The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-08-23

I've not seen much of her myself.
The second mate and | are most Of the
crew Of this ship. az the old man OBJ
itctS to orr driving the regular deck
hands. and when were not at work
we're asleep. l cant stop and intro
duce You. fon must chum on. Her
names Clrnegie.'
Miss Carnegie: Kettle repeated.
That sounds familiar. Does she write
poetry
The mate yawned. Don't konw. Nev-
Ct asked her. But perhaps she does.
She looks i'll enough"
The mate Went off to his room then,
turned in all standing, and was prompt
~ asleep. Kettle. with memories Of the
past refreshed. took paper and Il ScratchN
pen. and fell to connecting verse.
He wondered. and 1T the same time be
half dreaded whether this was the same
Miss Carnegie whom he had known be
fore. In days past she had given hin a
commission to liberate her lover from
the French penal settlement of Cay
enne. With infinite hanger and difficulty
he had wrenched the man free from his
warlers. and then. finding him a worth
: less fellow. had by force married him 70
an old Jamaican ne@reSS. and sent the
girl their marriage lines lS Il token of
her release. He had had no word or
sign from her since. and was in some
dread now lest she might bitterly resent
the liberty he had taken in meddling 50
far with her affairs.
! However. like ii or not. there was no
avoiding the meeting now. and 50 he
went on somewhat feyeri>hlyt With hls
! writing.
The squalid meal entitled tea came on.
and he had to move his papers. y grlmy
ctau-.rJ Snraal y dirt cloth Wpttptl
il literally with water. and shipped fld-
; dies to try and induce the table ware IN
keen in place deSDise the rolling. The
steward mentioned that none Of the OH
GERS would be down. that the two pas
sengers would meal together. and. IN
fact. did his best to be atfable: but ket-
tie listened with cold inattention. and the
: steward began to wish him over the side
whence he had come.
The laying Of the table was ended al
last. The steward put on his jacket.
changed a bell in the alleyway. and then
came back and stood sWaying in the
middle of the cabin. armed with 4 large
tin teapot. all ready to commence bust
ness. SO heavy was the roll that IT
times he had to put his hand on the
floor for support.
Capt. Kettle watched the door with 4
haggard face. He was beginning TO
realize that an emotion was stirred
within him that should have had 10
place in his system. He told himself
! Sternly that he was / married man with
Il family: that he had i deep affection
for both his wife and children: that. III
cold fact. he had seen Miss Carnegie IN
the flesh but once before. But there
was no getting over the memory tllt
! she was Il poet. 4 craft that he adored,
and he could not forget that she had i
ready lived in his mind for more months
than he dared count.
His conscience took him by the ear.
ad sighed out the word love. Tn IN"
instant all his pride Of manhood was up
in arms. and he rejected the imputatloh
with scorn: and then after some thought
formulated his liking for the girl III the
term interest. But he knew full We'll
that his sentiment WAS something deep
er than that. His chest heaved when
he thought Of her.
Then in the distance he heard her up
| preaching. He wiped the moisture from
his face with the mates pocket hand
kerchicf. Above the din of the seas and
the noises from the crowded cattle pens
outside. he could make out the faint
rustic of drapericS and the uncertain
footsteps Of some one painfully making
a WAY along hand over hand against
| the bulkheadS. \ buch of figures ap-
peared round the iamb Of 4 door. Slen-
der white fingers. one Of them decked
with a queer old ring which he had seen
lust once before. and had pictured a
| thousand times since. And then the girl
herself stepped out into the cabin. sway
ing to the roll of the ship.
she nodded to him with instant rec
ignition. 1T was You they picked UP
ont of tho haatc q am 81 ,rl9I Won
are safe.'
Kettle strobe out toward her on his
steady sea legs. and stood before her,
still not daring to take her hand.
You have forgiven me- he murmurcd.
What | did was 4 librety. | know.
but if | had not liked You so we'll,
should not have dared to do it."
She cast down her eyes and flushed.
"Gou are the kindeSt MAJ | ever met,
she said. "The very kindest." She took
i hand in both hers. and gripped it with
nervous force. Il shall never forget
what You did for me. captain.'
The grimy steward behind them cough
| ed and ratified the teapot lid, and 50 they
sat themselves at the table and the bust
ness of tea began. All Of the ships
officers were looking after the work N
tailed by the heavy weather on deck. or
| sleeping the deep sleep of utter cNhauS-
ton in their hunks. and SO none joined
, them at the meal. But the steward IN
%cessantly lowered at their elbows. and
ii was only during his fitful absences
that their talk was anything like unre-
i strained.
You said YOU liked poetry" the girl
whispered Shyly when the first of these
opportunities came. II wrote the most
heartfelt verses that ever came from
me over that noble thing YOU tried 10
do for a poor strange like me-
Capt. Kettle bluShed like Il maid.
For one Of the m~agazines:' he asked.
She shook her head sadly. 1T was nor
published when | left England. and it
had been sent back to me from four
magazine offices. That was nothing new.
/ They never would takc any of my stuff.