At the Foot of the Rainbow

ish down i

a rod, and a l

l lovingly fingeri

thing like that to yo

ed Jimmy. "He thinks he shoul

silf that you might have killed that man if D

ke this is got at the ti

Mary. "I expect it cost

ok and rade that just this little reel alone cost fifteen, and there's no telling what the rod

afraid to touch

th all that money in it, I should think yo

for me or Dannie to do the same thing? If it had been his, you'd have

at's a good one! Idjit! You don't

you fish with?

s, and some like snake-faders, and some of them are buck-tail and bits of tin, painted to look shiny. Once there was a man in town who had a minnie made of rubber an

e more than one hook. You might just as well take a net and wade in

o take a lot of hook

as just saying it wouldn't be

e same, I'm going to have some of those fancy baits. I'm going to get Jim Skeels at the drug store to order thim for me. I know just how you do," said J

p in you

on the reel that relases the thrid, and you give the rod a little toss, aisy as throwin' away chips, and off m

me you'd throwed fifty feet, and your fish had run another fifty, there'd be just one hundred snags, and logs, and stumps between you; one for every foot of the

sails off slow, to swally it at leisure. Here's where I don't pull a morsel. Jist let him rin and swally, and whin me line is well out and he has me bait all digistid, 'yank,' I give him the round-up, and THIN, the fun begins. He leps clear of the water and I see he's tin pound. If he rins from me, I give him rope, and if he rins to, I dig in, workin' me little machane for dear life to take up the thrid before it slacks. Whin he sees me, he makes a dash back, and I just got t

dozen times around it. Jimmy said things and Mary giggled. She also noticed that Dannie had stopped work a

ut there," he said. "Now you watch! Right out th

oo low and the sinker shot under the

t in the bass weeds," sai

me range," explained

rds of the fine silk line flew off the spinning reel and dropped in tangled masses at his feet, and in an effort to do something Jimmy reversed the reel and

are foolin' with that thing, which ain't for rivers, and which you don't know

ll me life, but if ye don't go in the house

' you to," she said. "

d the line untangled, supper was ready. By the time he had mastered the reel, and could land the sinker accurately in front of various imaginary beds of bass weeds, Dannie had finished the night work in both stables

e thinks he can

me way to get that fifteen feet m

as awakened by Jimmy slipping from the bed. He went to the window and looked toward Dannie's cabin. Then he left the bedroom and she

light, in his wood-yard. His black outline looked unus

, and made a cast toward the barn. The line ran out smoothly and evenly, and through the gloom Mary saw Jimmy's figure straighte

s the domn fool think the Black Bass will be doin'

is line will run, and it will. Whin he gets to the river, he'll swing his bait where he wants it with his pole, like he always does, and whin t

life he won't

nd stepped out just as Da

n out there!" yelled Jimmy.

her with chagrin nor rancor,

it works all right," he said. "Awful so

u make off that?

und out that Dannie ain't sore at

Dannie worked about the farms, preparing for winter; Jimmy worked with him until mid-afternoon, then he hailed a

Jimmy?" s

He went away a while ago with

tell you wher

N

take either of

N

re line. "Then it's Casey's

ent. Presently

he asked, "or comes in shape that he

day we agreed on,

ithout him?" p

do if it were m

to Jimmy Malone what he

y ye na want me to land

ke you like him," answered Mary. "My timper is being wined, and I can see w

m, Mary. He doesna t

nk. He niver thought about anybody in hi

didna go

ning, and it will always be dark aft

omething to eat at

it away. What's the use? You've done a long day's work, more f

the barn, and up the walk. He was fresh, and in fine spirits, and wher

been?" asked M

"I needed a few stiffs in me business so

o do with them, Jimm

it! Now rattle, old s

and noticed that Jimmy's rubber waders hanging on the wall were covered a

dly carried his new rod. Dannie followed with a basket of lunch Mary had insisted on p

t, and listened for the splash of the Bass. Jimmy had little to say. He seemed to be thinking deeply. No doubt he felt in his soul that t

mmy started across it, and Dannie called t

ing after him, for he did not understand that. Then he went slowly to his side of

r up the doubled line. As he worked, he kept an eye on Jimmy. He was doing practically the same thing. But just as Dannie had fastened on a light lead to carry his line, a souse in the river opposite attracted his attention. Jimmy hauled f

into Rainbow Bottom. The first log he came across he kicked over, and grovelling in the rotten wood and loose earth with his hands, he brought up a half dozen bluish-white grubs. He tore up the ground for the length of the log, and th

st in the morning, fish deep at no

l, and the pool where the Bass homed, the Kingfisher came rattling down the river, an

nie, swinging his

ed a second, and then softly dropped his grubs on the water just before where he figured the Bass would be. He could hear Jimmy smothering oaths. Dannie said something himself as his untouched bait neared the bank. He lifted it, swung it out, and slowly trailed it in again. "Spat!" came Jimmy's minnow

fished deep. Then they cast again. If Jimmy fell into trouble with his reel, Dannie had the honesty to stop fishing until it worked again, but he spent the time burrowing for grubs until his hands re

first of Jimmy, and then crossing the river besieged Dannie, but neither of the stern-faced fishermen paid it any heed. The blackbirds swung on the rushes, and talked over the season. As always, a

its wake. In the deep woods squirrels barked and chattered. Frost-loosened crimson leaves came whirling down, settling in a bright blanket that covered the water several feet from the bank, and unfortunate bees that had fallen into the river struggled fran

fishing. Mid-afternoon found them still even, and patiently fishing. Then it was not so long until supper time, and the air was steadily growing colder. The south wind had veered to the we

e grass. Dannie was watching him, and rightly guessed that he would fish deep. So Dannie scooped the remaining dirt from

long time, a sharp "Spat," with his worms. Something seized his bait, and was gone. Dannie planted his feet firmly, squared his jaws, gripped his rod, and

to have torn the head from a fish, and down the river the Black Bass leaped clear o

y God!" screamed

sped back down the river. Jimmy's reel sang, and Dannie's line jerked through his fingers. Back came the fish. Again Dannie gathered in line, and Jimmy reeled frantically. Then Dannie, rely

e Black Bass hooked fast as a rock, and your domn clothes li

m!" roared Dannie. "Cut your

ay's outcome, slipped down to the Wabash to see what they were doing, she heard sounds that almost pa

. "Cut!" he yelled. "Cut that domn cable, a

teadily toward him, and Jimmy's followed. "Ye see!" exulted Dannie. "Ye're across m

your domn line, I

Dannie. "Let's see

gled lines, but the water was deepest on his side, and the mud of the bed held his

cut?" cr

n thing to ye all my life, but I'll no give up

d drawing them his way. Jimmy slashed again. Dannie dropped his

ye cut my line!

m Dannie's nose. Dannie dropped the lines, and straigh

all particle of reason, he lost it at

n fish thief!

d Dannie, but his

raid to strike like a man! H

" repeat

immy. "I've used you to

t he made no movement to strike. Jimmy lea

u, I lied to her, and married her mes

g, and Jimmy crumpl

, and twist the heid off your body, and tear the body to

gripping hands from his throat a litt

's the truth! It's the truth!" And her ears told her that she was making no sound as with

Jimmy's body by his throat, and set him on his feet. "I'l

clawing at Dannie's on his throat, and his swollen lips repe

e dared. Ye'd have known that I'd find out some day,

" pante

And Dannie's fingers thre

trike back," gasped Jimmy, "my h

, Jimmy! Jimmy!" he cried. "Was

red the cause o

if I'll gi'e up the Black Bass to ye, unless it's

mass of lines and poles, and at the last up the bank, and on the grass, two big fish; one, the great Black Bass of Horseshoe Bend; and the other n

ut my line at the end o' my pole." He snipped the line in two. "No

t at its mouth, he slowly drew it through his fingers. The wir

e?" asked Danni

y no

Speak up!" cried Dannie, dan

rs," admi

he extracted the hook, and dropped it. He took the gasping big fish in both hands, and tested its w

and gathered up h

your fish!" he said. He turned and plunged into the river, recrossed it as he came, gathered up the d

He scooped water with his tail, and poured it over his torn jaw. And then he said to his progeny, "Children, let this be a warning to you. Never rise to but one