The Republican journal., 1903-06-04
GABRIELLE'S W0OING.
RY IZOLA FORESTER
Copyright, 1902, by McClure's Newspaper
Syndicate.

1919 Ny MCOiuAO A>O"eP.'PSA
Syndicate.
When Put Mandego came down the
straits from Chicago way, every girl
from Mackinac to Moose island sent
out her heart to greet the dirty gray
sails of his schooner.
Not to greet Put; no, indeed. For hf-
teen years he had passed through the
straits once week from May to No.
vember. and not girl had waved her
hand to him except Joe Nevaire's Ca
brielle. She had watched for him from
the first year when he had swabbed
the decks of the Bon Ami, and now the
last year he returned her master, steer
ing her rs captain and owner both.
The word had gone before him like
silver tongued herald that with the
schooner had also come to him as an
inheritance fIom old Scott Mandego,
his father the little house down on
Mandcgo point and matter of $1,000
or $4,000.
So Put sailed as cOnQueror, and OF
all the bright eyes along the shore that
glanced TO greet him the only ones
which lurcd him on belonged to Gay
Nevaire and were the only pair that
had no welcome for him.
1t was the first time in all the fifteen
years AS boy he had rowed over to
the island to chat with Joe and watch
him mend the great sails that We're
sent to him from the twin shores and
weave and knot his fish nets. Joe'S
deft fingers were as noted along the
straits as the black eyes and red lips
of his five daughters.
And Gay was the youngest. She was
eighteen now. slim and dark eyed, with
the poise and step of Il demoiselle of
Gascony and a wondrous trick of the
eyes, a sdelOn@ look between narrowed
lids. with long curved lashes to cast
shade All of Nevaire's girls had it.
but little Gabrielle had it worst, and it
took the heart out of a man.
Only a mile to the southeast of
Moose island lies Mandego point. From
his shore on sunny day Put could
catch the flash of a pink petticoat here
and there around the old weather
beaten cabin, but the courage never
came to him to seek her and tell her
what had been in his heart all the way
from Chicago.
You forget old friends when the
good luck flies your way. Is it not SO,
Putt" laughed old Nevaire when they
met at the half breed Petit Jeans
place ON the mainland. rs it Marie?
Fanchon? Babette? Elise? No? Mon
Dieu, it is the little one, then?'
1T is Gabrielle" said Put stolidly.
However he might fear his love, he
had no fear for Nevaire himself nor
ten like him. But she has no smiles
for me this year. he added moodily.
Joe laughed more. Did the wild duck
fiutter near until she heard the decoy?
Was Gay girl to lay her heart bare
before she was wooed?
Put listened and smiled as he awak-
ened to his folly.
81 will wco her." he said and he
kept his word. He sent Danny Der
mot, his successor to the deck sWab-
bling question ON the Bon Ami.
Danny was blue eyed, the best
dancer along the shore and still win
ter's length from twenty. He listened
to Puts instructions of what he should
tell his love and straightway forgot
Put and all else as he leaned across
the open window sill at Nevaire's chat
ting with Gabrielle and catching the
trick of her long dark eyes.
The dreamy golden days OF summer
passed, and the sumac Haunted scarlet
banners on every hillside that dipped
to meet the straits, and still the Bon
Ami swung idly on her ropes at the
old half sunk landing at Mandego
point Puts pulses leaped every time
he looked from her to the broad sweep
of blue water that called to him to
come back, but every breeze that cir
cled around the point bore the love OF
his heart to Gabrielle as it danced
on down to the island, so he stayed on
and trusted his fate to Dannys soft
tongue
Under the rose vine Gabrielle would
listen. rose stem between her teeth.
while Danny spoke of Mandego point.
Hes too old for you, Gay, darling.
II 3 tlllIlS-lNO lie ID IL . Il NriS uAN
the old devil thinks you'll fly like q
bird to him il he only whistles. And
it's lonesome down there on the point.
You can't see the Mackinac lights
dancing a jig with themselves i'll the
water the way you can here. And it
isn't a thousand at ali. Gay, darling
It's only hundred or so, and the old
man will soon drink that up over at
Petit Jeans. So you see it won't be
riches at all that Mrs. Mandego will be
getting, but old Put himself. Do you
mind me- Gay. darling?"
Gabrielle's white teeth closed over
the heart of the rose, and she ate its
sweet petals in silence, but her eyes
looked sidelong at Danny.
And the Tidy ABLY of Petosley
sails OH Tuesday, Gay" Danny reached
up and plucked lose that touched the
girls bowed head. I've the promise of
a berth on her at the wheel. 1t is bet
ter than the deck on the Bon Ami,
Gay, and if you say the word you can
kiss your sweet hand to Chicago as