Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-09-07
WELL CAUGHT.

trespassing here?"
Egerton Harrington instinctively
raised his fishing-rod, the line tight
ened, and with a bounce and
wriggle, away went fine trout, re-
ioicing at it's regained freedom.
upon my word, it's too bad,
Egerton grumbled, as he turned his
head right and left; 'the only fish
| have hooked, and a splendid fellow;
four pounds, if an ounce"
The voice that had accOsted him
was not that of a keeper, or that of
gruff landowner; it was soft and
mellow, with just little ring in it,
but the speaker was nowhere to be
seen.
Egerton gazed about him, up at
the sky full of pearly clouds chas-
ing each other across the blue, and
down at the verdant earth.
"Do you know, sir, that you are
trespassing here?" said the voice
again.
Egerton Harrington threw down
the rod, and, fitting back his cloth
helmet, ran his fingers in bewild-
cred style through his hair.
81 must have alighted upon an
enchanted place." he said. 81 read
much about water spirits and
nymphs when was a youngster,
and it must be one of the family
addressing me now. Perhaps the
trout | hooked was u genii of the
deep, and is playing me trick"
A musical laughter answered him,
and turning sharply round, he saw
an oval face, suitably framed in a
sunbonnet, just visible over the top
of II clump of laurels.
At the first glance he took the
young lady for a mere child, and
addressed her as such.
"Oh, you are the nymph, missy"
he said, laughing. swell, it is
some satisfaction to know that there
is nothing supernatural about you.
You are bold young puss to tell
me that | am trespassing, when
have Sir John Chamberlayne's writ
ten permission"
This is not Sir John Chamber
layne's land; and you are very rude
to call me missy and puss. | am
Miss fairfield"
AS she spoke, she emerged from
her hiding place, and Egerton be-
held a maiden over whose head some
eighteen summers had perhaps pass
ed.
She was lovely-as lovely, he ac-
knowledged, as any nymph he had
read of in story or fable. Imagin-
airy nymphs have eyes as blue as the
depths of the waters in which they
live. This real one had hazel eyes,
and of a heart-breaking description.
81 must apologize to YOU" Eyer
ton said, standing bare-headed be-
fore the young lady. 1.-THE laurels
stood in between you and myself,
and it was impossible for me to even
guess at your age"
"How dare you speak of my age?"
she replied, looking archly at him.
Surely you ought to know that a
woman's age is SO wrapt in mystery,
that even the census man is baf-
fed"
81 am on my trial." Egerton re-
turned, humbly, please do not be
too hard with me. | am only a
poor bachelor of twenty-five, and
what should | know of such things?
! throw myself on the mercy Of the
court. But let me be serious for a
Am really trespass-
ing?"
Indeed you are" Miss Harfield
said; "Sir John Chamberlayne's lies
on the other side Of the stream; this
is papa's. He will tell you so him
self, for here he comes"
A tall, middle-aged gentleman,
clad in loose, easy-fitting knicker-
booker suit of soft grey tweed, with
a gun under his arm, and two dogs
at his heels, came strolling up.
The instant that Egerton Her
rington caught sight Of him, he saw
a naval officer, who had retired on
his laurels to end his days in peace
in this delightful Devonshire viii
lage.
"What is this, Mariep" he said,
good-humoredly. "Out trespasser-
hunting againp Successful this
time, ehp"