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At ntiodirr time Iris would have
snapped nt him for the retort. Still
liumlily regretful for her previous at
titude, she answered meekly:
"Yes, In tills mumier uf cooking them,
I iiienii. Hut there are other Items
methods of lighting fires, finding water,
knowing wiir.t fruits atid other articles
nay be found on a desert Maud, such
.s plantains and cocoauuts and certain
,orts of birds."
When the meal was toiled Jenks
sprang lightly to his feet Best and
food had restored his faculties. The
girl thought dreamily, as he stood
there In Ids rough attire, that she had
never seen a liner man. He was tall,
sinewy and well formed. In repose his
face was pica-taut, If masterful. Its
hoiucwhut sullen, self contained ex
preslon was occasional and acquired.
Sho wondered how he could he so ener
getic. I'crsonaily she was consumed
with sleepiness.
He prod need a revolver.
"Io you mind if I lire a shot to test
tlie-e cartridges?' he inquired. "The
jiowder is all right, hut the fulminate
In the caps may he damaged."
She agreed promptly. He pointed
the weapon at a cluster of cocoanuts,
and there was a loud report. Two nuts
fell to the ground, and the air was till
ed with shrill screams and the Happing
of Innumerable wings. Iris was mo
mentarily dismayed, but her senses
continued the sailor's explanation
"Sea birds."
"Can you use a revolver?" he asked.
"My father taught me. He thinks
every woman should know how to de
fend herself if need be."
"Excellent. Well. Miss Deane, you
must try to sleep for a couple of hours.
I purpose examining the coast for some
distance on each side. Should you
want me. a shot will be the best sort
of signal."
"I am very tired," she admitted.
"Itut you?"
"()h. I am all right! I fool restless
that Is, I mean I will not be able to
sleep until night comes, and before wo
climb the hill to survey our domain I
want to find better quarters than we
now possess."
Perhaps were she less fatigued she
would have caught the vague anxiety,
the note of distrust, In his voice. But
the carpet of sand and leaves on which
alio lay was very seductive. Her eyes
closed. She nestled into n comforta
ble position and slept.
The man moved the revolver out of
harm's way to a spot where she must
see it Instantly, pulled his sou'wester
well over his eyes and walked off
quietly.
They were Hung ashore on the north
west side of the Island. Except for
the cove formed by the coral reef, with
Its mysterious palm tree growing ap
parently In the midst of the waves, the
shape of the coast was roughly that
of the concave side of a bow, the two
visible extremities being about three
quarters of n mile apart.
He guessed by the way In which the
aea raced past these points th'ut the
land did not extend beyond them. Be
hind him it rose steeply to n considera
ble height, lfiu or 200 feet. In the cen
ter was the tallest hill, which seemed
to end abruptly toward the southwest.
On the northeast side it was connect
ed with a rocky promontory by a ridge
of easy grade. The sailor turned to the
southwest as offering the most likely
direction for rapid survey.
He was not stirprised to find that
the hill terminated in n sheer wall of
rock, which stood out, ominous and
massive, from the wealth of verdure
clothing the remainder of the ridge.
Facing the precipice nnd separated
from it by a strip of ground not twen
ty feet above the sea level in tne nign
est part was another rock built emi
nence quite bare of trees, blackened by
the weather and scarred In a manner
that attested the attacks of lightning.
The Intervening belt was sparsely
dotted with trees, casuarinas, poon and
other woods he did not know, resem
bling ebony and cedar. A number of
stumps showed that the ax had been
nt work, but not recently. lie passed
luto the cleft and climbed a tree that
offered easy access. As he expected,
after rising n few feet from the ground
his eyes encountered the solemn blue
line of the sea, not half a mile distant.
He descended and commenced a sys
tematic search. Men had been here.
Was there a house? Would he sudden
ly encounter some hermit Malay or
Chinaman?
At the foot of the main cliff was u
cluster of fruit bearing trces-phm-talus,
areca nuts and cocoa palms. A
couple of cinchonas caught his eye. In
one spot the undergrowth was rauk
1'F'IW
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By LOUIS
TRACY g;&
Copyright, 1903, by
Edwtrd J. Clode
I
nnd vividly green". The cassava", or
tapioca plant, reared Its high passion
tlower leaves above the grass, nnd
some sago palms thrust aloft their
thick stemmed trunks.
"Here Is a change of menu, nt nny
rate," he communed.
Breaking a thick branch off n poon
tree, he whittled away the minor
stems. A strong stick was needful to
explore that leafy fastness thoroughly.
A few cautious strides and vigorous
whacks with the stick laid bare the
cause of such prodigality In a soil cov
ered with drifted sand and lumps of
black and white speckled coral. The
trees and bushes Inclosed a well safe
guarded, In fact, from being choked
with sand during the first gale that
blew.
Delighted with this discovery, more
precious than diamonds at the mo
mentfor he doubted the advisability
of existing on the water supply of the
pitcher plant he knelt to peer luto the
excavation. The well had been proper
ly made. Ten feet down he could see
the rellectlon of his face. Expert hands
had tapped the secret reservoir of the
Island. By stretching to the full ex
tent of his arm he managed to plunge
the stick Into the water. Tasting the
drops, he found that they were quite
sweet. The sand and porous rock pro
vided the best of filter beds.
He rose, well pleased, and noted that
on the opposite side the appearance
of the shrubs and tufts of long grass
Indicated the existence of a grown over
path toward the cliff. He followed It,
walking carelessly, with eyes seeking
the prospect beyond, when something
rattled and cracked beneath his feet.
Looking down, he was horrified to find
lie was trampling on a skeleton.
Had a venomous snake coll id its glis
tening folds around his leg he would
not have been more startled But this
man of Iron nerve soon recovered, no
frowned deeply after the first Involun
tary heart throb.
With the stick he cleared away the
indergrowth and revealed the skeletou
of a man. The bones were big and
strong, but oxidized by the action of
the air. Jenks had injured the left
tibia by bis tread, but three fractured
ribs and a smashed shoulder blade told
some terrible unwritten story.
Beneath the mournful relics were
fragments of decayed cloth. It was
blue serge. Lying about were a few
blackened objects, brass buttons mark
ed with an anchor. The dead man's
boots were In the best state of preser
vation, but the leather had shrunk, and
the nails protruded like fangs.
A rusted pocketknife lay there, and
on the left breast of the skeleton rest
ed a round piece of tin, the top of a
canister, which might have reposed In
a coat pocket, .leaks picked it up.
Some curious marks and figures wore
punched Into Its surface. After a hasty
glance he put it aside for more leisure
ly examination.
No weapon was visible. Ho could
form wi Ht'MflXi. ns to the cause of the
death of this poor unknown nor the
time since the tragedy had occurred.
Jenks must have stood many min
utes before he perceived that the skel
eton was headless. At first ho Imag
ined that in rummaging about wltii the
stick he had disturbed the skull. But
the most minute search demonstrated
that It had gone had been taken away,
in fact for the plants which so effectu
ally screened the lighter bones would
not permit the skull to vanish.
Then the frown on the sailor's face
became threatening, thunderous. Ho
recollected the rusty creese. Indistinct
memories of strange tales of the China
sea crowded unbidden to his brain.
"Dyaks!" he growled fiercely. "A
ship's officer, an Englishman probably,
murdered by head hunting Dynk pi
rates!" If they came once they would come
again,
Five hundred yards away Iris Deano
was sleeping. Ho ought not to have
left her alone. And then, with the
devilish ingenuity of coincidence, n
revolver shot nwoke the echoes nnd
sent all manner of wild fowl hurtling
through the trees with clnmorous out
cry. Panting and wild eyed, Jenks was nt
the girl's side In an Inconceivably short
space of time. She was not beneath
the shelter of the grove, but on the
sands, gazing, pallid in cheek nnd lip,
nt the group of rocks on the edge of tlio
lagoon.
"What Is the matter?" ho gasped.
"Oh, I don't know!" she walled
brokenly. "I had a dream, such a hor
rltile dream. You were struggling with
some awful thing down there." Sho
pointed to the rocks.
"I was not near the place," ho said
laboriously. It. cost him an effort to
breathe. Ills broad chest expanded
Inches with each respiration.
"Yes, yes, I understand. But I
awoke and ran to save you. When I
got hero I saw something, a thing
with waving arms, and fired. It van
ished, and then you came."
The sailor walked slowly to the
rocks. A fresh chip out of the stone
showed where the bullet struck. Olio
huge bowlder was wet, as If water had
been splashed over It. He halted and
looked Intently into the water. Not a
fish was to bo seen, but small spirals
of sand were eddying up from the bot
tom, where It shelved steeply from
the shore.
Iris followed hhn. "See!" she cried
excitedly. "I was not mistaken. There
was something here."
A creepy sensation ran up the man's
spine and passed behind his ears. At
this spot the drowned Lascars were
lying. Like an Inspiration oamo the
knowledge that the cuttlefish, the
dreaded octopus, abounds In the China
Bea.
His face was livid when he turned to
Iris. "You are overwrought by fa-
If , MmW
SHmNP
Kcvculcil the skeleton of a man,
tlgue, Miss Deane," he said. "What
you saw was probably u seal." Ho
knew the ludicrous substitution would
not bo questioned. "Please go and lie
down again."
"I cannot," she protested. "I am too
frightened."
"Frightened! By n dream! In broad
daylight!"
"But why are you so pale? What has
alarmed you?"
"Can you ask? Did you not give the
ngreed signal?"
"Yes. bur
ner inquiring glance fell. ''lie was
breathless from agitation rather than
running. Ho was perturbed on her ac
count. For an Instant she had looked
luto his soul.
"1 will go back," she said quietly,
"though I would rather accompany
you. What are you doing?"
"Seeking a place to lay our heads."
he answered, with gruff carelessness.
"You really must rest, Miss Deane.
Otherwise you will be broken uj by
fatigue and become III."
So Iris again sought her couch of
sand, and the sailor returned to the
skeleton. They separated unwillingly,
each thinking only of the other's safe
ty and comfort.
CHAPTER IV.
nnCt! !. ttiimilinil linnna Inv
the stick discarded by Jenks
In his alarm. He picked It up
. and resumed his progress
along the pathway. So closely did lie
now examine the ground that he hard
ly noted his direction. The track led
straight toward the wall of rock. The
distance was not great about forty
yards. At first the brushwood Imped
ed hlni, but soon even this hindrance
disappeared, and a well defined passage
meandered through a belt of trees,
some strong and lofty, others quite Im
mature. More bushes gathered nt the foot of
the cliff. Behind them he could see
the mouth of a cave. The six months'
old growth of vegetation about the en
trance gave clear Indication as to the
time which hud elapsed since a human
foot last disturbed the solitude.
A few vigorous blows with the stick
cleared away obstructing plants and
leafy branches. The sailor stooped and
looked Into the cavern, for the opening
was barely five feet high. lie per
ceived Instantly that the excavation
was man's handiwork applied to a
fault In -he hard rock. A sort of nat
ural shaft existed, and this had been
extended by manual labor. Beyond
the entrance the cave became more
lofty. Owing to its position with ref
erence to tho sun nt that hour Jenks
imagined that sufficient light would
bo obtainable when the tropical luxu
riance of foliage outside was dispensed
with,
At present the Interior was dark.
With the stick ho tapped the walls and
roof. A startled cluck and the rush of
wings heralded the (light of two birds
alarmed by the noise. Soon his eyes,
more accustomed to the gloom, made
out that the place was about thirty
feet tleep, ten feet wide In the center
und seven or eight feet high.
At the further end was a collection of
objects Inviting prompt attention. Each
moment he could see with greater dis
tinctness. Kneeling on one side of the
little pile, he discerned that on a largo
stone serving as a rude bench were
Botne tin utensils, some knives, a sex
tant and a quantity of empty cartridge
cases. Between tho stone and what a
miner terms the "face" of the rock was
a four foot space. Here, half Imbedded
lu the sand which covered the floor,
were two pickaxes, a shovel, a sledge
hammer, a line timber felling ax and
three crowbars.
In the darkest corner of tho cave's
extremity the "wall" appeared to be
very smooth, lie prodded with the
stick, and there was a sharp clang of
tin. He discovered six square kerosene
oil cases carefully stacked up. Three
were empty, one seemed (o be half full,
and the contents of two were un
touched. With almost feverish haste
he ascertained that the half filled tin
did really contain oil.
"What a find!" he ejaculated aloud.
So far as he could Judge, the cave
harbored no further surprises. Heturn
lug towartl the exit, bis boots dislodged
more empty cartridges from the snud.
They were shells adapted to a revolver
of heavy caliber. At a short distance
from the doorway they were present In
dozens.
"The remnants of n fight," he
thought. "The man was attacked and
defended himself here. Not expecting
the arrival of enemies, he provided no
store of food or water. He was killed
while trying to reaeli the well, proba
bly at night."
He vividly pictured the scene-a
brave, hardy European keeping at bay
a boat load of Dyak savages, enduring
manfully the agonies of hunger, thirst,
perhaps wounds; then the siege, fol
lowed by a wild effort to gain the life
giving well, the hiss of n Malay parang
wielded by a lurking foe and the last
despairing struggle before death came.
lie might be mistaken. Perchance
there was a less dramatic explanation.
But he could not shake off his first Im
pressions. "What was the poor devil doing
here?" he asked. "Why did he bury
himself lu this rock, with mining uten
sils and u few rough stores? He could
not be a castawuy. There Is the Indi
cation of purpose, of preparation, of
method combined with ignorance, for
none who knew the ways of Dyaks and
Chinese pirates would venture to live
here alone If he could help It, and If he
really were alone."
There was relief lu hearing bis own
voice. He could hum and think and
act. Arming himself with the ax, he
attacked the bushes and branches of
trees In front of the cave. He cut a
fresh approach to the well and throw
the litter over the skeleton. At first
he was Inclined to bury It where It
lay, but be disliked the Idea of Iris
walking uncoiisciously over tho place.
No time could be wasted that day. He
would seize an early opportunity to
act as gravedlgger.
After an absence of little more than
nn hour he rejoined tho girl. She saw
Idm from afar and wondered whence
lie obtained the ax he shouldered.
"You are n successful explorer," she
irled when he drew near.
"Yes, Miss Deane. I have found wn
uer, implements, a shelter, even Utfht"
"What sort of light?"
"Oil."
"And the shelter is It n house?"
"No, a cave. If you are sufficiently
rested you might come and take pos
session." Her eyes danced with excitement.
lie told her what he had seen, with
reservations, and she ran on before
hlni to witness these marvels.
"Why did you make a new path to
the well?" she Inquired after a rapid
survey.
"A now path!" The pertinent ques
tion staggered him.
"Yes, the people who lived here must
have had some sort of free passage."
He lied easily. "I have only cleared
nway recent growth," he said.
"And why did they dig a cave? It
surely would be much more simple to
build a house from all these trees."
"There you puzzle me," he said
frankly.
They had entered the cavern but n
little way and now came out.
"These empty cartridges are funny.
They suggest a fort, a battle." Wo
manlike, her words were carelessly
chosen, but they were crniureed with
induct' ve fciY.
Embarked on the toboggan slope of
untruth, the sailor slid smoothly down
ward. "Events have colored your imagina
tion, Miss Deane. Even In England
men often preserve such things for fu-
I tnre use. They can be reloaded."
I "Yes, I have seen keepers do that.
This Is different. There Is an air of"
"There Is a lot to be done," broke
In Jenks emphatically. "We must
climb the hill and got back here In
I time to light another fire before tho
1 sun goes down. I want to prop a can
I vas sheet In front of the eavo and try
to devise a lamp."
".Must I sleep Inside?" demanded Iris.
"Yes. Where else?"
I There was n pause, a mere whiff of
awkwardness.
"I will mount guard outside," went
on .Tptihi. He was trying to Improve
the edge of the ax by grinding It on a
soft stone.
The girl went Into the cave again.
She was Inquisitive, uneasy.
"That arrangement" she began, but
ended In n sharp cry of terror. The
dispossessed birds had returned during
the sailor's absence.
"I will kill them!" he shouted In an
ger. "Please don't. There has been enough
of death lu this place already."
The words Jarred on his ears. Then
he felt that she could only allude to the
victims of the wreck.
"I was going to say," sho explained,
"that we must devise a partition.
There Is no help for it until you con
struct a sort of house. Candidly, I do
not like this hole In the rock. It is a
vault, a tomb."
"You told me (hat I was In com
mand, yet you dispute my orders." He
strove hard to appear brusquely good
humored, Indifferent, though for one
of his mold he was absurdly Irritable.
The cause was overstrain, but that ex
planation escaped hlni.
"Quito true. But if sleeping In tho
cold, lu dew or rain, Is bad for me, It
must be equally bad for you, and with
out you I am helpless, you know."
He laughed sardonically, ami tho
harsh noto clashed with her frank
candor. Here at least she was utterly
deceived. Ills changeful moods were
Incomprehensible.
"I will serve you to the best of my
ability, Miss Deane," he exclaimed.
"We must hope for a speedy rescue,
and I am Inured to exposure. It Is
otherwise with you. Are you ready for
the climb?"
The crest of the hill was tree covered,
and they could see nothing beyond
their Immediate locality until the sailor
found a point higher than the rest,
where a rugged collection of hard ba
salt and the uprooting of some poon
trees provided an open space elevated
above the ridge.
For a short distance the foothold was
precarious. Jenks helped tho girl In
this part of the climb. Ills strong,
gentle grasp gave her confidence. She
was (lushed with exertion when they
stood together on the summit of thin
elevated perch. They could look to
every point of the compass except a
small section on the southwest. Hero
the trees rose behind them until tho
brow of the precipice was reached.
The emergence Into n sunlit pano
rama of hind and sea, though expected,
was profoundly enthralling. They ap
peared to. stand almost exactly In tho
center of the Island, which was cres
cent shaped. It was no larger than tho
sailor had estimated. The new slopes
now revealed were covered with ver
dure down to the very edge of the wa
ter, which for nearly n mile seawurd
broke ovr Jagged reefs. The sea look
ed strangely calm from this height.
Irregular blue patches on the horizon
to south and east caught the man's
first glance. He unslung the binocu
lars ho still carried and focused them
eagerly.
"Islands," he cried, "and big ones
too!"
"How odd!" whispered Iris, more
concerned In the scrutiny of her Imme
diate surroundings. Jenks glanced at
her sharply. She was not looking nt
the islands, but at a curious hollow, a
quarry-like depression beneath them to
the right, distant about aoo yards and
not far removed from the small pla
teau containing tho well, though Iso
lated from It by the south angle of tho
main cliff.
Here, In a grent circle, there wua not
u vestige of grass, shrub or tree, noth
ing save brown rock and sand. At first
the sailor deemed it to be the dried up,
bed of a small lake. This hypothesis
would not serve, else it would bo
choked with verdure. The pit stared'
up at them like an ominous eye, though,
neither paid further attention to It, for
the glorious prospect mapped ut thelrj
feet momentarily Bwept aside all other'
considerations.
to be continued.
EX-GOVERNOR FURNAS DEAD.
Goes to Lincoln for Medical Treat
ment and Dies in Hospital.
Lincoln, Juno 2. Ex-Governor Rob
ert Wilkinson Furnas of Brownville.
Nob., died last night. He had been
ailing for several wockB, diabetes
causing death. Ho died in Lincoln,
whero ho was being treated In a local
hospital.
Ex-Governor Furnas has been a resi
dent of Nebraska since 1855, when ho
came from Ohio. In the course f his
life ho had beon printer, editor, sol
dier and farmer. From 1873 to 1875
he WU8 governor of Nebraska. Ho la
the author of twelve volumes on tho
agricnlturo of Nebraska, and has been
United StatcB commissioner to tho
expositions hold at Philadelphia, New
Orleans and Chicago. In tho civil
war ho wus a colonal of tho Second
Nebraska cavalry. In 1845 he married
Mary E. McComaB. She died shortly
after tho celchrntion of their golden
wedding.
Cody Flleo Motion for New Trial.
Sheridan, Wyo., May 1C Tho attor
neys for Colonel Cody filed In the dis
trict court a motion for a now trial
cf his divorce suit.
!
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