The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-06-08
THE OTHER MAN.

the bridge has listened to unmoved for
some hundreds of years, and then. as
If wearied with this profitless exertion,
drew itself up with dignity and swept
along with deep, rapid and noiseless
current.
On a slender spit of turf which jut-
ted out at the tail of the eddies stood
a girl intently engaged with d fly rod;
louEging over the gray parapet of the
bridge were a couple of men laZily
watching her.
One of the men was tall and dark;
he answered to the name of Duncan.
The other was shorter built and had
lighter hair, and his companion ad-
dressed him as Billy.
The pair of them were moving leis-
urely through the country, in company
with a house on wheels, a yellow
painted aravan which was then rest
ing just down the turn of the road.
The shorter man removed his pipe
and spoke:
"Ah, see that cast? BY Jove! it was
a neat one. Couldn't have done it bet
ter-risen MIN again, and-no, not this
time, my lady. But you1l go on, won't
you. He's a fat t~wo-pounder. and
you're a keen sportsman, l can see
that"
Three other casts were made with
out result, but at the third the fish rose
again and was snugly hooked in the
dropper.
THAT fy's a March Brown for a f1O
note" exclaimed Duncan, with an ac-
cess of interest as the trout shot off
bike a flash ~diagonally down stream.
"Ah, she's giving him the butt, and
that's checking the pace. He'd break
her if he got tangled in the OVERALL
among those stones. Faith, she's play
ing him like an old hand"
AS he spoke the spring of the bend
ing rod stopped the two-pounder's
rush, and the fish began doggedly to
return to the of the slowly
turning reel.
This unrelenting tension of the line
bore down his strength and his captor
felt blissfully sure of success. In an
other minute or so he would be gasp
bank at his feet.
She reached a hand round for the
landing net, which hung from a ring
III h'I I c'itP ohA ." pai ~
drawn it out, when of a sudden the
honeycombed turf beneath began to
bend and break down.
She saw the danger and tried to step
back, but the movement was not in
time. She lost her balance, slipped
and fell. and the next moment had
rolled off sideways with a splash into
the shining water.
BY the men on the bridge no words
were spoken. They Jeff the bridge at
either end and raced down the rugged
bank on different sides. Duncan
crashing through hazel bushes, his
companion stumbling madly over tum
bled powders.
Reaching the bottom of the strag
Cling fall, each left the bank and
splashed into the deeper water
dressed as he was, Duncan swimming
with a side stroke, the other racing
against him on the breast. The cur
rent was very rapid, but as to where
it was taking them neither gave 8
thought.
Each was wholly intent upon being
first to reach the form which was
swirling on ahead. now half sub
merged, now wholly beneath the sur
face.
Then Billy got knocked out of tho
race. He found an island of weeds
that We're being swept along by the
current and felt their Shiny tendril,
wrap around him, and he had to stol
and fight for his own life.
BY the time he had emerged, pantins
and h~alf-choked from the conflict. h,
turned to see the girl lying in a drag
gled heap on the bank and Duncan il
| tin n,t Of o.nr, n,l1inr IN, o1p,,e;In ln,
An hour afterwards the pair of wan
derers reached their caravan again
patted the browsing horse, and wen
inside to change.
After doing this they sat them dow
TO rest and smoke, for a heavy swim
in clothes can not be done without
payment in WEAKNESS.
Silence vas well maintained TO
awhile. each being occupied with hi
own proper thoughts. Then Duncan
spoke:
you had IA narrowisn squeak witt
those weeds, old man. / saw you on
of the tail of my, eye once or twice
You were fighting them under water
weren't yOu?'
Yes; they wrapped round me Xix
Shiny ropes and pulled me down.
was nearly done for when | got m,
nose up again."
Glad you got out of it so well. L,
hove her on to the bank and was jus
coming off to bear a hand, when yo
bohbed up from below. l couldn'
come earlier"
"Of curse not, and besides-it didn'
much matter"
Ell, what's that?"
only | envy YOU your luck in pull
ing her out, Duncan, that's all. Heigl
no. And now let's change the sui
jpct."
The tall man whistled.
Dry up" said his companion.
"Sits the wind in that corner? VIII,
my dear goose. if you think it matter
in the smallest degree well say that
was you who hooked her inshor,
We'd both got the will. and it wa
quite Il toss-up who actually did tn
finishing touch. If it hadn't been fo
the unlucky handicap of those weed
you'd have been there first"
NO, | shouldn't. You We're ahead
Pooh. a yard or so maybe. but w
were practically neck and neck. | say
old man. is this a case of that con
plaint one reads about in books, low
at first Sight?'
II believe it is
"Whew! Well. l must say that a
the young woman is Il perfect strange
you'd better think before-but Their,
you know your own business best, an
you're a troublesome animal when an
II tries to drive you. &c in and wi
if You want to. I'm not the chap t
cut you out.
No one saw the girl fished out of til