The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1917-06-21
Love OF The SEA
BY lola FORESTER.

the bluff, Ben advised strongly against
admitting any feminine influence into
the quiet domicile.
'You and me, cap'n, has lived on and
off here for years between cruises, and
we amt never felt the need of women
folks. I can nurse you up fine as aRy-
thing, same us / did when you was
slip Of a lad shipping with me on the
Lucy Lee"
But there happened to be a city doc
tor up at the summer hotel who asked
no permission, but wired to Providence
for a trained nurse.
Ben went down to the harbor to meet
the Providence boat with a surly coun-
tenance and a heavy heart But the
doctor was there also, and Ben stood
TO one side watching him greet a tall
young woman in gray.
"This is Miss Vail, Ben" he said.
"You take her right on up to the cap-
'0in's cottage and I'll be along soon.
How is he this morning? Resting
easy?"
EASY as a tommycOd out of water"
growled Ben. "But misdoubt as he'll
find any rest now"
The doctors eyes twinkled as he left
them. Morris owned four lumber
boats nd could well afford to keep out
of the business himself excepting on
shore, but the sea was in his system
and In the spring, when the lumber
trade opened up, he liked to sail the
Dixon himself.
Often the doctor had taken the trip
with him up the New England coast
to the big Maine ports, and had grown
to understand the fine, wide-horizoned
outlook of the captain, partly from
the bOokssthat lined his cabin, partly
from their talks.
The third day after Katherine's ar
rival he was talking with her at the
gate.
Its such a dear place to live. I've
seen the sun rise every morning since
I came, and the air is wonderful"
"How do YOU like the patient?" The
doctors eyes were quizZical.
"IIe's not talked very much yet But
old Ben makes up for it in all he has
TO say, warning me off their bachelor
rights. I'll win him over, though. He's
4 good cook. 1 think he's trying to
show me how Independent they are OF
women"
"That's one of your duties to teach
them that women are indispensable
Walt has been brought up under Ben's
tutelage. His father, old Captain
Norris, was drowned, and Ben was his
mate. Ben's had four wives, some
buried and some not and romance is
a dead issue with him. He has filled
Waits mind up with warnings against
the elusive sex ever since he could
talk"
katherine shook her head laughing
~. The doctor had been one of heG
fathers closest friends. And she re-
membered all her father had told her
long ago. of the island-bred girl he
had loved and wooed off the coast OF
Scotland.
you're like her, Kathie," he would
say. "But, oh, how she loved the
sea 1t should be in your heart, too
for you were born on the trip across
and we had to leave her to the waves
she loved"
It was the first flash of interest the
captain showed when she told him she
had been born at sea. Even old Ben
eyed her with concern, as if he rather
suspected her Of having made it up to
get her patient interested. He looked
up at her.
"When are you going away|
"NeXt week. I'm so glad you're well
enough to be left with Ben"
But the doctor came the next morn
ing, she put on her sweater and walked
up to the post Office with him on a pre-
text.
"Bnt I'm not after mall" she said
II want to confess something. If you
don't send me on another case right'
away, 1 know shall stay here and
marry the captain"
Nonsense! !" the doctor protested
vigorously. "Be ready week from to.
day. You know this is all a mere
phase, child. YoUli marry me if you
ever think of marrying anyone"
Katherine met his eyes, and some
how felt chilled again The doctors
wife, with an endless line of opera.
tions and cases filling the years to-
comet She went back to the cottage
with heart and soul welcoming Waits
greeting. And that evening, when Ben
was sitting outside smoking his last
pipe, Walt told her he loved her. They
stood at the open window looking sea.
ward, ana the perfume of plum and
cherry and crab apple trees came to
them richly.
81 haven't hope" he said in his
STRAIGHTFORWARD way. 81 know it's all
wrong even to think OF you spending
your life here and at sea, but Pm not
the man to let the woman l love leave
me without my telling her. I've plenty
for us both with the boats and my
lumber interests. We could live bet.
ter than Ben and / do. Ia build a
new house yonder on the bluff"
"What would Ben say?" asked Kath-
crime, a bit TREMENDOUSLY. He turned
and caught the look in her eyes.
''You don't mean you would?' He
crushed her hands In his closely.
"Would you, Kate? Say yes and leave
Ben to me-"
But outside on the little porch Ben's
chair scraped back, and he called lus-