Freckles

Materializes an

fted his head as the bushes parted and the face of an angel looked between. Saints, nymphs, and fairi

ird of its branches swung with easier grace than this dainty young thing rocked on the bit of morass on which she stood. A sapling beside her was not straighter or rounder than her slender form. Her soft, waving hair clung around her face from the heat, and curled over her shoulders. It was all of one

lighted that I

ck swamp-muck at her feet with such a thud that he did not understand how sh

vered: "An'-an' was

py with mosquito bites. Just when I thought that I couldn't bear it another minute, along came the biggest Papilio Ajax you ever saw. I knew how pleased she'd be, so I ran after it. It flew so slow and so low that I thought a dozen times I ha

om shoulder to elbow. A thorn had torn her arm until it was covered with blood, and the gnats and mosquitoes were clustering around it. Her feet were in lace hose

ere you are stepping. Quick, f

on him in

she i

re and not be telling you of

elieve. The Bird Woman put on leather leggings, and a nice, parboiled time she

ng out of there?"

as if it wer

place you're standing, as long as me body and the thickness of me ar

is Irish, and half should be enough to entitle me to that much. 'Maybe-if I'

head. He had derided Wessner at that same hour ye

nding the danger!" he

t think the

ed on th

anyway, the Bird Woman says a rattlesnake is a gentleman and always

if you did?" asked Frec

of the young

see the swamps of Michigan where they dump rattle

ke to live up to his share of the contract and rattle in time for her to move. The one characteristic an

ont door," he said, "but as you have arrived

a bench. The Ang

ely and cool

k to keep from falling on his knees; for they were very

range this?

id Freckl

w I wish I might remain here with you! I will, some day, if you will let me; but now, if you can spare the time,

the west road?"

gh. I should have stayed in the carriage, but I was so tired. I never dreamed of getting lost. I suspect I will be scolded finely. I go with the Bird Woman half the time during the summer vacations. My father says I l

expected to bear it for hours and not be moving. I can take you around the trail almost

and water for hours, and the sun bakes her, and things crawl over her, and then someone comes along and scares her bird away just as she has it coaxed

to be taking care of yo

lking sense!"

help your ar

dea how it hurt

e," said

said We'd probably

!" cried

e could trust you with our lives. But I would have trusted you anyway, if I hadn'

" answered the

he is all swelled up like the toad in AEsop's Fables. If you have ever ha

ckles an arm of palest cameo, shaped so exquis

could find. She yielded herself to his touch as a baby, and he bathed away the blood and bandaged the ugly, ragged wound. He finished

mbling fingers and a fac

ng any bette

ed the Angel. "It doesn'

ou had best go and be having your doctor

!" jeered the Angel. "My blood is perfe

d Freckles, his eyes on the ground. "'Twould-'twould be a

ught of that!" ex

softly. "I don't know much about it,

herself an impatient little shake, lifted her glorious eyes full to his, and the smil

st hint of a confiding gesture toward him. "It won't make a

s on her fingers. Every article she wore was of the finest material and in excellent taste. There was the trembling Limberlost guard in his coarse clothing, with

purity. What she had said was straight from a kind, untainted, young heart. She meant every wo

for the carriage," sa

as close the log as he felt that he dared, and with a little searching found the carriage. He cleared a path for the A

Freckles. "You'll neve

se birds remain over a month in the nest and she would like to

escaped crying

ow you a way to drive almost to the nest on the east trail, and then you can come around to my room and

ried. "I was never so thirsty or so hungry in

g!" wailed Freckles. "I can be get

ed to t

want to think about you while you are gone." Freckles lifted

ed, with a peal of la

ours," interru

you do. What is i

t be gett

ve had the wa

, stood uncovered before her, and said, in the sweetest of all the sweet

laughed

a small bucket of water, cool from the well. He carried it in the crook of his right arm, a

d o' cooling," s

ckles ra

nees, reaching for the

slow," he c

h of satisfaction. "It's so good!

ling glory of her smile until he sc

nk I had better be naming you

ook the character every da

told us why. I'd gladly wear all your cuts and bruises if I could do anything that would make my

s proud of me?" m

"He was radiating pride from every pore

two hours ago," a

un?" banter

ught that on p

am, you would know how thankful

ting," cried th

et. The remainder she ate. Again Freckles found her of the swamp, for though she was almost ravenous, she managed her food as gracefully as his little yellow fellow, and

rank greedily, and lovingly rubbed him with its nose as he wiped down its we

had seen. She was staggering under a load of cameras and paraphernalia. Freckles ran to her aid. He took all he could carry of her load, stowed it

e swamp. Then he showed them how to reach the chicken tree from the outside, indicated a cooler place fo

er lunch, and lay back, a

Little Chicken's pic

ndidly. But I couldn't do anything wit

d!" muttered Freckl

an began to

ttle Chicken'?" she asked, leaning to

s having. I got to carrying scraps and grain down to them. Duncan was that ginerous he was giving me of his wheat and corn from his chickens' feed, and he called the birds me swamp chickens

shoot something for them occasionally, and I'll bring more food when I come. If you will help m

drew a de

est," he promised, and f

I am afraid not. It should have pipped today. Isn't it a beauty! I neve

n said," answ

ing, and Freckles joyfully realized that this was going to be another person for him to love. He could not remember, after

e little corner of paradise into which she had strayed and of her new n

e accent he has, and the way he twists a sentence, too dear? And isn't

nt-day young men who patronizingly call their fathers 'Dad,' 'Governor,' 'Old Man' and 'Old Chap,' that the boy's atti

n the man who so proudly proclaimed himself Freckles' father to be a bachelor and a

eturned to the swamp as if drawn by invisible force. That Wessner would try for his revenge, he knew. That he would be abetted by Black Jack was almost certain, but fear had fled the happy heart of Freckles. He had kept his trust. He had won the respect of the Boss. No one ever could wipe from his heart the flood

the bright moonlight and there sat McLe

ble?" he inqui

minute, before I turned in, and they said you had come down here. You must not do it,

oked into McLean's face. "It's come to the 'sleep with one eye open,' sir. I'm not looking for anything to be happening for a week or two, but it's bound

t will be only a few weeks, now; and I'm so anxious for you that you must not be left alone further.

smay the proposition t

turn over the lease with no tree missing-on me life, I will! Oh, don't be sending another man to set them saying I turned coward and asked for help. It will just kill the honor of me heart if you do it. The only thing I want is another gu

Boss sat

rain out strong. You've the making of a mighty fine piece of furniture, my boy, and you shall have your own way these few we

finger in Nellie's ma

ou be doing that,

und the boy's shoulder

you, Freckles,

face. "My God, sir!" he

sp a second longer, then

hings of night brushed his face; and still Freckles gazed upward, trying to fathom these things that had come to him. There was no help from the sky. It seemed far away, cold, and blue. The e

he feather. For if it didn't really fall from an angel, its falling brought an Angel, and if it's in the g