freckles-第28部分

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〃Like　those　they　make　dining…tables　and　sideboards　from？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃My！　　How　interesting！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　don't　know　a　thing　about

timber；　but　my　father　wants　me　to　learn　just　everything　I　can。　　I　am

going　to　ask　him　to　let　me　come　here　and　watch　you　until　I　know

enough　to　boss　a　gang　myself。　　Do　you　like　to　cut　trees；　gentlemen？〃

she　asked　with　angelic　sweetness　of　the　men。



Some　of　them　appeared　foolish　and　some　grim；　but　one　managed　to　say

they　did。



Then　the　Angel's　eyes　turned　full　on　Black　Jack；　and　she　gave　the

most　natural　little　start　of　astonishment。



〃Oh！　　I　almost　thought　that　you　were　a　ghost！〃　she　cried。　　〃But　I　see

now　that　you　are　really　and　truly。　　Were　you　ever　in　Colorado？〃



〃No；〃　said　Jack。



〃I　see　you　aren't　the　same　man；〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃You　know；　we

were　in　Colorado　last　year；　and　there　was　a　cowboy　who　was　the

handsomest　man　anywhere　around。　　He'd　come　riding　into　town　every

night；　and　all　we　girls　just　adored　him！　　Oh；　but　he　was　a　beauty！

I　thought　at　first　glance　you　were　really　he；　but　I　see　now　he

wasn't　nearly　so　tall　nor　so　broad　as　you；　and　only　half　as　handsome。〃



The　men　began　to　laugh　while　Jack　flushed　crimson。　　The　Angel　joined

in　the　laugh。



〃Well；　I'll　leave　it　to　you！　　Isn't　he　handsome？〃　she　challenged。

〃As　for　that　cowboy's　face；　it　couldn't　be　compared　with　yours。　

The　only　trouble　with　you　is　that　your　clothes　are　spoiling　you。　

It's　the　dress　those　cowboys　wear　that　makes　half　their　attraction。　

If　you　were　properly　clothed；　you　could　break　the　heart　of　the

prettiest　girl　in　the　country。〃



With　one　accord　the　other　men　looked　at　Black　Jack；　and　for　the

first　time　realized　that　he　was　a　superb　specimen　of　manhood；　for

he　stood　six　feet　tall；　was　broad；　well…rounded；　and　had　dark；　even

skin；　big　black　eyes；　and　full　red　lips。



〃I'll　tell　you　what！〃　exclaimed　the　Angel。　　〃I'd　just　love　to　see

you　on　horseback。　　Nothing　sets　a　handsome　man　off　so　splendidly。　

Do　you　ride？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Jack；　and　his　eyes　were　burning　on　the　Angel　as　if　he

would　fathom　the　depths　of　her　soul。



〃Well；〃　said　the　Angel　winsomely；　〃I　know　what　I　just　wish　you'd　do。　

I　wish　you　would　let　your　hair　grow　a　little　longer。　　Then　wear

a　blue　flannel　shirt　a　little　open　at　the　throat；　a　red　tie；　and　a

broad…brimmed　felt　hat；　and　ride　past　my　house　of　evenings。　

I'm　always　at　home　then；　and　almost　always　on　the　veranda；　and；　oh！

but　I　would　like　to　see　you！　　Will　you　do　that　for　me？〃　It　is　impossible

to　describe　the　art　with　which　the　Angel　asked　the　question。　　She　was

looking　straight　into　Jack's　face；　coarse　and　hardened　with　sin　and

careless　living；　which　was　now　taking　on　a　wholly　different　expression。　

The　evil　lines　of　it　were　softening　and　fading　under　her　clear　gaze。　

A　dull　red　flamed　into　his　bronze　cheeks；　while　his　eyes　were

growing　brightly　tender。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　and　the　glance　he　gave　the　men　was　of　such　a　nature

that　no　one　saw　fit　even　to　change　countenance。



〃Oh；　goody！〃　she　cried；　tilting　on　her　toes。　　〃I'll　ask　all　the

girls　to　come　see；　but　they　needn't　stick　in！　　We　can　get　along

without　them；　can't　we？〃



Jack　leaned　toward　her。　　He　was　the　charmed　fluttering　bird；　while

the　Angel　was　the　snake。



〃Well；　I　rather　guess！〃　he　cried。



The　Angel　drew　a　deep　breath　and　surveyed　him　rapturously。



〃My；　but　you're　tall！〃　she　commented。　　〃Do　you　suppose　I　ever　will

grow　to　reach　your　shoulders？〃



She　stood　on　tiptoe　and　measured　the　distance　with　her　eyes。　　Then　she

developed　timid　confusion；　while　her　glance　sought　the　ground。



〃I　wish　I　could　do　something；〃　she　half　whispered。



Jack　seemed　to　increase　an　inch　in　height。



〃What？〃　he　asked　hoarsely。



〃Lariat　Bill　used　always　to　have　a　bunch　of　red　flowers　in　his

shirt　pocket。　　The　red　lit　up　his　dark　eyes　and　olive　cheeks　and

made　him　splendid。　　May　I　put　some　red　flowers　on　you？〃



Freckles　stared　as　he　wheezed　for　breath。　　He　wished　the　earth　would

open　and　swallow　him。　　Was　he　dead　or　alive？　　Since　his　Angel　had

seen　Black　Jack　she　never　had　glanced　his　way。　　Was　she　completely

bewitched？　　Would　she　throw　herself　at　the　man's　feet　before　them　all？　

Couldn't　she　give　him　even　one　thought？　　Hadn't　she　seen　that

he　was　gagged　and　bound？　　Did　she　truly　think　that　these　were

McLean's　men？　　Why；　she　could　not！　　It　was　only　a　few　days　ago　that

she　had　been　close　enough　to　this　man　and　angry　enough　with　him　to

peel　the　hat　from　his　head　with　a　shot！　　Suddenly　a　thing　she　had

said　jestingly　to　him　one　day　came　back　with　startling　force：　

〃You　must　take　Angels　on　trust。〃　　Of　course　you　must！　　She　was

his　Angel。　　She　must　have　seen！　　His　life；　and　what　was　far　more；

her　own；　was　in　her　hands。　　There　was　nothing　he　could　do　but

trust　her。　　Surely　she　was　working　out　some　plan。



The　Angel　knelt　beside　his　flower　bed　and　recklessly　tore　up　by　the

roots　a　big　bunch　of　foxfire。



〃These　stems　are　so　tough　and　sticky；〃　she　said。　　〃I　can't

break　them。　　Loan　me　your　knife；〃　she　ordered　Freckles。



As　she　reached　for　the　knife；　her　back　was　for　one　second　toward

the　men。　　She　looked　into　his　eyes　and　deliberately　winked。



She　severed　the　stems；　tossed　the　knife　to　Freckles；　and　walking　to

Jack；　laid　the　flowers　over　his　heart。



Freckles　broke　into　a　sweat　of　agony。　　He　had　said　she　would　be　safe

in　a　herd　of　howling　savages。　　Would　she？　　If　Black　Jack　even　made　a

motion　toward　touching　her；　Freckles　knew　that　from　somewhere　he

would　muster　the　strength　to　kill　him。　　He　mentally　measured　the

distance　to　where　his　club　lay　and　set　his　muscles　for　a　spring。

But　noby　the　splendor　of　God！　　The　big　fellow　was　baring　his　head

with　a　hand　that　was　unsteady。　　The　Angel　pulled　one　of　the　long

silver　pins　from　her　hat　and　fastened　her　flowers　securely。



Freckles　was　quaking。　　What　was　to　come　next？　　What　was　she　planning；

and　oh！　　did　she　understand　the　danger　of　her　presence　among　those

men；　the　real　necessity　for　action？



As　the　Angel　stepped　from　Jack；　she　turned　her　head　to　one　side　and

peered　at　him；　quite　as　Freckles　had　seen　the　little　yellow　fellow

do　on　the　line　a　hundred　times；　and　said：　　〃Well；　that　does　the　trick！　

Isn't　that　fine？　　See　how　it　sets　him　off；　boys？　　Don't　you　forget

the　tie　is　to　be　red；　and　the　first　ride　soon。　　I　can't　wait

very　long。　　Now　I　must　go。　　The　Bird　Woman　will　be　ready　to　start；

and　she　will　come　here　hunting　me　next；　for　she　is　busy　today。　

What　did　I　come　here　for　anyway？〃



She　glanced　inquiringly　around；　and　several　of　the　men　laughed。　

Oh；　the　delight　of　it！　　She　had　forgotten　her　errand　for　him！　

Jack　had　a　second　increase　in　height。　　The　Angel　glanced　helplessly

as　if　seeking　a　clue。　　Then　her　eyes　fell；　as　if　by　accident；　on

Freckles；　and　she　cried；　〃Oh；　I　know　now！　　It　was　those　magazines

the　Bird　Woman　promised　you。　　I　came　to　tell　you　that　we　put　them

under　the　box　where　we　hide　things；　at　the　entrance　to　the　swamp

as　we　came　in。　　I　knew　I　would　need　my　hands　crossing　the　swamp；

so　I　hid　them　there。　　You'll　find　them　at　the　same　old　place。〃



Then　Freckles　spoke。



〃It's　mighty　risky　for　you　to　be　crossing　the　swamp　alone；〃　he　said。　

〃I'm　surprised　that　the　Bird　Woman　would　be　letting　you　try　it。　

I　know　it's　a　little　farther；　but　it's　begging　you　I　am　to　be

going　back　by　the　trail。　　That's　bad　enough；　but　it's　far　safer　than

the　swamp。〃



The　Angel　laughed　merrily。



〃Oh　stop　your　nonsense！〃　she　cried。　　〃I'm　not　afraid！　　Not　in

the　least！　　The　Bird　Woman　didn't　want　me　to　try　following　a　path

that　I'd　been　over　only　once；　but　I　was　sure　I　could　do　it；　and　I'm

rather　proud　of　the　performance。　　Now；　don't　go　babying！　　You　know

I'm　not　afraid！〃



〃No；〃　said　Freckles　gently；　〃I　know　you're　not；　but　that　has

nothing　to　do　with　the　fact　that　your　friends　are　afraid　for　you。

On　the　trail　you　can　see　your　way　a　bit　ahead；　and　you've　all　the

world　a　better　chance　if　you　meet　a　snake。〃



Then　Freckles　had　an　inspiration。　　He　turned　to　Jack　imploringly。



〃You　tell　her！〃　he　pleaded。　　〃Tell　her　to　go　by　the　trail。　　She　will

for　you。〃



The　implication　of　this　statement　was　so　gratifying　to　Black　Jack

that　he　seemed　again　to　expand　and　take　on　increase　before　their

very　eyes。



〃You　bet！〃　exclaimed　Jack。　　And　to　the　Angel：　　〃You　better　take

Freckles'　word　for　it；　miss。　　He　knows　the　old　swamp　better　than　any

of　us；　except　me；　and　if　he　says　‘go　by　the　trail；'　you'd　best　do　it。〃



The　Angel　hesitated。　　She　wanted　to　recross　the　swamp　and　try　to

reach　the　horse。　　She　knew　Freckles　would　brave　any　danger　to　save

her　crossing　the　swamp　alone；　but　she　really　was　not　afraid；　while

the　trail　added　over　a　mile　to　the　walk。　　She　knew　the　path。　

She　intended　to　run　for　dear　life　the　instant　she　felt　herself　from

their　sight；　and　tucked　in　the　folds　of　her　blouse　was　a　fine

little　32…caliber　revolver　that　her　father　had　presented　her　for

her　share　in　what　he　was　pleased　to　call　her　military　exploit。　

One　last　glance　at　Freckles　showed　her　the　agony　in　his　eyes；　and

immediately　she　imagined　he　had　some　other　reason。　　She　would　follow

the　trail。



〃All　right；〃　she　said；　giving　Jack　a　thrilling　glance。　　〃If　you　say

so；　I'll　return　by　the　trail　to　please　you。　　Good…bye；　everybody。〃



She　lifted　the　bushes　and　started　toward　the　entrance。



〃You　damned　fool！　　Stop　her！〃　growled　Wessner。　　〃Keep　her　till　we're

loaded；　anyhow。　　You're　playing　hell！　　Can't　you　see　that　when　this

thing　is　found　out；　there　she'll　be　to　ruin　all　of　us。　　If　you　let

her　go；　every　man　of　us　has　got　to　cut；　and　some　of　us　will　be

caught　sure。〃



Jack　sprang　forward。　　Freckles'　heart　muffled　in　his　throat。　

The　Angel　seemed　to　divine　Jack's　coming。　　She　was　humming　a

little　song。　　She　deliberately　stopped　and　began　pulling　the　heads

of　the　curious　grasses　that　grew　all　around　her。　　When　s