The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-06-08

speak to you about the netting of trout
in the river" said Lansing good
humoredly.
Mum regarded him in sulky silence.
" 1t won't do" continued Lansing
smiling; If you net trout you'll have
the wardens after you"
Oh! and suppose you'll furnish the
information, sncered Mum.
certainly will replied Lansing.
Mum had rctraced his steps towards
the river As the men passed before
Eileen OHara, Lansing raised his cap.
She did not return his salute; she
looked towards the spot where he and
Mum had halted, and her face bore
that quaint, listening expression, almost
pitifully sweet, as though she were deaf.
Peter, our head-keeper, saw you
netting trout in that pool last night,
said Lansing
Mum examined the water and NUT
tered that the Bible gave him his au-
thority for that sort of fishing.
He's a fake" thought Lansing, in
sudden disgust. Involuntary he glanced
around at the girl under the elm.
The beauty of her pale face startled him.
Surely innocence looked out of those
dark-blue eyes, fixed on him under the
shadow of her hat straw. He noted that
she also wore the silvery-gray uniform
of the elect He turned his eyes to-
wards the house, where a dozen women,
old and young, were sitting out under
the tree, sewing and singing peacefully.
The burden of their song came sweetly
across the pasture; golden robin, high
in the elm's feathery tip, warbled in
cessant accompaniment to the breeze
and the flowing Of water and the far
song of the women.
Owe don't mean to annoy you" said
Lansing, quietly; 81 for one believe
that we shall find you and your COM
munity the best of courteous neigh
bors.
Mum looked at him with his cum
ming, amber-yellow eyes and stroked
his beard.
what do you want, anyway" he
said
"TlI tell you what | want" said
Lansing, sharply; 81 want you and your
people to observe the game laws"
Keep your shirt on, young man."
said Mum, coarscly, and turned on his
heel. Before he had taken the second
step Lansing laid his hand on his should
er and spun him around, his grip tight
ening like wise.
what y doing?" snarled Mum,
shrinking and squirming, terrified by the
violent grasp, the pain of which almost
sickened him.
Lansing looked at him, then showed
him out of his path, and carefully rinsed
his hands in the stream. Then he
laughed and turned around, but Mum
was making rapid time towards the
house, where the gray-clad women sat
singing unor: the neglected apple-trecs.
The young mans eyes fell on the girl
under the elm; she was apparently
watching his every movement from
those dark-blue eyes under the straw
hat
He took off his cap and went to her,
and told her politely how amiable had
been his intentions and how stringent
the game laws were, and begged her to
believe that he intended no discourtesy
to her community when he warned them
against the wholesale destruction of the
trout.
He had a pleasant, low voice, very
attractive to women; she smiled and
offering no comment.
And | want to assure you" he
ended, that we at the club will always
respect your boundaries as we know
you will respect ours | fear one of
our keepers was needlessly rude last
ni1ht -from his nUn oononnt h. an