Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-07-03


he had told her. Then there WAS sudden
slackcnng of the line; what was this
" All right" said he, very quietly.
Reel in now rs quick rs We can, please
Well, she was Keeling in as hard us her
small and delicate wrist was alb to do,
and in truth she was too bewildered to fee
excited; and above all other earthly things
was she anxious that she shouldn't show
herself fool, or scream, or let the thing
90, when all at once the handle of the
reel seemed to be whipped from her grasp;
there was long whirring shrek of the
line; she could hear somewhere a mighty
splash Though she dared not look at any
thing but what was in her hands,, and at
the same moment she fancied Ronald said
with quiet laugh
We've beat them this time-a clean
fish"
" He is not away"
"Away!-not a bit"
"Do you think we'll get him." she said,
breathlessly.
Wen hold on to him as long as he
holds on to US Ronald said. And she
heard him add to himself, " would
rather than five shillings we got the first
fish"
q But this thing is SO heavy" she
Never mind. That's right-that's
right keep Il good strain on him; We'll
! soon bring him to his senses'i
Again there was a sudden slackenin9 of
| the line. and this time she actually saw
the animal as it sprung into the ARA
white cleaning curved thing-but in
stantly her attention was on the reel
That's 1t: your doing fine" he said,
with an intentional quietude of tone, so
that she might not get over-nervous and
| make a mistake.
Then he made her stand up. and forum
ately the coble was rocking but little; and
he moved her left hand little higher up
the rod 50 that she should have better
leverage; and she did all that she was
bid mutely and meekly. though her arm
was already beginning to feel the heavy
strain. she vowed to herself that so long
as she could draw breath she would not
give in.
The other boat was passing but ofcourse
at a respectful distance.
Hold on to him, Carry" her father
called.
She paid no heed She dared not even
look in his direction. The fish seemed to
be following up the coble now, and 1t was
all that the slender wrist could do to get
in the line 50 as to keep the prescribed
curve on the rod. And then she had to
give way again, for the salmon went
sulking, and they pulled the boat away a
tit lest he should suddenly come to the
surface and he after some dangerous can
trip. ShetoOk advantage OF this period of
quiet to pass the rod from her left hand
to her right and that reliel ed her arm n
little ana she even ventured t. say:
"iIOw long is he going on like this ~
"WeU give him his own time, MISS"
Ronald said.
Don't call me miss" she said, with a
! little VeNatiOn.
~ beg your pardon, What then :"
ooh, anything you like. Mind you
catch me If | fall into the water
The truth was she was a little bit ex-
cited; and desperately anxious that her
strength should hold out and even per
hitting herself an occasional CLEAN of
hope and joy and triumph. Her first sal
mon. Here would be tidings for the girls
at home! If only the beast would do
something, or show signs of yielding
anything rather than she should have to
give in, and weakly resign the rod to Ron
aid As for him. he stood almost touch
ing her shoulder.
no, no." said he, there's no fear O.
your falling into the water. We've got to
get this gentleman ont first
And then her feeble efforts at talking
meant to show that she was not excited,
but having exactly the contrary effect all
went by the board. Sonnet hing was hap
pcning-she knew not what--something
wild, terrifying, violent, desperate-an
apparently quite near-and all the Inc
was slack now-and the handle of the reel
stuck i'll her frantic efforts to turn it with
an impossible quickness-and her heart
was choking with fright. For why would
this beast spring and splash and churn the
water, while the line seemed to go all
wrong, and everything become mixed :
But her trembling fingers got the reel to
work at last. and she wound as quickly as
she could; and by this time the salmon
had disappeared again. and was bearing
an even, dead strain on the rod, but not SO
heavily as before,
MY graciosu % she said-she was quite
! breathless.
Its all right" he said, quietly, but he
had been pretty breathless too, and fol
several seconds in blank IcspHir
The fish began to show signs of yielding
that last fierce thrashing of the water
} had weakened him. She got in more ant
more line-Ronald's instructions being o
the briefest and quietest-and present. "
they could see a faint CLEAN N the water
as the big fish sailed this way or that
But ST she knew not what he miGht not
do. That terrible time had been alto
gether unexpected. And yet she knew
and her left arm was gratefully consciou.
l that the strain was not so heavy now
the line was quite short and she became
aware that she was exercising more and
more power over her captive and could
force him to stop his brief and Intellectual
PUSHES
} Once or twice he had come quite nea,
the boat-sailing in on his side as it Were
! and then steering off again at the sight
! of them but these efforts to get away
We're growing more and more feeble; anC
D at last Ronald called:
. We'll try him this time-give him tht
r butt well-that's right-lft his head
a now" and then there was a quick strok,
: OF the clip, and the great monster was il
the boat, and she sank down on to thu
!, bench, her arms limp and trembling bu
her hand still grasping the rod. And sh,
: felt little inclined to laugh and to cry
e and she wondered where her father was
: and she looked on in dazed way as they
5 killed the fish, and got the phantom min
2 now out of its mouth, and proceeded t.
1 the weighing of the prize.
r Eleven pounds and a half-well done
r the Dukes boat ~ Ronald cried. is i
t your first salmon, Miss Hodson,"
c why, certainly"
q "You'u have to drink its health, o.
; :here'll be no more luck for you this sea
+ son." said he, and he reached back for {
u pocket-tiask.
k But where is my father" she said
g ,he was anxious he should hear tn
a news.
e, con- said he, coolly, they've been in
z to fish for the last ten minutes; woult
n "a tell ye, in case It might distract ye."