The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-11-25
The Fishman S
Story
BY HARRY VAN AMBERG
Copyright, 1910, by American Press
Association.

/ I'm in fish myself, and once in
! awhile / fad it necessary to the bust
ness to GO where the fish | sell are
caught
One autumn | went to a village
on the coast where most everybody
was either Il fisherman or belonged to
Il tisherman's family felt ut home
among them, for that was the way
started fishing. Although it was late
i'll the autumn, | used to 60 out with
the men whenever the weather admit
ted their going themselves.
There was pair of sweethearts.
Jim Parker aud Susie Dale. l used to
like to watch them when they were
together. They seemed to forget that
there was any one else in the town.
But that's the case with most lovers.
One day was down at the pier when
Jim was bringing his boat to shore
he was fisherman like the rest with
a load of fish. He was at the tiller
when be caught sight OF Susie stand
ing on the pier, and 1t was refreshing
to see the smile that lit up his manly
face.
I turned for glance at Susie,
ana she. TOO, wore very happy ex-
preston. Then for the first time ! no.
ticed young man standing near me
looking at jim. | never saw such q
malignant expression on mans face
In my life.
Wondering what was the matter be-
tween them, l made inquiries and
learned that the fellow was Jack Hug
gins, who had kept company with SUI
sic before she became engaged to Jim.
Indeed, Susie cast off from Higgins
before She hooked on to Parker. Ev.
erybody said it was good move for
Susie, gince Jack Higgins was a
mighty POOR stick Indeed, it was said
he'd had trouble with the law.
One dag was on the beach looking
at the waves roll in and break on tie
beach, 1t was ugly outside-just the
sort of day that a person would rather
look at the waves from the shore than
be rolling on them. Susie came down
and looked out on the waters anxious
~.
She didn't need to tell me that her
lover was out there and she was wor-
lied about him Presently boat came
rolling around a point about two miles
out, and it was evident that something
was the matter There was nothing up
but the jb, and the boat was low in
the water Every time she went into
the trough OF the sea it seemed as II
she would never come up again.
/ heard Susie give a cry Of alarm
and, going to her though ] had no &C
quaintance with her, | asked her about
the boat She told me hurriedly
through tears that it was Parker'S
boat was an old hulk not calculated
TO stand such weather, and 1t wa
plain from the way it dragged that II
was sinking
Casting a glance at the pier, ! saw
n sloop rugged fishing smack anchored
within the breakwater, and Jim Hug
gins was on her, doing some sort Of
fixing,
''I'll take that boat" / said to Susie
"and go out and help him."
"Not that one" she said. "You cant
take that Isn't there another|
'Not one in sight"
l ran to the pier and got aboard the
boat Susie followed me. "Parker's
out there in Distress" l said. eve
must go out and help him in"
never saw man do a thing more
unwillingly in my life. Susie said she
would go too. ! tried to dissuade her
on the ground that we might not get
back ourselves. But she said that II
jim went down she wanted to &c
down too.
This was more than ,Jim's rival could
stand And yet what he felt ut the
start was nothing to what he felt as
we were beating up against the wind
making for Parkers swapping boat
IT seemed as if the tempest stirred III
all the frightfuI devlltry there was In
him. l saw 1t in his eye and was more
afraid of his wrecking our purpose
than of the storm.
But, anxious as I was about what he
might do, moderated what was in his
mind. We were within cables length
Of the man we had come to succor
and, leaving the filler with Higgins,
went forward to look out for meeting
parker's boat, which was mighty near
sinking
What did the villain do but try
TO upset us all. Giving the tiller a jerb
to leeward, he turned the sheet broad
side against the wind. | had an oar In
my hand at the time with which K
feud off. and, seeing the fiends pur
pose, made few quick steps aft anC
hit him q crack over the head. The
blow knocked him senseless, aud til,
boat righted. But she was nearly hall
full Of water. Before Higgins got hi
bearings again we had luffed up t
! the leeward Of Parker's craft and h
sprang aboard of us. The stunned
man came to himself just in time t.
see Susie spring into her lovers arms
But at the moment another matte
diverted our attention. A big wav,
L.. III ~