But she enjoyed the eternal hope proper to youth and looked forward to a
home of her own some day, and better times when the right man came along.
She got a little fun into her work also, for the river was her delight,
and as Jimmy Fox, among his other irons in the fire, rented a salmon net
on Dart, Christie now and then had the pleasure of going out along with
the fishers, and spending a few hours on the river. But on these occasions
she was expected to work like a man and do her part with the nets. That
was labour that gave her pleasure, however, and, thanks to the fishery,
there came a day when she met a party who interested her more than any
other man had done up to that time.
He was a sailor and a calm sort of chap--dark and well-favoured with a lot
of fun in him and a lot of character and determination. First mate of a
sailing vessel that traded between Dartmouth and Jersey, was Edmund
Masters. He had friends at Dittisham, and it was when along with these on
the river fishing, that he got acquainted with Christie. Then, as often as
his ship, _The Provider_, came to Dartmouth port, he'd find occasion to be
up at Dittisham and drop into "Passage House" for a drink and a glimpse of
the girl.
As for Jimmy Fox, he thought nothing of it, because a sailor man was of no
account in his eyes, and, indeed, he and his wife had very fixed ideas for
Christie, which all too soon for her comfort she had now to hear.
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