Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1909-11-05

own fioat was dipping. dancing. dis
appearing, coming up again. in the
most mnddenlng fashion But no sill
yer tlsh broke. lancelike, through the
shimmering waters. Instead, tug as
he might there was sense of some
thug heavy, yet alive, at the other end
OF tho line. His own battle absorbed
him, yet not to the degree of making
him forget the other The girl from
her perch was ut an obvious disadvan-
taKa sun she knew the game. Back
and forth. up and down, weaving side
wise, Bh let the big fish play. Wilmer
watched her almost enviously. He
must hEaself have hooked the grand
father oIIall trout. but 1t was nothing
like so rllme.
nHL, thu you, up treel You better
come down the Ennis boy shouted,
but the Ihsherwoman remained invis-
ible. slhafs nobody but just that
little Jol Lane. Yon know, I've told
you she wnst't. more'n half gal.' he
confef Y asidR r. Wilmer, who
nodded Com, ifehsasion.
He had been hearing things about
Joe, wild piece, motherless, brought
up by a mad old grandfather, to the
scandal Of all the overgood, for she
had never been sent to school and had
done exactly as she pleased all through
her nineteen years Of life. More than
that, she had way--a way that fetch
ed all the fellows In the countryside,
only to be sent about their business
again, even Steve Batson, who had a
store and three farms.
The big trout moved slugglshly. 1t
was simply marvellous how that fax
line had held him. Wilmer was wild
to ask what bait had lured him even
though his own quarry filed his hands.
He was Keeling in deity, but slowly,
making gains now OF foot. now OF an
inch He had not yet got sight Of his
prize. Suddenly, In spite OF Keeling In,
the line slackened. He saw at the wa
ter's surface the snaky head and neck
of big swapping turtle. An instant
the creature held fast, permitting Itself
to be drawn toward the bank; then 1t
severed the line and sank back to Its
fastness Of roots and rocks.
There came tinkling laugh from
the willow tree, followed by merry
voice crying: "Please go away, you
two! want to come down before
your big fish comes and eats up mine"
"Let us help you; you'll never land
him alone,' Wilmer called back.
ooh. can't-not until you co." the
voice returned.
AT Just that moment the trout gave n
wild, running leap. showing clear In
the air, then sounding viciously.
The fisherwoman held fast, but In
stopping his rush lost her balance and
went splash into the pool. Az she fell
wilmer understood her feet were alb
solutely bare. He plunged In. The
| pool was well over his head. but II was
nothing TO bring the girl safe to the
bank. She still held the line. The
Ennis boy snatched II from her and
plunged In himself, winding line as he
trod water across half dozen yards
] then. with quick dive. reached the
tired trout, held him fast and scram
blcd In triumph TO the bnnk.
Confess that you envy him." the
girl said. noddlng toward the Ennis
boy. She stood dripping, but hnppy,
making no effort even to wiring the WA
ter from her skirts. 81 can't under
stand why you chose to pull me GU,
instead OF the fish," she went on. ~
fear you are no true brother OF the an
gle"
"Well. you see, II was your fish. aud
wanted It badly" Wilmer blended In
excuse.
The girl shook her head "That's n
question:" she said "rrue, hooked
the trout, with, oh. such big worm
for baIt, but didn't land him Gran
dad will have to decide the point OF
ownership. He used TO be n Judge,
you know, and IL. I'm sure, much
wiser than Solomon"
"Take me to him at once" Wilmer
commanded. The girl nodded and
darted along footpath, reckoning the
others to follow. Soon they came upon
n red brick house with wide, hOspltable
pIazzas and open doors,
Judge Lane sat at ease there, smok
Ing and dipping Into big shabby vol
uHe OF IZhhk WHItou ne uiu HV'
seem shocked at Joe's plight
"You, miss, have no sort Of claim to
the fish. You lost II dlsgracefully
through Ewes sin Of curiosity" he
said. "As for those others, think
they can settle 1t between them But,
bark you, Jacky ennis, you've made u
great catch-one that ought to be
worth at least 81"
Wilmer paid more, but the trout was
not sent away. Instead It was cooked
for dinner In the Lane kitchen. And
some six months later Wilmer came
asking the Judge for Josephine The
old man listened In silence and at the
end said with twinkllng eyes:
"Humpb It seems that fish case Is
mighty hard to settle. What II you
did pull Joe out Of the water-dye
happen TO know she can swim like n
mermaldT
"What has that to do with itT Will
mer demanded. "You admit did pull
her out 1t was on that ground you
gave Jacky the fish. Surely you don't
mean to reverse yourselfT'
mo, for II did | might be re-re
yersed." the Judge said, laughing soft
ly. Besides. I'm a stlckler for prece-
dent, and Josephine always has had
her own way"