she could be susceptible to a little neglect.
The brook was full of trout, voracious and tame; they had never been
angled for. He caught three in short order.

When his last bait, a large and luscious grub, struck the water there
was a swirl, a splash, a tug. Neale excitedly realized that he had
hooked a father of the waters. It leaped. That savage leap, the splash,
the amazing size of the fish, inflamed in Neale the old boyish desire
to capture, and, forgetting what little skill he possessed, he gave a
mighty pull. The rod bent double. Out with a vicious splash lunged the
huge, glistening trout, to dangle heavily for an instant in the air.
Neale thought he heard a cry behind him. He was sitting down, in awkward
posture. But he lifted and swung. The line snapped. The fish dropped in
the grass and began to thresh. Frantically Neale leaped to prevent the
escape of the hugest trout he had ever seen. There was a dark flash--a
commotion before him. Then he stood staring in bewilderment at Allie,
who held the wriggling trout by the gills.

"You don't know how to fish!" she exclaimed, with great severity.

"I don't, eh?" ejaculated Neale, blankly.

"You should play a big trout. You lifted him right out. He broke your
line. He'd have--gotten--away--but for me."

She ended, panting a little from her exertion and quick speech. A red
spot showed in each white cheek. Her eyes were resolute and flashing. It
dawned upon Neale that he had never before seen a tinge of color in her
face, nor any of the ordinary feelings of life glancing in her eyes. Now
she seemed actually pretty. He had made a discovery--perhaps he had now
another means to distract her from herself. Then the squirming trout
drew his attention and he took it from her.

"What a whopper! Oh, say, Allie, isn't he a beauty? I could hug--I--You
bet I'm thankful. You were quick.... He certainly is slippery."

Allie dropped to her knees and wiped her hands on the grass while Neale
killed the fish and strung it upon a willow with the others he had
caught. Then turning to Allie, he started to tell her how glad he was to
see her again, to ask her if she were glad to see him. But upon looking
at her he decided to try and keep her mind from herself. She was
different now and he liked the difference. He feared he might frighten
it away.

"Will you help me get more bait?" he asked.

Allie nodded and got up. Then Neale noticed her feet were bare. Poor
child! She had no shoes