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Updated: June 24, 2025
"Is it a duty?" asked Winston, feeling that the further he drifted away from the previous topic the better it would be for him. "Some people would fancy so," said his companion, "Lily will have a good deal of money, by and by, and she is very young. Atterly has nothing but an unprofitable farm; but he is an honest lad, and I know she is very fond of him."
Now, as Laura's midshipman partner led her to a seat, and soon left her, Dan, tearing himself away from Miss Atterly, came to remind Laura that his name was written on her card for the next dance. "Very fine girl I've been talking with, Laura," Dan confided in the straightforward way that he had always used with Miss Bentley, who was such a very old school friend.
"And that enables you to be most delightfully attentive to every girl that comes along?" "I don't know," Midshipman Dalzell replied slowly. "I haven't had much experience." Miss Atterly laughed as though she felt certain that she knew better. "Do you say that to every girl?" she asked. "I don't get many chances," Dan insisted.
"If I couldn't keep up, then the only thing to do was to go back to civil life and find my own level among my own kind." "Now, that was truly brave in you!" declared Miss Atterly, admiration shining in her eyes. "There's the music starting," Dan hastily reminded her. "Our dance." "Would it seem disagreeable in me if I asked you to sit out this number with me?" inquired the girl.
Nor could Dalzell escape noticing the fact that Miss Atterly appeared to enjoy his company hugely. Then Dan was led on into talking of the life of the Naval officer at sea, and he spoke eloquently. "A life of bravery and daring," commented Miss Atterly thoughtfully. "Yet, after all, I would call it rather a lonely life." "Perhaps it will prove so," Dalzell assented.
Miss Catharine Atterly was the only daughter of wealthy parents, though her father had started life as a poor boy. Daniel Atterly, however, had been shrewd enough to know the advantages of a better education than he had been able to absorb in his boyhood. Miss Catharine, therefore, had been trained in some of the most expensive, if not the best, schools in the country.
She was a buxom, healthy girl, full of the joy of living, yet able to conceal her enthusiasm under the polish that she had acquired in the schools she had attended. Miss Atterly, on coming to Annapolis, had conceived a considerable liking for the Naval uniform, and had attracted Dan to her side within the last three days.
"She certainly is very pretty," Laura nodded. "And -er -distinguished looking, don't you think?" Dan ventured. "Yes, indeed." "But I was speaking more of her character -at least, her disposition. Miss Atterly is highly sympathetic. I wish you'd meet her, Laura." "I shall be delighted to do so, Dan." "After this dance, then? And I want Belle to meet her, too.
"Miss Atterly, all the hops that I've attended could be counted on your fingers, without using the thumbs?" "Oh, really?" "It is the truth, I assure you. Some of the midshipmen attend many hops. Most of us are too busy over our studies as a rule." "Then you prefer books to the society of girls?" "It isn't that," replied Dan, growing somewhat red under Miss Atterly's amused scrutiny.
"Yet it is all the life that I look forward to. It's all the life that I care about." "Despite the loneliness -or rather, because of it -it will seem all the finer and more beautiful to come home to wife and children," said Miss Atterly after a pause. "Nearly all Naval officers marry, don't they?" "I -I believe they do," Dalzell stammered. "I -I never asked any Naval officers for statistics."
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