Freckles

Man of Affairs and Lose

wed on!" exclai

fore her, holding

ee that sunbonnets werena braw enough for a woman of my stan

hed eyes saw a new side of Sarah Duncan. She was jesting, but under the jest the fact loomed strong that, though poor, overworked, and with none but God-given refinement, there was something

gly handed i

ay a little plainer headdress? Seems like that's far ower gay for me. I'm no' saying that it's no' exactly what I'd like to hae, but I mauna mak mysel' ridiculous. Ye'd be

nly about that hat?" queri

ng one around Freckles' sleeve and the other across hi

e, but it juist makes ye feel that it's all of the fi

les, "for it's bel

the hat and asked her w

arah Duncan. "Like it's the only an

the only one the Angel had. However, there was a thing he

ght be taking i

nother hour's delay. It's been here two days noo, and

I take it?" a

ur wheel. Ye can do

at hour, w

l ye're grown fast to it, lad. Give me your boots and club and I'll gae wa

ever would be doing

?" inqui

afraid of snakes and a lot o

ay on the trail and watch, and ye might hurry the least bit. The day's so bright it feels like storm. I can put th

t?" urged Freckles. "Do you think

watch in your place, why, it's bound to be all right with McLean. Let me pin the hat in a

ed. He exchanged his wading-boots for shoes, gave her his club, and went spinning toward town. He knew very well where the Angel lived. He had se

te office asked to see the proprietor. When he had waited a moment, a tall, spare, ke

me place the other day, when she went away in a hurry. And by saying to her and the Bird Woman that I'm more thankful

t yourself?" question

l's father squarely, and he asked: "If you were

t," said that g

did not?" came Freck

e package, then at the lifted chin of the boy, and t

les b

would deliver the hat and the message.

ose I give you permission to return this hat

you, sir? You are kind, indade, to mention it, and it's thanking you I am for your good intintions, but my wanting t

o the face of this extraordinary you

ings, that I think the Bird Woman would be wanting pictures of badly, if she knew. You might be speaking of i

earching for subjects. If you run across things, perhaps rarer than she may find, about your work, it would save her the time she spends searching for subjects, and she could work in security under your

, because it was Freckles who was speaking-"when it comes to protecting them, I'd risk me life, to be sure, but even that mightn't do any good in some cases. There are many dangers to be reckoned with in the swamp, sir, that call for every person to look sharp.

rk, and there is no danger in the world of anyone in any way molesting her, even if he were stealing a few of McLean's gold-plated trees. She's as safe in the Limberlost as she is at home, so far as timber thieves are concerned. All I

man should be, he surprised the Man of Affairs into thinking of him and seeing his face over his books many times that mor

t impulse, and that is all anyone can do. He glanced over his wheel to see that it was all right, and just as h

ad was a pure white creation of fancy braid, with folds on folds of tulle, soft and silken as cobwebs, lining the brim; while a mass of white roses clustered against the gold of her hair, crept around the crown, and fell in a riot to her shoulders at the back. There were gleams of gold with settings of blue on her fingers, and altog

day. Do you know I never saw you in town before. You watch that old line so closel

ther day. I have left it with your father, and a message trying to ixpriss

he time to come for the next picture of the Little Chicken series. "I want to hear the remainder of that song, and I hadn't even begun seeing your room yet," she complained. "As for singing, if you c

he felt that if he lifted them the tumult of ten

day would scare you so that you'd never

l laughe

scared?" she

Freckles, "

way it would be best for you that I shouldn't. They needed it. That didn't scare me; and as for the Bird Woman, she's accustomed to finding

you, and you must tell the Bird Woman, that there's no doubt but they will be coming back, and the

he birds and spoil the cathedral. When they have done their worst, then all these mills close here will follow in and take out the cheap

other, and groaned d

t, too," sa

He had it completed. The birds, flowers, and vines are all so lovely. The Bird Woman says it is really a fact that the mallows, foxfire, iris, and lilies are larger and of richer coloring

eal to me while I live, no matter what they do to it. I'm glad past telling if you will be coming a

ink before you start

n the trail, and she's terribly afraid of a lot of things.

ake up for it. Please. I want to think of something fine for y

believe it, even of the Angel. Still, in justice to the candor of her pure, sweet face, he would not think that she would make the offer and not mean it. She really did mean just what she said, but when it came to carrying out her offer and he saw the stares of her friends,

you more than you'll ever know for your kindness. I'll just be dr

uld have felt when you knew I was warm and thirsty and you went and brought me a drink and I wouldn't take it because-be

y slipped her hand under his arm-that r

she said firmly.

r could anyone else. His blood rioted and his he

," he said softly. "

me to understan

station and dress, with you on me arm, he'd have every right to be ca

thing that is right and kind, and that makes me happy to do-why, then you

d toward the entrance to the buildi

hly as if he had heard every word. The Angel caught his glance and made a despairing little gesture toward Freckles. The Man of Affairs answered her with a look of infini

's father he had stepped back as far from her as he could

d on him with t

. "Did You see that?" she demanded. "Now are you satisfied

beside her. On every hand she was kept busy giving and receiving the cheeriest greetings.

window where it is cool. I'll sav

ares, when he's in a rush. I'm afraid if we sit down we

all the varying degrees of insolence and curiosity that Freckle

d under his breath. "The

alked to the end of the counter and turned t

e," sh

e Angel stepped beside him, and selecting a tall, flaring glass, of alm

want him started off with one of those old palate-teasing sweetnesses that you mix just on purpose

ng of acid in it. Where's the cherry phosphate? That

reckles, standing so erect he almost leaned backward, gazed at her and paid no attention to anyone else

oo sweet for a thi

s, tasted it a second time. She submitted that result t

'd get my wages raised ten a mo

ing the icy liquid even with her eyes and looking straight into them, he said in the m

first day, she now cautione

one of the men at the counter asked of t

in. Then she comes behind the counter herself and fixes up a drink to suit the occasion. She's all sorts of fancies about what's what for all kinds of times and conditions, and you bet she

ked the man with a

g, and it hits the spot just as no spot was ever hit before. I honestly believe that the INTEREST she takes in it is half the trick, for I watch her closely and I can't come within gunshot of her concoctions. She has a running bill here. Her father settles once a month. She gives nine-tenth

straight as a ramrod, and something worth while in his face. Notice that hat pee

e to the swamp with the Bird Woman for pictures and knows him that way. I've heard tha

e she stopped. "Now, will you promise to ride fast enough to make up for the

he had poured that delicious icy liquid into every vein in

drink because you knew how into

pliment and it delighted the

u won't take so much

and been understanding you better. Do you rea

cried. "She will have hard work to wait the week out. I sh

endure the suspen

ioned, but he dared

arly love to come, and the next time I am going to bring my banjo, and

ause it was all he was ca

he said. "If you hurry you will j