The Democratic advocate., 1908-01-24

she asked, with laugh.
81 asked about you, of courseP'
''Of course? ?' she queried.
II thought you looked--a good sailor, -
he explained.
~ thought should like to know you,
too the girl owned II think-I do
| like to.
''Thank you. We are friends.
That is settled
eyes" she agreed We can't help it
now -
They subsided into silence, and he lit
another pipe. The squalls became less
violent and the sea less rough. The girl
leaned back on the seat against the cabin,
flushed and exhausted. The rain ceased and
the sun peeped out from the place where
the clouds had been. The clouds hung
like doom over the land, and beneath them
curtain of rain. The Great Mole at
Mailport was nearer and nearer; and over
it they could see the triped funnel of the
mail boat.
"Shall we be in time p the girl asked.
''Yes. Unfortunately.
She sighed.
''You may be right. dare say I shall
be sorry; but l had to do it. We were
greater friends than people knew. We
had grown up together; and I treated him
very badly. 1t would be ruin
ing mans life, you see.
'Better ruin mans life than wo-
mans IF he is worth his salt, he Ii tell
you So
''But if could save both =? Just by
waiting? Don't say things to
trighten me, please p
'ENo,' he promised ''I won't. You
are very good girl; girl for man to
love very much. You will save him, I
think, if anything can save man from
himself; but that is hard to do, dear little
sailor. God bless you and help you. l."
He held out his hand and she took it; and
suddenly she bent and touched it with her
lips. He stared at her and laughed queer
ly; but they didn't speak
Then they rounded the Mole and were
suddenly in the calm; and he tied up the
boat at the slippery green steps.
"Be careful, he said, as he helped
her up. "Be careful p he repeated, in a
different tone, as they stood at the top.
"You are going back p she asked.
II shall wait to see if can be of any
service to you," he said "I-I like
my little sailor, you know
That is the mail boat over there
She wiped her eyes as she went. He
lit his pipe again, frowning at the match
severely. Then he set to work cleaning
up his boat.
The girl came back sooner than he ex-
pected. She stood irresolutely at the top
OF the steps for some minutes, watching
him before he noticed her. Then he
sprang up, and helped her down, without
looking at her. He had noticed that her
lips trembled, and he thought that she did
not want to be looked at
He did not look at her as they sailed
round the monstrous Mole in the wake of
the great mail steamer, and she did not
look at him. They did not speak till the
Mole was couple of miles behind Then
she laughed curious, hesitating laugh.
Then she suddenly cried
"He has gone away with-some one
else y she said. "He laughed at me and
said that he didn't want me- She was
horrid creature; and [ am sure she paints.
He only wrote out of revenge
just to hurt me, and make me
worry. Now l know how bad a man can
be p The Grave man put his hand
quietly on hers. "And-how good T.
she said, with sudden smile. "Cap-
tain p
The Grave Man smiled, too, and looked
at her very hard.
"Did you love him p he asked.
Little sailor p
She looked very hard at him.
"No," she said. ''No p
He smiled again; and she wondered how
she had ever thought him grave.
II think you are going to love some
one else-some day
"I-think-so," she said.
They sailed on for long time. He
forgot to move his hand from hers; and
she forgot to remind him. The sails
tapped softly, and the waves splashed
gently, and the sun shone brightly; and
the girl laughed very quietly from time to
time; and so did the man.
"How long do you think we have known
each other p he asked presently.
"Years and years, said the girl dream
lily. "Oh Years and years-in a few
hours. You see-we have faced death
together. y
The Grave man leaned little forward,
and held her hand very tightly.
"Shall wei face life together?'' he asked.
"Little sailor p
The girl smiled and gave him her other
hand