Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1906-07-31

She was busily engaged in packing the
spacious lockers of the Daisy with GER
tain stores of apples, oranges and veg
etables-ranging from the lordly new
potato ian aristocrat at that time of
the, year, to the plebeian cabbage-and
her 1.-THE, active figure moved with an
ease born of confidence in the erratic
principles of gravitation as codified
and arranged by rocking boat.
Pollard, too, was overhauling his
gear, seeing that the mast was secure
ly stepped and the tackle ran free.
While they worked they talked, and, of
course, the critics listened.
"Do you think the weather will hold,
Benz" asked the girl over her shoulder,
STOPPING to arrange some clusters of
| daffodils and narcissus so that they
should not suffer by the lurch Of some
heavy package when the boat keeled
over. -. -.
"The glass be a-fallin', sure, Missy
said the old fellow cheerily, "but wi
the wind backin' round to the norrard
it on'y means drop O. wet"
'You think we will make the rock in
good time?" .,.r.-t
"We'm do our best, Miss Enid
She sat up suddenly. = -
Don't you dare. tell me, Ben Pollard,
that after all our preparations we may
have to turn back or run for inglorious
shelter into Lamorna.' " IL - -:
Her mock indignation induced a mass
i've grin. "a mahogany table break
ing into mirth," was Enid'sf private de-
scription Of Ben's face when he smiled
'Ee knaw the coast as well as
most" he said. Farther go, stronger
blow, zee knaw.", -. - ,,g"
"And not so slow, eh, Ben? Really,
you and the Daisy look more tubby
every time L see you" -, - =
Thus disparaged, Pollard defended
| himself and his craft. 49, :,:-
"Me an Daisy IL sail to Gulf light
| quicker'n any other two tubs in Pen
zance, missy. Her be a long run at
this time O. year, but you'm get there
all right, 'xpect. WI a norEard breeze
we'm be safe enough, a If the wind
makes zee en- zee ct comm, zee .knaw:'
She laughed quietly Any reflection
on the spanking powers of his pilchard
driver would rouse Ben instantly ."
'As if I didn't know all you could
teach me-" she cried, "and as if any
ter" -
The old fisherman was mollified. He
looked along the quay.
''Time we'm cast off, he said. "Miss
Constance be a plaguy long time
fetchin' them wraps"
"Oh, Ben, how can you say that?
She had to go all the way to the cot
tage. Why. if she ram
Here she be-" he broke in, IAN she
b'ain't runnin'. neither Hers got a
young man in tow"
What announcement would straight
en- the back Of any girl of nineteen like
unto, that? Enid Trevillion turned and
stood upright
''Why. it's Jackv' she cried, waving
a delighted hand.
$50 it be-" admitted Pollard, after a
surprised stare. 'When I look land
ward my eyes b'ain't so good as they
was"
He stated this fact regretfully. No
elderly sea dog will ever acknowledge
to falling vision when he gaZes at the
level horizon he knows so well. This
is no pretense of unwilling age; it is
wholly true. The settled chaos of the
shore bewilders him. The changeful
sea cannot.
Meanwhile. the dawdIers lining the
wharf. following Ends signals with /
their eyes. devoted themselves to a
covert staring at the young people
hurrying along the quay.
Constance Brand, being a young and
pretty woman, secured their instant |
suffrages. Indeed, she would have
won the favorable verdict of a more
severe audience. Taller than Enid, she |
had the brown hair and hazel eyes of
her father. To him, too, she owed the !
frank, self reliant poise Of head and |
clearly cut, refined features which con-
veyed to others that all important first |
good impression. Blended with Ste
phen Brands firm incisiveness, and |
softening the quiet strength of her |
marked resemblance to him, was an
essential femininity which lifted her |
wholly apart from the ruck of hand |
some English girls who find delight in |
copying the manners and even the |
dress of their male friends.
Her costume was an exact replica of /
that of Enid. She walked we'll and |
rapidly, yet her alert carriage had
grace, a subtle elegance, more fire. /
quently seen in America than in Eng
land. Her lively face, flushed with |
exercise, and, it may be, with some
little excitement, conveyed the same
transatlantic characteristic. One said |
at seeing her: Here is girl who has
lived much abroad" It came as a sur
prise to learn that she had never
crossed the channel
The man with her, Lieutenant John
Percival Stanhope, E. N, was too ia
miliar figure in Penzance to evoke
muttered comment from the gallery.