Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-10-16

as he said rather breathlessly:
Don't lose himi Give him line-as
little as you can! Heavens, how he
fights! You-you had better come
down-or let me land him for you"
"You better look at your own hookp'
the Ennis boy shouted.
Wilmer half fell from the tree. his
own float was dipping. dancing, dis
appearing, comm. up again, in the
most maddening fashion. But no sill
yer fish broke, lancelike. through the
shimmering waters. Instead, tug as
he might, there was sense of some
thing heavy. yet alive. at the other end
of the line. His own battle absorbed
him, yet not to the degree of making
him forget the other. The girl from
her perch was at an obvious disadvan-
tage. Still she knew the game. Back
and forth. up and down. weaving side
wise, she let the big fish play Wilmer
watched her almost enviously. He
must himself have hooked the grand
father of ali trout, but ii was nothing
like so game.
Hi, thar. you. up tree! You better
come down. the Ennis boy shouted,
but the fisherwoman remained invis-
ibe. That's nobody but just that
little Joe Lane. You know, I've told
you she wasn't more'n half GAL" lie
confided in low aside to Wilmer, who
nodded comprehension.
lie had been hearing things about
Joe. wild piece, motherless, brought
up by Il mad old grandfather. to the
ell -ha
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 IL 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 slgggishly. 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 reeling in deity, but slowly
making gains now of a 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 it
severed the line and sank back to its
fastness of roots and rocks.
There came a tinkling laugh from
the willow tree. followed by merry
voice crying: please go away. you
two. I want to come down before
your big fish comes and eats up mine"
"Iet us help you; you'll never land
him alone" Wilmer called back.
"Oh. 1 can't-not until you co." the
voice returned.
At just that moment the trout gave a
wild. running leap. showing clear in
the air, then sounding viciously.
The fishcrwoman held fast. but in
his rush lost her balance and
went splash into the pool. AS she fell
Wilmer understood-her feet were abb
bare. He plunged in. The
pool was we'll over his head. but it was
nothing TO bring the girl safe to the
bank. She still held the line. The
Ennis boy snatched it from her and
plunged i'm himself. winding line as he
trod water across half Il dozen yards;
then. with quick dive. reached the
tired trout. held him fast and scram-
bled in triumph TO the bank.
Confess that you envy him." the
girl said. nodding toward the Ennis
boy She stood dripping. but happy.
making no effort even to wiring the wa
ter from her skirts. 81 can't under
stand why you chose TO pull me out
instead of the fish," she went on. 81
fear you are no true brother Of the an
gle"
"Well. you sec. it was your fish. and
I wanted it badly" Wilmer pleaded in
excuse.
The girl shook her head. "That's
question" she said. "True, I hooked
the trout. with, oh. such a big worm
for bait. but didn't land him. Gran
lad will have to decide the point Of
ownership. He used to be a judge.
you know. and is. I'm sure, much
wiser than Solomon"
Take me to him Mt once" Wilmer
The girl nodded and
iarted along a footpath, reckoning the
others to follow. Soon they came upon
I red brick house with wide. hospitable |
DiaZzas and open doors.
Judge Lane sat at ease there. smok-
ng and dipping into big shabby vol
line of Izaak Walton. He did not |
seem shocked at Joe's plight
You, miss. have no sort OF claim to
he fish. You lost it disgracefully |
through Ewes sin of curiosity" he |
said. "As for those others, think |
hey can settle it between them. But,
bark you. Jacky Ennis, you've made n
great catch-one that ought to be |
worth at least 81"
Wilmer paid more. but the trout was
rot sent away. Instead it was cooked |
'or dinner in the Lane kitchen. And |
some six months later Wilmer came |
asking the judge for Josephine. The |
I'D man listened in silence and at the |
md said with twinkling eyes:
"Humph. 1t seems that fish case is |
mighty hard to settle. What if you |
lid pull Joe out Of the water-d'ye |
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