The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-06-23
THE TRESpASSERS
BY LESLIE TRENT.

| Jus. iodV0 the place III your carr
and do hope that when l come hom,
won't find a whole posse of fisher
men sitting by my trout stream. Good
bye, dear, and send me word at ono,
If you are LII or anything happens
Martha will take care of you-and
yes. Mr.. Penny, I'm ready goodbye
Dorothy. goodbyei"
Miss Priscilla waved silk-glovet
hand as the big white horses plunget
forward with the long omnibus anG
rolled toward the railroad station
Miss Fem was merely going to Tu
Uptown, ten miles away, but her elab
crate preparations for the two days
visit and her endless admonitions tt
her grandniece whom she had left a
nome, one might have thought Mis-!
Priscilla was setting forth on a triI
around the world.
Dorothy turned away from the gate
, an indulgent smile curving her rec
lips The wide pleasant lawns witt
their stately trees, and the cool shade
I OF the deep verandas we're allurinl
/ enough on this beautiful summer
morning. but she had promised Aunt
Priscilla to patrol the banks of the
4 trout stream and see that no trespass
Ing boys disturbed the ripping brown
+ brook where speckled beauties lurkeG
in dark pools.
1t happened that the brown brook
was most tempting where It rippleG
through the Fem place. Up above II
F, was but narrow thread broken by
many rapids and tiny waterfalls; be
low the Fem place 1t ran through
carefully preserved property belong
Ing to the Whittakers, and after serv
ing the Whittakers the trout stream
widened into a pond.
So Miss Priscilla was greatly an
noyed by lawless fishermen who
thrashed her stream In the early
morning hours when she was still
\ sleeping.
Now Miss Fem had gone away and
the safety of the trout rested solely
upon Dorothy Fem, who was visiting
her favorite aunt, for Martha, the
stout maid-of-all-work, had refused to
do sentry duty. AS for Dorothy she
did not much care for she loved the
deep woods and the brown brook was
a favorite retreat of hers.
Now, Miss Dorothy, you amt ever
going down to that nasty brook this
morning?" protested Martha with the
familiarity Of an old and privileged
servitor Them trouts amt biting
every day-why, I've heard tell that
| Mr. Whitaker himself has been
known to fish for three days without
catching bite even; but he's a dread
full crank at 1t. So faint likely them
boys will ketch anything if they do
fish"
Il dare say you're right, Martha, but
promised Aunt Priscilla ] would
keep watch and you know she is very
| particular about it. Suppose you ring
the big bell for me when luncheon is
, ready-then / win be sure to hear it. .
Very well, Miss Dorothy, but look
here" Martha went to chimney
cupboard and took from 1t an ancient
and rusted pistol of enormous size.
i never go into the deep woods
without this weapon and you take it
in case anybody scares you. Law, 1t
amt loaded wouldn't carry it If
1t was! But, you can show it and
brighten EN- of. There, I'll put it in
this little basket with some pears and
cookies-run along now"
"Oh. Martha, you are the funniest
old dear!" laughed Dorothy. IF you
hear a tremendous explosion you will
know that this old cannon has gone
off and frightened all the trout to
death. Ho, hum, if they only would
depart to other streams we wouldn't
have to do sentry-go, eh, Martha?"
She waived her hand and departed
through the orchard toward the tall
woods
Established under an oak whose
shining green leaves overhung the
dancing stream, Dorothy tossed aside
her hat and allowed the vagrant
breeze to ruff1e her red-gold hair Her
book lay open on her lap, and her
brown eyes dreamed Of the love and
romance that ran over the printed
pages. Love and romance had never
come to Dorothy Fem, but it was
very near to her that morning.
A gray squirrel fiirted with her
from his hole in a nearby tree; a
wood thrush charmed her with his
plusating love melody; the leaves of
the trees whispered softly, and the
brown brook rippled on and on, 60
ing secretly around the rocks where
the trout hid in the deep green pools
After awhile Dorothy got up and
walked along the bank of the stream
following a striped chipmunk darting
through the underbrush. The chip
munk disappeared in his hole, and a
flock of chickadees performed antics
on the branches of dogwood tree.
There was a splash-a sharp ex-
clamation and the whirring of a reel
Dorothy forgot everything save that
there was trespasser nearby.
Silently she went back to her bas-
ket and was astonished to find that
she had wandered so far-why, she
had even crossed the brook on the
stepping stones in her chase of the
chipmunk who was a venturessome
mite-and she hid the pistol In the
blouse of her sailor suit and went
back across the stepping stones to
that spot beyond the alders where she
had heard the sound of a flsherman's
reel spinning out.
At last she could see him-a sun
Drowned hatless youth clad in old
clothes. with pipe between his teeth,
and his blue eyes bright with excite
ment as he played a splendid trout in
and out of the deeps and shadows
Of the stream At last he whopped
exultantly and landed the speckled
beauty on the messy bank.
What are you dong here2" asked
Dorothy sternly as she broke through
the alders and stood before him, a
slender, Whitehead girl with accusing
brown eyes below serious forehead
'Why-ah-you can see!" he ex-
planned. removing his pipe and show
Ing oRlSuOlu NutLd Co6tu Ill u pfCeo@sAe
smile.
Il should think you'd be ashamed
of yourself" went on Dorothy CON
temptously.
He flushed. you mean fishing out
Of season? Well, l suppose l should.
but the fish didn't come for luncheon
and I promised Antonio that would
get him one down here"
1T is too bad that Antonio will be
disappointed for. of course, you can
not take the fish away" said Dorothy
Indeed?" he asked cody. why
not. please?"
Because 1t belongs to my aunt
Miss Fem. There are signs plainly
reading, No trespassing. and yet you
have trespassed on her property
Please throw it back IN the stream
"Pardon mo hut II ia nv own" he