The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-07-18

Mrs. NOlen gave u SlSi' Dho was
thinking of her son drowned at sea.
Pauline understood what the sigh
meant; but she was made of other metal
than her mother. 81 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 -p
81 can give you lessons in sailing" OBJ
served the judge. "You know, when l
was boy spent year before the
mast"
81 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 Gay 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 crisis. The con
slant companionship of the girl he loved
was inexpressibly sweet to him, and he
was unable to repress some manifesto
ton of it; yet he could not decide
whether or not Pauline cared enough
about him to accept him as her husband
That she esteemed him highly was evil
dent, =. Id that her affection for him was
deep and sincere; but there are many
kinds of affection, and the question was
whether her affection was of kind Ca
pable Of being developed into the love of
wife. The judge wished with all his
heart that he could do her some immense
service, or make for her some noble sac
rifice which might serve to draw her
nearer to him. But such things cannot
be commanded at will, and seldom occur
when they are wanted 1t seemed that
he must trust to whatever unaided merit
he possessed to win her heart.
Pauline had always been mature for
her age; but since the calamity that had
fallen upon her she had developed
greatly. She was graver and more tact
turn than before, and her manner was
more thoughtful and controlled. She
seemed already to have outgrown her
girlhood and to have attained the strength
and experience Of woman. All this
was in the judges favor; for his age was
the factor in the matter which he feared
most. If they could meet on more nearly
equal terms in this respect, he could feel
more confidence as to the rest. She con-
versed with him on his own intellectual
level, and consulted him freely and con-
fdentially on all matters Of interest to
herself. No friendship between man
and woman could have been more init
mate and genuine; but 1t was something
more than friendship that the judge
longed for; II he could have detected a
single glow Of passion in her cheeks he
would have been IAuch happier man.
On the other hand, Pauline was quite
able to veil her feelings; and no young
woman of healthy mind can be expected
to show what emotion may be in her,
or even to acknowledge it to herself.
until she has been fairly challenged
At length, having become quite accus-
toned to the management of the boat,
they decided to make the trip ito the island.
The lunch basket was packed and slowed
amidships; fish lines and hooks were
placed in the locker, in case they should
come across a school of bluefish; cush-
ions and wraps were provided for Mrs
Nolen, and extra ballast was put into the
hold, in order to keep her steady in case
the wind should increase. An early
start was made, for the breeze was so
light as scarcely to ruff1e the water, and
set nearly in direction opposite to that
which they wished to go. In order to
get out of the little cove it was necessary
to use the oars; but after that the wind
gently swelled the sail, and, proceeding
by long tacks, they slowly made their
way toward the island that seemed to
culver and waver in the heat on the ho-
rizcn.
About II o'clock the breeze freshened
little, and the boat slipped more
swiftly, but still with an even, gliding
motion, through the water. The judge,
who fancied he detected signs of blue
fish, now relinquished the helm to Pau.
line, and got out his lines. The squid
was thrown out astern, and cut tiny
wake through the waves, while the
judge, with his finger on the line, watch.
ed it like hawk. For an hour, in spite
of several false alarms, nothing was
caught, but finally there was an unmis.
taxable tug, and, hauling in with fever
ish rapidity, the judge, in few mo-
ments, had the pleasure of lifting on
board fine large demijohn, tightly
corked, which had been hooked by the
handle.
After the laugh had subsidized the Judge
suggested that the demijohn might con.
tain something, and he knocked off the
head against the gunwale of the boat
About pint of salt water came out and
then fragment of wood-apparently
part of the lid of cigar box, on which
something had been written with a pen.
Gil. The writing was almost obliterated
but two or three words, or portions Of
words, still remained.
"See if you can make them out, Pau.
line, " said the judge, after scrutinizing
the inscription few moments. "Youl