Evening star., 1936-02-16
|LA HIGH COURAGE ID
i A.Lx by Jeanne Bowman kEzG7

others he slackened his pace. That's
dered abandoned some time ago.
Evidently some tramps hiding out
there"
"I thought traps were always set
where the current carries the fresh
water"
There's current there, some freak
sends it into that cove. The trap
there used to be one of the best on
the river"
"But why were you afraid for me?"
Anne persisted. .--.
John smiled down at her. Must !
remind you that you are very precious
to me?"
They Joined the others and a few
moments later embarked upon
smooth sea, tinted with the last of
sunset.
Anne, going up the steep flight of
stairs to the gray shingled house she
called home, smiled at John.
See that Window" she asked. point
ing to the one looking west. "I'n wait
up there until see your ship come
home"
They stood for a moment In the
darkness of the room. "And as soon
as we sight land, I'll start looking up
here, Nikki, and it's the last thing I'll
look at when I put out TO sea-.
The next morning Anne stood at
the window, watching puffy little
tug escort the Star of Lapland to the
bar, then stand by as the sails unfurled
to catch the brisk morning wind. Long
she stood there, until the last f1utter-
ing pennant had merged with the
horizon mist, and then she turned to
pick up the threads Of living, frayed
by Johns departure.
"I know I'm girl, but even girl
has some brains"
Anne sat on a wharf piling, curls
tucked under a seaman's cap. slim
figure boyish in blue slacks and high
dark blue sweater.
But, Nikki," George was protest.
ing. girls don't fish it's {.
well it isn't nice. you know, what I
mean, no girl wants to go around
SItl6llltlS ike d llSll tlldl hCt.
"I wouldn't be a very big market
smell, George" she insisted, II only
weigh a hundred and twenty"
And the men swear something aw-
full sometimes"
But they swear in Finnish. so I
wouldn't know but what they were
reciting poetry"
"Yeh, but you're learning the Ian
guage fast"
wouldn't that be fun" said Anne
hopefully. II could learn to swear in
Finnish and folks wouldn't know; oh.
George, you've chinched 1t now; there
are two or three persons I'd just love
to practice on
But, Nikki. there's storms and fogs.
It's dangerous being a fisherman"
He paused and looked at the girl, who
sat looking west. chin thrust forward
and out.
"And we'd like to take care of you,
Orvi and me-"
Anne smiled at him. Il know you
would. And I'd love to have you take
care of me, but I have reasons for
wanting to do this. George, won't
you trust me?"
Sure" began George obviously,
but, gee, wish John was here"
$50 do l." agreed Anne lightly, and
jumping up thrust out her hand. rs
it bargain? Am I hired?"
you knew you would be-" grinned
the big fellow sheepishly.
But having agreed to take Anne
aboard the Nikki. as part of her crew,
George and Orvi set about making a
fisherman of her.
At first, determined tc cure her of
her peculiar intentions. they gave her
work that taxed her strength. duties
which had sickened girls who had
made holiday trips with them.
Anne said nothing. She stood duty
at the winch until she thought her
back would break and her arms pop
/ out of their sockets. She learned to
use a gaff without closing her eyes
She became acquainted with all the
intricacies of the engine, and horri-
fed Lisa by returning from the drift
one night as oil smeared as any garage
mechanic.
The fish were running; they poured
into the Columbia. And the Sorh boys
were happy. They would go a long
way this Summer toward paying of
their debt. But there we're others who
were not contented, men who flshed
for the Farnsworth canreries.
Clouds gather, tomorrow, over the
/ future.