Capn Dans Daughter | Page 8

no more, and asked when it happened. Her father told what he knew of the circumstances attending the bereavement, which was not much.
"She's gone, anyhow," he said. "It's liable to happen to any of us, bein' cut off that way. We ought to be prepared, I suppose."
"I suppose so. But, Daddy, Aunt Lavinia wasn't cut off exactly, was she? She was your aunt and she must have been quite old."
"Hey? Why, let's see. She was your grandpa's brother's wife, and he--Uncle Jim, I mean--was about four years older than Father. She was three years younger'n he was when he married her. Let's see again. Father--that's your grandpa, Gertie--was sixty-five when he died and . . . Humph! No, Aunt Laviny was eighty-eight, or thereabouts. She wasn't exactly cut off, was she, come to think of it?"
Gertrude's brown eyes twinkled. "Not exactly--no," she said, gravely. "Well, Daddy, I'm sure I am sorry she has gone, but, considering that she has never deigned to visit us or have us visit her, or even to write you a letter for the past two years, I don't think we should be expected to mourn greatly. And," glancing at him, "I don't understand just what you meant by saying first that the news was good, and then that it was bad. There is something else, isn't there?"
Her father smiled, in an embarrassed way. "Well, ye--es," he admitted, "there is somethin' else, but--but I don't know as I didn't do wrong to feel so good over it. I--I guess I'll tell you by and by, if you don't mind. Maybe then I won't feel--act, I mean--so tickled. It don't seem right that I should be. Let me get sort of used to it first. I'll tell you pretty soon."
His daughter laughed, softly. "I know you will, Dad," she said. "You couldn't keep a secret in that dear old head of yours if you tried. Not from me, anyway; could you, dear?"
"I guess not," regarding her fondly. "Anyhow, I shan't try to keep this one. Well, this time to-morrow you'll be back at college again, in among all those Greek and Latin folks. Wonder she'll condescend to come and talk plain United States to us Cape Codders, ain't it, John."
John Doane admitted that it was a wonder. He seemed to regard Miss Dott as a very wonderful young person altogether. Gertrude glanced up at him, then at her father, and then at the blotter on the desk. She absently played with the pages of the ledger.
"Dad," she said, suddenly, "you are not the only one who has a secret."
The captain turned and looked at her. Her head was bent over the ledger and he could see but the top of a very becoming hat, a stray lock of wavy brown hair, and the curve of a very pretty cheek. The cheek--what he could see of it--was crimson. He looked up at Mr. Doane. That young man's face was crimson also.
"Oh!" said Captain Daniel; and added, "I want to know!"
"Yes, you're not the only one. We--I--there is another secret. Daddy, dear, John wants to talk with you."
The captain looked at Mr. Doane, then at the hat and the face beneath it.
"Oh!" he said, again.
"Yes. I--I--" She rose and, putting her arms about her father's neck, kissed him. "I will be back before long, dear," she whispered, and hurried out. Mr. Doane cleared his throat. Captain Dan waited.
"Well, sir," began the young man, and stopped. The captain continued to wait.
"Well, sir," began Mr. Doane, again, "I--I--" For one who, as Gertrude had declared, wished to talk, he seemed to be finding the operation difficult. "I--Well, sir, the fact is, I have something to say to you."
Captain Dan, who was looking very grave, observed that he "wanted to know." John Doane cleared his throat once more, and took a fresh start.
"Yes, sir," he said, "I have something to say to you--er--something that--that may surprise you."
A faint smile disturbed the gravity of the captain's face.
"May surprise me, hey?" he repeated. "Is that so?"
"Yes. You see, I--Gertie and I--have--are--"
Daniel looked up.
"Hard navigatin', ain't it, John?" he inquired, whimsically. "Maybe I could help you over the shoals. You and Gertie think you'd like to get married sometime or other, I presume likely. Is that what you're tryin' to tell me?"
There was no doubt of it. The young man's face expressed several emotions, relief that the great secret was known, and surprise that anyone should have guessed it.
"Why, yes, sir," he admitted, "that is it. Gertie and I have known each other for years, ever since we were children, in fact; and, you see--you see--" he paused once more, began again, and then broke out impatiently with, "I'm making an awful mess of this. I don't know why."
Captain Dan's smile broadened.
"I made just as