The Florida agriculturist., 1889-08-14


York; she could be- communicated with
at any time, and it might even hasten the
result she desired if she were known to
be out of the city Accordingly. as sum-
mer approached and her mothers health
manifestly demanded change, prepara-
tions were made to go down to Squittig
Point. Judge Ketelle, for reasons which
the reader will perhaps comprehend, ar
ranged to accompany them. He had not
as yet made any avOwal to Pauline of
the nature of his sentiments towards her,
but he had been assiduous In his atten-
tions; and only the greatness of the prize
at stake withheld him from putting his
fate to the touch at once.
They arrived about the middle Of June.
The cottage had previously been put in
order for their reception; curtains un-
packed and put up: mattings spread on
the floors; hammocks swung in the We
randas. Venetian blinds fastened over
the windows. The catboat had been
routed out of her winter quarters in the
barn, a new coat Of paint had been given
her. new sheets and halliards rove. and
her shrunken seams had been soaked till
they were water tight There she rested
at her moorings as gracefully as sea
gull. Every thing being ready. the
party. conveyed by the judge, drove out
from the town one fine day and took
possession 1t was sunset by the time
the last trunk was moved in. They had
supper, and then sat out on the veranda
enjoying the pure salt air and the liquid
outlook over the bay. There was a faint
breeze; little waves made barely audi
BILE plash on the shore of the cove. The
boat courtesied gently off the end Of the
pier. as If welcoming it's owners back to
nature The moon rose late and red; it
was past the full. To the right. beyond
the point. the lighthouse lamp flashed
internationally; a sloop drifted past half a
mile out. and the sound of a banjo
tinkled audibly across the water.
'It's deliciousl" murmured the Judge,
sitting with Mrs. Nolen on one side of
him and Pauline on the other, and a
cigar between his lips. Tomorrow
we'll go out in the boat and visit the
island"
Mrs. Nolen gave a sigh. She was
thinking Of her son drowned at sea.
Pauline understood what the sigh
meant; but she was made Of other metal
than her mother. Il mean to learn how
to sail the boat myself this summer, she
said. II like the sea; would like to
live beside it, or on it. always. How
soft and gentle it is now! But when
the storms come -V
II can give you lessons in sailing OBJ
served the Judge. ''You know, when
was boy spent a year before the
mast"
II learned something last year from
Percy Pauline replied, land, now that
he has become part Of the sea. shall
feel more at home on it than before
The next day, accordingly, the prac-
tice Of navigation began, and was con-
tinued day by day thereafter. Pauline
showed herself an apt pupil, and was, in
deed, quicker in an emergency than the
Judge himself Mrs. Nolen at first could
not be prevailed on to accompany them
but one warm day they induced her to
venture out. and the experience was SO
pleasant that she repeated it from time to
time.
Meanwhile the judges affair was man.
ifestly approaching q crisis. The con-
stant companionship of the girl he loved
was inexpressibly sweet to him, and he
was unable to repress some manifesto
tion of it: yet he could not decide
whether or not Pauline cared enough