The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-08-22
WEEKLY SHORT STORY
HER CAPTAIN.
BY Louise MerrifieId.


He was lying at full length at her
feet on the shore. Nan hardly noticed
him. Her face was turned down
toward the point.
Something of the sunset glory
seemed to linger on it's girlish contour,
but her eyes were full of ltent mis-
chief.
IT'S so nice of YOU even to promise
that Mr.. Hanscombe," she murmured.
"MoSher'n be glad"
Wont your"
81 won't be here"
Hanscomb sat up.
Not if 1 should ask you to be
here?"
Nan laughed and bit her lip.
You always seem like a funny
overgrown boy to me when you try to
be in earnest"
I'm not trying, Nan. You've known
all along just what I've meant"
ITS a good thing for me that l
have" laughed Nan. 90, don't protest
now and try to make good at the last
minute. You don't have to with me-
You come down here with Hal
He told me about you before i
came, and that's why"
Halls awful prejudiced"
Hanscombe kicked at biz of drift
wood and frowned. Fate was leading
him into a snare. He knew when he
reached the danger point and always
moved along at the right moment.
He didn't wanc to marry any girl.
He had come to Point of Pines purely
out of curiosity to see Nan Phillips be-
cause Hal had said she was the "bul-
Hest" girl in the world.
Tomorrow he would be on the train
bound for the West. And Hal would
be over in the tent. with Nan in the
cottage up in the pines, only a few
hundred yards away.
Wont you miss me a bit, Nan?''
Lots" Mans tone was perfectly
matter of fact. You're a dandy bass
catcher"
Il can't seem to catch anything
else" said Handsome cheerlessly.
What's the matter with me, Nan?"
Matter? HOw?" guilelessly.
Don't you IKE me?"
Very, very much. SO does mother"
Are you sorry you kissed me?"
savagely as a last chance at stirring
up emotion.
Which time?'
Have you got them all calculated
for future reference? Nan, don't you
care at ALP
Yes, l almost think 1 did" For the
first time Mans voice was a little I'M
steady. But don't care now. l sup
pose that's the last tesc, isn't it? When
you know that everything is going to
end. and you just don'5 care?'
Would you go with me?" Hans
cOmbes face was study in conflicting
impressions.
II was not an invitation ne gave
merely one of his speculative flyers in
love, and Nan knew it. She laughed
and shook her head.
1T would be pretty hard sentence,
wouldn't it? For both of us? No,
thank you, kind sir; not to-day.
Hanscombe studied her for minute
in Silence. He did not know Shis
mood. Vaguely he realized that Nan
was as the poys would call il, "kiddin'
him"
1t was not pleasant to be a 6-foOt,
10 halfback, and be "kidded,' especi-
ally by the girl he had been gracefully
trying to depart from without break
ing her heart.
Watching the little reddish curls
shat Struggled against the tanned
throat. he wondered what the next 10
minutes held for him. All at once he
knew that Nan Phillips held his heart
and future very neatly balanced on Der
strong little pink palm. And there
was liai.
You see, Bob, you're nice to have
around"
Like a hammock or cake of ice"
growled Hanscombe. GO on.
But 1 don't believe you'd make a
good captain in rough weather, and
IL, h rch
don't you know it? You've a good pal
to talk to. and all that, but
She stopped suddenly and stood up.
He saw in a moment what had hap
pened. Drifting rapidly out of the
open sea was their powerboat.
A couple of miles across the bay Was
the little summrr camp on the poine.
And they were on an island i'll mid
channel, with no chance of a steamer
passing before The city boat IN che
morning. Hanscombe kicked off ais
shoes.
You're not going to Try and swim
after it? Nan demanded increduious-
ly.
I'm going to the point" he retort-
ed deliberately III get Halls boat
and come after you. Don't get rat
tied now, I won'5 be long"
There are cross currents out there
-"
80 there are here" he said grimiy.
Better take my matchbox and get
some drifewood together for fire in
case I give out. Hal will see it, and
know there's trouble. Goodby."
"Why don't you wait and see II we
aren't missed?"
Just to show I can be rough
weather captain, i guess" he laughed.
Rustic after the driftwood, mate. l
have to get into swimming gear.
Slowly she turned and went hack
over the winding store. through the
little path of sword grass and white
clover Once, az the top of hum
mock, she turned and looked out 20
sea.
1t was all a shadowy violet haze
His head looked like brown seaweed
floating with the tide, far off from Che
shore. Nan watched it with keen, half
~ closed eyes until it disappeared, che
e;11-o,. ofch hpx nrpcCn1 To her