Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-11-01

sighed. How is your father?"
Apparently as strong as ever. How
pleased he will be to see you'll"
The pleasure will be mutual, of
course. heed hardly say, Miss Stepp,
how delighted am to see you again.
There is something fateful in our meet
ing"
There certainly is. You have saved
my life to-day as surely as you did last
summer when you drew me gasping
from the surf. Rest assured that am
grateful"
A little hand stole out to him, and
he pressed it fervently, continuing to
clasp it.
"Do you ever think Of those daysp"
he asked, the light Of his eyes and
the expression Of his face becoming
tenderer.
Think Of theml They are always
with me-"
Ralph drew the hand quickly to his
lips.
"It's the same with me" he declared,
his rich voice vibrating with q thrill
OF Joy. Il have loved you constantly
from the first moment Of our acquaint-
ance, and greatly regret that did not
tell you 80 last summer. Several senti-
ments restrained me, among which was
the fear Of speaking too soon, and
when, upon my return to college, had
reached q resolve to write you my
views, learned that you had sailed
with your father. Now, there are
thousands upon thousands of happy
couples who never would have married
II Providence had not actually bumped
their heads together, but do not in
tend to wait for any special aids Of that
nature. Pardon, therefore, dear Miss
Stepp, now and here, single question.
Are you still free to accept me as q
sutton for your hand?"
A look was q sufficient answer.
Then l beg of you to regard me as
such from this moment"
silence full of roseate hues and gladness
unutterable. Probably the girls hand
returned the pressure of the hand in
which it was resting. Probably, too,
her eyes were more eloquent than vol
umes of commonplace declarations. Be
that as it may, they could not have
looked any happier if they had owned
the whole world.
The journey into town was only too
quickly accomplished. Passing the
missionary printing establishment and
school-room, the young couple took
their way direct to the outer stone
pier, where Capt. Stepp, notebook
ing man, with boat and crew, was
anxiously awaiting his daughters COM
ing. Her provision respecting Ralph's
reception was fully realized. No one
had ever seen the honest old navigator
more delighteds
why, look at that ship" he cried,
when his joyous excitement had found
expression, as he pointed at the Nor
wester, which lay in full view of the
fort. 1T is in that ship that ! have
earned every dollar I shall leave my
daughter. And it was your father, as
1 must have told you last summer, who
enabled me to buy her. He is the first
friend | ever had, and the best one.
You, doubtless, remember that he
| first named me commander? How came
you here?"
."Oh, am simply taking trip around
tho world" replied Ralph, "and expect
to sail in the next steamer for China. !"
| We'll, WE'LL" commented Captain
! Stepp; our meeting here is strange
one. But, come-let's be of for the ship,
visit, Mr.. Kemplin? I've forgotten all
| Where is he, Mazda?
Mazda explained.
The surprise Of Captain Stepp at Rip
pies baseness was exceeded only by his
CONSERVATION at the peril his daughter
had encountered. An officer with nu-
| merOus aids was Immediately dis
patched in quest of the offender, and
the little party took boat for the Nor'-
WeSter.
A pleasant visit of several hours fol-
lowed, during which Ralph made the
acquaintance Of Maida's aunt, Miss
Alice Stepp, who was making the vOy-
age, partly for her health and partly
for reasons that were duly set forth by
her niece.
| you doubtless wonder that Aunt
Alice and l are with my father upon
such long voyage, the girl took occa-
sion to say to her lover, when they had
been left to themselves. But he's
now well along in years-was fifty-eight
yesterday-and his health is not what
it used to be. He lost my mother, you
know, when I was baby. He has had
only Aunt Alice and me to live for all
these years, and I have always been
been with him. am the Wing image
Of my mother, and he canaot bear to
have me out OF his sight.
~ don't wonder at it," said Ralph,
emphatically, his eyes beaming with
tender admiration.
1--WE are now on our way to the
Arctic ocean through the Straits Of
Behring," continued Mazda. "The
right whales have gone up into those
waters-at least such is fathers theory
and as this is intended to be bis last
voyage he is determined to make q sue
cess Of it. We shall probably remain
here three or four days longer"
And l expect to be here q like
period"
A mutual sigh succeeded, but the
communing Of the couple was contin-
ued. and before night they were walk
ing the deck arm in arm, greatly to the
establishment of the good maiden aunt,
who wondered how and where they had
"got 20 thick" with each other. The
next day they were almost continually
together, and upon the third day they
were formally betrothed to each other.
| During these days not the least trace
was found of Hank Ripple.