r tea, and, whilst bringing a
fresh supply of fuel, passed the spot where the torn scraps of paper
littered the sand.

She was the soul of honor, for a woman, but there was never a woman yet
who could take her eyes off a written document which confronted her.
She could not help seeing that one small morsel contained her own name.
Though mutilated it had clearly read--Miss Deane."

"So it _was_ intended for me!" she cried, throwing down her bundle
and dropping to her knees. She secured that particular slip and
examined it earnestly. Not for worlds would she pick up all the scraps
and endeavor to sort them. Yet they had a fascination for her, and at
this closer range she saw another which bore the legend--"I love you!"

Somehow the two seemed to fit together very nicely.

Yet a third carried the same words--"I love you!" They were still quite
coherent. She did not want to look any further. She did not even turn
over such of the torn pieces as had fluttered to earth face downwards.

Opening the front of her bodice she brought to light a small gold
locket containing miniatures of her father and mother. Inside this
receptacle she carefully placed the three really material portions of
the sailor's letter. When Jenks walked down the hill again he heard her
singing long before he caught sight of her, sedulously tending the
fire.

As he came near he perceived the remains of his useless document. He
stooped and gathered them up, forthwith throwing them among the glowing
logs.

"By the way, what were you writing whilst I had my bath?" inquired
Iris, demurely.

"Some information about the mine. On second thoughts, however, I saw it
was unnecessary."

"Oh, was that all?"

"Practically all."

"Then some part was impracticable?"

He glanced sharply at her, but she was merely talking at random.

"Well, you see," he explained, "one can do so little without the
requisite plant. This sort of ore requires a crushing-mill, a smelting
furnace, perhaps big tanks filled with cyanide of potassium."

"And, of course, although you can do wonders, you cannot provide all
those things, can you?"

Jenks deemed this query to be unanswerable.

They were busy again until night fell. Sitting down for a little while
before retiring to rest, they discussed, for the hundredth time, the
probabilities of speedy succor. This led them to the topic of available
supplies, and the sailor told Iris the dispositions he had made.

"Did you bury