Gilpin observer., 1908-07-09

iess with establishment, as the secre
tary left the room, and. as I took m.
way slowly and thoughtfully upstairs
I resolved that this was another thin,
that i would not tell Vincent; HI
| would be far more likely to ridicul'
me than to thank me for my effort IL
his behalf
Some time after this, on a perfec
day, Agatha Third and IL had spen
almost every hour since the dinner ir
her company, I may remark-hat
planned little excursion which woult
keep us outdoors all day We were
going on picnic up the little river
Have you ever tried a picnic for two.
Given the right companion and a day
like that, I'd warrant 1t to cure any
attack of the blues. Agatha Third had
assured me that the prettiest spot for
our luncheon was little island in the
center of the stream where the current
ran broad and deep. about three miles
below the castle.
The day was fair, the girl was fairer
and the moments were full of Joy tc
me. We had crossed a little bridge
about mile from the castle and were
proceeding up the left bank of the
river when sudden turn of the stream
brought two others of our house party
into view. On the opposite bank was
Vincent in high boots, knockerbockers
white shirt with sleeves rolled up and
farmers broad-brimmed hat OF
straw. He was busy over a broken
fishing rod which he was trying tc
mend. In the center of the stream
where the current ran swift and dan
gerously deep, a girl stood on large
bowlder, fishing. Other powders at in
tervals between the one she was stand.
ing on and the shore where Vincent
was indicated the means by which she
had attained her precarous position
| recognized the girl as Agatha Sec
ond, and smiled pityingly as l thought
of poor Vincent, Invariably wasting his
time with the wrong Agatha.
"Hullo!" they cried, cheerfully, and
we waved our hands and asked them
what luck they'd had. This isn't al
ways safe question to ask fisher.
man. but | notice that people who are
not fishing themselves invariably find
great satisfaction in asking it. Vim.
cent said he hadn't caught any fish,
and asked if I'd landed mine yet. Just
like his impudence! He'd say any.
thing if he thought 1t was funny, nc
matter how 1t might annoy other peo
pie.
Just as I was thinking OF some re.
IN MI Nd
Agatha Seconds rod began to bend
and jerk, and Immediately there was
so much action going on that in my ex.
citement l forgot what I was about to
say. | am a fisherman of some skill
myself. Well, the pole began to bend
and the Agatha on the rock began to
scream, and Vincent shouted direc.
tions from the bank-"Easy there,
easy" he entreated her; give him
more line, Aggie, more line
Il can't" she screamed at the top
Of her voice; something's caught, and
he pulls So"
"The reel!" I shouted, jumping ul
and down. THE reel! Press the knot
and let her go!"
l knew in a moment the sort she
had. 1t was just like mine, a patent
one with a spring reel-mine otter
stuck that way. All this time the
fish was leaping about, sometimes
jumping out of the water so that we
could see him, and he was a big fel
low.
Let me alone; can do 1t myself.
cried the girl, as Vincent started tc
help her. but even as she spoke hel
trim little foot slipped on the wei
stone, and, losing her balance com
pletely, she fell backward into the
deep water. while the rod disappeared
upstream.
In moment Vincent was running Al
top speed along the bank till he came
to little point of land near which the
drowning girl must pass. AS she ap
preached he leaped into the water
and. striking diagonally upstream
seized her by her clothing, and, fight
ing his way back. safely gained the
point Of land. Meantime | had rur
y the river toward boat that hac
observed near the bank. Jumping in
| soon reached the spot where lay the
unconscious form Of Agatha Second
All this time l was dimly aware of tho
fact that Agatha Third had never
stopped screaming and was now run
ming up and down on the opposite
bank sobbing and wringing her hands
When l reached Wilfred he was anx
iously bending over the girl but ap
parently without the slightest idea
what to do.
Immediately fell to chafing hel
hands and resorting to the other we'll
known expedients for reviving the
drowned, and to enable her to breathe
more freely l removed the tight.fittine
dickey Of her sailor suit. 1t was mo-
long before she began to regain con
sciousness. and 1t was at this mo
ment that made a most amazing dis