'4 WIMIMWUE .lUIWIHLI" J J r . "lSsiiiiiiiiiliiliM fingsofthe s :. v i.. c ' r lij .. AV ' in' vv i. i-r 1. ' ' '" . . ;.,i.;iliiu was hot ami . .. It was like be ing immured in a foul tunnel, and al most as dark. Jonks locked over the parapet. He thought he could distin guish some vujnie Inures on the sands, so lie 11 red at them. A volley of an swering bullets crashed Into the rock on all sides. The Dyaks had laid their plans well this time. A firing squad stationed beyond the smoke area and supplied with all the available guns commenced and kept up a smart fusil lade in the direction of tb ledge in order to cover the operations of tho sealing puvty. Jonks rgjllzed that to expose himself "was to court a serious wound and achieve no useful purpose. lie fell back out of range, laid down his rllle and grabbed the crowbar. At brief in tervals a deep hollow boom came up from the valley. At llrst it puzzled them until the sailor hit upon an ex planation. Mir Jan 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 wore- standing In front of the cave, and the Mohammedan made play ou them with a rllle at thirty feet. Jenks, using Ids crowbar as a lever, toppled the ladder clean over. It fell outward and disconcerted a section of the musketeers. "Well done!" cried Iris. The sailor, astounded by her tone, save her a Hooting glance. She was very pale now, but not with fear. Her eyes wore slightly contracted, her nos trils quivering, her lips set tight and her chin dimpled. Resting on one knee, with a revolver In each hand, she scorn ed no puling mate for the gallant man who fought for her. There was no time for further speech. Three ladders were reared against the 2fow both crowbar and revolver were needed. rock. They were so poised and held 3beow that Jenks could not 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 tho ledge save where Mir Jan cleared a little spuce on the level. The sailor was standing now, with the crowbar clinched In both hands. The firing in the vulley Blackened and -died away. A Dyak fuce, grinning like a Japanese demon, appeared at tho top of the ladder nearest to Iris. "Don't lire!" shouted Jenks. And the iron bar crushed downward. Two oth ers pitched themselves half on to tho ledge. Now both crowbar and revolv er were needed. Three ladders were thus cumbered somewhat for those be neath, and Jonks sprang toward tho fourth nud most distant. Men were crowdlug It like ants. Close to his feet lay an empty water cask. It was a crude weapon, but effective when well pitched, and tho Bailor bad never made a better shot for a goal In the midst of a hard fought scrimmage than ho made with that tub for the head of tho uppermost pirate. Another volley came from tho sands. A bullet plowed through his hair nnd sent his sou'wester Hying. Again tho besiegers Bwarmcd to tho attack. One way or tho other they must succeed. A man nnd a woman oven such n man and such a woman could noLJtcop at ...-. By LOUIS TRACY Copjrrirfht. 1903, by Edward J. Clode M0i I i:w ,y an infuriated" horde of" tlfty sav- 'es lighting at close quarters and un- r these grievous conditions, Jenks knew what would happen. lie would be shot while repelling tho scal ing party. And Iris! Dear heart 1 She was thinking of him. "Keep back! They can never gain the ledge!" she shrieked. And then, above the din of the fu sillade, the yells of the assailants and the bawling of the wounded, there came through tho air a screaming, tear ing, ripping sound which drowned all others. It traveled with incredible speed, and before tho sailor could be lieve his ears for lie well knew what it meant a shrapnel shell burst in front of the ledge and drenched the valley with Hying lead. Jenks was Just able to drag Iris flat against the rock ere the time fuse op erated and tho bullets llew. lie could form no theory, hazard no conjecture. All he knew was that a twelve pounder shell had llown toward them through space, scattering red ruin among the amazed scoundrels beneath. Instantly he rose again, lest perchance any of tho Dyaks should have gained a foothold on the ledge. The ladders were empty. He could hear a good deal of groaning, the foot steps of running men and some dis tant shouting. "Sahib!" yelled Mir Jan, drawn from Ids retreat by the commotion without. "Yes," shouted Jenks. The native, in a voice cracked with excitement, told him something. Tho sailor asked a few rapid questions to make quite sure that Mir Jan was not mistaken. Then he throw his arms round Iris, drew her close and whispered: "My darling, wo are saved! A war ship has anchored Just beyond the south reef, and two boats filled with nrmed sailors arc now puWpg ashore." CHAPTER XV. T HE drifting smoke was still so dense that not even the lloor of the valley could bo discerned. Jenks dared not leave Iris at such a moment. He called to Mir Jan: "Take off your turban nnd hold it above your head if you think they can boo you from the warship." "It Is all right, sahib," came tho cheering answer. "One boat Is close Inshore. I think, from the uniforms, they arc English sahibs, such as I have seen at Garden Reach. Tho Dy aks have nil 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 Dyaks 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 catwe fi-om the sen. Instinctively the girl ducked for safety, though iter companion smiled at her fears, for the shell would havo long preceded tho report had it trav eled their way. "One of the remaining sampans lins got under way," ho explained, "and tho warship is firing nt her." "Foor wretches!" murmured Iris. "Cannot the survivors be allowed to escape?" "Well, wo are unable to interfere. Those caught on the Island will proba bly bo taken to the raalnlund and hanged for their crimes, so tho manner of their end Is not of much conse quence." To the girl's manifest relief, there was no more firing, and Mir Jan an nounced that a number of sailors were actually on shore. Then her thoughts turned to a matter of concern to the feminine mind even in the gravest mo ments of existence. She laved her faco with water nnd Bought her discarded skirt Soon tho steady tramp of boot clad feet advancing at tho double was heard on the shingle, and an officer's voice, speaking tho crudo nindoostnnee of the euglue room and forecastle, shouted to Mir Jan: "III, you black fellow! Aro there any white people here?" Jenks sang out: "Yes, two of ubI Perched on the rock over your heads. Wo nro coming down." He cast loose the rope lodder. Iris was limp and trembling. "Steady, sweetheart," lie whispered. "Don't forgot the slip between the cup and tho lip. Hold tight, but havo no foar. 1 will bo Just beneath." It was well lie took this precaution. She was now s' un .r i.i- guarded mover . m, li Ii l an accident, llwi , ...... v .,. ; :, her lover was t""i ihe 1,1110. 1 ' b 1 hand guiding l. .; 1 1 1 mu of the ladder, smlr'ncd l:ci .' c.. . almost reaelie 1 ;.v ' -1 lo exclamation inn. - 'i , o blow caused !.: h h.-.l m I downwnrd. A Dyak, v'u? n tl fi ol nr the scaling h-t! . iv ' u , ,,; ed by n sheil .v.. 1! " . I t 1. descent. In his left hand U- i. 'k 1 11 parang: his right arm was bandaged. Though unable to rise, the vengeful pirate mustered his remaining strength to crawl toward the swaying ladder. It was Taung S'Ali, Inspired with the hate nnd venom of the dying snake. Even yet he hoped to deal a mortal stroke at the man who had dolled him and all his cutthroat band. He might have succeeded, as Jenks was so taken up with Iris, were It not for the watch ful oyes of Mir Jan. The Mohammedan sprang at him, with an oath, and gave 1 il 111 such a murderous whack with tho butt of a ritle that the Dyak chief col lapsed and breathed out his tierce spirit in a groan. At the llrst glance Jenks did not rec ognize Taung S'Ali owing to his change of costume. Through the thinner smoke he could see several sailors running up. Rut, with the passing of the chief, their last peril had gone. Tho next In stant they were standing on the linn ground, and a Rrltlsh naval lieutenant was saying eagerly: "We seem to have turned up in the nick of time. Do you, by any chance, belong to the Sirdar?" "Wo are tho sole survivors," answer ed the sailor. "You two only?" "Yes. She struck on the northwest reef of this island during a typhoon. This lady, Miss Iris Deane, and I were Hung ashore" "Miss Deano! Tan It be possible? Let me congratulate you most heart ily. Sir Arthur Deane Is on board the Orient at this moment." "The Orient!" Iris was dazed. It wns all too won derful to be qulto understood yet. Sho turned to Robert: "Do you hear? They say my father Is not far away. Take me to him." "No need for that, miss," interrupted a warrant olllcer. "Hero lie Is coming ashore. Ho wanted to come with us, but the captain would not permit it, ns there seemed to bo some trouble ahead." Sure enough, even the girl's swim ming eyes could distinguish the gray bearded civilian seated beside an olll cer In the stern sheets of a small gig now threading a path through the bro ken reef beyond Turtle beach. In live minutes father nnd daughter would meet. Meanwhile tho olllcer, intent on duty, uddressed Jenks again. "May I ask who you are?" "My name is Austruther Robert Aa Itruther." Iris, clinging to his arm, heard the teply. So he had abandoned all pretense. Ho was ready to faco the world at her side. Sho stole a loving glance at him as she cried: "Yes; Captain Austruther of tho In dian staff corps. If ho will not toll you all that ho has done, how he lias saved my life twenty times, how lie has fought single handed against eighty men, ask me!" "Captain Anstruther docs not appear to have left much for us to do, Miss Deane," the olllcer said. "Indeed," turning to Robert, "is there nny way In which my men will be useful?" "I would recommend that they drag the green stuff off that lire and stop the smoke. Then a detachment should go round tho north side of the island nnd drive tho remaining Dyaks into Uie hands of the party you havo landed, as I understand, nt the farther end of ttie south beach. Mir Jan, the Moham medan hero, who has been a most faith ful ally during part of our Bloge, will act as guide." Tho other man cast a comprehensive glance over the rock, with its scaling ladders nnd dangling rope ladder, the cave, the llttlo groups of dead or un conscious pirates for every wounded man who could move a limb had crawled away after the first shell burst and drew a deep breath. "How long wore you up there?" he asked. "Over thirty hours." "It was a great flght!" "Somewhat worso thnn It looks," said Anstruther. "This Is only tho end of it. Altogether we havo accounted for nearly twoscore of the poor devils." Robert looked toward tho approach ing boat. She would not land yet for a couple of minutes. "By tho way," ho said, "will you tell mo your name?" "Playdon Lieutenant Philip n. Plnydon." "Do you know to what nutlon this island belongs?" "It Is no man's land, I think. It is marked 'uninhabited on tho chart" "Then," said Anstruther, "I call upon you, Lieutenant Playdon, and all others here present to witness that I, Robert Anstruther, late of tho Indian army, acting on bohnlf of myself nnd Miss Iris Deano, declare that wo have taken possession of this island In tho nnmo of his Ilrltannic majesty tho king of England that wo nro tho Joint occu (Continued on Sixth Pago.) N? 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