The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-10-02
PEGS WHITE WINGS
sy sILvER TURNER.

49,
= sir" 70 the last orders al0ft. Peg
re was left alone with the sail shop
on her hands. II stood down on South
Water street over q ship chambers :.
q good, airy, sunlit loft filed with the
CAPTAINS belongings and ali the i'm
plements and paraphernalia OF his
trade. He had lived there for eight
teen years ever since his retirement
from the West Indies trade, eve since
Peggie had been q baby.
And she loved the old loft. II had
been her shelter and playground for
ears. She knew everything il con-
tanned. and all the captains custom
ers. So II was quite natural, after the
captains death. for her 10 keep his
name outside. and his trade within.
There was old Ben 10 act as first mate.
so 10 speak. and Mrs. MacGowan 70
look after the sewing Of the sails.
Peggy was In charge Of customers and
accounts.
Mrs. MacGowan had kept house for
the captain for years In the snug 1T
tie fat over the sail shop. so naturally,
after he had gone away. she stayed on,
looking after Peggy. And with Ben
and his three assistants they remained
a contented household until the COM
ing Of the Rowing Lou.
One morning after Ben had opened
the old-fashloned wooden shutters out
side the windows. and Mrs. MacGow-
an had started the whir Of her sewing
machine briskly. Peggy. from her point
Of vantage on the stool, looked out and
beheld a strange craft anchored in the
slip where usually the ~sober-looking
James B. Gale lay, a lumber boat from
Providence.
This one was a three-master. with
high deck lines, and her prov sticking
inquisitively up in the air. She was
oeean-gOing, too, and weather beaten,
and she needed sails badly, Peggie's
business glance discovered at once.
Her general tone was gray, with
touches Of red and black on the cabin
and deck trimmings. and over her
rails there leaned one lone sailor.
Looks like q Portugee, don't her
said Ben.
Peggie could not have told why, but
the stranger had a fascination for her.
She had grown TO know the names Of
nearly all the customary callers along
that water front. and this bird Of pas
sage puzzled her. And then the door
opened, and the master Of the Rowing
Lou came into the shop.
He was tall and young. and no Por-
tuguese. 81 want some sails for her"
he nodded vaguely toward the Rowing
Lou out Of the window. How long
win 1t take 10 get themf"
Ben got out his pencil, and figured
In his leisurely way, while the strange
captain looked boldly and hxedly al
the slender figure on the high stool.
He came often In the next few days.
Ben liked him and so did Mrs. Mac.
Gowan. He would SIT up on n Of the
long wooden tables and tell stories OF
the cruises Of the Rowing Lou that de
lighted them. She had sailed the
seas, now with one cargo, now
with another. as 1t suited her master
Perhaps he talked too much around
the little back rooms behind the chan
der shops and the eating places. Ben
said so. Anyway, there came a night
when Peggfe was wakened by shout:
and running feet. Then came shots
and when she looked out of her win.
dow she saw that they came from the
little dark slip where the Rowing Lot
lay at anchor. Ben was already dowI
the narrow stairs and on the street
pulling into a coat.
Peggie laid her head on the window
sill and Mrs. MACEDONIAN, big and moth
erly In her white nightgown, fondlet
her wisely.
"That was never his cry" she said
Don't you fret, dearfe. He's a in'
Lad. and Ben'n look out for him fol-
you"
But Ben stayed over In the slip long
until the first amber light showed IL
the East and the street lamps wen
ont. When he did come, the strang'
captain vas with him, and he was hat
less. with a bandage around his head
Peggie went down to meet them, pals
and eager-eyed.
81 thought 1t was river pirates" h
told her. 1.-TWO of them got me In m.
berth, and when I shot they hit m'
with q blackjack. The Portuguese
woke up and we found two more II
the cabin. It's all right now. The.
didn't believe / was after new sails
He grinned happily. "Two went over
board. and two got away with tn
marks OF the Portuguese on them"
"What did they think you ha'
theref" asked Peggie, a~nxiously.
"Rlfes and shells, flibustering TO
the Gulf. / don't deal in ~contraband,
told them-nothing more risky thai
pearls" He drew out a little leathe
sack from his inner pocket and opene'
IL fiat on his palm. Inside lay tire
unset pearls. tender and beautiful a
the dawn that was breaking.
"Pve carried those for three years.