Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-08-07
CHAPTER ".


ing establishment Of . certain Mr..
Huxtable In the town Of Fairhaven. on
the eastern bank Of the Acushnet
river, there Cancer. rather. drifted
With tho tide of q casual fancy-to-
ward the close of q day in June, Gar.
rett Coast
A declining sun threw his shadow
sthwart the floor Of the chandlery.
Huxtable glanced up from the middle
Of papers on his desk. Coast lounged
easily in the doorway. with one sheul.
der against the frame: man notably
tall and slender and graced, besides,
with simple dignity of manner that
assorted oddly, in the Huxtable un-
derstanding, with clothing well-worn
and travel-stained. Out Of face
moderately Drowned. his dark eyes
Elimmered with q humor whimsical,
regarding Huxtable.
The object of their regard pushed
up his spectacles for better view.
''Well?" he inquired, not without q
suspicion of grim resentment, who
was not weathered to laughter at his
own expense.
1t happened. however. that Coasts
amusement sprang from another
cause; his own utter responsibility,
which alone had led him TO the chand.
lery. he considered hugely diverting.
II was just thinking" he said. smil-
ing. that now would be useful time
to buy . boat"
Huxtable, possessed Of an Inherent
prediction for taciturnity. liable.
ever and anon, to be sore beset II not
wholly put to rout by the demon Gu.
yiosity q familiar likewise legitimate
~ handed down to him by several gem
erations of New England forebears).
with mute nod to signify that he had
heard and now awaited without preju-
dice q more explicit declaration.
"A boat" Coast added, preferably
Of the center-board cat type, with a
Woodworking motor auxiliary"
The Huxtable mind, which you are
TO believe typical of Its caste, like a
ship wisely navigated. moved cautious
~ in well-buoyed channels. 1t chung
to tradition. whether In the business
Of boat building. which it pursued to
admiration. or in the lighter diversion
Of humor, to which its attitude re.
sembled that Of the ancestor worship
ing heather Chinese. Premonitory
symptoms Of a reversion to type in
the matter Of wit were betrayed by
the corrugation of the Huxtable
wrinkles.
ITO go sailin' in?"
After this utterance, tradition
tapped its wings and screamed; Hux-
table himself condescended to
chuckle; Coast, to tolerant smile.
Possibly" he conceded. Have
you such boat?"
II might have" Iuxtable admitted
cautiously. Come along" He rose
and led the way through q back door
into the boat yard.
With a twist of his eyebrows SPELL
ing doubt, Coast followed. He was
not wholly satisfied that there was
any wisdom latent in this latest freak
of his Grant fancies. For fortnight
he had given impulse it's head. and so,
docile to its aimless divagations, had
found contentment Of sort--more a
parody than the real thing; dream
less rest won through wholesome
bodily fatigue, a waking distraction
bred Of constant change Of scene; thin
ice over the troubled deeps Of a heart
embittered. Eastward from New
York he had wandered, mostly afoot.
unknown, unrecognized, Warburton
alone cognizant of his movements.
and that under strict injunction of ST.
lence; thus he had come blindly, seek
ing surcease of his distemper, finding
only the oblivion Of fatigue. And re.
Gently he had become uneasily con-
scious that even that was losing its
effect, as an opiate will In frame
too long habituated to its action; now
and again the thought Of Katherine
and Blackstock would crawl In his
mind, vigorous, poisoning the very
sunlight.
Here, without presage, he found his
within aiming for salt water. Was he
wise to humor It? Would he find
healing in the swing of the seas, tho
SAVIOR OF spray, the hiss Of waters
broken by plunging bows, the surg'e
astern?
Huxtable led him directly to lit
tie vessel in q cradle on the ways and
bright with new paint 1.-THE Echo"
he introduced her: five year old.
weather-wise, sound and sweet, fast
and able. Owner left her with me for
sale. Seven hundred and bargain"
Coast strolled round the boat with
an eye critical Of her lines, then
clambered up the skeleton ribs Of the
cradle and dropping into her cockpit.
verifying Huxtable's catalogue Of at
fractions. Presently he climbed
down again, impressed that the boat
would probably justify it, recommen-
dalton to the letter.
when can you put her in the wa
teri"
I'm fifteen minutes"
do so. then. please, ana have the
gasoline tanks filled and the batteries
wired up. I'll want these be-
Sides" He found pencil and scrap
Of paper and scrubbed list Of sup
plies, you've q spare moor
ing on here?'' he inquired. and re-
ceived an Affirmative. Then put her
OF; TIL sleep aboard her tonight.
Now I'll take turn up town and buy
provisions and things"
IT, A<%>d n,,< v,ifho,,x Sho,,~hf ~