freckles-第20部分

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holding　it　up。



The　morning　breeze　waved　the　ribbons　gracefully；　binding　one　around

Freckles'　sleeve　and　the　other　across　his　chest；　where　they　caught

and　clung　as　if　magnetized。



〃Yes；〃　said　Sarah　Duncan。　　〃It's　verra　plain　and　simple；　but　it

juist　makes　ye　feel　that　it's　all　of　the　finest　stuff。　　It's　exactly

what　I'd　call　a　heavenly　hat。〃



〃Sure；〃　said　Freckles；　〃for　it's　belonging　to　an　Angel！〃



Then　he　told　her　about　the　hat　and　asked　her　what　he　should　do　with　it。



〃Take　it　to　her；　of　course！〃　said　Sarah　Duncan。　　〃Like　it's　the　only

ane　she　has　and　she　may　need　it　badly。〃



Freckles　smiled。　　He　had　a　clear　idea　about　the　hat　being　the　only

one　the　Angel　had。　　However；　there　was　a　thing　he　felt　he　should　do

and　wanted　to　do；　but　he　was　not　sure。



〃You　think　I　might　be　taking　it　home？〃　he　said。



〃Of　course　ye　must；〃　said　Mrs。　Duncan。　　〃And　without　another

hour's　delay。　　It's　been　here　two　days　noo；　and　she　may　want　it；

and　be　too　busy　or　afraid　to　come。〃



〃But　how　can　I　take　it？〃　asked　Freckles。



〃Gang　spinning　on　your　wheel。　　Ye　can　do　it　easy　in　an　hour。〃



〃But　in　that　hour；　what　if？〃



〃Nonsense！〃　interrupted　Sarah　Duncan。　　〃Ye've　watched　that

timber…line　until　ye're　grown　fast　to　it；　lad。　　Give　me　your　boots

and　club　and　I'll　gae　walk　the　south　end　and　watch　doon　the　east

and　west　sides　until　ye　come　back。〃



〃Mrs。　Duncan！　　You　never　would　be　doing　it；〃　cried　Freckles。



〃Why　not？〃　inquired　she。



〃But　you　know　you're　mortal　afraid　of　snakes　and　a　lot　of　other

things　in　the　swamp。〃



〃I　am　afraid　of　snakes；〃　said　Mrs。　Duncan；　〃but　likely　they've　gone

into　the　swamp　this　hot　weather。　　I'll　juist　stay　on　the　trail　and

watch；　and　ye　might　hurry　the　least　bit。　　The　day's　so　bright　it

feels　like　storm。　　I　can　put　the　bairns　on　the　woodpile　to　play

until　I　get　back。　　Ye　gang　awa　and　take　the　blessed　little　angel　her

beautiful　hat。〃



〃Are　you　sure　it　will　be　all　right？〃　urged　Freckles。　　〃Do　you　think

if　Mr。　McLean　came　he　would　care？〃



〃Na；〃　said　Mrs。　Duncan；　〃I　dinna。　　If　ye　and　me　agree　that　a　thing

ought　to　be　done；　and　I　watch　in　your　place；　why；　it's　bound　to　be

all　right　with　McLean。　　Let　me　pin　the　hat　in　a　paper；　and　ye　jump

on　your　wheel　and　gang　flying。　　Ought　ye　put　on　your　Sabbath…day　clothes？〃



Freckles　shook　his　head。　　He　knew　what　he　should　do；　but　there　was

no　use　in　taking　time　to　try　to　explain　it　to　Mrs。　Duncan　while　he

was　so　hurried。　　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　seen　her　home　many　times；　and　he　passed　it

again　without　even　raising　his　eyes　from　the　street；　steering

straight　for　her　father's　place　of　business。




Carrying　the　hat；　Freckles　passed　a　long　line　of　clerks；　and　at　the

door　of　the　private　office　asked　to　see　the　proprietor。　　When　he　had

waited　a　moment；　a　tall；　spare；　keen…eyed　man　faced　him；　and　in

brisk；　nervous　tones　asked：　　〃How　can　I　serve　you；　sir？〃



Freckles　handed　him　the　package　and　answered；　〃By　delivering　to

your　daughter　this　hat；　which　she　was　after　leaving　at　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　than　I'll　be　having　words　to

express　for　the　brave　things　they　was　doing　for　me。　　I'm　McLean's

Limberlost　guard；　sir。〃



〃Why　don't　you　take　it　yourself？〃　questioned　the　Man　of　Affairs。



Freckles'　clear　gray　eyes　met　those　of　the　Angel's　father　squarely；　and

he　asked：　　〃If　you　were　in　my　place；　would　you　take　it　to　her　yourself？〃



〃No；　I　would　not；〃　said　that　gentleman　quickly。



〃Then　why　ask　why　I　did　not？〃　came　Freckles'　lamb…like　query。



〃Bless　me！〃　said　the　Angel's　father。　　He　stared　at　the　package；　then

at　the　lifted　chin　of　the　boy；　and　then　at　the　package　again；　and

muttered；　〃Excuse　me！〃



Freckles　bowed。



〃It　would　be　favoring　me　greatly　if　you　would　deliver　the　hat　and

the　message。　　Good　morning；　sir；〃　and　he　turned　away。



〃One　minute；〃　said　the　Angel's　father。　　〃Suppose　I　give　you　permission

to　return　this　hat　in　person　and　make　your　own　acknowledgments。〃



Freckles　stood　one　moment　thinking　intently；　and　then　he　lifted

those　eyes　of　unswerving　truth　and　asked：　　〃Why　should　you；　sir？　

You　are　kind；　indade；　to　mention　it；　and　it's　thanking　you　I　am　for

your　good　intintions；　but　my　wanting　to　go　or　your　being　willing　to

have　me　ain't　proving　that　your　daughter　would　be　wanting　me　or

care　to　bother　with　me。〃



The　Angel's　father　looked　keenly　into　the　face　of　this

extraordinary　young　man；　for　he　found　it　to　his　liking。



〃There's　one　other　thing　I　meant　to　say；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃Every　day

I　see　something；　and　at　times　a　lot　of　things；　that　I　think　the

Bird　Woman　would　be　wanting　pictures　of　badly；　if　she　knew。　

You　might　be　speaking　of　it　to　her；　and　if　she'd　want　me　to；

I　can　send　her　word　when　I　find　things　she　wouldn't　likely

get　elsewhere。〃



〃If　that's　the　case；〃　said　the　Angel's　father；　〃and　you　feel　under

obligations　for　her　assistance　the　other　day；　you　can　discharge

them　in　that　way。　　She　is　spending　all　her　time　in　the　fields　and

woods　searching　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　protection。　　By　all　means　let　her　know　if　you

find　subjects　you　think　she　could　use；　and　we　will　do　anything　we

can　for　you；　if　you　will　give　her　what　help　you　can　and　see　that

she　is　as　safe　as　possible。〃



〃It's　hungry　for　human　beings　I　am；〃　said　Freckles；　〃and　it's　like

Heaven　to　me　to　have　them　come。　　Of　course；　I'll　be　telling　or

sending　her　word　every　time　me　work　can　spare　me。　　Anything　I　can　do

it　would　make　me　uncommon　happy；　but〃again　truth　had　to　be　told；

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。　　If　there　wasn't　really　thieving　to　guard　against；　why；

McLean　wouldn't　need　be　paying　out　good　money　for　a　guard。　　I'd　love

them　to　be　coming；　and　I'll　do　all　I　can；　but　you　must　be　told　that

there's　danger　of　them　running　into　timber　thieves　again　any　day；　sir。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Angel's　father；　〃and　I　suppose　there's　danger　of

the　earth　opening　up　and　swallowing　the　town　any　day；　but　I'm

damned　if　I　quit　business　for　fear　it　will；　and　the　Bird　Woman

won't；　either。　　Everyone　knows　her　and　her　work；　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　am　ever　uneasy　about　are　the　snakes；　poison…

vines；　and　insects；　and　those　are　risks　she　must　run　anywhere。　

You　need　not　hesitate　a　minute　about　that。　　I　shall　be　glad　to　tell

them　what　you　wish。　　Thank　you　very　much；　and　good　day；　sir。〃



There　was　no　way　in　which　Freckles　could　know　it；　but　by　following

his　best　instincts　and　being　what　he　conceived　a　gentleman　should

be；　he　surprised　the　Man　of　Affairs　into　thinking　of　him　and　seeing

his　face　over　his　books　many　times　that　morning；　whereas；　if　he　had

gone　to　the　Angel　as　he　had　longed　to　do；　her　father　never　would

have　given　him　a　second　thought。



On　the　street　he　drew　a　deep　breath。　　How　had　he　acquitted　himself？

He　only　knew　that　he　had　lived　up　to　his　best　impulse；　and　that　is

all　anyone　can　do。　　He　glanced　over　his　wheel　to　see　that　it　was　all

right；　and　just　as　he　stepped　to　the　curb　to　mount　he　heard　a　voice

that　thrilled　him　through　and　through：　　〃Freckles！　　Oh　Freckles！〃



The　Angel　separated　from　a　group　of　laughing；　sweet…faced　girls　and

came　hurrying　to　him。　　She　was　in　snowy　whitea　quaint　little

frock；　with　a　marvel　of　soft　lace　around　her　throat　and　wrists。

Through　the　sheer　sleeves　of　it　her　beautiful；　rounded　arms　showed

distinctly；　and　it　was　cut　just　to　the　base　of　her　perfect　neck。　

On　her　head　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

altogether　she　was　the　daintiest；　sweetest　sight　he　ever　had　seen。

Freckles；　standing　on　the　curb；　forgot　himself　in　his　cotton　shirt；

corduroys；　and　his　belt　to　which　his　wire…cutter　and　pliers　were

hanging；　and　gazed　as　a　man　gazes　when　first　he　sees　the　woman　he　adores

with　all　her　charms　enhanced　by　appropriate　and　beautiful　clothing。



〃Oh　Freckles；〃　she　cried　as　she　came　to　him。　　〃I　was　wondering　about

you　the　other　day。　　Do　you　know　I　never　saw　you　in　town　before。　

You　watch　that　old　line　so　closely！　　Why　did　you　come？　　Is　there

any　trouble？　　Are　you　just　starting　to　the　Limberlost？〃



〃I　came　to　bring　your　hat；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃You　forgot　it　in　the

rush　the　other　day。　　I　have　left　it　with　your　father；　and　a　message

trying　to　ixpriss　the　gratitude　of　me　for　how　you　and　the　Bird

Woman　were　for　helping　me　out。〃



The　Angel　nodded　gravely；　then　Freckles　saw　that　he　had　done　the

proper　thing　in　going　to　her　father。　　His　heart　bounded　until　it

jarred　his　body；　for　she　was　saying　that　she　scarcely　could　wait　for

the　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　can　sing　like　that　every　day；　I　never　can　get　enough　of　it。

I　wonder　if　I　couldn't　bring　my　banjo　and　some　of　the　songs　I

like　best。　　I'll　play　and　you　sing；