The Washington herald., 1913-10-30
MIRANDA GOES FISHING.
BY HARMONY wELI.ER.

When Miranda's father had taunted her
with fickleness OF purpose she had flushed
more or less guilty. Her mind. she
realized. was much like that of a butter.
fly. fitting about from one interest to
another.
In the present instance Miranda did
not know exactly wherein lay the foun-
dation Of her fathers wrath. Was he
perhaps referring to the fact that she
had grown tired of Jimmy Dale, or was
Il that he fumed because OF her recent
unsetting Of his favorite hobby-ishing?
'You could not sit in a boat long enough
to catch a minnow" her father jeered
at her, only half serious.
For no reason accountable. Miranda
found herself irritated. Perhaps she re-
membered that Jimmy Dale had taunted
her also with fickleness-
at VIII bet you that pull bigger nsh
than you do out Of the lake before We
leave camp!" she flashed back at her
father. There was the glimmer Of smile
in her mutinous eyes and a Hush on her
cheeks
'Ho! Ho, A little ypeevish about Il. are
your laughed her father. You no sooner
drop anchor for a good days fishing than
you are ready to turn back"
stoutly. 'You will be so jealous Of my
catch that you viii fish all night to equal
it." Miranda's piquant face for the
moment reflected a stubborn desire to
outwit her fathers as well as Jimmy
Dale's taunting spirit. She would show
them for once that she was capable OF
steady purpose
In the afternoon. when fish were sup
posed TO be most susceptible to fisher
mems guile. Miranda donned sunoonnet
and gingham dress and went forth with
rods and bait There was more than q
little defiance in her swing and the man
ner in. which she rowed her small craft
into the middle OF the lake. Already, IN
her innermost heart, she regretted her
hasty wager. SO far Miranda had man
aged to preserve her delicate complexion
from the ravages of sun and wind
NOW 1 shall become freckled. burned
and weatherbeaten," she sighed and gave
a vicious pull at the oars My neck VIII
look like all other Ieathery necks at the
dances this winter. I simply viii not go
to them-that's all!''
Miranda dropped her small anchor with
a splash that would have frightened the
most stoical of fish. and, with another
sigh for the ruination OF her complexion,
prepared her tackle for the days sport
in the hot sun.
She was sittlng RiOOmly WdlcnAliS hch
bobber with unseeing eyes. when she
heard the soft swish Of oars. Miranda
glanced over her gingham-clad shoulder.
A bronze Apollo. with eyes that
cleaned like turquoise beneath the brim
OF a disreputable soft hat. was dropping
anchor within ten feet of Miranda's own
boat. Instinct warned her that this new
angler on the lake would fish; in other
words, he seemed not to notice anything
save his own particular business
Miranda was slightly irritated that one
of the opposite sex should journey near
her domain, yet fail to observe TIE ruler.
In nearly all cases men looked once at
least at Miranda. 1t was either the cop
per of her hair or the deep violet Of her
eyes that caught the masculine glance.
Perhaps the stranger was Indifferent TO
feminine charm; perhaps Miranda forgot
that her attractions, as many as the we
could see, consisted of a huge sunb1n- |
net, a gingham dress, and a great length |
of dropping fishing rod.
She erected her rod suddenly and fclt |
much mollifed. After all. fishing unde-
the present circums ances would prove |
at least interesting. Shc even went so fa- |
as TO disregard her complexion and to |
forgive her fathers taunts about fick'e- |
ness =
Moments stole by. and over the lake |
the stiffness of a dream held sway. An |
occasional fish, lured by proper bait. |
found its way into either Miranda's bas-I
ket or that Of the man.
1t was long after sundown that she |