The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-06-05
Once Aboard the LuSgeT.
By o."



der the wall. The soft breeze blew
straight behind them, and the tide was
Just beginning to ebb. She slackened /
the mainsheet little, and the water
Missed as they spun down under the
gray town toward the harbor's mouth.
A dozen vessels lay at anchor below |
the town quay, their lamps showing a |
strange orange yellow in the moonlight.
Between them the minister saw the cot
tagcs of Ruan glimmering on the east
ern shore and above them the coast
guard station, with its flagstaff, q clear
white upon the black hillside. II seem
I'd to him that they were not shaping
their course for the little town.
~ thought you told me" he said at
length, THAT Mrs. -, the dying wo
man, lived across there. "
The girl shook her head "Not in
Ruan itsel'-Ruan parish. Well have
to go round the point"
She was leaning back and gazing
straight before her toward the harbor's
mouth. The boat was one of the class
that serve along that coast for hook and
line as well as drift net fishing, clinker
built, about % feet in the keel and
nine in the beam. 1t had no deck be-
/ yond small cuddy forward, on top of
| which light hoar frost was gathering
rs they moved. The minister stood be-
side the girl and Withdrew his eyes from
this cuddy roof to contemplate her.
"Do you mean to say, he asked,
that you don't take cold wearing no
wrap or bonnet ON frosty nights like
this?"
She let the tiller go for moment,
took his hand by the wrist and laid it
ON her own bare arm. He felt the flesh,
but it was firm and warm. Then lie
Withdrew his hand hastily without find
ing anything to say. His eyes avoided
hers. When, after half minute, he
looked at her again, her gaze was fixed
straight ahead upon the misty stretch
If sea beyond the harbor's mouth.
In minute or two they were sweep
ing between the tall cliff and the reef
of rocks that guard this entrance on
either side. On the reef stood wooden
cross, painted white, warning vessels to
give it wide berth; on the cliff gray
castle, wish battery before it, under
the guns of which they spun seaward.
still with the wind astern.
Outside the sea lay as smooth as
within the harbor. The wind blew
steadily off the shore, so that, close
hauled, one might fetch up or down
channel with equal ease. The girl be-
gan to fatten the sails and asked her
companion to bear hand. Their hands
met over rope, and the man noted
with surprise that the girls was fever
. ishly hot. Then she brought the boats
nose round to the eastward, and heel
ing gently over the dark water they be-
gan to skirt the misty coast, with the
breeze ON their left cheeks.
How much farther" asked the min
lister.
She nodded toward the first point in
the direction of Plymouth. Ho turned
his coat collar up about his ears and
wondered if his duty would often take
r him on such journeys as this; also he
% felt thankful that the sea was smooth.
He might or might not be given to sea-
sickness, but somehow he was sincerely
:. glad that he had not to be put to the
= test for the first time in this girls pres
ence.
They passed the small headland, and
still the boat held on its way.
. Il had no idea you were going &c
take me this distance. Didn't you tell
me the house lay beyond the point
we've just passed."
To his amazement the girl drew her.
self up, looked him straight in the face
and said:
"There's no such place.
"What?"
There's no such place There's no
body i'll at all. l told you lie"
You told me lie! Then why il
the name of common sense am here?
Because. young IIinister-because
sir, I'm sick O. love ior you, an wan
zee to marry me. D."
Great heavenr' the young minister
muttered, recoiling, sis the girl mad?'
"Ah, but look at me, sir!'' She seem
ed to grow still taller as she stood there
resting one hand on the tiller and look
ing at him with perfectly serious eyes
Look at me well before your fame,
lights 'pon some other o. the girls. To
: morrow they'll be all after 'ee al
this'll be my only chance for my ia
theirs no better'n plain fisherman, al
they're all above me in money an rank
be but q common Ruan girl, an m,
family is counted for naught. But lool
at me well. There's none stronger no
comelier nor that'll love thee so dear
The young man positively gasped
= "Set me ashore at once, he command
ed, stamping his foot
4..N \ a.
ise an that's fiat. Dear lad, listen-al
consent, consent-an l swear to the
thou'll never be sorry fort"
II never heard such awful impropri
ETY. in my life. Turn back. l order 70
@ to steer back to the harbor at once"
o. She shook her head mo lad,
won't An, what's more, you don
know how to handle boat an couldn
get back by yourself not in month. u
''This is stark madness You-yo
abandoned woman, how long do 20
mean to keep me here?'
IT'LL thou give in to me- Vein goi
straight t'ward Plymouth now, an
the wind holds-as 'twill-we'll be Of
the Rame in two hours. If you haven
said me yes by that, maybe we'll g
on. or perhaps we'll run across to tn
#. coast o. France
Girl, do You know that if I'm nc
back by daybreak I'm ruined?'
"And. oh, man, man, can't zee Sc
that I'm ruined, too, if l turn BAG
without your word? How shall shoN
my face in Troy streets again, tell me?'
: At this sudden transference of respon
sibility the minister staggered.
lyon should have thought of tina
before" he said, employing the one oh
vious answer.
90 course thought O. it. But 70
love O. you | made up my mind to ris
it. An now there's no goin back. F" Sh
paused moment and then added as
thought struck her "Why, lad, doesn'
that prove | love zee uncommon"
II prefer not to consider the question
Once more, will you go back?"
II can't"
He bit his lips and moved forward t.
IN the cuddy, on the roof of which h
seated himself sulkily. The girl TOSSED
5 him an end of rope.
-. Dear, better coil that upan sit up
- ont. The frost'll strike chill int
thee "
To be concluded