The Democratic advocate., 1909-03-26


gers accepted It on the spot as singu-
larry appropriate. for Captain Jim
HtayboIt's honest. kind blue eyes, his
brown face and closely curling hair
and his masterful Jet good natured
mouth made him indeed seem the em-
Dodiment OF the famous ben Bolt Of
The salt sea gale"
He wasn't old at all though be
thought himself aged and beyond all
the dreams Of youth because he had
Just turned thirty-ffve. But then he
nnd always had an abnormal modesty
about his own masculine charms.
His head. albeit OF pepper and salt,
vas filed with practical good sense
that had Brought him up from fisher
nnan to superintendent and part owner
Of the Grantson company's big feet OF
mmacks.
He had his Office In the cubby OF a
water stiited shanty at the end OF the
pier, and IT, window looked directly
pcross At a certain young woman
named Kate. dealing out candy, or
pnges and cheap cigars to the rolling
aDews OF the boats.
There was a standing joke among
Ghe boys how the smoking habit took
hold OF everybody after be saw Kate.
It never got to her ears, though. for,
Notwithstanding the candy and cigars.
Shere was fine little line Of reticence
about the girl over which no one ever
stepped, not even Hank Raynor, tho
vainest and most impndent fellow that
ever trod a schooner's deck. But her
pretty baushes and shining eyes gave
the clew to her preference. and Ray.
nor, who frequently consumed his en-.
tire wait buying a cigar, could not
have been said TO discourage the i'm
preston.
1t is true the boys Joked. but the ma
tority Of them swore as well. for the
handsome Raynor bore no immaculate
Teputation among them.
"Cuss itfs said Dick pearsall, mate
Of the Osprey schooner, savagely one
night why Is It a woman can never
zee an inch from her nose when she's
daffy on manT
Margin takes that out OF 'em,
though" laughed old Captain Brown,
who was on honorable drydock after
fifty years Of cod and halibut.
'sMarryin'rs sneered the mate of the
candy Burgess built smack Lucinda v.
"Marryin'i Raynor looks like mer-
ryin' man, don't he? amt no masher
myself, but I tell you that smarty is
Just tryIn' to show Off before us fel-
lows. Marry herl Even II he wanted
10 he ain't &c to wipe her old shoes
0ni"
Nobody dIssentcd. There were
tongues In the fishing port that did not
hesitate TO declare that Raynor's skill
as fisherman was fnr inferior TO the
art with which hs could wreck coast
ers for living when the owners got
tired Of paying insurance and decided
that II was time to collect some In.
stead.
"All the same, he told me Il was
fixed up between EN-" insisted Cap
tain Brown. That's tellin'. / spose,
but he didn't say as there was any
thing private about IT,"
Unnotlced by the men, Captain Jim
Saybolt had come up In time to catch
the last words. he stopped moment
In the shadow Of column. When he
moved on his face looked gray and
drawn in the uncertain light.
Get ready to take the Osprey and
the Lucinda out next tide" he said
evenly. Wen have 'em unloaded In
three hours more and ready for sea
again"
he went back, and the group broke
up. Pearsall. as he turned. caught a
glimpse Of his superiors face and won.
dered vaguely IL "the boss" were III.
With fine sense OF honor, Captain
Jim himself had refrained from look
or word that might compromise Kate,
but the memory Of chance touch OF
her fingers once when she passed back
his change still sent a thrill over him.
Since that day she had grown under
his eyes to be the one desirable thing
OF his life.
He knew enough OF Raynor to de-
spise the man. Time and again he
had all but prayed he might get actual
cause for interference. Now the shat.
.tsring Of the dream seemed less his
blunder than a crime.
A week afterward Kate's old father
was struck by falling block and laid
ON his bed. helpless for life. Her
mother fell III Of typhoid. The super
intendent saw the bloom fade from the
girls cheeks, to return only when
Raynor appeared, and that In nery-
GUS flush. He grew hot and cold alter
nately at the air Of careless proprietor.
ship the latter had lately assumed.
Then suddenly the man announced
that he was going away.
Hank has got a ship Captain Jim
heard Kate confide to another girl.
TITS q schooner running out OF South
Amboy for Norfolk. and the owners
have promised him raise In few
months, and then. IL father and mother
are able to be moyed'
Captain Jim lost the rest, but sharr
thrust went through him, whether Of
anguish or relief he could not have
told. a month later came news Of q
shlpwreck on the New Jersey coast.
The dispatches said openly that there
sere suspicious circumstances about
the wreck, but as the captain, Hanl
Raynor was announced as among those
drowned It was impossible to do much
investigating.
On that very day Kate failed to ap
pear at the pier.
Day by day for blank. wretchet
week Captain Jim faced the empt,
stand <ssay.g.exsta his xr,f,,a.@,.. ffst,ax, l..