South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-11-14
WHAT MADGE AND DICKY
FOUND HIDDEN IN THE DEPTHS
OF THE WOODS.


with Dicky to forget everything
else save fishing for the rest of the
day" Resolutely putting out OF my
mind all thoughts OF the queer
stranger I had met or the exciting
mystery at the Cosgrove farm house
In which we were involved, l started
up the stream at his side, deter
mined 10 let nothing interfere with
my enjoyment Of my first trouting
expedition.
Not that I had any need for res
olution TO keep my mind upon my
rod and reel, The fascination Of the
sport had gripped me, and in a few
moments / was oblivious 10 every
thing else in the world save the
beautiful. tumbling mountain stream
in the Catskills and the inny trop-
hies we were wrestling from its
pools
For ! had beginners luck" which
Dicky. though not a novice. shared.
I The first trout in my creel which the
queer unknown had helped me get
was soon joined by others equally
/ large, while Dicky landed three
! speckled beauties in rapid success
sion.
''Madge. you're a mascot" he ex-
claimed as he deposited the last one
/ in his creel, after an exciting tussle
| i'm which the fish nearly got away.
i've whipped this stream many
times, but I never had such good
u ~ 60. 81 70
on this proposition, too. For be-
ginner you cast marvellously well.
| You take to this thing as a fish does
TO water"
you mean as these fish would
| like TO take 10 water" I corrected
mischievously. The little quip was
silly enough, but Dicky appeared to
find il highly amusing, mis- loud
laughter echoing weirdly among the
trees
That's a good one" he declared.
and then. coming impulsively over
toward me. he drew me into
roughly tender embrace.
They Find a Path.
/ You're a bully little woods pal,
sweetheart" he said, rubbing his
! cheek against mine. Pm awfully
sorry I was so shabby at first l was
n selfish beat, and it served me right
10 lose the chance to help you land
your first trout"
I put my hand against his lips
Let's not spoil perfect moment
bv remembering anything. pleasant
or unpleasant" I said softly.
Dicky drew me closer and kissed
me fer answer ! returned his kiss
with a feeling of blissful content l
/ had not experienced for weeks. The
/ shadow Of Grace Diapers terrible
act. and the furtive doubt she had
planted in my mind, which had
been With me for 50 long, SUNK
away as if exercised by the bracing
! air and wonderful beauty in which
we stood. II was one of my rare mo-
ments of perfect happiness. and II
I gave a zest to every remaining mo-
ment Of the day.
It was late in the afternoon when
we finally turned our footsteps to
ward the Cosgrove farmhouse and
supper. Mrs. Cosgrove had put US
up a substantial luncheon, but the
/ eutunn air. heady as champagne.
had shsrpened our appetites until
the one thing more desirable TO us
that catching trout was the eating
Of them.
Hello. here's a path leading NJ"
/ Dickv exclaimed in relief. after he
had nearly twisted his ankle in the
/ creeping vines that twined among
the underbrush. by Jove. Madge'
look here. how's this for a Fenimore
! Cooper situation?"
I stepped TO his side and saw what
he meant in an instant. The path
was arranged so that il could be
masked by a sort Of curtain OF vines
which had been carefully cut and
trimmed until it hung over the
underbrush in such a manner as ef-
fectuallv 10 conceal the little track
and vet he easily pushed aside by
any one in the secret. 1t was so
| cleverIv constructed that we should
never have discovered ii if Dicky.
walking close TO the underbrush, in
order 10 make the way easier for
me. had not caught his foot in the
vine curtain and slightly torn il.
Wen Just see where this leads
/ TO-" Dicky said. and I knew by his
tone and his sparkling eyes that he
was both curious and excited.
Ready for the adventure. Madge p
AN Easily Explained Mystery"
"Of course" I returned, as eager
and excited as he. and we walked up
the path. first carefully replacing
the vine curtain which marked its
I entrance.
The track wound upward through
the trees in zigzag fashion, and
there were many by-paths branch
ing from It. which went only few
feet into the underbrush.
Looks as IL whoever made this
had taken n good deal OF pains to
mix up the trail" Dicky commented
as we neared the top of the bank.
nodded. too excited to speak,
and then all at once the path twist
ed around a huge oak and led US d.
rectly into a little clearing in the
underbrush. sheltered on all sides
from observation by the trees and
further protected by a high fence
TO which the only entrance was n