ons of class and rutted
conventions, did not suit her at all. At traditions which she could not
understand the young wife scoffed openly. Before she left, veiled
dislike became almost open war. The visit had never been repeated, nor,
indeed, had she ever been invited again. This she had bitterly resented
and she had instilled into Jack the antagonism she herself felt. When he
was eight years old Jack's father had insisted on taking him back to
meet his relatives. Immediately upon his return the youngster's mother
had set about undermining any fondness he might have felt for his
British kindred. Three years later she had died.

She had been a doting mother, with fierce gusts of passionate adoration
for her boy. Jack remembered these after he forgot her less amiable
qualities. He had grown up with an unreasonable feeling of dislike
toward those of his father's family who had failed to get along with
her. Some instinct of loyalty which he could hardly define set him
unconsciously in antagonism to his cousins at the Lodge. He had decided
not to make himself known to them. In a few days their paths would
diverge again for all time.

Dusk found him again in the river just above the riffles. He fished down
the stream slowly, shortening his line as darkness settled over the
hills. His luck was rather worse than usual. The trout were nosing the
flies rather than striking with any appetite.

He was nearly opposite the Lodge when he noticed a fisherman in front of
him. Working steadily forward, Kilmeny found himself gaining on the
other. In order not to pass too near he struck out into the deeper water
toward the center of the river. When almost opposite the other he heard
a splash not twenty feet away, followed by the whirr of the reel as the
trout made for the deep water. From the shadows where his unknown
companion was obscured came the click of the line being wound up. There
was a flash of silver in the moonlight, and again the rapid whirl of the
reel.

"You've hooked a whale, neighbor," Kilmeny called across.

The voice that came back to him across the water was eager and glad.
Jack would have known its throb of youthful zest among a thousand. "Must
I let him have all the line he wants?"

Kilmeny waded toward her as he gave counsel. "Don't make it too easy for
him, but don't jerk. Keep his nose up if you can."

The humming of the reel and the steady click-click-click of the winding
alternated. The trout fought gamely