The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-05-09

"He went to Weybridge this morning
to get the horses shod."
"Well, then, I'll 60 alone" was
Georges determined answer. Aunt
Mary did all she could to dissuade hel
niece from such ''hoydenish' proceed
ing, but the vivacious girl would not
listen. ooh, I've been fishing many
times before" she cried. every yeal
when we 60 to the mounta ms I take my
rod with me and fish for trout. Now,
don't you worry. I'll lust step over to
the lake and tsh from the bank, and III
he home to supper with string of fish
just as sure as my name is Geo. Paine.
So there"
George ran out to the barn, captured
the rod and line, and started of. She
crossed the field behind the church and
was Just entering the lane that ran down
through the meadow when she suddenly
stopped and caught her breath with q
whimsical look of dismay.
No bait! Worms-she wouldnt touch
the dirty things, anyway. Even if she
had them who would bait her hook
Grasshoppers-ugh ! the great ugly,
scratchy,. syrupy th;ngsl Well, what
then2 Perhaps there would be little
boy at the lake whom she could bribe to
put one of his worms on her hook.
Happy thought! George trudged mer:
rily on again, and in due time arrived
at her destination.
There she found a boat-a real pretty
little boat, too, with one of those nova
BILE sails folded and lying under the
thwarts-but no boy in sight anywhere,
no specimen of the genus homo mascu-
line gender of any description. Well,
she could take boat ride, any way.
She would hire the boat.
Walking up to the little cottage above
the cove George knocked at the door.
No response. She knocked again and
louder. Still no answer. Then she
tried the door. 1t was locked. 1mpelled
by curiosity, she stole around and looked
in at one of the windows. Her first
mental comment was: "Some man lives
here alone-an old bachelor, I'll wager. "
Everything in the room which she was
inspecting was in order, but not in fem
mime order. A big jar, with two pipes
sticking out of it, stood on the table; q
gun lay across some pegs on the wall; a
large pair OF slippers occupied promi-
nent place on the rug in front of the
empty fireplace.
"Well, I suppose I ought not to be
peeking," sighed George, after she had
surveyed the room with its entire con-
tents and thoroughly satisfied her Curl
osity. 81 guess I'll borrow the mans
boat, any way, and pay him when he
comes home" So saying she hurried
down to the beach again, and pushing
the little boat off from shore-for it was
not fastened in any way-she jumped
aboard and drifted out into the clear
waters of the lake. The oars lay across
the thwarts, and George picked them
up, fitted them to the tholepins, and
rowed out of the cove and around the
point. II wonder if I could tsh with
out bait9" she queried. Just then her
eve fell upon something bright and gilt
tering that lay under the stern seat of
the boat. She pulled it out and there
was trolling spoon with hundred feet
or more OF line. "Eurekaw cried the
young lady. "Now I can fish"
She rowed the boat rapidly for short
distance to give it headway and then
pad out her line until she had about
fifty feet of it in the water. Then she
took the line in her teeth, in old fisher
man f4shion, and roved on up the shore.
Suddenly there was tug that came near
loosening some of the fair fisherwoman's
pearly teeth. She dropped the oars and
seized the line with both hands in q
hurry. @[ls, !
"Dear mew it must be dreadful
big one p she gasped, as the boat whirled
around with the desperate efforts of the
fish to escape. George hung on bravely,
however, and presently the fish became
mere quiet, so that she was able to draw
it slowly toward the boat. The excite
ment increased as the distance between
the boat and the fish diminished. Every
now and then the victim would make a
dart to right or left and the line would
fairly ring through the water, while
George clung to it with apale determine.
tion which would have made her laugh
if she could have seen it. Now the
victim was almost in sight. George
knew it was a monster by the way it
tugced, and, anxious to obtain glimpse
of her prize, and also thinking she could
manage it better thus, she stood up in
the boat. This action frightened the
fish. 1t plunged desperately downward.
The boat rocked and swung half around ;
George lost her balance, and, with a
piercing scream, fell headlong into the
water.
The next thing she knew she was lying
in the boat and man was rowing her
rapidly toward the shore. She had not
been in the water great while, but she
plainly remembered the choking sensa-
ton when she first went down. Assoc
as the man who was rowing saw her
open her eyes he held the oars suspended
for amomcnt and look of intense relief
and satisfaction came into his face. "Oh,
sir! cried George faiutly; sit is to you
1 owe my life. How can I ever repay
you2'
"It is reward enough just to see you
open your eyes again." exclaimed the
young man, warmly. His fine eyes
glowed as he spoke, and George could
not help remarking in the midst of her
distress that he was as handsome as he
was heroic and good. Before the boat
had even grated on the beach a pair OF
strong arms seized it and dragged it up
high and dry.
"Well, MISS" cried gruff but hearty
voice, ''you got capsized, ch? My stars,
how wet you are! Come up into the
house right off. And you, George, 60
and change your clothes straight away. u
1t was Uncle Ben. He had been to
the stat on to meet his nephew, and il