Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-12-12
TIE MARRIAGE OF
2CApTAlNKETTLI@
II Romance MM Sea
Bv CUTclIFFE HYNE
CHAPTER VII Continued.)


cause am free to own up to you that
luck at present seems to. have de.
serted me entirely, and as I'm going
for rcasons-and should say the odds
| shall act as Jonah and wreck it.
Sir" said Captain Kettle warmly,
don you believe it for one instant
II you guarantee that the steamers
there and afoat. I'll guarantee to you
given modest equipment. that I'll
find her d bring her home. Yes, sir
the fact Of your luck being down, and
the trifle that half the tribes in Africa
are showing their teeth and trying to
keep her s their private yacht. won't
stop me. Of course, THIS IS always
supposing you give me the job"
The big mans tired face lighted up
with smile. He had very taking
smile. After the enthusiasm you
have sho,7n don't see that have any
choice. So II n the teeth Of all I've
told you, you'll be good enough to &C.
cept billet. it's yours to have. AS
regards pay, don't know much about
these matters. and l can't afford to be
extravagant. but I'll give you the
standard rate of salary II you will let
me know what that is, and I'll also
arre.i &c for you to have slice of the
plumber II we manage to do our sal
vaging successfully. I must go now,
but If you'll rect me at the station at
o. tomorrow We'll run into liverpool,
and I'll get your advice on chartering
ship. So good night for the present
an6 good night to 20. also, Miss
Dubbs."
well" said the barmaid presently,
"if that isn't a gentleman, every inch
of him. may never wear diamond
ring. can see it's been a strain to
you, all this talk, Captain. but you
take 1t from me, you'll soon get used
to him. Now you come into the Snug
and smoke quiet pipe" ...
Miss" ssid the little sailor. "I'm
going to show you something" He
took an old, hard-seasoned highly
polished brier pipe from his pocket and
looked at it thoughtfully. pipes"
said he. ARE all right for mates. and
this cne's been a very firm friend to
me. But I'm skipper now, and I
must drop junior officers ways. I've
got to keen up the dignity of my posi-
ton. and that means I've got to smoke
cigars from now on"
With the poker he carefully skinned
away the black Goals from the top Of
the fire and exposed q glowing cavern
of red, and into this carefully and
reverently he dropped the cherished
pipe. It simmered for moment or
two, and then flame ]eaped from It.
Captain K tile found occasion to blow
his nose with unnecessary violence,
but Miss Dubbs, who was standing at
his side, watching the cremation, pat
ted his arm reassuringly.
You were quite right. dear" said
Miss Dubbs. Nov that you are a
real captain, you must always rem.
ember to keen no your position"
CHAPTER VIII.
Mr.. McTodd Graclousiy Decides.
There was, as far as can gather,
no actual proposal. They never even
got to Christian names, and only in mo-
ments Of forgetfulness slipped out
dear" 1t was always Captain" or
"Miss Dubbs," from one to the other,
but the fact of their engagement was
public property, and the little land
lord in his deepest voice had pronounc-
ed benediction, and the audience in the
Snug had enthusiastically drunk their
healths separately and in combination.
Not till the day after the bargain
had been struck. and in ship-broker's
office in Liverpool, did Captain Kettle
discover that Sir George was Sir
George Chesterman, and though the
coincidence of names struck him as
peculiar. he did not somehow associate
him with the Miss Violet Chesterman
of the Rhein and the Norman Towers.
They had not feature in common
and, for that matter, as far as he could
trace, not taste in common. Miss
Violet, according to her own account
was society woman to the tips Of her
shoes; Sir George loved the country
and country pursuits, and hated the
town and all its peoples.
IS To make assurance doubly sure he
had asked the landlord of the Masons
Arms as to what other members of
the family ever came to the Hall ex-
cept Lady Chesterman, and was
promptly told "None"9 Sir George and
his wife were a lonely couple with
neither chick nor relative to brighten
them, (which probably accounts"
doomed the host In his moving whis-
per, "for her ladyship's tantrums AS
I've often said to ma. If you've no ohil.
dren of your own. the best way to
avoid dullness Is to get other people
round you, and that's why we went
into the public line"
The steamer Of Sir Georges choice
was finally run to earth-or to be more
precise. to moorings-in the Tyne, op-
posite the Dolly Stairs, and Captain
Kettle, after an impressive and re-
spectful farewell to his fiancee. took
train for South Shields, and engaged
there a select but inexpensive lodging.
He travelled down in multi because his
mates uniforms were having that extra
band of gold lace added to the cuff
which Is the mercantile marine ship
special ensign, but he carried
the marks Of the sea and his grade in
the cock of his red torpedo beard. and
in every line Of his spruce figure, and
more than one fellow-mariner inspect
ed him with a curious stare as if to
recall on which Of the many seas they
had met. It remained for the guard
OF the train at Kirkby Stephen to put
~, ,oo1 IN oopa,.ol rocorpif;on