The Democratic advocate., 1909-11-19

The willow tree leaned so far out
over the water that all that happened
in st was mirrored in the face of the
stream. There was an eddy at the
tree foot, with a deepish pool under
meath. Trout lurked in the pool. so
big and wary they were the despair
OF all neighborhood fishermen.
The Ennis boy, of course, had told
Wilmer all about them. Wilmer, In
deed, had found the lad much like =
local chronicle. In the week since he
had established himself at the Ennis
farmhouse he had been possessed Of at
least half the ins and outs OF Brush
creek neighborhood.
Ostensibly Wilmer was a vagrant va
cationer; really he was looking out for
remnant tracts of hardwood timber.
A new railway was mooted. not yet
even in the air, but in the minds OF
certain men, Before building It they
wanted to make certain Of sure and
quick returns. Walnut, white oak.
cherry and ash in sufficient amount
would furnish such returns.
Wilmer had been told TO spend
fortnight looking for timber Now. at
the middle of the fortnight, he knew
he need look no more. so he was giving
his whole mind to the enjoyment OF
fishing; hence today's excursion begun
at sunrise So far the excursion had
been fruitless. The Ennis boy was
distressed. He had rather Dragged
of the sport they were TO have. Be
sides, Wilmer had promised him a sill
yer dollar IL they managed to catch
even one big trout.
Wilmer had his reasons aside from
natural liberality. He was on the
edge of falling In love with a girl
dragon guarded. The dragon was a
crusty uncle whose sole enthusiasm
was for fish and fishing. II Wilmer
could send or in the nights mail a
snapshot OF even a two FOUNDER, along
with a ehatty account Of the place
where such fish might be caught. he
knew he would come near to estab-
fishing himself in the dragons good
graces. He would also do well for
his immediate principals. since the
dragon was among the chiefest Of those
depended on 10 finance the new line
So he came to the willow tree with
something beyond sportsman eager
ness. Approach TO It was not directly
along the water side, but across a
tiny promontory Of gravelly turf. He
knelt among the taut outstanding roots
stretching bnck of II. made ready his
hook. batting It with the choicest min
now in the bucket; then. advancing
coyertly, still In shelter OF the trunk,
flung II midstream, little way up
current. so The eddy might suck II
right over to the depths. Then, watch.
ing the ripples spread and turn the
water mirrors picturings to grotesque
caricature. he became aware that the
hole was pre-empted-there was n
homemade line OF black fax thread.
with cork likewise homemade. dan.
Cling from the tree, the cork bobblng
and dipping IN exactly the middle of
the pool.
He dared not speak. The Ennis lad
had warned him word was death Co
his chances. The boy also had seen
the intrudlng line. In swift panto-
mime, by throwing himself prone aud
lying at ease, he counseled Wilmer TO
stay. 1t was good counsel, Wilmer
decided. He stood fast, keeping well
away from the bank and 80 maneu-
vering his rod as TO keep his bait
properly in motion.
The eddy was big and slow, 80 slow
It made one sleepy to watch II. The
mounting May sun was warm and
vital, the drone of bees In the bass.
wood tops or over the sparse white
clover blooms luIling chant. There
had been Il rufliing breeze, but 1t had
died to utter stiffness. Wilmer watch
ed his float aud the homemade one un.
til he grew drowsy. And then some
thing happened that made him wildly
awake.
The bunging cork went under with
a rush. The next second there leaped
to view. half his silver length above
water, a monster trout, the most beau
tiful Wilmer had ever seen. He was
fast, having bolted the hook, but that
clumsy line would never hold him.
Moreover, II appeared to be but lightly
tied to swaying willow branch. No
doubt some rustic had left II there.
There could be nobody in the tree.
However the water mirror had been
shattered, 1t had had still moments
during which Wilmer had studied Il
close, yet seen nothing but the gold
green LEAKAGE, the netted intricacies OF
slender boughs, the rough and weath.
er beaten blackness OF the trunk
What woeder that he scrambled up
the slope Of 1t, made to fling himself
along II and reach for the linei That
fish must be landed; 1t was a prize be
yond hope. His fingers were almost
upon the cord when he snatched them
back as II from FIRE. Another hand
had reached for the line-one small
and sunburned, with strawberry stain
ed fingers that yet were beautifully Ia.
pered. 1t was a girls hand--a very
pretty girls. He saw that at glance
as he said rather breathlessly:
Don't lose him! Give him line--ai
little as you can! Heavens. how BIZ
lights. You-you bad better CON
down-or let me land him for you"
you better look at your own hook =
the Ennis boy shouted.
Wilmer half fell from the tree. IA
own float was dipping. dancing. dis
appearing, coming up again, In tn,
most naddening fashiqn. But no sill
yer fish broke, lancelike. through thu
shimmering waters. Instead. tug al
he might, there was u sense Of some