A Little Country Girl: Complete

T was on one of the cool, brilliant days which early June brings to the Narragansett country, thatthe steamer "Eolus" pushed out from Wickford Pier on her afternoon trip to Newport. The sky wasof a beautiful translucent blue; the sunshine had a silvery rather than a golden radiance. A sea-windblew up the Western Passage, so cool as to make the passengers on the upper deck glad to drawtheir wraps about them. The low line of the mainland beyond Conanicut and down to Beaver Tailglittered with a sort of clear-cut radiance, and seemed lifted a little above the water. Candace Ardenheard the Captain say that he judged, from the look of things, that there was going to be a change ofweather before long.Captain Peleg King was a great favorite on his line of travel. He had a pleasant, shrewd face, grizzled hair, a spare, active figure; and he seemed to notice every one of his passengers and to takean interest in them."Going down to Newport, Miss?" he said to Candace, after giving her one or two quick looks.The question was superfluous, for the "Eolus" went nowhere else except to Newport; but it waswell-meant, for the Captain thought that Candace seemed lonely and ill at ease, and he wished tocheer her."Yes, sir," she answered, shyly."Your folks there for the summer?" he went on."No, sir; I'm going to stay with my cousin Mrs. Gray.""Mrs. Courtenay Gray you mean, I guess. Well, it's queer, but I sort er thought that you favoredher a little. She's down early this year. I fetched her and the family across on my evening trip more 'ntwo weeks ago. Mrs. Gray's a mighty nice lady; I'm always pleased when she comes aboard.Wouldn't you like to take a seat in the wheel-house, Miss? The wind's blowing pretty fresh."Candace was not aware that this was a distinguishing attention which the Captain did not payeverybody, and which she owed partly to her connection with Mrs. Gray and partly to her solitarylook, which had touched Captain Peleg's benevolent heart. He had a girl of his own "over toWickford," who was about the same age; and it made him "kind of tender" toward other girls whodidn't seem to have any one to look after them. But the wind was fresh, and it was pleasant to bespoken to and noticed by some one on this, the first long journey of her short life; so she thankfullyaccepted the Captain's invitation, and let him escort her along the deck, and assist her to mount thetwo steps which led into the wheel-house