freckles-第31部分

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fellows　to　steal　from　you。　　I　suppose　he'd　promised　to　divide。　

You　settle　with　him；　and　that　business　will　stop。〃



She　turned　to　Freckles。　　〃And　you　be　the　happiest　man　alive；　because

you　have　kept　your　trust。　　Go　look　where　I　tell　you　and　you'll　find

the　logs。　　I　can　see　just　about　where　they　are。　　When　they　go　up　that

steep　little　hill；　into　the　next　woods　after　the　cornfield；　why；

they　could　unloose　the　chains　and　the　logs　would　roll　from　the

wagons　themselves。　　Now；　you　go　look；　and　Mr。　McLean；　you　do　feel

that　Freckles　has　been　brave　and　faithful？　　You　won't　love　him　any

the　less　even　if　you　don't　find　the　logs〃



The　Angel's　nerve　gave　way　and　she　began　to　cry。　　Freckles　could　not

endure　it。　　He　almost　ran　from　the　room；　with　the　tears　in　his　eyes；

but　McLean　took　the　Angel　from　the　Bird　Woman's　arms；　and　kissed

her　brave　little　face；　stroked　her　hair；　and　petted　her　into

quietness　before　he　left。



As　they　drove　to　the　swamp；　McLean　so　earnestly　seconded　all　that

the　Angel　had　said　that　he　soon　had　the　boy　feeling　much　better。



〃Freckles；　your　Angel　has　a　spice　of　the　devil　in　her；　but

she's　superb！　　You　needn't　spend　any　time　questioning　or　bewailing

anything　she　does。　　Just　worship　blindly；　my　boy。　　By　heaven！　she's

sense；　courage；　and　beauty　for　half　a　dozen　girls；〃　said　McLean。



〃It's　altogether　right　you　are；　sir；〃　affirmed　Freckles　heartily。

Presently　he　added；　〃There's　no　question　but　the　series　is　over　now。〃



〃Don't　think　it！〃　answered　McLean。　　〃The　Bird　Woman　is　working　for

success；　and　success　along　any　line　is　not　won　by　being　scared　out。

She　will　be　back　on　the　usual　day；　and　ten　to　one；　the　Angel　will

be　with　her。　　They　are　made　of　pretty　stern　stuff；　and　they　don't

scare　worth　a　cent。　　Before　I　left；　I　told　the　Bird　Woman　it　would

be　safe；　and　it　will。　　You　may　do　your　usual　walking；　but　those　four

guards　are　there　to　remain。　　They　are　under　your　orders　absolutely。

They　are　prohibited　from　firing　on　any　bird　or　molesting　anything

that　you　want　to　protect；　but　there　they　remain；　and　this　time　it

is　useless　for　you　to　say　one　word。　　I　have　listened　to　your　pride

too　long。　　You　are　too　precious　to　me；　and　that　voice　of　yours　is

too　precious　to　the　world　to　run　any　more　risks。〃



〃I　am　sorry　to　have　anything　spoil　the　series；〃　said　Freckles；　〃and

I'd　love　them　to　be　coming；　the　Angel　especial；　but　it　can't　be。

You'll　have　to　tell　them　so。　　You　see；　Jack　would　have　been　ready　to

stake　his　life　she　meant　what　she　said　and　did　to　him。　　When　the

teams　pulled　out；　Wessner　seized　me；　then　he　and　Jack　went　to

quarreling　over　whether　they　should　finish　me　then　or　take　me　to

the　next　tree　they　were　for　felling。　　Between　them　they　were　pulling

me　around　and　hurting　me　bad。　　Wessner　wanted　to　get　at　me　right

then；　and　Jack　said　he　shouldn't　be　touching　me　till　the　last　tree

was　out　and　all　the　rest　of　them　gone。　　I'm　belaying　Jack　really

hated　to　see　me　done　for　in　the　beginning；　and　I　think；　too；　he　was

afraid　if　Wessner　finished　me　then　he'd　lose　his　nerve　and　cut；　and

they　couldn't　be　managing　the　felling　without　him；　anyway；　they

were　hauling　me　round　like　I　was　already　past　all　feeling；　and　they

tied　me　up　again。　　To　keep　me　courage　up；　I　twits　Wessner　about

having　to　tie　me　and　needing　another　man　to　help　handle　me。　　I　told

him　what　I'd　do　to　him　if　I　was　free；　and　he　grabs　up　me　own　club

and　lays　open　me　head　with　it。　　When　the　blood　came　streaming；　it

set　Jack　raving；　and　he　cursed　and　damned　Wessner　for　a　coward　and

a　softy。　　Then　Wessner　turned　on　Jack　and　gives　it　to　him　for

letting　the　Angel　make　a　fool　of　him。　　Tells　him　she　was　just

playing　with　him；　and　beyond　all　manner　of　doubt　she'd　gone　after

you；　and　there　was　nothing　to　do　on　account　of　his　foolishness　but

finish　me；　get　out；　and　let　the　rest　of　the　timber　go；　for　likely

you　was　on　the　way　right　then。　　That　drove　Jack　plum　crazy。



〃I　don't　think　he　was　for　having　a　doubt　of　the　Angel　before；　but

then　he　just　raved。　　He　grabbed　out　his　gun　and　turned　on　Wessner。

Spang！　　It　went　out　of　his　fist；　and　the　order　comes：　　‘Hands　up！'

Wessner　reached　for　kingdom　come　like　he　was　expecting　to　grab　hold

and　pull　himself　up。　　Jack　puts　up　what　he　has　left。　　Then　he　leans

over　to　me　and　tells　me　what　he'll　do　to　me　if　he　ever　gets　out　of

there　alive。　　Then；　just　like　a　snake　hissing；　he　spits　out　what

he'll　do　to　her　for　playing　him。　　He　did　get　away；　and　with　his

strength；　that　wound　in　his　hand　won't　be　bothering　him　long。　

He'll　do　to　me　just　what　he　said；　and　when　he　hears　it　really　was

she　that　went　after　you；　why；　he'll　keep　his　oath　about　her。



〃He's　lived　in　the　swamp　all　his　life；　sir；　and　everybody　says　it's

always　been　the　home　of　cutthroats；　outlaws；　and　runaways。　　He　knows

its　most　secret　places　as　none　of　the　others。　　He's　alive。　　He's　in

there　now；　sir。　　Some　way　he'll　keep　alive。　　If　you'd　seen　his　face；

all　scarlet　with　passion；　twisted　with　pain；　and　black　with　hate；

and　heard　him　swearing　that　oath；　you'd　know　it　was　a　sure　thing。

I　ain't　done　with　him　yet；　and　I've　brought　this　awful　thing　on　her。〃



〃And　I　haven't　begun　with　him　yet；〃　said　McLean；　setting　his　teeth。

〃I've　been　away　too　slow　and　too　easy；　believing　there'd　be　no

greater　harm　than　the　loss　of　a　tree。　　I've　sent　for　a　couple　of

first…class　detectives。　　We　will　put　them　on　his　track；　and　rout　him

out　and　rid　the　country　of　him。　　I　don't　propose　for　him　to　stop

either　our　work　or　our　pleasure。　　As　for　his　being　in　the　swamp　now；

I　don't　believe　it。　　He'd　find　a　way　out　last　night；　in　spite　of　us。

Don't　you　worry！　　I　am　at　the　helm　now；　and　I'll　see　to　that

gentleman　in　my　own　way。〃



〃I　wish　to　my　soul　you　had　seen　and　heard　him！〃　said　Freckles；　unconvinced。



They　entered　the　swamp；　taking　the　route　followed　by　the　Bird　Woman

and　the　Angel。　　They　really　did　find　the　logs；　almost　where　the

Angel　had　predicted　they　would　be。　　McLean　went　to　the　South　camp

and　had　an　interview　with　Crowen　that　completely　convinced　him　that

the　Angel　was　correct　there　also。　　But　he　had　no　proof；　so　all　he

could　do　was　to　discharge　the　man；　although　his　guilt　was　so

apparent　that　he　offered　to　withdraw　the　wager。



Then　McLean　sent　for　a　pack　of　bloodhounds　and　put　them　on　the

trail　of　Black　Jack。　　They　clung　to　it；　on　and　on；　into　the　depths

of　the　swamp；　leading　their　followers　through　what　had　been

considered　impassable　and　impenetrable　ways；　and　finally；　around

near　the　west　entrance　and　into　the　swale。　　Here　the　dogs　bellowed；

raved；　and　fell　over　each　other　in　their　excitement。　　They　raced

back　and　forth　from　swamp　to　swale；　but　follow　the　scent　farther

they　would　not；　even　though　cruelly　driven。　　At　last　their　owner

attributed　their　actions　to　snakes；　and　as　they　were　very　valuable

dogs；　abandoned　the　effort　to　urge　them　on。　　So　that　all　they　really

established　was　the　fact　that　Black　Jack　had　eluded　their　vigilance

and　crossed　the　trail　some　time　in　the　night。　　He　had　escaped　to　the

swale；　from　there　he　probably　crossed　the　corduroy；　and　reaching

the　lower　end　of　the　swamp；　had　found　friends。　　It　was　a　great

relief　to　feel　that　he　was　not　in　the　swamp；　and　it　raised　the

spirits　of　every　man　on　the　line；　though　many　of　them　expressed

regrets　that　he　who　was　undoubtedly　most　to　blame　should　escape；

while　Wessner；　who　in　the　beginning　was　only　his　tool；　should　be

left　to　punishment。



But　for　Freckles；　with　Jack's　fearful　oath　ringing　in　his　ears；

there　was　neither　rest　nor　peace。　　He　was　almost　ill　when　the　day

for　the　next　study　of　the　series　arrived　and　he　saw　the　Bird　Woman

and　the　Angel　coming　down　the　corduroy。　　The　guards　of　the　east　line

he　left　at　their　customary　places；　but　those　of　the　west　he　brought

over　and　placed；　one　near　Little　Chicken's　tree；　and　the　other　at

the　carriage。　　He　was　firm　about　the　Angel's　remaining　in　the

carriage；　that　he　did　not　offer　to　have　unhitched。　　He　went　with　the

Bird　Woman　to　secure　the　picture；　which　was　the　easiest　matter　it

had　been　at　any　time　yet；　for　the　simple　reason　that　the　placing　of

the　guards　and　the　unusual　movement　around　the　swamp　had　made　Mr。

and　Mrs。　Chicken　timid；　and　they　had　not　carried　Little　Chicken　the

customary　amount　of　food。　　Freckles；　in　the　anxiety　of　the　past　few

days；　had　neglected　him；　and　he　had　been　so　hungry；　much　of　the

time；　that　when　the　Bird　Woman　held　up　a　sweet…bread；　although　he

had　started　toward　the　recesses　of　the　log　at　her　coming；　he

stopped；　with　slightly　opened　beak；　he　waited　anxiously　for　the

treat；　and　gave　a　study　of　great　value；　showing　every　point　of　his

head；　also　his　wing　and　tail　development。



When　the　Bird　Woman　proposed　to　look　for　other　subjects　close　about

the　line；　Freckles　went　so　far　as　to　tell　her　that　Jack　had　made

fearful　threats　against　the　Angel。　　He　implored　her　to　take　the

Angel　home　and　keep　her　under　unceasing　guard　until　Jack　was

located。　　He　wanted　to　tell　her　all　about　it；　but　he　knew　how　dear

the　Angel　was　to　her；　and　he　dreaded　to　burden　her　with　his　fears

when　they　might　prove　groundless。　　He　allowed　her　to　go；　but

afterward　blamed　himself　severely　for　having　done　so。







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIV



　　　　　Wherein　Freckles　Nurses　a　Heartache　and　Black　Jack　Drops　Out



〃McLean；〃　said　Mrs。　Duncan；　as　the　Boss　paused　to　greet　her　in

passing　the　cabin；　〃do　you　know　that　Freckles　hasna　been　in　bed　the

past　five　nights　and　all　he's　eaten　in　that　many　days　ye　could　pack

into　a　pint　cup？〃



〃Why；　what　does　the　boy　mean？〃　demanded　McLean。　　〃There's　no

necessity　for　him　being　on　guard；　with　the　watch　I've　set　on

the　line。　　I　had　no　idea　he　was　staying　down　there。〃



〃He's　no　there；〃　said　Mrs。　Duncan。　　〃He　goes　somewhere　else。　

He　leaves　on　his　wheel　juist　after　we're　abed　and　rides　in　close

cock…crow　or　a　little　earlier；　and　he's　looking　like　death　and

nothing　short　of　it。〃