The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1901-01-04
LOVE FOR OUR FRIENDS ALL; NONE.


through my skinner. What are you |
trying to catch here?"
"Fish," she answered; and he re.
piled: II might have surmised as
much; and then she rejoined "Oh, as
to that, a man doesn't often take the
trouble to surmise reasonably when
his only object is to gain an opportun.
ity to ask question"
"By George, Miss Pirate. you are as
sharp as your old ancestor" and when
she had looked at him and laughed,
for the remark did not displease her,
he added: 1T may be small concern
to you, but we are neighb0rs. live
uD yonder among the pines"
"Oh, you are the crazy man." she |
said, looking at him closer. He looked |
back at her in ast0nishment, and she
explained: "That's what some of the
folks believe. What else could they
think of a man who hangs up a leather
bag and hits it nearly all night?" He
explained that he was merely taking
exercise and she asked him why he
didn't cut wood, and he replied that it
would give him pleasure to make the
chips fly for her. She tried to frown
at him, but laughed. They had been
drifting along together Now she
took up the oars. He asked what
she was going to do, and she replied
that she was going home. of course.
He could not expect her to remain out
there with a stranger. And, laugh.
ing, she rOwed off from him; and
shortly afterward he muttered an i'm.
precation against himself for not hav.
ing nerve enough to follow her, and
late that night he turned from the
punching bag and said to himself:
Come, old fellow, brush that face out
OF your mind. But is IL in my mind?
Isn't IL deeper? All, didn't the heart
camera take a snap shot at her?',
And, bounding up, he furiously at.
tackled the bag. 1t was his intention
to 60 out upon the water early the
next morning in the hope OF seeing
her, but the dawn came with lashing
of rain on the roof. But later in the
day he went over to the "Piratage."
There was Il high fence about the
house, and the rusty iron gate was
fastened with chain and paddock.
He shook the gate and shouted and
after Il time an old man with bushy
head and 1erce-looking hair, came out
upon the yeranda and demanded to
know the cause at such disturbance
at his gate. Crandal replied that no
disturbance was intended, and then
the old man asked him what he want
ed. Crandall didn't know exactly
what to say-he didn't care to blurt
out that he wanted to see the girl, so
he remarked: "Why, you see, we are
1neighbors, and"
"Oh, we are" the old man broke in.
"And If that's the case don't you
think you ought to have waited for
me to call 1rst?"
swell, yes" Crandall admitted,
"that would have been more formal;
but am willing to dispense with for
mality."
"But | am not" said the old man,
stepping inside and shutting the door;
and as Crandall was about to turn
away he thought he heard the music
OF a mischievous laugh. During all
that day, and during nearly all the
night he worried over the truth that
the picture had been taken by his
heart instead Of his mind. The next
morning he was on the pier when the
sun arose and his eye swept the flash.
ing water, but he did not see her; and
after waiting until noon time he re-
turned to the house to brood over her,
to gaze inward at her picture, with
hair streaming like flame. Late in
the afternoon he wandered by the
wooded shore and suddenly he halted,
with his heart beating hard, for there
she sat beneath pine tree, gazing
out upon the luiet water. He halted,
stood and looked at her, and she did
not withdraw her eyes from the sleep
ing sea, for she had not heard him
but he stepped back, to retreat in the
tinidity that suddenly had come upon
him; a twigg had snapped beneath
his foot and she looked around.
II beg your pardon" said he; and
she replied: "Oh, no, but l beg your
pardon for laughing when you were
driven away from our gate"
He sat down beside her and she
made no objection. And they talked
with a freedom that cut an hour short.
At last voice called her and she
started up, declaring that she did not
know it was 50 late. HE called you
Marette,n . said Crandall. ut is pret.
ty name"
"Good-bye," she said, running away
from bim.
"When may l see you again?" he
called after her, and back came the
words: "Oh, you mustn't think Of
that. Perhaps not at ALL"
He returned to the place the next
afternoon and waited until after the
ann hufJ cot gho did nnt Coua put