El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-02-09

AUNiACA
The sentence, the infection of his
voice, struck her as being character
istic of him. For many years a half
her choice of friends. Her mentor
was the speaking voice. Seldom did
one prove false to her first conception
of it; seldom had any one attracted
her attention whose vocabulary was
apparently so limited.
A sudden lurch of the launch caused
them both to look seward.
The bay is roughening to a right
choppy sea- vouchsafed Ben from his
post at the engine
81 see it's Standard. said the girl,
looking at shining mass of metal
and four cylinder" She was inter
ested at once.
I'm used little TO automobile en-
gines, will you show me the differ
ence? There's only one profession in
the world nicer than mine and it's en-
cheering"
Ben surrendered easily: it seemed
though, technically, the skipper knew
most about them after all.
Ben, stepping across the small room,
took charge of the wheel and left them
to run the engine, towel, the point
nearest Greenville they could make.
contact in their explanatory research
Of carburetor, sparkling plug, etc. Fin
ally Ben came to the rescue Of the
seekers after information with an ex-
PLANTATION of gasoline motor power
such as the vernacular required You
see" he said, letting go the wheel to
better demonstrate the subject nearest
his heart, "a lump of gas is sucked
into the inside, right here; the piston
vvhoak fhR
spark jumps in, and there you are
Bens enthusiasm received a sudden
and permanent check A great wave
Of spray funneling in through the en-
CINE room door Quenched him utterly.
AS the boat shot her bow into a chaSm
in the waters the shippers left arm
encircled the girls neck. barely saw
ing her head from contact with the
iron cylinder.
ITO your engine, Ben; III take the
wheel
Brief as had been Ben's exposition,
the boat had rounded the towering rock
split cape of land and was in the rips"
of the open channel, whose tidal waves
and sudden squalls are phenomenal.
The girl TUNED to the window, pois-
ing herself with the ease of sea-born
child whose earliest home and best love
is ever unfathomable ocean. Headlong
frothing peaks of brine as any cliff
born bird its aerie home. Sheet after
sheet of spray drove over them, blind
ing window and eye alike, but the en-
CINE trobbed steadily. and the cedar
hull rebuffed, jauntily, each succeed
ing blow. Overhead the wind tore and
screamed through the awning.
TT ought to come down." said the
girl. watching the fight 'twixt man
nd he IFS shame
bother her So"
Her eyes laughed, her body was
tense, and her nerves stanch as the
launch herself, "and quite as insensible
to fear" thought the skipper.
Overhead the canvas shook like the
rumble of heavily-loaded drays; the
camp chairs were swept by the wash
of the sea, now 10 leeward. now to
windward again; squat after squan
struck the fragile craft it'll the stun
ming effect of shivering pauses after
severe blows. Then, as though taking
a deep breath, she rode the next wave
triumphant.
At last the girl could stand It no
longer. 'T can remove that awning
myself" she cried, and started for the
companionway.
stay where you are" commanded
The skipper, as one having authority.
hands leave for the day, that is why I
hesitated about crossing this morning,
but I guess we can man
yes, I'm sure of it." she interrupted.
'''Twas awfully good of you to try,
but I'm not one bit sorry-it's the best
day I've had in five years. and them
with necessitous urgency in face and
voice, 81 must reach mother tonight"
The unceremonious sea flung her
IL hn
steadied her, showed a disinclination 10
touch the wheel again, but business is
business. and-there was a report like
a pistol, followed by a groan from Ben.
The girl sprang TO his side as he held
up one hand bruised and bleeding. It
was his right hand. The skipper
turned, not daring to leave the wheel.
What has happened" he asked.
anxiously. The engine clicked on
evenly.
only a useless wrist" groaned Ben,
possible hindrances. I'll try to per-
broken or sprained, - It, The
crank shaft blew off"
The girl was at his side, carefully
examining the injured wrist Il think
its only sprain." She CROPPED her way
to the galley between the engine room
and the saloon, finding there ice water
and napkin, with which she did the
pest Ene COulQ LOT nltIls out the
and wrist were useless. In the I'M
abated fury of the wind and wave, he
needed his left hand to prevent further
injury to his right.
Affairs We're becoming a bit involved
for the skipper
ut seems to me-" ne said to the girl,
that as good a sailor as you must
have some knowledge of steering
have you ever tried?"
ct am used to steering by tiller; If
you will show me a bit I think we can
manage It," she quoted, thrilling him
again with the sense of poise and
power her starlike eyes melted.
He gave her the course by compass,
and found her hands steady as her
eyes, and her grip Of the wheel such as
1T crossed his nlind-love-soften
might guide man through LIES un-
recognizable sea to some snug anchor
age. Thus, passenger at wheel, skipper
at engine. Ben doing what he could,
they silently sped on.
The winds had their will Of the avn
ing, and by it's loss the launch was
steadier. Quite suddenly the gale
lulled; the tide at lowest ebb roroore
to rip" The sunsets widening glory