Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-04-05
THE JUDGES Catch"
BY OLIVER GRAY.


so many of the finny tribe, but because
he could sit hour in and hour out, day
in and day out, week in and week out,
without getting single strickland
without losing his patience.
His thoughts were drifting like the
white clouds in the blue sky reflected
in the water. "Any fellow is a fool
who goes to summer resort It's nice
to be free! If a fellow was married
he'd have to go where the family want
ed. Look at poor Willis, dragged away
like lamb to the slaughter. He didn't
want to go to the mountains any more
than | want to go to the bad place.
That's what he gets for getting mar
ried." Suddenly he felt Il pull on his
line. He reeled in slowly, very slowly.
Its big bass, I'll bet" he exulted.
But to his surprise he hauled in not
a bass but pocketbook. 1t was q
long, flat purse of patent leather with
flat plates of silver at each end and a
silver clasp. He turned it over
thOughtfully. Wet and soggy as it
was, it had not lost it's identity and it
was coming to him slowly that he had
seen that same purse before.
"Of course" he argued, cher name
and address are inside and it's ridicu-
lOuS for me to waste time guessing.
But there's something about that purse
that brings back-I have it. 1t was
the case OF the Crockett heirs and the
in
She wore dark blue and had sort of
copper-c0lOred hair and deep blue eyes
and she dropped this pOcketboOk three
times, and every time young Skillings
picked it up for her she bushed as red
as her hair. Pretty girl She was
afraid of me, l remember. Wouldn't
look at me at all. Thought I'd bite
her head off | guess. Come to think
of it [ lost some sleep over those eyes
for several days. If | were like Willis
and hadn't the sense to keep my head
! | 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
pulled out was a newspaper clipping,
wet and discOlored, but nevertheless
perfectly deciphcrable In the center
was his own photograph! On the mar
gin was written in ink, "The peachieSt
thing you ever saw. Only about thir
! ty. Dream Of him every night. Sorry
when the case is over"
Shades of Izaac Walton. The fish
were forgotten.
He gathered up his tackle and poles,
picked up his oars and rOWed down
river to the landing and thence went
afoot across fields to his farmhouse.
"Mr. Elder, found q pOcketbOOk to-
day with Miss Eileen Porters card
in it. You don't happen to know her
do you?" :
"No, | don't believe I do. Nobody
around this ncighbOrhOOd by that
name. Must be-Oh, | know she's like
ly one of those city girls who visited
the Kramcrs They have q summer
home here on the hill, but they'p away
now"
GAIL right" answered the judge, cas-
uaIly. "I'lI hunt up her address in the
city when ! go home and send it to-
her. BY the way, Mrs Elder, I've had
some important mail today | must go
home for while ut least"
The city was hot, dusty and noisy,
unbearable after the cool, fragrant
quiet Of the country. The judge did
not go home. He left his bags at
hotel and took q taxi for Howard ave-
nue., the address on Miss POrter's card,
But the house was deserted. Then he
called up the editor of q society paper
and found that the POrters had gone
to Pinehaven in the mountains. "That's
where Willis is" Thought the judge.
'MuSt be some place"
SO he took the firSt train to Pincha-
ven and arrived at the hotel at nine
BY ten he was shaved bathed and
dressed for the dance downstairs
Willis found him at once. "YOu old
dog! Got tired Of sitting in lonely
old boat all day, didn't you? / told
Molly I'd get you yet. This is q cork
ing place. Wait till you see the golf
course-and the girls. ~
The judge stood it as long as he
could, then he hunted up the girl. When
he saw her his heart gave great jump
and he cursed himself for tardy fool.
Perhaps he was too late. Those eyes
And that hair!
There was q moon, so they cut the
dance and went out. The mountains
with the sharp outline of the pines
against the sky were wonderful.
''It doesn't seem as if had been fish
ing on lonely river two hundred miles
away from here at noon today"
GLOW interesting, Did you catch
anything?
Eyes, this!' He gave her the purse,
still damp and flabby.
"Why, it's mine. dropped it out Of
boat over a month ago. There really
isn't much Of value in it. Only "a
she stopped suddenly.