Show T 1 J TV V J A V X Xi i Y t S x fJ 4 1 uV r f my 1 f CG e te far C r lID y E m err COPYRIGHT 1904 BY DOUBLEDAY PACEs PACE s CO 0 r 61 t SYNOPSIS Freckles a homeless boy Is la hired by Boss McLean to guard the expensive timber tim Um- Umber timber ber In the from timber thieves Freckles does his work faithfully makes friends with the birds and yearns to know mor morr about nature He live with Mr 1 1 an and Mrs Duncan t CONTINUED J Then Frt Fret k kits It organ began his wizard f t work He lit cleared d a n space pUle of swale and twice a u day dax he bt spread pread a n birds' birds banquet t B riP the middle of December the strong w inda of winter had bad l beaten eaten most of the seed eed from frum rum th the grass ras and andi i l bushes The Tilt snow now fell covering the t. t swamp and und food rood was wa-l very scarce and 4 i hard hard to tu find The birds scarcely waited wait walt waited ed d until Freckles Freckles' le back was turned turned to f 0 attack attak his hl- provisions In a few weeks they flew toward the tilt clearing to meet r him B By the bitter biller weather of January Tan Jan i t. t uary they came Cam halfway to tho the cabin Lf every morning and fluttered about him like doves el all the way to the feeding r J ground By n- February they would perch on his bL held md shoulders and the saucy Jays jaH would try to pry into his bis pockets r Then Freckles added to wheat and arid crum crumbs every scrap of refuse food food- he could find about the cabin One morn morn- morning mom mom- ing lug to en aing to his feeding ground un- un usually t early he be found a gorgeous r t cardinal and a n rabbit sociably nibbling a cabbage leaf side by side Ride and that Instantly gave to him the idea of Ti cracking nuts from the store he had gathered for or Duncan's Duncans children for forthe the squirrels In the t effort fort to add them to bl his Soon h he be had them r family coming corn com ing red Ing-red red gray and black black and and b he became bea became be be- a came filled tilled with a n vast impatience l that he be did not know their names name nor habits So the winter passed Every week McLean IcLean rode over oser to the the Limberlost r never on the same day y nor at the same sameY Y hour The boys boy's p earnings constituted on 1 his first money and when the bo boss s exI explained explained ex ex- to him that he ht could leave leavec I c L. L them safe at a It Muk h and carry away awaya t. t a scrap of paper that represented the 11 amount he be made n a d deposit on every err t i pay day keeping out out l barely arely what was rc necessary for his board hond and clothing C 1 1 What he wanted to do du with bl his money s 1 he did not know but it gave ga to him a al' al l' l sense of freedom and md power to feel o that it was wa there there there-It It was his and he could could- have hn it when he hp chose choie cho e. e VJ That winter held the first firt hours bours of I 0 real happiness s In Freckles Freckles' tR life He x was free free- freeHe He was doin doing a II mans man's work t. t faithfully through h hery every ery rl rigor or of rain t k- iF- iF snow and blizzard bUzzard He lie was gathering j 44 i a won wonderful I strength th of body paying r- r his way and saving lnA money t 4 p Mrs Duncan had a hot bot drink ready o for him when he bE came amp In from a freezing freez freez- r fn ing day dav on the trail knitted a heavy henVy fJ r mitten for his left hand devised de a away way to sew ew up and pad the till right sleeve slEen i to which protected td the maimed arm In 4 bitter weather patched bl his clothing t S 'S S ST and saved sa kitchen scraps for hi his birds T not because she either knew or cared careda j f a rap about them but because she herself her her- hert t Nt o y r self was near enough the swamp to be l t touched by Its utter loneliness When Duncan laughed d at her ber for this she retorted re re- My Iy God mannle mannie If Freckles birds and the beasts beasts' bet he be a the t f would be always alone It was never neTer meant for tor n a t human heln being to be sa soil soli I tary S S The next morning Duncan gave Ve an anear anear ear of corn he was wal shelling to Freckles Free Free- t 0 kl kles S and told him to carrY carry it to his wild f chickens in ill th the Limberlost ost Freckles 1 laughed delightedly Me chickens he said Why didn't r I ever think of that before Of course courset t th they y are arel They are Just little brightly J t colored cocks and hens bens But what would you say to me wild chickens chickens' being be j r ing a 11 good deal tamer than yours here hereIn In your yard 55 Hoot lad lad lad- cried Duncan Make flake yours light on your headland r f eat cat out of ot your hands and pockets Jr S' S ft challenged Freckles t 2 Go tell your fairy tales to the wee weeR err brash on bet be be- R J people I They're juist t r lIevin things said Duncan i I dare you to come s see el retorted t Freckles Take ye said Duncan If ye make joist ane bird licht on your held heldor or eat frae trae your hand ye are free to help yourself to my corncrib and wheat bin the rest of ot the winter After that Freckles always spoke of ot the birds as his chickens The next Sabbath Duncan with his wife and children followed Freckles to the swamp w 1 Freckles' Freckles chickens were awaiting j- j him at the edge of th tb the clearing They rhey i cut the frosty air about his head bead into I curves and circles of crimson blue and black They chased each other from Freckles and swept so closely themselves them them- ri z iI selves that they brushed d him with their T outspread wings At their feeding ground Freckles set down his old pan pall of scraps and swept the snow from a small el level space with witha a broom Improvised from twigs As soon Boon as ns his back was turned the birds clustered over the food snatching j scraps to carry t to the nearest bushes Several Se of th the boldest a big crow and anda a couple of ja Jays s settled on the rim and feasted at leisure while a card cardi cardinal nal m that h ha hesitated tA d t to TIE enta re 1 fumed med i T J 1 t rf r and scold scolded d from n a twig overhead o Then Freckles scattered hl his store More At once the ground le resembled CI the spread mantle of Montezuma et except ept tb that t this mass of ot gay gayly ly colored feathers Elt was on the backs of living While they feasted Duncan gripped hN his wife's arm and stared Iu lu astonishment for from the bushes hUsheR und and dr dry grass with gentle cheeping and und queer Ineer throaty chatter us as If It to en encourage oura e each other came flocks of quail Before any anyone one saw It arrive a bl big tray ray gray rabbit sat In Inthe inthe inthe the midst of the feast contentedly gnawing a n cabbage leaf Weel J I be on onI came Mrs Duncans Duncan's tense whisper l' l Shu cautioned Duncan Lastly Freckles took ort off his cap n He began filling It with handfuls of wheat from ills hid pockets In IIi a swarm the grain eaters ro rose e about abou him like a flock dock of tame pl pigeons Eon They perched on his biN arms anns and the rap lap and In n the str stress sN of hunger hun er forgetting for all caution a brilliant bril bril- ilant cock cok cardinal and an equally gaudy nudy ja jay fou fought for a 11 perching place on his head Weel Neel Im I'm beat muttered Duncan tor forgetting the silence imposed on oIl his wife Ill hae to give gt In Seem is A week later Duncan and Freckles rose from breakfast to face the bitterest bitterest bitterest bitter bitter- est morning of the winter When Freckles warmly capped and gloved stepped to the corner comer of the kitchen for his scrap pall pail he be found a pan of steaming boiled wheat on the top of It He wheeled to Mrs Irs Duncan with a shining face Were you fixing this warm food for forme forme forme me chickens or yours he asked Its for yours Freckles she said Freckles faced Mrs Duncan with a trace of every pang of starved mother hunger he be had ever suffered written large on his bis homely splotched narrow features Oh how I wish you were my mother moth moth- er he tried cried Lord love the lad exclaimed Mrs Duncan Why Freckles are ye no bricht enough to learn wit without bout being taught by a n woman that I am your If a great man like dinna ken that learn it now and neer ne'er forget it Ance a n woman Is the wife of ot any man she becomes wife to all nil allmen allmen men for having had bad the wifely experience experience experience ex ex- ex- ex she kens Ance a n man child has beaten his way to life Ufe under the heart of a woman she is mother to all ull allmen allmen men for the hearts of mil hers are everywhere the s ame same Bt Bless SR ye lad lad- die I am um your She tuck tucked d the coarse scarf she had knit for or him closer over his bis chest t and pulled his cap lower about his ears but Freckles whipping it oft off and bolding holdIng hold hold- Ing lag It under his arm caught her rough reddened reddened hand band and pressed it to his lips fps in a long kiss Then he hurried away to hide bide the happy embarrassing tears that were coming straight ht from rom his hig swelling hea heart rt Mrs Duncan threw herself Into Duncans Duncan's Duncans Dun Dun- cans can's arms Oh the lad Iud she walled wailed Oh Oil the hungry lad He breaks my heart Duncans Duncan's arms closed convulsively con about his wife With a big brown hand band he lovingly stroked her rou rough h sorrel hair Sarah youre you're ure a guld guid woman he said Youre a guid guld woman Ye hae a way way o of out at times that's like the Inspired prophets of the Lord All through the winter Freckles Freckles' entire entire en eq- tire energy was given to keeping up his lines and his chickens from freezing or starving When the tin first t breath o of spring touched the Limberlost Limberlost Limber Limber- lost and the snow receded before It when the catkins began to bloom when there came a n hint bint of green to the trees bushes and swale when the rushes lifted their beads pod and the pulse of the newly resurrected season beat strong in the heart of ot nature something new stirred In the breast of the boy Nature always levies her tribute Now ow she laid a It powerful hand on the soul of Freckles to which the boys boy's whole being responded though he be bad not the least Idea what was troubling him Dun Duncan an ac accepted his wife's theory that it was a touch of spring fever but Freckles knew better He had never been so well CHAPTER III A FE FEATHER T E FALL FALLS HE sounds Bounds that had at t first lIrE struck cold fear Into Freckles' Freckles soul he be now knew had bad left on wing and silent fo foot t at the approach of ot winter As NAs flock ock after atter flock Of the birds returned and ho he recognized the old echoes rea reawakening wakening he found to his surprise that he had been lonely for them and was hailing their return with great Joy He fie was possessed pos of an nn o overpowering desire to know what they were were to learn earn where they had been and whether they would make friends friend with him as the winter birds had done and if they did would they be as ns fickle For with ibe the running sap creeping worm and winging winging wing wing- ing bug most of I Freckles Freckles' chickens had deserted him entered the swamp and feasted to such a state of plethora on nn Its store that they cared little for forbis his bis supply so that In the days of matIng matIng mat- mat mating Ing and und nest building the boy buy was d de dh- dh serf ed The yearly resurrection of the Lira Lira- Is a mighty revival l' l Freckles stood back and watched d with awe and nd envy the gradual and repopulating repopulating re- re populating of the swamp Keen eyed and alert through danger and loneliness loneliness lonell- lonell ness jess he noted every stage of development develop develop- meat ment from the first piping frog and unsheathing unsheathing un sheathing bud to full leafage and the return of the last emigrant The knowledge of his complete loneliness loneliness lone lone- liness and an utter Insignificance was 1 hourly thrust upon him He brooded and fretted until he was In a fever and yet he never guessed the cause Ht H a wax was filled I with a n vast a lm Impatience a e c V if v- v and a longing that would not much furth be denied a aIt It was WM June by the zodiac June by bythe bytho the tho Limberlost t and by t every delight ot of a n U IH-U newly ly rt resurrected season Reason it should have been lone June iu In the hearts of all men wn Yet Freckles scowled darkly a as ashe ashe he b. came ranie down own the trail frail and the running run ning tap tn tap hap which tested tb the sagging gagging wire wile and telegraphed word of his bis coming com cum lag ing lu to 10 his 1 furred and feathered friends of or the swamp this morning carried the story of hi his discontent a mile ahead o of him I Freckles Freckles' re kh special pet a dainty yellow I I coated black sleeved slee cock goldfinch hud bad for or several da days s 's past remained ou on t he the wire the bravest vest of all all and FI Freckles absorbed with the cunning null and beauty bellut of or the tiny fellow never guessed uc that he be was being duped for forI forthe forthe I the h. h goldfinch was skipping flirting and mill swinging ln for the express purpose or of holding bl his attention that he would not look loul up and see bee a u small cradle of thistledown Ihl down and wool perilously near his 1 head A pet peculiar uliar Iu movement under a small walnut tree caught his eye He stopped stopped stop stop- ped wd to Investigate t gate It was an unusually unusually un usually large Luna cocoon and the moth was just bursting the upper end In It Its It i struggles to reach light and air Freckles stood and stared Theres There's something In there trying to get out he be muttered Wonder Wondel If 1 I could help It Guess I 1 best not be trying If I t hadn't happened along there wouldn't have ha been any anyone one to help bell it it and maybe Id I'd only be hurting It Its It's ItS It'S its it's oh Its It's Just justl I l being horn burn Freckles l gasped led with surprise The moth cleared Bleared the opening and with great I and contortions climbed climb climb- ed up lip the tree lie ill stared speechless with amazement as the moth crept around a limb and clung to the under under- side There was a II great pursy ho body Y almost as large as his thumb an and of the thc very snowiest white that Freckles bad had ever ver seen There was a It band baud of delicate lavender across Its forehead and Its feet were of the same color There were antlers like tiny straw colored ferns on its bead head and on ou Its shoulders little wet looking flaps no nobl no bl bigger Jer than titan his thumb nail Tie Frt kles saw that tho those e queer little wet wt looking lookin looking look look- in ing things were wele expanding drooping taking ou on color and und small oval markIngs mark marl In lags Ings s were be beginning to show The minutes went IJ by Freckles Freckle steady gaze aze never wavered wn Without realizing It he was trembling with with wah eagerness and anxiety As AN he lie saw V what WJ was taking place IllaCe Its Itri going oh to have han wings he breathed lu in hushed bEd wonder The morning sun Nun fell fall on the moth and dried Its velvet elvel dmu d n. and l the soft air all made It fluffy Th rn rapidly rapid Ild ly Iy growing wings b began alJ to appear J to tobe tobe tobe be of the most delicate green Areen with lavender laender lay lav ender fore ribs transparent eye chap shap shaped ed markings edged with lines of rl red 1 tan and black and long lung crisp trailers Freckles was wa whispering to himself elf for tot fear of disturbing the moth 1 It t began hegan be he gan gnu a sy systematic exercise of raising and lowering Its exquisite wings l to dry them and to establish circulation Freckles realized that It would soon ROOD be able to spread them and |