speedily returned with a com plete assortment of clothing and linen. The man also brought a dressing case, with the result that a dip in the bath and ten minutes In tho hands of an ex pert valet made Anstruther ti new man. Acting under his advice, the bodies of tho dead were thrown Into the la goon, the wounded were collected In the hut, to be attended to by the ship's surgeon, and the prisoners wore parad ed In trout of Mir Jan, who identltled every man and found by counting heads that none was missing. Robert did not forget to write out a formal notice and fasten It to the rock. This proceeding further mystified tho olliceis of the Orient, who had gradual ly formed a connected Idea of the great flirht made by the shipwrecked pair, though Anstruther squirmed Inwardly when lie thought of the manner in which Iris would picture tho scene. As It was, he had tho llrst Innings, and he did not fail to use the opportunity. In the few terse words which the mill taut Briton best understands he de scribed the girl's fortitude, her unllag glng cheerfulness, her uncomplaining readiness, to do and dare. When he ended, the first lieutenant, who commanded the boats sent In pur suit of the Hying Dyaks-tho Orient sank both sampans as soon as they were launched summed up tho gener al verdict: "You do not need our admiration, Captain Anstruther. Each man of us envies you lrom the bottom of his soul." "There Is an error about my rank," ho said. "I did once hold a commission in tho Indian army, but I was court martialed ami cashiered in Hongkong six months ago. I was unjustly con victed on a grave charge, and I hope some day to clear myself. Meanwhile I am a mere civilian. It was only Miss Deano's generous sympathy which led her to mention my former rank, Mr. Iiaydon." Had another of the Orient's twelve pounder shells suddenly burst in the midst of tho group of olllcers It would hnve created less dismay titan this un expected avowal. Court martialed! Cashiered! None but a service man can grasp the awful significance of those words to tho commissioned ranks of the army and navy. Anstruther well know what he was doing. Somehow ho found nothing hard in the performance of these penances now. Of course the ugly truth must bo revealed tho moment Lord Ventnor hoard his name. It was not fair to tho good fellows crowding nround him and offering every attention that tho frank hospitality of tho British sailor could suggest to permit them to adopt the tone of friendly equnllty which rigid discipline if nothing else would not al low them to maintain. Tho first lieutenant by reason of his rank was compelled to say something. "That is a devilish bad Job, Mr. An struther," he blurted out. "Well, you know I had to tell you." Ilo smiled unnffectedly at tho won dering clrclo. He, too, was an officer nnd appreciated their sentiments. They were unfolgnedly sorry for him, n man so brave and modest, such a splendid type of the soldier and gentleman, yet by their common law an outcast Nor could they wholly understand his do moanor. There was a noble dignity in his candor, a conscious innocence that disdained to shield Itself under a par tial truth. Tho first lieutenant again phrased the thoughts of his Juniors. "I and every other man In the ship cannot help but sympathize with you. But whatever may bo your record If you were an escaped convict, Mr. An struther no one could withhold from you the praise deserved for your mag nificent stand against overwhelming odds. Our duty is plain. We will bring you to Singapore, where tho others will no doubt wish fo go Immediately. I will tell tho captain what you have been good enough to acquaint us with. Mean while we will give you every assistance and or attention In our power." A murmur of approbation ran through the little circle. Robert's fnce paled somewhat. What first rate chaps they were, to be sure! "I can only tliank you," ho said un steadily. "Your kindness is more try ing than adversity." A rustle of silk, tho intrusion into the Intent knot of men of a young lady in a Paris gown, a Paris hat, carrying a Trouville parasol and most exquisitely gloved and booted, made every one gasp. "Oh, Robert, dear, how could you? I actually didn't know you!" Thus Iris, hewitchlngly nttlred, was gazing now with provoking admiration at Robert, who certainly offered nlmost as great a contrast to his former stato as did tho girl herself. Ho returned her look with interest. "Would any man believe," ho laugh ed, "that clothes would do so much for a woman?" "What a left handed compliment! But come, dearest. Captain Fitzroy and Lord Ventnor have come ashoro with father and me. They want us to show them everything! You will ex cuse him, won't jni'V . i ,,,, , , , a seraphic smile i.t tl.. o'.'tcis. They walked off t v.etlur "Jimmy!" i,ncd a fit mid-dilpuni to a lanky youth. "She's got on voui togs!" Meaning that IrN had tansucked tin Orient's theatrical wiir.lro'te an 1 politic ed on tho swell outfit of the principal female Impersonator in the ship's com pany. CHAPTER XVI. ORD VENTNOR was no fool. While Iris was transforming herself from a semlsavage con dition Into a semblance of an chic Parlslenne, Sir Arthur L ultra Deane told the earl something of the state of affairs on the Island. His lordship, a handsome, saturnine man, cool, Insolently polite, counseled patience, toleration, even silent recog nition of Anstruther's undoubted claims for services rendered. "She is an enthusiastic, high spirited girl," ho urged upon his surprised hear er, who expected a very different ex pression of opinion. "This fellow An struther Is a plausible sort of rascal, a good man in a tight place, tooJust the sort of fire eating blackguard who would fill tho heroic bill where a fight is concerned. Hang him, he licked me twice!" Further amazement for the shipown er. "Yes, It's quite true. I interfered with his little games, and he gave me the usual reward of the devil's apothe cary. Leave Iris alone. At present she Is strung up to an Intense pitch of gratitude, having barely escaped a ter rible fate. Let her come back to the normal. Anstruther's shady record must gradually leak out. That will dis gust her. Ho is hard up cut off by bis people and that sort of thing. There you probably have the measure of his scheming. He knows quite well that he can never marry your daughter. It is all a matter of price." Sir Arthur willingly allowed himself to be persuaded. At the back of his head there was an uneasy conscious ness that it was not "all a matter of price." If it were he would never trust a man's face again. But Vent nor's well balanced arguments swayed him. The courso indicated was the only decent one. It was humanly im possible for a man to chide his daugh ter and flout her rescuer within an hour of finding them. Lord Ventnor played his cards with a deeper design. Ho bowed to the In evitable. Iris said she loved his rival. Very well. To attempt to dlssuado her was to throw her more closely into that rival's arms. The right courso was to appear resigned, saddened, com pelled against his will to reveal the distressing truth. Further, he counted on Anstruther's quick temper as an active agent. Such a man would bo the first to rebel against an assumption of pitying tolerance, ne would bring bitter charges of conspiracy, of un believable compact to secure his ruin. All this must recoil on his own head when tho facts were laid hare. Not even tho hero of tho Island could pre vail against the terrible Indictment of tho court martial. Finally, at Singa pore, thrco days distant, Colonel Cos tobell and his wife were stnylng. Lord Ventnor, alone of those on board, knew this. Indeed, he accompanied Sir Ar thur Denno lnrgely in order to break off a somewhnt trying entanglement He smiled complacently as he thought of tho effect on Iris of Mrs. Costobell's Indignant remonstrances when the bar onet nsked that Injured Jndy to tell tho girl all that had happened at Hong kong, However, Lord Ventnor was most profoundly annoyed, nnd ho cursed Anstruther from tho depths of his heart But ho could see a way out Ho came ashoro with Iris and her father. The captain of tho Orient also Joined the party. The three men watched Robert and tho girl walking toward them from tho group of offi cers. "Anstruther Is a smart looking fol low," commented Captain PItzroy. "Who la he?" Truth to tell, tho gallant commander of the Orient wbb sccrotly amazed by Ihe metamorphosis effected In Robert's fppearanco slnco ho scrutinized him Kirough his glasses. Poor Sir Arthur said not a word, but nis lordship was quito at eoso. "From his name and from what Deane tells me I bclievo ho Is an ox officer of tho Indian army." "Ah! He has left tho service? "Yes. I met him last In Hongkong.0 "Then you know him?" "Quito well, if ho Is tho man I Im ngine." "That Is really very nico of Ventnor," thought the shipowner. "Tho last thing I should credit him with would bo a forgiving disposition." Meanwhilo Anstruther was reading Iris a littlo lecture. "Sweet ono," he explained to her, "do not allude to mo by my former rank. I am not entitled to it Somo day, please God, it will bo restored to me. At present I am a plain civilian, nnd, by tho way, Iris, during tho next few days say nothing about our mine." "Oh, why not?" "Just a personnl whim. It win please me." 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