El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-10
PAGES 9 TO II.

bridge and took Captain Kettle by the
hand "My friend,' said she, 81 shall
never forget this.
81 am earning my pay" said Kettle.
"Pahl' she said. ''Don't let money
come between us. I cannot bear to
think of you in connection with sordid
things like that. put you on higher
plane. Captain she said and turned
her head away, 81 shall choose man
like you for a husband. 3"
"Heaven mend your taste, miss, !"
said Kettle, "but--there may be others
like me.
''There are not. p"
''Then you must be content with the
nearest you can get. -
Donna Clotilde stamped her foot up.
on the planking of the bridge.
"You are dulll' che cried.
"No,'' he said. 81 have my clear
sight, miss. Won't you go below, now.
and get spell of sleep? Or will you
give me your orders frst?"
ono she answered, 81 will not.
We must settle this matter first You
have wife in England, 1 know, but
that is nothing Divorce is simple here.
1 have influence with the church. You
could be set free in a day. Am not
the woman you would choose?"
"Miss La Touche, you are my en-
ployer."
ANSWER my question.
''Then, miss, if you will have it,
you are not.
''But why2 Why7 Give me your
reasonsI You are brave. Surely have
shown courage too. Surely you must
admire that"
''But, you see, miss, said Kettle,
81 prefer to be linked to lady who is
my superior-as 1 am linked at pres
emf. If it pleases you, we had better
end this talk. -
tsNo,'' said Donna Clotilde; ''it has
got to be settled one way or the other.
You know what 1 want. Marry me as
soon as you are set free, and there shall
be no end of your power. l will make
you rich. 1 will make you famous.
Chile shall be at our feet. The world
shall bow to us.
"It could be done." said Kettle. with
a sigh.
"Then marry me"
t'With due respect. 1 will not" said
the little man.
''You know you are speaking to a
woman who is not accustomed to be
thwarted.
Captain Kettle bowed. :.
''Then you will either do as wish
or leave this ship. give you an hour
to consider it in
"You will find my second mate the
best navigating officer Left" said Ket-
tie and Donna ClotiIdew Without further
words left the bridge.
He waited for decent interval and
then sighed and gave orders. The men
on deck obeyed him with quickness. A
pair of boat davits were swung out
board and the boat plentifully victualed
and its water breakers filed. The Can
celario's engines were stopped, and the
tackles screamed as the boat was low
cred to the water and rode there at the
end of its painter Captain Kettle left
the bridge in charge of his first officer
and went below. He found the lady sit
ting in the commanders cabin with
head pillowed upon her arms.
''You still wish me to go. miss3'' he
said.
eff you will not accept what is offer
ed"
81 am sorry" said the little sailor,
every sorry. If I'd met you, miss, be-
fore 1 saw Mrs. Kettle, and if you'd
been bit different. believe I could
have liked you. But as it isl
She leaped to her feet, with eyes that
blazed. ''Gol' she cried. ''Go, or 1
will call upon some of those fellows to
shoot your
''They will do it cheerfully if you
ask them. said Kettle, and he did not
bulge.
She sank down on the sofa again
with a wall "Oh. gol" she cried. .'If
you are man, go and never let me
Bee you againl''
Captain Kettle bowed and went out
on deck A little later he was alone in
the quarter boat The Cancelario was
drawing fast away from him into the
night, and the boat danced in the
cream of her wake.
''Ah, WE'LL" he said to himself,
there's another good chance gone for
good and alwaysl What cantankerous
beggar ami" And then for a moment
his thoughts went elsewhere, and he
got out paper and a stump of pencil
and briskly scrubbed an elegy to some
poppies in a cornfield.
Are You Growing Old: