freckles-第15部分

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rags　and　his　old　pail　of　swamp　water。　　Freckles　was　sufficiently

accustomed　to　contrasts　to　notice　them；　and　sufficiently　fine　to　be

hurt　by　them　always。



He　lifted　his　eyes　with　a　shadowy　pain　in　them　to　hers；　and　found

them　of　serene；　unconscious　purity。　　What　she　had　said　was　straight

from　a　kind；　untainted；　young　heart。　　She　meant　every　word　of　it。　

Freckles'　soul　sickened。　　He　scarcely　knew　whether　he　could　muster

strength　to　stand。



〃We　must　go　and　hunt　for　the　carriage；〃　said　the　Angel；　rising。



In　instant　alarm　for　her；　Freckles　sprang　up；　grasped　the　cudgel；

and　led　the　way；　sharply　watching　every　step。　　He　went　as　close　the

log　as　he　felt　that　he　dared；　and　with　a　little　searching　found

the　carriage。　　He　cleared　a　path　for　the　Angel；　and　with　a　sigh　of

relief　saw　her　enter　it　safely。　　The　heat　was　intense。　　She　pushed

the　damp　hair　from　her　temples。



〃This　is　a　shame！〃　said　Freckles。　　〃You'll　never　be　coming　here　again。〃



〃Oh　yes　I　shall！〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃The　Bird　Woman　says　that　these

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

picture　every　few　days　for　seven　or　eight　weeks；　perhaps。〃



Freckles　barely　escaped　crying　aloud　for　joy。



〃Then　don't　you　ever　be　torturing　yourself　and　your　horse　to　be

coming　in　here　again；〃　he　said。　　〃I'll　show　you　a　way　to　drive

almost　to　the　nest　on　the　east　trail；　and　then　you　can　come　around

to　my　room　and　stay　while　the　Bird　Woman　works。　　It's　nearly　always

cool　there；　and　there's　comfortable　seats；　and　water。〃



〃Oh！　　did　you　have　drinking…water　there？〃　she　cried。　　〃I　was　never　so

thirsty　or　so　hungry　in　my　life；　but　I　thought　I　wouldn't　mention　it。〃



〃And　I　had　not　the　wit　to　be　seeing！〃　wailed　Freckles。　　〃I　can　be

getting　you　a　good　drink　in　no　time。〃



He　turned　to　the　trail。



〃Please　wait　a　minute；〃　called　the　Angel。　　〃What's　your　name？　　I　want

to　think　about　you　while　you　are　gone。〃　　Freckles　lifted　his　face

with　the　brown　rift　across　it　and　smiled　quizzically。



〃Freckles？〃　she　guessed；　with　a　peal　of　laughter。　　〃And　mine　is〃



〃I'm　knowing　yours；〃　interrupted　Freckles。



〃I　don't　believe　you　do。　　What　is　it？〃　asked　the　girl。



〃You　won't　be　getting　angry？〃



〃Not　until　I've　had　the　water；　at　least。〃



It　was　Freckles'　turn　to　laugh。　　He　whipped　off　his　big；　floppy

straw　hat；　stood　uncovered　before　her；　and　said；　in　the　sweetest　of

all　the　sweet　tones　of　his　voice：　　〃There's　nothing　you　could　be　but

the　Swamp　Angel。〃



The　girl　laughed　happily。



Once　out　of　her　sight；　Freckles　ran　every　step　of　the　way　to

the　cabin。　　Mrs。　Duncan　gave　him　a　small　bucket　of　water；　cool　from

the　well。　　He　carried　it　in　the　crook　of　his　right　arm；　and　a　basket

filled　with　bread　and　butter；　cold　meat；　apple　pie；　and　pickles；　in

his　left　hand。



〃Pickles　are　kind　o'　cooling；〃　said　Mrs。　Duncan。



Then　Freckles　ran　again。



The　Angel　was　on　her　knees；　reaching　for　the　bucket；　as　he　came　up。



〃Be　drinking　slow；〃　he　cautioned　her。



〃Oh！〃　she　cried；　with　a　long　breath　of　satisfaction。　　〃It's　so　good！

You　are　more　than　kind　to　bring　it！〃



Freckles　stood　blinking　in　the　dazzling　glory　of　her　smile　until　he

scarcely　could　see　to　lift　the　basket。



〃Mercy！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　think　I　had　better　be　naming　you

the　‘Angel。'　My　Guardian　Angel。〃



〃Yis；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃I　look　the　character　every　daybut　today

most　emphatic！〃



〃Angels　don't　go　by　looks；〃　laughed　the　girl。　　〃Your　father　told　us

you　had　been　scrapping。　　But　he　told　us　why。　　I'd　gladly　wear　all

your　cuts　and　bruises　if　I　could　do　anything　that　would　make　my

father　look　as　peacocky　as　yours　did。　　He　strutted　about　proper。　

I　never　saw　anyone　look　prouder。〃



〃Did　he　say　he　was　proud　of　me？〃　marveled　Freckles。



〃He　didn't　need　to；〃　answered　the　Angel。　　〃He　was　radiating

pride　from　every　pore。　　Now；　have　you　brought　me　your　dinner？〃



〃I　had　my　dinner　two　hours　ago；〃　answered　Freckles。



〃Honest　Injun？〃　bantered　the　Angel。



〃Honest！　　I　brought　that　on　purpose　for　you。〃



〃Well；　if　you　knew　how　hungry　I　am；　you　would　know　how　thankful

I　am；　to　the　dot；〃　said　the　Angel。



〃Then　you　be　eating；〃　cried　the　happy　Freckles。



The　Angel　sat　on　a　big　camera；　spread　the　lunch　on　the　carriage

seat；　and　divided　it　in　halves。　　The　daintiest　parts　she　could

select　she　carefully　put　back　into　the　basket。　　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　her　every　movement　was　easy　and　charming。　　As　he

watched　her　with　famished　eyes；　Freckles　told　her　of　his　birds；

flowers；　and　books；　and　never　realized　what　he　was　doing。



He　led　the　horse　to　a　deep　pool　that　he　knew　of；　and　the　tortured

creature　drank　greedily；　and　lovingly　rubbed　him　with　its　nose　as

he　wiped　down　its　welted　body　with　grass。　　Suddenly　the　Angel　cried：　

〃There　comes　the　Bird　Woman！〃



Freckles　had　intended　leaving　before　she　came；　but　now　he　was　glad

indeed　to　be　there；　for　a　warmer；　more　worn；　and　worse　bitten

creature　he　never　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　in　the　back　of　the　carriage；　and

helped　her　in。　　The　Angel　gave　her　water；　knelt　and　unfastened　the

leggings；　bathed　her　face；　and　offered　the　lunch。



Freckles　brought　the　horse。　　He　was　not　sure　about　the　harness；　but

the　Angel　knew；　and　soon　they　left　the　swamp。　　Then　he　showed　them

how　to　reach　the　chicken　tree　from　the　outside；　indicated　a　cooler

place　for　the　horse；　and　told　them　how；　the　next　time　they　came；

the　Angel　could　find　his　room　while　she　waited。



The　Bird　Woman　finished　her　lunch；　and　lay　back；　almost　too　tired

to　speak。



〃Were　you　for　getting　Little　Chicken's　picture？〃　Freckles　asked。



〃Finely！〃　she　answered。　　〃He　posed　splendidly。　　But　I　couldn't　do

anything　with　his　mother。　　She　will　require　coaxing。〃



〃The　Lord　be　praised！〃　muttered　Freckles　under　his　breath。



The　Bird　Woman　began　to　feel　better。



〃Why　do　you　call　the　baby　vulture　‘Little　Chicken'？〃　she　asked；

leaning　toward　Freckles　in　an　interested　manner。



〃'Twas　Duncan　began　it；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃You　see；　through　the

fierce　cold　of　winter　the　birds　of　the　swamp　were　almost　starving。

It　is　mighty　lonely　here；　and　they　were　all　the　company　I　was　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。　

Then　when　these　big　black　fellows　came；　Mr。　McLean　said　they　were

our　nearest　kind　to　some　in　the　old　world　that　they　called

‘Pharaoh's　Chickens；'　and　he　called　mine　‘Freckles'　Chickens。'〃



〃Good　enough！〃　cried　the　Bird　Woman；　her　splotched　purple　face

lighting　with　interest。　　〃You　must　shoot　something　for　them

occasionally；　and　I'll　bring　more　food　when　I　come。　　If　you　will

help　me　keep　them　until　I　get　my　series；　I'll　give　you　a　copy　of

each　study　I　make；　mounted　in　a　book。〃



Freckles　drew　a　deep　breath。



〃I'll　be　doing　me　very　best；〃　he　promised；　and　from　the　deeps　he

meant　it。



〃I　wonder　if　that　other　egg　is　going　to　hatch？〃　mused　the　Bird　Woman。　

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

I　never　before　saw　either　an　egg　or　the　young。　　They　are　rare　this

far　north。〃



〃So　Mr。　McLean　said；〃　answered　Freckles。



Before　they　drove　away；　the　Bird　Woman　thanked　him　for　his　kindness

to　the　Angel　and　to　her。　　She　gave　him　her　hand　at　parting；　and

Freckles　joyfully　realized　that　this　was　going　to　be　another　person

for　him　to　love。　　He　could　not　remember；　after　they　had　driven　away；

that　they　even　had　noticed　his　missing　hand；　and　for　the　first　time

in　his　life　he　had　forgotten　it。



When　the　Bird　Woman　and　the　Angel　were　on　the　home　road；　she　told

of　the　little　corner　of　paradise　into　which　she　had　strayed　and

of　her　new　name。　　The　Bird　Woman　looked　at　the　girl　and　guessed

its　appropriateness。



〃Did　you　know　Mr。　McLean　had　a　son？〃　asked　the　Angel。　　〃Isn't　the

little　accent　he　has；　and　the　way　he　twists　a　sentence；　too　dear？

And　isn't　it　too　old…fashioned　and　funny　to　hear　him　call　his

father　‘mister'？〃



〃It　sounds　too　good　to　be　true；〃　said　the　Bird　Woman；　answering　the

last　question　first。　　〃I　am　so　tired　of　these　present…day　young　men

who　patronizingly　call　their　fathers　‘Dad；'　‘Governor；'　‘Old　Man〃

and　‘Old　Chap；'　that　the　boy's　attitude　of　respect　and　deference

appealed　to　me　as　being　fine　as　silk。　　There　must　be　something　rare

about　that　young　man。〃



She　did　not　find　it　necessary　to　tell　the　Angel　that　for　several

years　she　had　known　the　man　who　so　proudly　proclaimed　himself

Freckles'　father　to　be　a　bachelor　and　a　Scotchman。　　The　Bird　Woman

had　a　fine　way　of　attending　strictly　to　her　own　business。



Freckles　turned　to　the　trail；　but　he　stopped　at　every　wild　brier　to

study　the　pink　satin　of　the　petals。　　She　was　not　of　his　world；　and

better　than　any　other　he　knew　it；　but　she　might　be　his　Angel；　and

he　was　dreaming　of　naught　but　blind；　silent　worship。　　He　finished

the　happiest　day　of　his　life；　and　that　night　he　returned　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　of　holy　adoration

that　had　welled　with　the　coming　of　his　Angel。　　He　would　do　his　best；

and　trust　for　strength　to　meet　the　dark　day　of　reckoning　that　he

knew　would　come　sooner　or　later。　　He　swung　round　the　trail；　briskly

tapping　the　wire；　and　singing　in　a　voice　that　scarcely　could　have

been　surpassed　for　sweetness。