The daily gazette., 1877-02-08

OF cool astonishment, and then he beat
down violent desire to take to his heels
and run away, and said /:
SIS that boat bound up the cove?'
She lifted her delicate brows, but the
splendid eyes beneath had lurking
laughter in them.
eyes"
I'm in want of a passage that way
myself" said Captain Jack "can you
take me aboard ?'
She scanned him from head to foot
Al glance she took in the stalwart
inquire, the grave, middle-aged face with
its honest dark eyes and iron gray hair,
and then she answered
"Who are you?"
Captain Jack lifted the hat from his
brown forehead.
MY name is Jack Brainard, and
hail from the East. Who are you ?"
1t was delightfully."- straightfor ward
reply. Her dark eyes opened wide.
"'Come into the boat" she said
quickly.
He leaped In and sat down opposite
her. She gave him the oars with the
utmost nonchalance.
tired of rowing. know it was YOU.
Captain Jack. Mr.. Gaylord told, me
you would return home this Autumn"
She leaned forward then aad laid on
poor, bewilered Captain Jacks shoul.
der the smallest and whitest hand he
had ever seen. The sa ucy black eyes,
full OF mingled laughter and tears,
looked full in his face. a...
Don't you know me, guardy? L
am Rachel"
His waif of the cpast-his little
castaway-that bright, bewildering
beauty Captain Jack sat silent-his
grave face was as unreadable as mar,
BILE; but he drew the little hand from
his shoulder and held 1t for a moment
in his broad, brown palm.
"Chlld, how old are you ?'
Eighteen, guardy. and graduate
OF Madame de Villenue's boarding
school l have passed q winter in
New York and a season at Saratoga,
and you do not know how bldse have
become"
Not btdse-the face was too delicate,
too passionate, too proud for that.
Il have been with Mrs. Lane
week" she went on, trailing her white
fingers 10 the water.
"The Gaylords are in town. Guardy
haven't you been gone long, long
time ?"
"Fifteen years." sa id Captain Jack,
pulling vigorously at the oars.
The oars of the dory rose and fell
like living things in his strong hands /;
she shot across the water like seaguli
out of the channel and into the cove
there were the fishermen's cottages
and the old inn close before them.
The row was over.
"a tall, handsome man lay on the
sandy shore Of the cove, smoking
cigar and watching the approaching
dory very intently. As Captain Jack
and his protcge reached the shore, he
started up and shauntered down to
meet them with sort of indolent, easy
grace. Miss Rachel rose up, her splen-
did eyes opened in calm surprise, and
leaped lightly ashore.
"Mr. Gaylord f! this is very uuex-
pected-I thought you were in town"
He bit his lip.
"No, I am tired of town. came in
search of you"
"Indeed You are too kind. AL
low me to present you to Captain Brai.
nard."
Mr.. Harvey Gaylord bowed care
lessly to Captain Brainard. Captain
Brainard looked at Mr.. Gaylord from
head to foot, but the young Gothamite
was oblivious-he toyed with his rat
tan and looked at Rachel.
"My mother sends her kindest re-
CARDS." he said, "and society has made
me bring back its lost star before the
season commences. [ have promised
am l rash
She drew up the folds of her sweep
ing dress from the damp grass. The
wicked black eyes were cast down.
VERY"
"But, Rachel"
The proud head was thrown back;
the brilliant eyes warned him to stop
she sprang upon the threshold of the
| inn.
1t had been raining all day. The
poplars before the inn were dripping
still, and the clouds rolled dark and
sullcn toward the west. Rachel stood
in the porch and watched the night
1all down on the rocky shore, singing
softly 10 herself the words of an old
song.
GO Douglas, o Douglas tender and
true.
"Rachel," called Mrs. Lane from the
doorway, "come into the house. child |!
you'll get consumption out there in
the wet, and Captain Jack and Mr..
Gaylord are asking te see you"
A little start-sudden prophetic
droop of the long eye-lashes, than the
splendid head was raised haughtily-
Rachel turned and went in.
Gaylord was lounging on low seat
by the fire; Captain Jack stood op-
posite, with his hands crossed behind
him. She went forward quietly and
stood by Captain Jack. Gaylord rose
at once, flushing to the temples. He
would have spoken, but the old sailor
interrupted:
"Rachel," he said. calmly and
kindly, MIR. Gaylord has been talking
with me. II you arc willing and am
willing. he wants you for his wife. He