The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1896-04-10
The astonishcd boatswain felt his face

The astonishcd boatswain felt his face
and regarded her open-mou,hed.
Don't you ever dare to speak to ne
again. said the offended maiden draw
ins herself up with irrrproachahlc digni-
ty. II am liSgus,cd with your conduct.
| Most unhcnruhle."
II was carrying you off to the doctor"
said the b0atSwuin. How was ! to
know You was only shammingy'
"shamminy" said Chrissie in tones Of
increinlons horror. II was asleep.
The hoatswnin made no reply except
to grin with great intelligence. as he
follow ed his charge upstairs again. He
grinned ut intervals until the return Of
Susan and Miss Poison, who, trying to
look unconccrncd. ccme IN later on,
Susan especially. Amid the symlpa-
thetir Interruptions of these listeners
Chrissie rccountcd her experience while
the hoatswain. DIES yitc his better sense,
felt like the greatest scoundrel uhhung,
Il feeling which was fostercd by the re-
marks of Susan and the chilling regards
of Miss Poison.
II sha! !! inform the ,roptain." said Miss
"Oh, / shall tell him. said Chrissic,
II shall tell him the moment he comes
| III AT tnp uCNF.
$50 shall T." said Susan, ''rhc idea of
taking such liberties"
Having fired their broadsidcs the two
| watched the enemy narrowly and anN-
iously..
for it. | cent shy anything faircr than
that and III tell the cupn myself cx-
actly how ! came to d" it, when he
comes IN
nf course e;d i XGu Fri mere t. fctrh
cri,l= emphasis.
",'Thc idea of g, grown man telling
! tales said Chrisslc, scornfully
; "Rahy."
"Why, Just now YOU wore all going to
tell him yourselves said the hcwidcred
| boatswain.
The, :wo elder women tros!e, and jrc-
dain. Miss polsons GLANCE said "fool"
plainly. Susan. a simple child Of nature
given to expressing her mind freely said
1c XII. a W + b s'n nsG tGc
after Eliminating deeply. "Wcll, I went
split, ladies'. can see now you was
ali in it. and it wax little job to get me
OFT Of the hunsc.'
"Wh2t head he's $; got" said the irri-
tat"l Susan. "islt i Wond"rful, how he
lHlliNS VI ~ ANOItuA "ol!tl tulLk
he was so clever to look ut him'
Still water runs deep" said the boat
swain, who was beginning to have high
,iniun of himself.
"-\nd pride goes before a fall" said
| Christie; 'remtmhcr that, Mr.. Tucker
! Mr.. Tucker grinncd, but remembering
| tho fable of the pitcher and the well.
pressed his superior officer that evening
to relieve him from his duties. He
/ stated that the strain was slowly Under
minin" Il constitution which was not
SO strong as appearances would warra mt,
and that his knowledge Of female human
nature WAS lamentably deficient on many
i'm orta Mt points.
"You'rc doing very :well. said the
caotain. who had no intention of at
! tending any more Decreases. Very we'll
; indeed. l am proud of you:
ut amt IL mans work. objected the
hoatswain "Bcs'les, if .a!!ything hap
| pens. you'll blame me for it,
"Nothing can happen, declared the
captain. confidently. I'VE shall make
\ start in about four days now. You're
| the only man | can trust with such Il
delicate job, Tucker. and I shan't forgot
! YOU.
VERY good" said the other detected
: ly. Il obey orders, thCn.'
members of the household making a
great fuss of Tucker, and thereby filling
| him with forelo,linSS of the worst pos
Sible nature. On the day after. when
| the captain. having business ut a neigh
boring town. left him in sole charge, his
II III going for Il walk" said Chrissic
as he sat by himself. working out dam
gcrous moves and the best means Of
| checking them. "Would you care to
come W it'll me, Tuckcr?'
Il wish you wouldn't put it that way,
miss" said the hoatswain, reaching for
/ his hat
Il want exercise" said Chrissie. 1--WE
! been coopcd II? long enough
| She set off at Il good pace up the high
street attended by her faithful follow
er. and passing through the small sub
/ rrbS. struck out into the country be-
yond. After four miles the boatswain
who was no walker, reminded her that
they had got to go back.
"plrnty of time" said Chri>Sie: I'VE
have got the day before It's. Isn't it
| glorious? DO you see that milestone
Tucker: I'll race You for it. Come
along
She was off on the instant. with the
| boatswain. who suspected treachery
after her.
"Y"u can run, she pantcd Thought
| fully. us she came i'll second. well
have another one presently. You don't
know how good it is for you. TUCKER
| The hoatsWan grinned sourly and
looked at her from the corner of his
eye. The next three miles were like
a horrible nightmare. his charge max
ing a race in which the lahoring boat
swain. despite his want of practice,
came in the winner for every milestone
The fourth race ended disastrously.
Chrssic limpiDg the last ten yards and
seating herself with wocbegone face,
on the milestone
'1ou did very we'll. MISS" said the
hoatswain. who thought he could af-
ford to be generous. You needn't be
offended about it,
Its my ankle" said Chrissie. with
Il little whimper. "Oh, twisted it right
round"
The boatswain stood regarding her in
silent consideration.
Its no use looking like that" said
ChrlsSl', sharply. You great clumsy
thing. If YOU hadn't have run 50 hard
it wouldn't have happened It's all
your fault"
IF You don't mind leaning on ME a
Bit" said Tucker, Eve might get
along'
ChrisSic took his arm pctulantly. and
they started OH their return journey
at the rate Of about four hours mile,
with little cries and gasps at every
other yard
Its no uSr,' said ChriSsir. as she re-
l1nInshrd his arm. and. lilnping to the
SIDE OF the road. sat down. The boat
swain prickcd up his ears hopefully at
the sound Of approaching wheels.
Nhat)S the matter with the young
iady!' inquired Il groom who was driv-
ing little trap as he pulled up and
regarded with interest grmace of ex-
tra"rfllnary intensity on the young lady :
| face.
"Rrokc her ankle, l Think" said the
ho:atSWain, glibly. (which way are you
guin@:"
well. I'm going to Sunset Bay" said
| tickrr.
"1'll make it all right with you," said
| the boatswain.
The GROOM hesitatcd Il minute. and
then. made way for Christie, as the boat
swain assisted her to got I'D beside him
then Tucker, with grin Of satisfaction
at getting seat once more, numbered
up behind and they started
"1iavc a rug. matc?" said the groom,
handing the rcihS to Christie and ia ssint