| Show V j Jy y yG G mK Q f U Ir COPYRIGHT 1904 BY DOUBLEDAY PACE PAGE CO SYNOPSIS Freckles a homeless boy Is hired by Boss Bose McLean 1 to guard the expensive Umber timber tim- tim ber bet In the Umbel lost from timber thieves Freckles does doe hi his ht work faithfully makes friends frIend with the birds ds and yearns to know more about nature H He ae lives with Mr an and Mrs MIs Duncan He Tie resolves to get book books and educate himself He lie becomes Interested In a a. huge pair pall of vultures and eaU calls his bird friends his chickens chicken Some of ot the trees be Is guarding aro are worth 1000 each Freckles' Freckles books arrive I- I Ilie lie He receives a call from Wenner attempts to bribe Freckles to betra betray his trust and Freckles whips him McLean overhears them and witnesses the tha fight Freckles Freckles' honesty saves a precious tree He finds tie the nest of the vultures and Is vl visited by a 3 beautiful young youn girl I CONTI UPI I Its me c chickens sir answered Freckles Freckles hurried Into the swamp swamp He was some little distance behind but be he could still see the men Before he be overtook them they had bad turned from the west road rond and bad had entered the swamp toward the tile east enst The underbrush underbrush un un- was almost Impenetrable As they plunged Into it a great blade binds bird swept over o their heads beads Freckles danced wildly Its ns me chickens Oh Its It's me chickens he be shouted Oh Oil Duncan cone come quick Youve You've found the nest of me precious chickens Duncan hurried down to the mouth of ot a monstrous log but Freckles was before him He cras crashed ed through poison poison polson poi pol- son vines and underbrush regardless of any danger and climbed on the stump When Duncan I got there he was shouting like a wild thing Its hatched he be yelled Ob Oh me big chicken has bas batched hatched out me little tittle chicken and theres there's another erg egg I 1 Ican Ican can see It plain and oh the funny little white baby Duncan can you see eee me little white chicken Duncan could easily see It and so could every one else Freckles tenderly tenderly tenderly ten ten- derly carried the hissing blinking bUnking little littie little lit lit- tle tie thing tiling out to the light in a leaf hat lined hat The men found it sufficiently h wonderful to satisfy even Freckles who had bad forgotten he be was ever ever sore or stiff and coddled over It with every every every ev ev- ev- ev ery blarneying term of endearment he be knew Duncan Duhean gathered up his tools Deals off boys be he said cheerfully The log mauna be touched until Freckles Freckles' have finished with It We might as weel gang Better put It back Freckles Its It's Just out and It may chill Ye Ya will probably hae bae the morn Freckles deposited the baby beside the egg When be he came back he said ald o 1 i 7 Lc DEALS OFF BOYS I HE Es SLID CHEE i FULLY I Z X mado made a big mistake not to be briDgIng bringing bringing bring bring- ing the egg out with the baby baby but 1 I Iwas was fearing to touch It Its It's shaped like Uke a a hens hen's egg and Its It's big as a turkeys turkeys turkey's tur tur- keys key's and the just blue just splattered with big brown blown splotches like me book ook said precise e. e But you never saw such a sight as It made on the yellow of ot the rotten wood beside funny tunny leathery faced little white a y I Tell you what Freckles Freckles said one of ot the teamsters Have Elave you ever heard beard of this bird woman that goes all all' aU the country with a camera and maces mal S pictures She made some on dy brother Jims Jim's place last summer and Jims Jim's so wild about them be quits plowing and goes after her bel about every every every ev ev- ev- ev ery nest he be finds He helps helpH her all nil he can cnn to get them and then she gives ves him a picture Jims Jim's so proud of ot what he ha hn has be he keeps them in the rhe Hi Bible we them to eve everybody that r mat 1 m homes comes comes and brags brass about how i w he JIe help help- f ed to t take them If It youre you're smart you'll se se i d for foe her ber tend and shell come aud na make a a. a just like life Ute If It you help ier ter sue sIlo will give you one one oue It would Tie be e uncommon pretty to keep after your birds are gone I i dunno danno what they are I never see their like before They bey must be something rare Anjou Any you ou fellows ever er see a u bird like Uke that hereabouts No on one ever badWell had bad Well said the teamster falling to get set this log Jets lets me off oft till tin n noon on and Im I'm going to town to If 1 I was making a living taking bird pictures 1 I seems scorns to me Id I'd b bl mighty glad for for fora a chance to take one ono like that Then you be he sure to tell her to come Owe said Freckles Freckle The next morning Freckles hurried about the trail and on his IllS way down the east side he slipped clipped in to see the chickens The mother bird was on on ou the nest He was afraid the other egg gg might Just be hatching so he bt did not riot venture to disturb her ber He made the round and aud reached 1 his bis study studs early J lie He hid had his bis lunch along and did not n need ed t to start on the second ond trip nip until r w t t ti tt t i t t ti j i I iI z III 1 WAS IT REAL on OB WOULD WOUL 1 IT VANISH the middle of the afternoon He would have e long hours to work on his flower bed bcd improve his study and learn about his bis chickens The heat became more Insistent Noon came aud and Freckles ate his dinner dinner din din- dinner ner and settled for an hour bour or two on ona ona ona a bench with a book Perhaps there was a breath J of f sound Freckles could never afterward remember but for some somo reason he lifted his head bead Just as th the bushes parted and the face of au an angel looked looked looked look look- ed through Saints nymphs and fairies fairies fair fair- fairies ies had floated down his cathedral aisle lisle for him many times with forms and voices of exquisite beauty Parting the wild roses by tb the entrance entrance entrance en en- trance was beauty of which Freckles bad had never dreamed Was Vas It real or would it vanish anish as the other dreams had done He lle took a step nearer gazing intently This was real flesh and blood And it was In every way kin of the Limberlost for no bird 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 nor rounder than thau her hel slender form Her lIer soft waving hair hall clung about her hel face with the heat and curled over her shoulders It was all of one piece with the gold of the sun which filtered through the branches Her IIer eyes were Just the deepest blue of or orthe the Iris her lips the reddest of the foxfire and rind her cheeks exactly of or the same satin as the wild rose petals caressing caressing ca ca- ca- ca them She was smiling on OD Freckles in perfect confidence and she cried Oh Ob Im I'm so delighted that Ive I've found you An nn was you looking for me quavered the boy Incredulous I hoped I might find you said the angel You see I didn't do as I was told and Im I'm lost The Bird Woman said I should stay in the carriage until she came back She's been gone hours Its It's a perfect Turkish bath in there aD and Im I'm all lumpy with mosquito bites Just when I thought that I couldn't bear it another minute along along- comes the biggest AJax you e cr saw I knew bow pleased shed she'd be so so I ran after ater it It It flew so slow and so low that I thought a n dozen times I had it Then all at It went out of sight Ight over ovel the trees and I 1 couldn't find m my wn way back to save me I think Ive I've walked over an un hour I have been mired to my knees A thorn raked my arm until it II is bleeding and Im I'm so 80 tired and aud warm She parted the bushes still further Freckles saw saw that her little blue cot cotton ton ion fro frock k clung to her limp with per per- It was torn across the breast One sleeve hung bung open from shoulder to elbow ellow A thorn had raked her arm until It was covered co with blood and the gnats and mo mosquitoes were clustering about It Her IIer feet were were in lace hose bose and low Jow shoes Freckles gasped go In the Limberlost In low shoes He caught an armful of moss mos from his bis carpet and burled buried Itin it itIn t tin In the ooze in u front of her for a foot- foot Ing lag Get out here ber where I can see where you are re stepping Quick for the life of you you he hI ordered She smiled on him Indulgently Why she Inquired f r ti Did anybody let tot y n ne here ere ero and not lot he telling yeu you you- af lt ie e snakes makes urged Freckled Freckle Fre We met meb Mr tic M Di t 3 corda- corda p f N t Toy roy and he did say som something about snakes I believe The Bird Woman put on leather leggins and a 11 ulce o parboiled time tUne she must be having Worst dose 1 ever had hud and Id I'd nothing noth lug lug-lo h ing to g-to to do but swelter Will you be coming out of there groaned Freckles She laughed as if it were a fine joke Maybe If it Id I'd be telling you 1 l killed a l rattler ruttier curled up ou on that same place youre you're standing us as long as as me body and the thickness of me arm rm yo you'd d be moving where I can cnn l see bee ec your footing he urged insistently What a perfectly delightful little brogue you speak she said My father father father fa fa- fa- fa ther is Irish and und half bait ought to be enough to entitle me to do that much Maybe Maybe It If Id I'd Id I'd-be be telling you she Imitated rounding and accenting each 1 word carefully If you was understanding the danger danger dan dan- ger he continued desperately Oh b 1 I dont don't think there Is much She tilted on the mo morass molas raw If you killed one snake here bere Its It's probably all there is is' is near lIcar and anyway anyway any any- way the Bird Woman says a rattlesnake rattlesnake rattlesnake rattle rattle- snake is a n gentleman and und alwa always s 's gives gl warning before he be strikes I 1 dont don't hear any rny ny rattling Do you Would you be knowing It if you did asked Freckles almost now How the laugh of ot the young thin rippled Would I be knowing it she mock ed Well ell you should see bee the swamps of or Michigan where they dump rattlers out DUt of the marl dredges three and four at af a time Freckles stood She did know She was not in the least afraid She was depending on a rattlesnake to live lire up to his share of the contract and rattle in time for her bel to move The one characteristic an Irishman admires ad ad- admit mit mires cs in a n woman above all aU others Is courage courage Freckles worshiped anew lie changed his bis tactics Id 1 be e p pleased ased to be receiving you youat youat youat at me front door he said but as you have e arrived at the back will you come me in and be seated sealed He lie waved toward a bench The angel came instantly Oh Oh how bow lovely and cool she cried As As s she moved across his room Freckles Free Free- Ides kles had hard bard work to keep from front falling on his knees for they were very weak weal and he be was hard driven by an nn Impulse to worship Did you arrange this she asked us said Freckles simply Some one must come with a n big canvas cnn and copy each side of it she said I never neer saw anything so beau How lIow I wish I might stay star here hele herewith herewith with you I will win some day if It you ou will let Jet me but now if you JOU can cnn spare the time will you help me look for the carriage If the Bird Woman comes back k and finds me gone Jone she will be almost distracted Did you come in oh ob the west rest road rond j asked Freckles I think so she said The man who told the Bird moo Woman said that was the only place where the wires were down We W. drove away in u and It was dreadful over dreadful over stumps and logs and in to the hubs I suppose you know though I should have ha stayed in the carriage but I was so tired I never dreamed of getting lost I suspect suspect sus sus- Peet I will get scolded finely I go with the Bird Woman half th the time during the summer vacations My Iy father says I learn a lot more than I Ido Ido Ido do at nt school and get it straight I Ineer never neer cam came within a smell II of getting lost before I thought at first It was going to be horrid but since rye I found you maybe it It will be good fun after all CHAPTER VIII TIlE THE BIRD WOMAN i was amazed to 10 hear I f 1 himself excusing It was soI so I hot Ilot in there You couldn't be expected to bear It for hours bours and not be moving I can take tale you back around the trail trall almost to where you were Then you can get up in inthe inthe the carriage and I will go find the Bird Woman get killed if you do When she stays this long it means that she has a focus on on something You see sec when she gets a focus and lies In the weeds and water for hours bours and the sun bakes her ber and things crawl over oer her and then some one comes along and scares her bird a away way j just t as she has it coaxed up why up-why why she kills them If r melt you wont won't go after her ber She's probably blistered and half eaten up but she will never quit until she is satisfied Then it will be safer to be taking care care of you suggested Freckles Now youre you're talking sense said the angel May I try to help your arm he asked Hare Have you you any idea how it hurts she parried A little said Freckles Well Mr McLean said wed we'd ed probably probably ably find his son here His llis son cried Freckles Freckles' what he said And that you would do anything you JOU could for us ns and that we could trust you with our lives But I 1 would have trusted you anyway If It I hadn't known a thing about you Say your father is ram rampaging pa paging proud of you isn't he I dont don't know answered th the dazed Freckles Hes nes so proud of you he be is all nil swelled up like the toad in Aesop's fa bles bies If It you have ever had an nn arm hurt like this and can em do anything why for pity sake do It ItI She turned back her hr sleeve holding out to Freckles an arm of palest cameo Freckles unlocked his case and bandaged band bandaged aged the ugly ragged wound He TIe worked with trembling fingers and a n face len tense lense e with earnestness Is it feeling any better he asked Oh Ob Its It's well now now cried the angel angelIt It doesn't hurt at all any more mote f The velvety touch of her warm arm was In Freckles Freckles' finger tips Dainty laces lares and fine white stuffs peeped through h her r torn dress There v re beautiful rings ou on her fingers Every article about her bel was of the finest material and in excellent taste There wets was as the trembling LImberlost guard In his hl course coarse e clothing with his cotton rags and nud his old pail of swamp water Freckles was sufficiently accustomed accustomed ac ac- ac- ac to contrasts to notice them and sufficiently fine to be hurt by them thom always He lie lifted his eyes to hers with ith a shadowy shadow pain in them and found them of serene unconscious purity We must go and find the carriage said Hald the angel rising Freckles led the way sharply watch w watching lug ing ng every evely step lIe He went as near the log as he lie felt that he dared and With Witha a little searching found the carriage This Is Is' Is Isn a a n shame said Freckles never be coming here again Oh yes I shall said the angel The Th Bird Woman says that these birds stay over o-er a month in the nest and she would like to make a picture every few days for seven or r eight weeks perhaps Freckles barely escaped crying out for lor Joy Then dont don't you ever be torturing yourself and your horse to be coming in here bere again he said Ill show you a way to drive almost to the nest neston neston neston on the cast east trail and then you can come around |
