Show maria 9 s fi shing she had a novel way of doing it by clarissa CLARISSA MACKIE taint no fishing weather today said captain barnabas fish when I 1 expressed surp surprise ilse at his idleness one crisp october mornings morning too much sea I 1 inquired he nodded and scratched his gray stubbly beard winds been east tor for throe three days now and that there oily roll would turn my dory bull upwards in no DO time no maam you can tell miss weeks you can tell her yourself caan come came miss marias sharp voice from the gate billere I 1 be bel theres some roll on today be said looking 0 away over the greenish gray waters of the bay first time I 1 ever suspected you was a fair vc weather ather sailor sniffed marla maria scornfully it aint me its the fish explained captain Bar barnabas Dabas hastily 1 I SIDI aint afraid of weather 1 I think the fish would be either they being more used to the water than you are they wont bite explained the captain with dignity fiddle snapped maria so she sharply amply that captain barnabas jumped in bis big sea boots how is it ive smelt fish frying over at lucy drakes every night this week Some somebody boLly must catch lem eai ill find out Nh who oltis it is she turned uway away and went up the graveled path to the little white house bouse that faced quince gaibor after she had slammed the side bide door I 1 stole a glance at captain barnabas Bai nabas fish leaning against the picket fence his bis hands in the pockets of his blue flannel trousers trouse rg his blue eyes squinting across the bay at the black line ot of breakwater captain barnabas seemed indifferent to the anger of the plump little woman toward whom I 1 was sure he be Domi shed a secret attachment rn nt somebody must catch fish for lucy drake I 1 softly 1 I wonder who it is A red flush crept from the captains neck up to his hig barq and disappeared miss belham Te lliam he be sold said sol emaly its me 1 I thought you said the fish would not bite I 1 gasped indignantly I 1 was loyal to miria maria for far she was a fine soul in in spite of her au cited crustiness lucy drake I 1 lid did not like I 1 turned to the gate but the captain lifted a huge brown hand band to check my departure it may seem queer to you maam after my prowling promising maria id bring her the first letch ketch ut of fish but I 1 had bad to tale take them fish to lucy drake why I 1 a lud bui bluntly ity 1 he said with discouraging brevity you could easily have brought some to miss bliss maria as well I 1 said disapprovingly provi ugly luct luck was ngin agin it he returned gloomily you may inay not believe it miss delham hut I 1 been out every day for a week past aud I 1 aint caught but oue one fish each day and that there fish I 1 had to gibe ghe to lucy drake then you hae been out fishing abi morning do I 1 loot look like a fair weather sailor maam he nied coldly 1 I at nud and I 1 caught one fish same as usual and I 1 suspect that you and maria will soon be ketching the smell of trying frying fish from lucy drakes I 1 turned my head bead toward the neat hhite hite cottage next door to marlas marias surely I 1 could detect a smell of frying fish the whistle of the flour mill smote the stillness of the day its dinner time lime observed captain F fish ish and with the same nervous haste exhibited by all quince at the hour of noon lie nodded briefly and plunged down the beach toward the dory drawn up on tle sand ne he slept and ate and made his bis home on blaid of his schooner the indus named after a ship lu in the calcutta trade of which he be had once been mas ter A half bait hour afterward I 1 went up the path loto into marlas marias house sniffin sniffing g rather guiltily at the smell of frying bryin g bluefish which seemed to emanate from lucy drakes little kitchen to my surprise I 1 caught a glimpse of lucy drakes thin nosed face at the window and sho she was dabbing a against her eyes when I 1 entered marlas marias house I 1 was instantly hungry on the oval table in the low dining room was a platter on the platter wits was still sizzling a delicious looking bluefish brown and crisp from the frying pan there were a plate of corn bread and a dish of creamed potatoes and other good things miss bliss maria flew iu in from the kitchen her cheeks checks a bright crimson abid her black eyes snapping With bomo bamo luward excitement 1 I was just going g to call you to dinner miss bliss belham she said shortly As we bat down she bobbed her head bead and uttered ft a hasty and rather ungracious benediction over the fish flab platter nave some fish she asked shortly it if you please so go you got one after all a U I 1 remarked yes I 1 got it she said bald significantly with a allver book I 1 suppose I 1 said eald with an attempt at humor 1 1 I I caught it with fathers old boat hook and I 1 fished for it from the buttry window windo V returned maria antly I 1 s stared ared from the buttery window if ow I 1 repeated incredulously yes she said aalf crisply and closed the conversation with that liable As the meal progressed I 1 noticed that maria did not eat any of the 1 fish in fact she ate vety little dinner bui but she drank several cups of strong green ten tea I 1 could not help associating her gloom loom with nith the advent of the bluefish blue tish on the table theto tacio was a mystery connected with the catching of this ash that tantalized me As I 1 sauntered around the frostbitten garden I 1 became aware aare that lucy drake was moving listlessly among her gorgeous chrysanthemums iier her delicate face with it its ib s long thin pink nose was dolorous eno enough Ligh I 1 went ou out of f the gate and walked along the fence by lucys bucys flowers your chrysanthemums are lovely miss drake I 1 ventured sociably lucy turned toward me they are pretty she admitted her weak eyes filling with tears you have a cold I 1 asked no oh no but I 1 have bare suffered a loss she came close to the fence and leaned oer speaking freely as though glad of a listener 1 I am sorry miss drake may I 1 ask what it la is my ay iy fish she whispered the loveliest bluefish you ever saw the eat cat stole it what eat cat I 1 asked mechanically 1 I am not sure whether it was my snowball or maria weeks ginger you see it was all ready to fry tor for dinner setting right on the shell shelf in the buttry window and the aln window ow was wide open when I 1 went to get it it was gone she spoke as tragically as though she had bad lost a dear friend A bluefish I 1 was thinking guiltily of the one I 1 had bad eaten at dinner and I 1 had a mental vision of miss maria leaning from her buttery window and coolly fishing for lucy drakes fish with the late mr weeks boat book I 1 wanted to lau laugh b it was all so tunny funny and so unaccountable why should maria st at marlas marias crit cat steal your bluefish I 1 asked to cover my embarrassment to eat I 1 would not have cared only lucy blushed blus lied painfully and turned away her head it Is too bad perhaps captain 13 barnabas could catch another one 1 I suggested ue ile seem to have very good luck fishing she said and hurried into the house bouse without ceremony I 1 walked down to the end of the row of low comfortable houses bouses that straggled along the beach road and then turning went back to my boarding place dinner would be cleared away by this time and maria taking her afternoon nap I 1 wanted a nap myself when I 1 reached the front door the gate clanged noisily and I 1 turned to see captain barnabas tramping heavily up the graveled path ile he came up the steps and stood grim and unsmiling beside me miss weeks to home he asked impolitely 1 I believe so come in and sit down captain and I 1 ushered him into marias sitting room to my surprise she was in there sitting very pale and unhappy looking in a big rocking chair Mar maria thundered captain barna has bas and when N hen I 1 would have tied fled mn mit ria beckoned me to remain therefore I 1 hovered near the door feeling very uncomfortable dont you maria me barnabas fish said maria coldly miss weeks what did you do it for he demanded fixing his bright blue eyes on her snapping black ones do what for marias tone was surprised you see my schooner down there captain fish pulled back the window curtain and pointed a horny forefinger foi efinger at the graceful lines of the indus an chorea opposite the weeks cottage yes I 1 see it I 1 dont see how bow I 1 can help seeing it planted right there in front of lucy drakes cottage maria mari was jealous now I 1 began to understand 1 I 1 was nas sitting out there just before dinner and I 1 had the glasses I 1 was looking at your house I 1 was captala captain Bur barnabas nabas blushed and cast about tor for an excuse tor for his lovers foolishness ess 1 I was wondering it if miss tel harn ham bad gone for a walk I 1 was looking when I 1 saw you maria weeks steal lucys bucys fish ok off her with a boat hook did captain fish chuckle marla maria blushed and then paled it was my fish she said obstinately you had promised it to me 1 I promised one to hir her hi r every day until until she collected collect sd her Int interest cret money ashes been hard up fish fiah aint so terrible hardy but brain food anyway and you know lucy drale drake aint got any too many brains she needs nit all the fish elsh she can eat the cal caplain tain was trying to cover his hia own kindness with a clumsy joke 1 I promised her a fish every morning I 1 thought it would be easy to ketch a planty of em cm but drat it all I 1 never caught but one every day and she needed it maria uis his tone ended lu in an apologetic note maria weeks arose conscience stricken 1 I 1 took her fish and ashes hungry I 1 must go and see her at once she must come to supper and 1 I will nill go and ack tier her miss maria I 1 said hastily and as I 1 went I 1 beard captain fishs fichs voice growling out some bonus question and marlas marias smothered shriek of dismay oh barnabas i 1 could never keep house bouse on that schooner nerl I 1 knew starts maria had caught another tort of fish this time |