Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-09-08

mine. Buy my butter, indeed! Sup
pose l don't want to sell itf And l
don't It's going into cake for the pic
mic tomorrow"
The fisherman, Allan Beckley by
name, scowled at his image In the wa
ter and swore-under his breath. He
knew landmarks and land lines there
about-this noisy girl must belong to
the people who had bought bis uncle's
place. Vaguely he recalled the name
Wilmot. WIlmot possessions came
right down to the waters edge, albeit
the stream proper belonged to old
Squire Bass, from whom he had leased
exclusive fishing privilege. The churn-
er was clearly upon her own ground,
therefore unassailable In high bad
humOr he splashed across the pool
head and sent his fly spinning out in a
tremendous cast from the opposite
bank, although by oil rules of angling
the place was hopeless.
It must have been day for the
traversIng Of art and rule. The fly
was hardly settled before, with Wig
orous upswIrling rush, a monster trout
took 1t. For the next ten minutes AL
Ian Beckley was conscious Of nothing
but his quarry. The quarry was game
and wary as ever rose to q fly. Up,
down, athwart stream he darted, div
ing, plunglng, now and again leaping
clear Of the water, coming with such q
rush backward the singing reel could
not take up the slack. wheeling TO bore
headfrst against the rocky bottom so
strongly the plant rod tip bent almost
double. The fisherman stood just be-
low a high shelving bank. He would
have plunged in the water but that
there was no good foothOld. Cautious
ly, with nice Judgment and sportsman
skill, he played his catch. II was one
to rejoice in-the giant Of oil trout in
Clear creek. Five pounds at the very
least Idly he began TO speculate If 1t
might not be the same willy fellow who
had so often outwitted him when he
was a native STRIPPING. His I'll humOr
evaporated magically. He was at
peace with himself and the world.
The trout was weakening. Though
he still fought gamely, the rushes were
less electric. In five minutes more-in
three-in one-with long steady
pressure he drew the fighting creature
to the bank, shifted his rod deftly and
made to slip the landing net under
meath. And then-and thenl Some
thing gave way under and behind
him. With q huge splash he went
down into four feet Of water, with a
ton Of loosened rock at his back He
flung out his arms to save himself.
The trout, as the line Stacked, dashed
madly away and went to the bottom
upon the farther side. But he could
not break loose the hook nor instantly
chafe the line In two against the bot
tom. There was still n bare chance
Of him. Beckley, bruised and shaken
though he was, tried to turn about
snatch his rod and fight the battle to
the bitter end.
He could not do 1t. Somehow the
falling rocks had jammed his feet
into q crevice Of the bottom, beyond
llb DONtE " pun lAlSIi Oul. I1t Jug
ged and strained and swore, this time
audibly, for some minutes. He was
not in the least hurt His feet had
room a-plenty In their rocky channel,
but he could not get them out until
the stone was moved from over II.
He had forgotten the girl, singing and
churning at the spring house, but re-
membered her now, noting both
sounds had ceased. He was on the
point OF calling to her when he caught
a fash Of pink on the farther bank
and heard her say with sparkling
malice: How 60 you like it, cettin'
cau.ht yourself! Amt you ready to
cry quits with the big trout|
How do you know | caught hlmT
Beckley rctorted The girl shrugged
her shoulders the least bit II watch
ed you-to wish you bad luck you
were SO rude" she said. And as she
said It he noted that neither accent
nor mtOnation was rustic. He looked
at her appealingly. Il was rude-a
perfect brute" he said. DO please
forgive me and go fetch somebody to
help me ont of this"
I'm help you out myself on two
conditions" Jess said. dimpling beau
tlfully. Bccklcy bowed meellly. "Only
name them" he said. "The first Is
cut your line" Jess rctortcd promptly.
The big trout is n friend Of mine.
I'VE fed him now and again ever since
we came here"
"IIenccforth he is sacred" Beckley
said, slushlEg his line and tossing the
rod away. "Now for condition sec
ond."
"You shall hear that when you're out
Of the woods and water" Jess an
swcrcd, dimpling again. In n whlff she
had to run to a foot log a little way up
stream, crossed It and was beside
Bcclllcy, a stout fence stake in her
hand. "Cet a good purchase with 1t