Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-03


drawn by his heels through a
muddy Culvert. His bounds and his
poise when he stopped to look back
belied the hobo. His heavy muscles
were springy, as If each were on tip
toe. His brown eyes, half hidden by
hair, were quick and challenging.
The broad pale-green Salmonberry
leaves rippled again, and old Wally
emerged. He shook the twigS and
leaves from his flannel blouse shirt,
faded overalls and very SLOUGH hat
He polished a sleeve across a shiny
game warden's badge on his breast.
The dog waited till Wally came up to
him. He fell in step then, not behind
the man, but beside him, walking slow
~, head up, with certain dignity.
Wally, an old 10-opund single-shot
rife in the crook of his arm. straight
ened his 6-foot thin form and also
walked with a certain dignity. The
evening sun glinted on his badge.
They were but a hundred PAGES from
a little board store and post office
Scattered on the worn board platform
before the store were lounging men.
Among them brilliant red hat ad-
vertised itself with sharp hobs and
ducks as its owner reCited mighty
stories.
Crossing foreground of cart tracks
and yellow mesquite grass, Wally
stalked straightly and seriously. His
small blue eyes, wide apart in his long,
sharp face shot chances at the city
fisherman inhabiting the red hat. In
the Lamontai, or Mountain River
country, Wally was game warden.
And Mr.. Dagget with the red hat
creamy creel, Spound pole and tapered
line was the only angler on the La
montai.
Absolutely, there's no other way to
take trout" Dagget was telling the
native hillbillies and fern-jumpers
Longing on the platform. THAT is. no
decent way. A trout's a gentleman.
Between gentlemen everything ought
to be fair an square. Between a trout
an me, boys, there's fair play an no
gang hooks"
Mr.. Dagget removed the red hat
that theoretically prevented people
from shooting him for deer or
mule. and rubbed his short black hair.
Old Wally and his dog fingered, listen
Ing, in front of Dagget. Dagget's fer
ret eyes rested eXpertly on Wally's
badge.
Catch any deerslayers today,
Misunderstanding" inquired Dagget,
his voice so serious that it hurt
Yeh." Wally replied, the Major
an me did. We token an freed a
S-foot panther. COMMENT says
panther kills 90 deer year. This oil
Tom, he won't kill no more does Deer
belongs to the United States. Me an
the Major keeps busy lookin' arter
'em. ketched a crowd of trout,
now did We? They amt bitin' Theys
too many kultus salmon crowdin' the
river"
Dagget laughed. Dad" he said
impressively. 1T was only the limit
stopped me. Play fair and use your
head and you'll get 'em. Can't strong
arm trout. It's like poker
Wallys gtmlet eyes bored into Dag
gets. Major, the dog, watched Dag
sets face. Mister" said Wally.
mot today you didn catch no limit
unless We Token an strong-armed
- EN-. With a spinner We might catch
lzum salmon, not trout. Nary a trout
out from under the rocks when the
tyee fish is runnin'. They's only one
way We could get 'em to come out
from under the rocks"
Rot" Dagget snorted. II got
EN-. The boys saw my creeHfull
don't jerk EN- out with telephone
pole, either. old-timer. L fish! It's
a science
WITHOUT a word Wally strobe
W around the store and down a trail
to a chinquapin tree. Behind 1t was
cool spring, and on q shelf in the
spring, fern wrapped, were Dagget's
trout.
Dagget followed the old man, and
Major was between, watching Dagget
over his shoulder. WalIy's steps were
too long. Dagget's We're short. He
did not reach the spring before Wally
had sltcked a trout open with his
knife. Half a dozen red, berry-like
salmon eggs. the size of peas, spilled
out on the ground.
That's how ye strong-armed EN-
pol hing van tho old 1al
Salmon eggs fer bait! No trout can
keep from them eggs. I knowed It.
Dagget. you know the Comment law
about salmon eggs" Drawing him.
self up. his blue eyes blazing, WalIy
said, "Dagget, consider yourself
He looked into cold little rs Colt.
its tiny barrel thrusting beyond Dag
gets white knuckles. WalIy's hands
did not go up They seized jor by
the shoulders and held the dog back
''You old fooln' the salesman said
"I know the law. But It's a dead
letter. You know that. Who ever
heard Of a man pinched for using
salmon eggs? Everybody uses 'em.
Now, listen to me: I know Col.
Barnes. He's State game warden an
my friend. 1 see him at the club
every day. Play poker with him.
You know where you'll get off when
] tell him Of this
Dagget put his gun up. Wally
drew sleeve across his sun-reddened
brow. 1t was true. Salmon eggs,
irresistible, were a despicable snare
to use against hungry trout. Sports.
men did not stoop to them. The law
forbade them. Yet some anglers
baited their fiy-hooks with salmon
eggs.
Law and duty were the fetishes.
the religion Of Wally's lonely years.
Now and then his superiors like Col
Barnes, surprised him In the way
they worshiped at the same shrine.
In court he could do nothing with
Dagget. Wally walked slowly back
to the store. Major lay down outside
1t and bit the drying mud from be-
tween his toes.
Conjuring up a grin. Wally leaned
against the lock boxes In the post
ONCE part of the store and addressed
Mrs. Purdom, who stood within the
general delivery window. ANY Cow
men business today?" he asked hope
fully.
mo, Mr.. Waller" she answered.
But there's a stack o. mail. I de-
clare a body'd think you was amin
to set up housekeepin'. the catalogues
you get"
She gave him an armful of vari.
colored advertisements. Two years
before Wally had sent his name to
New York in answer to an advertise
ment that read: Big mail every day
Send name, address and silver dime"
The advertisement had not lied.
The sallow widow. sharp and thin
as steel table knife, considered Wally
with possessive eyes. "Of course, Mr.
Waller" she said. busying herself
with q handful of letters, you'll be