Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-04-04

butt'ry window" returned Maria def
antly.
stared. From the buttery win
dowT' | repeated i~ncredulously.
Yes" she said crisply and closed
the conversation with that monosyl liza.
BILE.
AS the meal progressed | noticed
that Maria did not eat any OF the fish.
In fact, she ate very little dinner, but
she drank several cups Of strong green
tea. | could o help associating hel
gloom with the advent OF the bluefsh
on the table. There was a myster.
connected with the catching of this
fish that tantalized me.
AS | sauntered around the frostbit
ten garden / became aware that Lucy
Drake was moving listlessly among
her chrysanthemums. Her
delicate face, with its long, thin, pink
nose, was dolorous enough. L went
out of the gate and walked along the
fence by Lucy's flowers.
Your chrysanthemums are lovely,
Miss Drake" | ventured socially.
Lucy turned toward me. They are
pretty she admitted, her weak eyes
filing with tears.
you have a cold?' | asked.
"No, oh. no., but | have suffered
loss" She came close to the fence
and leaned over, speaking freely as
though glad of a listener.
81 am sorry, Miss Drake. May |
ask what it is?"
my fish," she whispered. The love-
Hest bluefish you ever saw. The cat
stole it,"
What catT' I asked mechanically.
81 am not sure whether 1t was my
SNOWFALL or Maria Weeks Ginger.
You see. it was all ready to fry for
dinner-setting right on the shelf in
the butt'ry window, and the window
was wide open. When | went to get
il Ii was gone She spoke as tragi-
cally as though she had lost a dear
friend.
"A bluefsh?" I was thinking guilt
lily of the one l had eaten at dinner,
and l had a mental vision of Miss
Maria leaning from her buttery win
dow and coolly fishing for Lucy
brakes fish with the late Mr.. Weeks
boat hook. | wanted to laugh, 1t was
all so funny and so unaccountable.
"Why should Maria st-Maria's cat
steal your bluefsh?" I asked to cover
my embarrassment.
"'To eat. l would not have cared
only Lucy blushed painfully and
turned away her head.
ut is too bad. Perhaps Captain
Barnabas could catch another one l
suggested.
HE doesn't seem to have very good
luck fishing" she said and hurried into
the house without ceremony.
/ walked down to the end of the row
of low. comfortable houses that strag-
gled along the beach road, and then
turning went back to my boarding
place. Dinner would be cleared away
by this time and Maria taking her af-
ternoon nap. wanted a nap myself.
When | reached the front door the
gate changed noisily and l turned to
see Captain Barnabas tramping heav-
lily up the graveled path. He came up
the steps and stood, grim and unsmil-
ing, beside me.
"Miss Weeks to homer he asked i'm
politely. (
II believe Sc. Come in and sit down,
captain" And l ushered him into Ma
ria's sitting oom
To my surprise she was in there, sit
ting very pale and unhappy looking in
a big rocking chair.
bas. And when l would have fed Ma.
ria beckoned me to remain. Therefore
I lowered near the door, feeling very
uncomfortable.
Don't you Maria me, Barnabas
Fish, said Maria coldly.
"Miss Weeks, what did you dc 1t
forY" he demanded. fixing his bright
blue eyes on her swapping black ones.
"Do what forY Maria's tone was
surprised.
"You see my schooner down there?"
Captain Fish pulled back the window
curtain and pointed a horny forefinger
at the graceful lines Of the Indus, an
chored opposite the Weeks cottage.
"Yes, / see it. l don't see how I can
help seeing 1t, planted right there in
front Of Lucy brakes cottage" Maria
was jealous. Now l began to under
stand.
II was sitting out there Just before
dinner, and l had the glasses. / was
looking at your house. / was Cap
tain Barnabas blushed and cast about
for an excuse for his lovers foolish
ness. II was wondering II Miss Tel
ham had gone for a walk. l was look
fng, when l saw you, Maria Weeks,
steal Lucy's fish Off herewith a boat
hookv' Did Captain Fish chuckle?
Maria blushed and then paled. ut
was my fish," she said obstinately.
"You had promised it to me-"
Il promised n to her every day I'M
til-until she collected her interest
money. She's been hard up. Fish amt
so terrible hardy. but they're brain
food anyway. and you know Lucy
Drake amt got any too many brains.
She needs all the fish she can eat
TIE caDtain was trying To cover his