The Monte Vista journal., 1917-03-24
1.-THE JUDGES CATCH"
BY OLIVER GRAY.

good fisherman, not because he caught
ca many of the finny tribe, but because
he could sit hour in and hour out, day
III without getting single strickland
VI without losing his patience.
His thoughts We're drifting like the
E white clouds in the blue sky reflected
in the water "Any fellow is IA fool
@ who goes to summer resort. It's nice
M 10 be freel If fellow was married
8 he'd have to go where the family want
n ed. Look at poor Willis, dragged away
sx like a lamb to the slaughter. He didn't
u want to go to the mountains any more
ID than ! want to go to the bad place
aThat's what he gets for getting mar
#ried" Suddenly he felt a pull on his
III line. He reeled in slowly, very slowly.
8'Its a big bass, I'll bet" he exulted
s But to his surprise he hauled in not
~ a bass but pocketbook. 1t was Il
~ long, flat purse of patent leather with
II fiat plates Of silver at each end and Il
n silver clasp. He turned it over
IA thoughtfuIly. Wet and soggy as it
u was, it had not lost its identity and it
3 was coming to him slowly that he had
M seen that same purse before.
VI "Of COURSE" he argued, "her name
VI and address are inside and it's ridicu-
d lous for me to waste time guessing.
n But there's something about that purse
q that brings back-I have it. 1t was
4 the case of the Crockett heirs and the
II whole family connection was in court
u She wore dark blue and had sort of
M copper; ;colOred hair and deep blue eyes
ID and she dropped this pocketbook three
a times, and every time young Skillings
W picked it up for her she blushed as red
y as her hair. Pretty girl! She was
u afraid of me, l remember Wouldn't
u look at me at all. Thought I'd bite
Il her head off l guess. Come to think
Il of it lost some sleep over those eyes
e for several days. If l were like Willis |
. and hadn't the sense to keep my head
4 might be married to them by this
time.
I'll just open it to make sure it be-
longs to her" But the first thing he
d pulled out was a newspaper clipping,
8 wet and discolored, but nevertheless |
IL perfectly decipherable. In the center
4 was his own photograph On the mar
81 gin was written in ink, "The peachiest |
4 thing you ever saw. Only about thir-
4 ty. Dream of him every night. Sorry
N when the case is over"
y Shades of Izaac Walton! The fish |
d were forgotten.
a lie gathered up his tackle and poles,
4 picked up his oars and rowed down
y river to the landing and thence went |
& afoot across fields to his farmhouse.
u "Mr. Elder, found a rocketbook to-
day with Miss Eileen Porter's card
q in 1t. You don't happen to know her
q do your?
a NO, | don't believe I do. Nobody
4 around this neighborhood by that
4 name. Must be-oh, l know; she's like
aly one OF those city girls who visited
the hramers. They have a summer
home here on the hill, but they're away
& now"
Il All right answered the Judge, cas-
ually I'll hunt up her address in the
y v'ty When l go home and send it to
4 4 ller' BY the way, Mrs. Elder I've had
& soiDe important mail today. must go
d nome for while at least"
Inc city was hot, dusty and noisy,
\ unoearable after the cool, fragrant
qulet OF the country. The judge did
no' 90 nome. He left his bags at
"otei ana took taxi for Howard ave-
nue' the address on Miss Porter's card.
"ut the house was deserted. Then he
'"'Ieu up the editor of a society paper
anu found that the Porters had gone
" rlhehaven in the mountains. "That's
mnere Willis is" thought the Judge.
MUST be some place."
90 he took the first train to Pineha-
w" ana arrived at the hotel at nine.
~ Ten he was shaved, bathed and
0'eeseu Tor the dance downstairs.
Wills found him at once. "You old
@ s Got tired Of sitting in lonely
,t' ooat all day, didn't you? l told
1o'S Ia get you yet This is a cork
s pace. Wait till you see the golf
eouiSe-and the. girls!"
Inc Judge stood 1t as long as he
Ho' EouIu' then he hunted up the girl. When
"e Sa" her his heart gave a great Jump
Inu n lie cursed himself for tardy fool.
,inups he was too late. Those eyes
And that hair!
donne was moon, so they cut the
w,n, ana went out. The mountains
oaaI 'he sharp outline of the pines
'he sky were wonderful.