Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1904-10-21
CHAPTER V.
Ringwold and Sankala.

oay, hy ohiio'
s'Just fine, except that Hazel seadog
was more rude than ever. My father,
/ am kind to Hazel. 1 do not antago-
nize her Intentionally, and yet she
seems to 6ispise me: She faunts the
fact in my face that her father owns
many fshtraps and has cannery and
that they are rich, while my father is
a common fisherman, is old and poor
and lives in a cabin, and they live In
big house with glass windows, and have
piano.
"Father, / don't care for this. ]
am happy with you. l don't envy
Hazel, and why should she dlspIse me
ABOVE all others?"
"My child, there is an intuition
sometimes that tells us more than we
know. There is often a guilty con-
science that is handed down to posterity
and while the posterity knows not
what it is, it feels it keenly. In the
case between you and Hazel her intu-
ition tells her that something is wrong !;
that your existence is dangerous to her
welfare and yet she does not know
why. If you knew the facts, child,
you Wpulu UNNECESSARILY yoo "oui0 I'LL
derstand!'
"Tell me, father. Why does Hazel
feel this way toward me-"
''I will not tell you all now, but I
can tell you much. 1 have a long
time contemplated telling you about
yourself, but you are yet young-too
young to grasp the meaning of the
things OF a wicked world.
"But you are old enough now to
know who you are, who am and what
the future may be to you."
"Why, father, know who I am.
II am Sankala, you are Father Ring
wold and my future shall be devoted
10 my dear father. You know you are
getting too old to pull the boat, father,
and they say it does not look SO we'll
for girls to mingle with the fishermen,
but l shall. help you at the, oars and
nets until have completed my educa-
tion and then | will teach school or
keep books or do something that girls
should be respected for doing and take
care of my dear old father"
There was long pause, The griz-
zled old man sat in one corner of the
cabin gazing into an open fireplace fed
by pieces of dritfwood CT various sizes
and length. These had been gathered
from the beach by the girl upon her
arrival from school.
As the child busted herself with the
dishes and light housekeeping the old
man sat deeply absorbed. He was
thinking of the past. An inky dark
ness prevailed outside. A stiff wind
hurled sheets of mist upon the roof
which fell from the caves in heavy
drops.
As the wind arose and whistled
around the corners of the cabin the
old man startled as if awakened
from terrible experiences of the past.
1t was a small structure nesting IN
the tall timbers near The beach, scant-
lily furnished. A few cooking utensils
on the open fireplace were used for pre-
pairing the meals. A large bed and a
small couch furnished the sleeping
quarters in the same room. Though
the place was much crowded, every
thing was kept as neat as pin.
The man was nearing his four score
and ten. The girl was a few days
= past fifteen. She bore a refined air in
spite of her surroundings. Her cloth
ing was of the cheapest kind. yet it
was clean. Her garments were not
made in the latest style, still they were
neat. Her hands and feet were small
though the former showed the marks
of toll. Her eyes were older than
those of most girls of fifteen, but they
f,,l
deep into things with an intelligence
and innocence that commanded re-
spect.
eyes, Sankala, told you 1 would
tell you some but not all. The Seadogs
do not like US. They do not know
why, but there is an intuition thai
tells them we are dangerous to theil
welfare. Those letters you have
brought me from the postoffice al
these years are bringing to q consum
nation the plans which have so Ions
occupied my time. It, has been s
long and tedious duty but it shall b,
performed ere the last spark shall leave
me. -
"Sankala, you have been told tn,
story of the shipwreck by the ole
Women time and again. l have seldom
spoken of it. 1t is link in the story
of your life thatis of the greatest i'm
portance to you.
81 am the only person living tina
knows you. / am the only person
living that knows the facts which shall
some day make you-tree from poverty
Which shall enable you to live the lif,
that you deserve-will enable you te
complete your education and to out
shine Hazel Seadog and all of the Sea
dog family.
'They are sailing under fals'
plumes, Sankala, they are sailing un
der false plumes. They, are ,wearin,
that which of right belongs to others.
''Sankala, have always passed g.
your father. l love you better than ,
father ever loved his child. The ide.
prevails among the fisherman that onl,
your mother was drowned and that