freckles-第42部分

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back　without　him。　　If　you　know　where　Freckles　is；　they'd　give　big

money　to　find　out。〃



The　Angel　laid　a　hand　along　each　cheek　to　steady　her　chattering　teeth。



〃Who　are　they？〃　she　stammered。　　〃Where　are　they　going？〃



〃They　are　Irish　folks；　miss；〃　said　the　matron。　　〃They　have　been　in

Chicago　and　over　the　country　for　the　past　three　months；　hunting　him

everywhere。　　They　have　given　up；　and　are　starting　home　today。　　They〃



〃Did　they　leave　an　address？　　Where　could　I　find　them？〃　interrupted

the　Angel。



〃They　left　a　card；　and　I　notice　the　morning　paper　has　the　man's

picture　and　is　full　of　them。　　They've　advertised　a　great　deal　in　the

city　papers。　　It's　a　wonder　you　haven't　seen　something。〃



〃Trains　don't　run　right。　　We　never　get　Chicago　papers；〃　said

the　Angel。　　〃Please　give　me　that　card　quickly。　　They　may　escape　me。　

I　simply　must　catch　them！〃



The　matron　hurried　to　the　secretary　and　came　back　with　a　card。



〃Their　addresses　are　there；〃　she　said。　　〃Both　in　Chicago　and　at

their　home。　　They　made　them　full　and　plain；　and　I　was　to　cable　at

once　if　I　got　the　least　clue　of　him　at　any　time。　　If　they've　left

the　city；　you　can　stop　them　in　New　York。　　You're　sure　to　catch　them

before　they　sailif　you　hurry。〃



The　matron　caught　up　a　paper　and　thrust　it　into　the　Angel's　hand　as

she　ran　to　the　street。



The　Angel　glanced　at　the　card。　　The　Chicago　address　was　Suite

Eleven；　Auditorium。　　She　laid　her　hand　on　her　driver's　sleeve　and

looked　into　his　eyes。



〃There　is　a　fast…driving　limit？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes；　miss。〃



〃Will　you　crowd　it　all　you　can　without　danger　of　arrest？　　I　will

pay　well。　　I　must　catch　some　people！〃



Then　she　smiled　at　him。　　The　hospital；　an　Orphans'　Home；　and　the

Auditorium　seemed　a　queer　combination　to　that　driver；　but　the　Angel

was　always　and　everywhere　the　Angel；　and　her　methods　were　strictly

her　own。



〃I　will　take　you　there　as　quickly　as　any　man　could　with　a　team；〃　he

said　promptly。



The　Angel　clung　to　the　card　and　paper；　and　as　best　she　could　in　the

lurching；　swaying　cab；　read　the　addresses　over。



〃O'More；　Suite　Eleven；　Auditorium。〃



〃‘O'More；'〃　she　repeated。　　〃Seems　to　fit　Freckles　to　a　dot。　　Wonder　if

that　could　be　his　name？　　‘Suite　Eleven'　means　that　you　are　pretty

well　fixed。　　Suites　in　the　Auditorium　come　high。〃



Then　she　turned　the　card　and　read　on　its　reverse；　Lord　Maxwell

O'More；　M。　　P。；　Killvany　Place；　County　Clare；　Ireland。



The　Angel　sat　on　the　edge　of　the　seat；　bracing　her　feet　against　the

one　opposite；　as　the　cab　pitched　and　swung　around　corners　and

past　vehicles。　　She　mechanically　fingered　the　pasteboard　and　stared

straight　ahead。　　Then　she　drew　a　deep　breath　and　read　the　card　again。



〃A　Lord…man！〃　she　groaned　despairingly。　　〃A　Lord…man！　　Bet　my

hoecake's　scorched！　　Here　I've　gone　and　pledged　my　word　to　Freckles

I'd　find　him　some　decent　relatives；　that　he　could　be　proud　of；　and

now　there　isn't　a　chance　out　of　a　dozen　that　he'll　have　to　be

ashamed　of　them　after　all。　　It's　too　mean！〃



The　tears　of　vexation　rolled　down　the　tired；　nerve…racked　Angel's　cheeks。



〃This　isn't　going　to　do；〃　she　said；　resolutely　wiping　her　eyes　with

the　palm　of　her　hand　and　gulping　down　the　nervous　spasm　in　her　throat。　

〃I　must　read　this　paper　before　I　meet　Lord　O'More。〃



She　blinked　back　the　tears　and　spreading　the　paper　on　her　knee；　read：　

〃After　three　months'　fruitless　search；　Lord　O'More　gives　up　the

quest　of　his　lost　nephew；　and　leaves　Chicago　today　for　his　home

in　Ireland。〃



She　read　on；　and　realized　every　word。　　The　likeness　settled　any　doubt。　

It　was　Freckles　over　again；　only　older　and　well　dressed。



〃Well；　I　must　catch　you　if　I　can；〃　muttered　the　Angel。　　〃But　when　I

do；　if　you　are　a　gentleman　in　name　only；　you　shan't　have　Freckles；

that's　flat。　　You're　not　his　father　and　he　is　twenty。　　Anyway；　if　the

law　will　give　him　to　you　for　one　year；　you　can't　spoil　him；　because

nobody　could；　and；〃　she　added；　brightening；　〃he'll　probably　do　you

a　lot　of　good。　　Freckles　and　I　both　must　study　years　yet；　and　you

should　be　something　that　will　save　him。　　I　guess　it　will　come　out

all　right。　　At　least；　I　don't　believe　you　can　take　him　away　if　I　say　no。〃



〃Thank　you；　and　wait；　no　matter　how　long；〃　she　said　to　her　driver。



Catching　up　the　paper；　she　hurried　to　the　desk　and　laid　down　Lord

O'More's　card。



〃Has　my　uncle　started　yet？〃　she　asked　sweetly。



The　surprised　clerk　stepped　back　on　a　bellboy；　and　covertly　kicked

him　for　being　in　the　way。



〃His　lordship　is　in　his　room；〃　he　said；　with　a　low　bow。



〃All　right；〃　said　the　Angel；　picking　up　the　card。　　〃I　thought　he

might　have　started。　　I'll　see　him。〃



The　clerk　shoved　the　bellboy　toward　the　Angel。



〃Show　her　ladyship　to　the　elevator　and　Lord　O'More's　suite；〃　he

said；　bowing　double。



〃Aw；　thanks；〃　said　the　Angel　with　a　slight　nod；　as　she　turned　away。



〃I'm　not　sure；〃　she　muttered　to　herself　as　the　elevator　sped

upward；　〃whether　it's　the　Irish　or　the　English　who　say：　

‘Aw；　thanks；'　but　it's　probable　he　isn't　either；　and　anyway；

I　just　had　to　do　something　to　counteract　that　‘All　right。'　

How　stupid　of　me！〃



At　the　bellboy's　tap；　the　door　swung　open　and　the　liveried　servant

thrust　a　cardtray　before　the　Angel。　　The　opening　of　the　door　created

a　current　that　swayed　a　curtain　aside；　and　in　an　adjoining　room；

lounging　in　a　big　chair；　with　a　paper　in　his　hand；　sat　a　man　who

was；　beyond　question；　of　Freckles'　blood　and　race。



With　perfect　control　the　Angel　dropped　Lord　O'More's　card　in　the

tray；　stepped　past　his　servant；　and　stood　before　his　lordship。



〃Good　morning；〃　she　said　with　tense　politeness。



Lord　O'More　said　nothing。　　He　carelessly　glanced　her　over　with

amused　curiosity；　until　her　color　began　to　deepen　and　her　blood　to

run　hotly。



〃Well；　my　dear；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃how　can　I　serve　you？〃



Instantly　the　Angel　became　indignant。　　She　had　been　so　shielded

in　the　midst　of　almost　entire　freedom；　owing　to　the　circumstances

of　her　life；　that　the　words　and　the　look　appeared　to　her　as

almost　insulting。　　She　lifted　her　head　with　a　proud　gesture。



〃I　am　not　your　‘dear；'〃　she　said　with　slow　distinctness。　　〃There

isn't　a　thing　in　the　world　you　can　do　for　me。　　I　came　here　to　see　if

I　could　do　somethinga　very　great　somethingfor　you；　but　if　I

don't　like　you；　I　won't　do　it！〃



Then　Lord　O'More　did　stare。　　Suddenly　he　broke　into　a　ringing　laugh。

Without　a　change　of　attitude　or　expression；　the　Angel　stood　looking

steadily　at　him。



There　was　a　silken　rustle；　then　a　beautiful　woman　with　cheeks　of

satiny　pink；　dark　hair；　and　eyes　of　pure　Irish　blue；　moved　to　Lord

O'More's　side；　and　catching　his　arm；　shook　him　impatiently。



〃Terence！　　Have　you　lost　your　senses？〃　she　cried。　　〃Didn't　you

understand　what　the　child　said？　　Look　at　her　face！　　See　what　she　has！〃



Lord　O'More　opened　his　eyes　widely　and　sat　up。　　He　did　look　at　the

Angel's　face　intently；　and　suddenly　found　it　so　good　that　it　was

difficult　to　follow　the　next　injunction。　　He　arose　instantly。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　said。　　〃The　fact　is；　I　am　leaving　Chicago

sorely　disappointed。　　It　makes　me　bitter　and　reckless。　　I　thought　you

one　more　of　those　queer；　useless　people　who　have　thrust　themselves

on　me　constantly；　and　I　was　careless。　　Forgive　me；　and　tell　me　why

you　came。〃



〃I　will　if　I　like　you；〃　said　the　Angel　stoutly；　〃and　if　I　don't；　I　won't！〃



〃But　I　began　all　wrong；　and　now　I　don't　know　how　to　make　you　like

me；〃　said　his　lordship；　with　sincere　penitence　in　his　tone。



The　Angel　found　herself　yielding　to　his　voice。　　He　spoke　in　a　soft；

mellow；　smoothly　flowing　Irish　tone；　and　although　his　speech　was

perfectly　correct；　it　was　so　rounded；　and　accented；　and　the

sentences　so　turned；　that　it　was　Freckles　over　again。　　Still；　it　was

a　matter　of　the　very　greatest　importance；　and　she　must　be　sure；　so

she　looked　into　the　beautiful　woman's　face。



〃Are　you　his　wife？〃　she　asked。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　woman；　〃I　am　his　wife。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　Angel　judicially；　〃the　Bird　Woman　says　no　one　in

the　whole　world　knows　all　a　man's　bignesses　and　all　his

littlenesses　as　his　wife　does。　　What　you　think　of　him　should　do

for　me。　　Do　you　like　him？〃



The　question　was　so　earnestly　asked　that　it　met　with　equal　earnestness。

The　dark　head　moved　caressingly　against　Lord　O'More's　sleeve。



〃Better　than　anyone　in　the　whole　world；〃　said　Lady　O'More　promptly。



The　Angel　mused　a　second；　and　then　her　legal　tinge　came　to　the　fore　again。



〃Yes；　but　have　you　anyone　you　could　like　better；　if　he　wasn't　all

right？〃　she　persisted。



〃I　have　three　of　his　sons；　two　little　daughters；　a　father；　mother；

and　several　brothers　and　sisters；〃　came　the　quick　reply。



〃And　you　like　him　best？〃　persisted　the　Angel　with　finality。



〃I　love　him　so　much　that　I　would　give　up　every　one　of　them　with　dry

eyes　if　by　so　doing　I　could　save　him；〃　cried　Lord　O'More's　wife。



〃Oh！〃　cried　the　Angel。　　〃Oh；　my！〃



She　lifted　her　clear　eyes　to　Lord　O'More's　and　shook　her　head。



〃She　never；　never　could　do　that！〃　she　said。　　〃But　it's　a　mighty　big

thing　to　your　credit　that　she　THINKS　she　could。　　I　guess　I'll　tell

you　why　I　came。〃



She　laid　down　the　paper；　and　touched　the　portrait。



〃When　you　were　only　a　boy；　did　people　call　you　Freckles？〃　she　asked。



〃Dozens　of　good　fellows　all　over　Ireland　and　the　Continent　are

doing　it　today；〃　answered　Lord　O'More。



The　Angel's　face　wore　her　most　beautiful　smile。



〃I　was　sure　of　it；〃　she　said　winningly。　　〃That's　what　we　call　him；

and　he　is　so　like　you；　I　doubt　if　any　one　of　those　three　boys　of

yours　are　more　so。　　But　it's　been　twenty　years。　　Seems　to　me　you've

been　a　long　time　coming！〃



Lord　O'More　caught　the　Angel's　wrists　and　his　wife　slipped　her　arms

around　her。



〃Steady；　my　girl！〃　said　the　man's　voice　hoarsely。　　〃Don't　make　me

think　you've　broug