The Patrol of the Sun Dance Trail | Page 9

and
beyond the pass joins the ancient Sun Dance Trail. That's my old beat.
And weird things are a-doing along that same old Sun Dance Trail this
blessed minute or I miss my guess. I venture to say that this old trail
has often been marked with blood from end to end in the fierce old
days."
"Let's go," said Mandy, with a shudder, and, turning her pony to the
right, she took the trail that led them down from the plateau, plunged
into a valley, wound among rocks and thickets of pine till it reached a
tumbling mountain torrent of gray-blue water, fed from glaciers high
up between the great peaks beyond.
"My Little Horn!" cried Mandy with delight.
Down by its rushing water they scrambled till they came to a sunny
glade where the little fretful torrent pitched itself headlong into a deep
shady pool, whence, as if rested in those quiet deeps, it issued at first
with gentle murmuring till, out of earshot of the pool, it broke again
into turbulent raging, brawling its way to the Big Horn below.

Mandy could hardly wait for the unloading and tethering of the ponies.
"Now," she cried, when all was ready, "for my very first fish. How
shall I fling this hook and where?"
"Try a cast yonder, just beside that overhanging willow. Don't splash!
Try again--drop it lightly. That's better. Don't tell me you've never cast
a fly before."
"Never in my life."
"Let it float down a bit. Now back. Hold it up and let it dance there. I'll
just have a pipe."
But next moment Cameron's pipe was forgotten. With a shout he
sprang to his wife's side.
"By Jove, you've got him!"
"No! No! Leave me alone! Just tell me what to do. Go away! Don't
touch me! Oh-h-h! He's gone!"
"Not a bit. Reel him up--reel him up a little."
"Oh, I can't reel the thing! Oh! Oh-h-h! Is he gone?"
"Hold up. Don't haul him too quickly--keep him playing. Wait till I get
the net." He rushed for the landing net.
"Oh, he's gone! He's gone! Oh, I'm so mad!" She stamped savagely on
the grass. "He was a monster."
"They always are," said her husband gravely. "The fellows that get off,
I mean."
"Now you're just laughing at me, and I won't have it! I could just sit
down and cry! My very first fish!"
"Never mind, Mandy, we'll get him or just as good a one again."

"Never! He'll never bite again. He isn't such a fool."
"Well, they do. They're just like the rest of us. They keep nibbling till
they get caught; else there would be no fun in fishing or in--Now try
another throw--same place--a little farther down. Ah! That was a fine
cast. Once more. No, no, not that way. Flip it lightly and if you ever get
a bite hold your rod so. See? Press the end against your body so that
you can reel your fish in. And don't hurry these big fellows. You lose
them and you lose your fun."
"I don't want the fun," cried Mandy, "but I do want that fish and I'm
going to get him."
"By Jove, I believe you just will!" The young man's dark eyes flashed
an admiring glance over the strong, supple, swaying figure of the girl at
his side, whose every move, as she cast her fly, seemed specially
designed to reveal some new combination of the graceful curves of her
well-knit body.
"Keep flicking there. You'll get him. He's just sulking. If he only knew,
he'd hurry up."
"Knew what?"
"Who was fishing for him."
"Oh! Oh! I've got him." The girl was dancing excitedly along the bank.
"No! Oh, what a wretch! He's gone. Now if I get him you tell me what
to do, but don't touch me."
"All you have to do is to hold him steady at the first. Keep your line
fairly tight. If he begins to plunge, give him line. If he slacks, reel in.
Keep him nice and steady, just like a horse on the bit."
"Oh, why didn't you tell me before? I know exactly what that
means--just like a colt, eh? I can handle a colt."
"Exactly! Now try lower down--let your fly float down a bit--there."

Again there was a wild shriek from the girl.
"Oh, I've got him sure! Now get the net."
"Don't jump about so! Steady now--steady--that's better. Fine! Fine
work! Let him go a bit--no, check--wind him up. Look out! Not too
quick! Fine! Oh! Look out! Get him away from that jam! Reel him up!
Quick! Now play him! Let me help you."
"Don't you dare touch this rod, Allan Cameron, or there'll be trouble!"
"Quite right--pardon me--quite right. Steady! You'll get him