| Show Telegram Short Story ANGLERS ANGLER'S LAW B By W. W H. H Pears Pear Hollow-eyed Hollow and weary from rom driving i ing all night Adams pulled into Plimpton just as ns the sun was poking poking poking pok pok- ing a first pink finger over Diamond lake An early morning angler pointed out a little puffball of a aman aman aman man perched on the dock oiling a battered reeL Mornin Sheriff Ed Briggs looked up with a 0 leathery grin GoIng Going GoIng Go Ing to kill a few early Kill Pike he grunted Winds Vind's just right for Business Adams snapped Introducing in introducing introducing in- in himself Briggs said Oh and began fastening the reel to a long bamboo pole with heavy twine You fellers sure get get around some Tip Smith case tersely Murder Murder Mur ur- ur der and robbery Heading in this direction destination probably Can Can- ada Two men and anda a girl Dont reckon they're around here Briggs opined mildly winding winding winding wind wind- II ing in line Une Bass season aint in yet but wall eyes sure hit I this mornin Adams paused a moment in an ef effort effort effort ef- ef fort to control his exasperation Briggs tinkered silently Under the khaki hunting cap his face was as round and wrinkled as an English walnut The brown of many summers summers sum sum- mers on the water was dyed deep in his cheeks checks His small unassumIng unassuming unassuming ing being exuded the veteran fisherman's fishermans fishermans fisherman's fishermans fish fish- erman's calm absorption so tantalizing tantalizing tantalizing ing to the Heres the setup Adams went wenton on with a 0 wave of his hand at therow therow throw the th row of cabin camps on the hill Posing as married couple and brother Ultra respectable Faked fishing licenses and other phoney credentials They've stayed off the beaten track Their acts act's fooled local officers all aU the way up through Wisconsin Wisconsin either cither that or they were scared out by Smiths Smith's reputation Wanted to warn you to keep on the lookout thanks Briggs an an- Been sheriff around these parts for some years never had no complaints I mind the two Twin City fellers that was settin nets Fined em a hundred each I did Good Lord man this Is serious Adams exploded Tip Smiths Smith's a killer Well yeU now that's bad He Hepa pa paused sed But say eyer zay-eyer ever fished ol 01 Diamond son Best danged pike lake lako in the world Good for those nerves of ot yourn Look here Youre You're sheriff of this county arent aren't you Briggs snapped a hook on the line reck reckon n so Then you should realize the Importance importance Importance Im im- Im- Im of this Adams groaned Well now maybe I do Briggs drawled Ho Ha flipped Upped back his scuffed leather Jacket to reveal a formidable but antiquated six- six shooter Course except for lor them Twin City fellers I aint never run into no real tough ones but me and old Allie AlUe has yet to be licked You probably arent aren't interested Adams said caustically but here are descriptions of ot the three Briggs took the paper and stuffed them absently into his pocket The reel spun under a calloused thumb Talk about free he chuckled That there reels reel's 20 years old and she's still sUll bette n y you u see in them books Adams ground his into tho the sand Im checking the camps around the lake Be back sometime sometime some sometime time tomorrow Keep your eyes open he warned Better change yer mind and ond go Briggs said My ol 01 hands are arc just to get out there and snake in a couple o o 0 big ones I reckon right the sand sandbar sandbar bar bar Adams who ho was neither a fisherman fisherman fisherman fisher fisher- man nor possessed of a like Job-like patience stalked off swearing to himself Some grueling 36 hours later still without sleep he re re- re re-I re turned Briggs might not have moved during that time timo except that now there was a string of ot fish at athis athis athis his side Any luck the sheriff asked Adams shook his head His face was lined and haggard his eyes smoky with fatigue Better off tove gone BrIggs chuckled triumphantly I the limit in two hours this m mornin Folks brags about the Juno bug spinners and tho the like but but but- Adams interrupted bluntly Is era there any place I can go for tor a 8 few minutes' minutes sleep 1 Sure The old man tossed a key to the other I 1 got a cot up in the jail ail you kin bunk on that Adams turned and walked slowly up the hill to the small stone build build- ing Inside ho he discarded his coat yawned and sighed deeply The hard narrow v cot looked luxurious to his glazed eyes A movement at atthe atthe the tho back of the tho building caught his attention His body snapped forward forward forward for for- ward and his eyes oyes bulged Tip Smith So what the man snarled a through the bars His companions I a man and a woman looked on in sullen silence Adams sat down on the cot suddenly suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly a vast weakness sapping him A picture of days and nights of relentless pursuit sliced through the fog in his brain sleepless body- body fagging hours And now it was ended How Smith answered his unuttered question Pretty smart fellah he ho grated Rigging up one of your guys like a hick Gee what dummies we was goin in that shower and leavin the robes with our rods in by the window window window win win- dow Strength slapped up through Adams' Adams body He waited to hear no more Back at the beach Briggs still worked over his fish My I God man Adams yelled why didn't you tell me you'd caught them Them Oh Oh you mean them folks Im I'm holdIn in well in well I dunno Maybe you didn't give me meno meno meno no chance Adams held out his hand weakly Youre a real officer Sorry I was rude all right son His voice crackled with bitter condemnation A CIA couple o o nights in jail and a stiff finell finen learn them dirty crooks that nobody kin take bass outa ol 01 Diamond during season so long as Ed Briggs Is sheriff Copyright for Tho The Telegram |
