The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-10-01
4 Fishing Int0rlUd0.
Concerning Young Man Pretty Girl and Bet That
Was Never Paid.
By E. w. MAYO.
Copyright, 1899, 10y Il. w. Mayor

MASON TOOK down MS cherished steel
fy-rod from its resting place against
the roof Of his shack and started for
the landing.
I'm going to explore that little brook
we found yesterday he announced to
White.
20, yes chuclled White, wonder
fully attractive brook, isn't it? You
didn't notice that young woman from
Judge Fantine's camp rowing over in
that direction, | suppose?'
She did?" inquired Mason in appar-
ent surprise. strengthening up from
the task of depositing fish basket and
paddles in his canoe.
20, no. Of course she didn't, and of
course you wouldn't have planned to
explore your creek if you had seen her.
STILL" sarcastically, Il wouldn't let
that spoil days sport I'd go right
along if were you If you happen to
run across her she won't notice you.
She never has, and you've tried it on
long enough.'
20, shut up! White said Mason test
lily. If | really wanted to meet the girl
there's nothing to prevent my jumping
tines, is there? The judge is an old
friend of fathers, and he'd introduce
me in minute"
OF course in that case she couldn' t
help herself observed White agra
yatingly. But / didn't mean to stir
up your injured feelings. / suppose it
is a sore subject with you
Look herev' cried Mason angrily, '.if
that girl has really gone over to
Cherock III row her home, just to show
You fellows.
bet you $40 you WON'T said White
sententiously. raising himself on his
elbow.
Done" responded the other, as he
pushed off from the landing, ''I'I row
around this side of the island so that
you can see.''
There was just light ripple on the
water and just a faint breath of cool
summer fragrance coming down from
Graves mountain as Rod Mason drove
his canoe across the lake in the direc-
tion of Cherock creek, which was
reached through "a tangled maze of dead
wood. The exercise brought glow Of
color into his handsome face and dis
sipated the mental annoyance caused
by his recent conversation.
II ought not to have been so hasty,"
he reflected. But NOW I'm in for it,
suppose I've got to see it through--that
is if / can. Ii | don't I'll never hear
the last of it. j wonder what she is
like anyway"
1t was perhaps an hour later that
Miss Elizabeth, or, as she was known
frNgh init 70 fx.;n nls go
cied she heard slight noise as of
something moving through the bushes
on the higher bank of the stream above
the spot where she stood. She glanced
up, but seeing nothing, set it down to
one of the squirrels or other woods
creatures that are always stirring and
turned her attention once more to the
task of persuading the trout from
the pool beside which she was standing.
The spot was one to which Miss Eliz-
abeth came frequently, as much for its
natural beauty as for the good fishing it
usually afforded. 1t was an idylic for
est glade. The little mountain brook,
which, further up, idled along under
dense alders, or tumbled riotously over
piled up powders, here left its higher
level and slipped noiselessly down a
smooth slide some 20 feet in length, be-
tween borders of messy rock, to join the
pool below The steady flow of the wa
tiers, for centuries perhaps had worn
away the borders of the pool itself to
perfect smoethness and had given it the
appearance of "a big natural basin. An
cient trees leaned above the water-hole
from all sides, making a bower through
which only a glance could be caught of
the canopled blue sky above. The scene
needed only touch of human life to
make it perfect, and this requirement
was abundantly satisfied by Miss Eliza
beth herself, as she stood on round
topped rock, sending her flies Swimming
over the surface of the pool with the
graceful movement of the skilled angler.
As she stepped from one point to an
other with the freedom impaired by
high boots and short outing skirt, she
seemed a sprightly, self-cOntained girl,
who would be likely to hold her own ut
any outdoor sport, or in the more subtle
contests Of the drawing room. Her cos
tune of dark blue suited the surround
ings, and set off to advantage the some
what unruly mass of blonde hair be-
meath the white tourist hat The front
her wide gray eyes, gave the oval face
a piquant look, and suggested that Miss
Elizabeth was jolly person, as well as
a very decided one
She had just drawn a qlparter-pound
trout from the depths of the pool and
deposited him in the fish basket slung
across her shoulders, when suddenly
the peaceful quiet of the scene was
broken.
There was the crackle Of a swapping
branch above, "a sudden exclamation,
and before Miss Elizabeth's astonished
gaze young man came flying down
the long slide with anything but a
graceful or dignifed appearance His
arms and legs were wildly brandishing,
his cap was gone, and the fish basket
trailing behind him was splitting its
cargo along the way. One hand still
grasped the fly rod and on the end of
the line describing wonderful circle
in the air, was fine big trout.
1t all happened so quickly that Miss
Elizabeth was able to take in no more
than these details before the wild
descent Of the unexpected intruder end
ed in the pool, while the trout, inter-
cepted in his fight, was left hanging
from a protecting limb and making