freckles-第43部分

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around　her。



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

think　you've　brought　word　of　the　boy　at　this　last　hour；　unless　you

know　surely。〃



〃It's　all　right；〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃We　have　him；　and　there's　no

chance　of　a　mistake。　　If　I　hadn't　gone　to　that　Home　for　his　little

clothes；　and　heard　of　you　and　been　hunting　you；　and　had　met　you　on

the　street；　or　anywhere；　I　would　have　stopped　you　and　asked　you　who

you　were；　just　because　you　are　so　like　him。　　It's　all　right。　　I　can

tell　you　where　Freckles　is；　but　whether　you　deserve　to　knowthat's

another　matter！〃



Lord　O'More　did　not　hear　her。　　He　dropped　in　his　chair；　and　covering

his　face；　burst　into　those　terrible　sobs　that　shake　and　rend　a

strong　man。　　Lady　O'More　hovered　over　him；　weeping。



〃Umph！　　Looks　pretty　fair　for　Freckles；〃　muttered　the　Angel。　

〃Lots　of　things　can　be　explained；　now　perhaps　they　can　explain　this。〃



They　did　explain　so　satisfactorily　that　in　a　few　minutes　the　Angel

was　on　her　feet；　hurrying　Lord　and　Lady　O'More　to　reach　the　hospital。　

〃You　said　Freckles'　old　nurse　knew　his　mother's　picture　instantly；〃

said　the　Angel。　　〃I　want　that　picture　and　the　bundle　of　little　clothes。〃



Lady　O'More　gave　them　into　her　hands。



The　likeness　was　a　large　miniature；　painted　on　ivory；　with　a　frame

of　beaten　gold。　　Surrounded　by　masses　of　dark　hair　was　a　delicately

cut　face。　　In　the　upper　part　of　it　there　was　no　trace　of　Freckles；

but　the　lips　curving　in　a　smile　were　his　very　own。　　The　Angel　gazed

at　it　steadily。　　Then　with　a　quivering　breath　she　laid　the　portrait

aside　and　reached　both　hands　to　Lord　O'More。



〃That　will　save　Freckles'　life　and　insure　his　happiness；〃　she

said　positively。　　〃Thank　you；　oh　thank　you　for　coming！〃



She　opened　the　bundle　of　yellow　and　brown　linen　and　gave　only　a

glance　at　the　texture　and　work。　　Then　she　gathered　the　little

clothes　and　the　picture　to　her　heart　and　led　the　way　to　the　cab。



Ushering　Lord　and　Lady　O'More　into　the　reception　room；　she　said　to

McLean；　〃Please　go　call　up　my　father　and　ask　him　to　come　on　the

first　train。〃



She　closed　the　door　after　him。



〃These　are　Freckles'　people；〃　she　said　to　the　Bird　Woman。　　〃You　can

find　out　about　each　other；　I'm　going　to　him。〃







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XIX



Wherein　Freckles　Finds　His　Birthright　and　the　Angel　Loses　Her　Heart



The　nurse　left　the　room　quietly；　as　the　Angel　entered；　carrying　the

bundle　and　picture。　　When　they　were　alone；　she　turned　to　Freckles

and　saw　that　the　crisis　was　indeed　at　hand。



That　she　had　good　word　to　give　him　was　his　salvation；　for　despite

the　heavy　plaster　jacket　that　held　his　body　immovable；　his　head　was

lifted　from　the　pillow。　　Both　arms　reached　for　her。　　His　lips　and

cheeks　flamed；　while　his　eyes　flashed　with　excitement。



〃Angel；〃　he　panted。　　〃Oh　Angel！　　Did　you　find　them？　　Are　they　white？

Are　the　little　stitches　there？　　OH　ANGEL！　　DID　ME　MOTHER　LOVE　ME？〃



The　words　seemed　to　leap　from　his　burning　lips。　　The　Angel　dropped

the　bundle　on　the　bed　and　laid　the　picture　face　down　across　his　knees。　

She　gently　pushed　his　head　to　the　pillow　and　caught　his　arms　in　a

firm　grasp。



〃Yes；　dear　heart；〃　she　said　with　fullest　assurance。　　〃No　little

clothes　were　ever　whiter。　　I　never　in　all　my　life　saw　such　dainty；

fine；　little　stitches；　and　as　for　loving　you；　no　boy's　mother　ever

loved　him　more！〃



A　nervous　trembling　seized　Freckles。



〃Sure？　　Are　you　sure？〃　he　urged　with　clicking　teeth。



〃I　know；〃　said　the　Angel　firmly。　　〃And　Freckles；　while　you　rest　and

be　glad；　I　want　to　tell　you　a　story。　　When　you　feel　stronger　we　will

look　at　the　clothes　together。　　They　are　here。　　They　are　all　right。

But　while　I　was　at　the　Home　getting　them；　I　heard　of　some　people

that　were　hunting　a　lost　boy。　　I　went　to　see　them；　and　what　they

told　me　was　all　so　exactly　like　what　might　have　happened　to　you　that

I　must　tell　you。　　Then　you'll　understand　that　things　could　be　very

different　from　what　you　always　have　tortured　yourself　with　thinking。　

Are　you　strong　enough　to　listen？　　May　I　tell　you？〃



〃Maybe　'twasn't　me　mother！　　Maybe　someone　else　made　those　little　stitches！〃



〃Now；　goosie；　don't　you　begin　that；〃　said　the　Angel；　〃because　I

know　that　it　was！〃



〃Know！〃　cried　Freckles；　his　head　springing　from　the　pillow。　　〃Know！

How　can　you　know？〃



The　Angel　gently　soothed　him　back。



〃Why；　because　nobody　else　would　ever　sit　and　do　it　the　way　it

is　done。　　That's　how　I　know；〃　she　said　emphatically。　　〃Now　you

listen　while　I　tell　you　about　this　lost　boy　and　his　people；　who

have　hunted　for　months　and　can't　find　him。〃



Freckles　lay　quietly　under　her　touch；　but　he　did　not　hear　a　word

that　she　was　saying　until　his　roving　eyes　rested　on　her　face；　he

immediately　noticed　a　remarkable　thing。　　For　the　first　time　she　was

talking　to　him　and　avoiding　his　eyes。　　That　was　not　like　the　Angel

at　all。　　It　was　the　delight　of　hearing　her　speak　that　she　looked　one

squarely　in　the　face　and　with　perfect　frankness。　　There　were　no　side

glances　and　down…drooping　eyes　when　the　Angel　talked；　she　was

business　straight　through。　　Instantly　Freckles'　wandering　thoughts

fastened　on　her　words。



〃and　he　was　a　sour；　grumpy；　old　man；〃　she　was　saying。　　〃He　always

had　been　spoiled；　because　he　was　an　only　son；　so　he　had　a　title；

and　a　big　estate。　　He　would　have　just　his　way；　no　matter　about　his

sweet　little　wife；　or　his　boys；　or　anyone。　　So　when　his　elder　son

fell　in　love　with　a　beautiful　girl　having　a　title；　the　very　girl　of

all　the　world　his　father　wanted　him　to；　and　added　a　big　adjoining

estate　to　his；　why；　that　pleased　him　mightily。



〃Then　he　went　and　ordered　his　younger　son　to　marry　a　poky　kind　of

a　girl；　that　no　one　liked；　to　add　another　big　estate　on　the　other

side；　and　that　was　different。　　That　was　all　the　world　different；

because　the　elder　son　had　been　in　love　all　his　life　with　the　girl

he　married；　and；　oh；　Freckles；　it's　no　wonder；　for　I　saw　her！　

She's　a　beauty　and　she　has　the　sweetest　way。



〃But　that　poor　younger　son；　he　had　been　in　love　with　the　village

vicar's　daughter　all　his　life。　　That's　no　wonder　either；　for　she　was

more　beautiful　yet。　　She　could　sing　as　the　angels；　but　she　hadn't　a

cent。　　She　loved　him　to　death；　too；　if　he　was　bony　and　freckled　and

red…hairedI　don't　mean　that！　　They　didn't　say　what　color　his　hair

was；　but　his　father's　must　have　been　the　reddest　ever；　for　when　he

found　out　about　them；　and　it　wasn't　anything　so　terrible；　HE　JUST　CAVED！



〃The　old　man　went　to　see　the　girlthe　pretty　one　with　no　money；　of

courseand　he　hurt　her　feelings　until　she　ran　away。　　She　went　to

London　and　began　studying　music。　　Soon　she　grew　to　be　a　fine　singer；

so　she　joined　a　company　and　came　to　this　country。



〃When　the　younger　son　found　that　she　had　left　London；　he　followed　her。　

When　she　got　here　all　alone；　and　afraid；　and　saw　him　coming　to　her；

why；　she　was　so　glad　she　up　and　married　him；　just　like　anybody

else　would　have　done。　　He　didn't　want　her　to　travel　with　the　troupe；

so　when　they　reached　Chicago　they　thought　that　would　be　a　good

place；　and　they　stopped；　while　he　hunted　work。　　It　was　slow

business；　because　he　never　had　been　taught　to　do　a　useful　thing；

and　he　didn't　even　know　how　to　hunt　work；　least　of　all　to　do　it

when　he　found　it；　so　pretty　soon　things　were　going　wrong。　　But　if　he

couldn't　find　work；　she　could　always　sing；　so　she　sang　at　night；

and　made　little　things　in　the　daytime。　　He　didn't　like　her　to　sing

in　public；　and　he　wouldn't　allow　her　when　he　could　HELP　himself；

but　winter　came；　it　was　very　cold；　and　fire　was　expensive。　

Rents　went　up；　and　they　had　to　move　farther　out　to　cheaper　and

cheaper　places；　and　you　were　comingI　mean；　the　boy　that　is　lost

was　comingand　they　were　almost　distracted。　　Then　the　man　wrote　and

told　his　father　all　about　it；　and　his　father　sent　the　letter　back

unopened　with　a　line　telling　him　never　to　write　again。　　When　the

baby　came；　there　was　very　little　left　to　pawn　for　food　and　a

doctor；　and　nothing　at　all　for　a　nurse；　so　an　old　neighbor　woman

went　in　and　took　care　of　the　young　mother　and　the　little　baby；

because　she　was　so　sorry　for　them。　　By　that　time　they　were　away　in

the　suburbs　on　the　top　floor　of　a　little　wooden　house；　among　a　lot

of　big　factories；　and　it　kept　growing　colder；　with　less　to　eat。

Then　the　man　grew　desperate　and　he　went　just　to　find　something　to

eat　and　the　woman　was　desperate；　too。　　She　got　up；　left　the　old

woman　to　take　care　of　her　baby；　and　went　into　the　city　to　sing　for

some　money。　　The　woman　became　so　cold　she　put　the　baby　in　bed　and

went　home。　　Then　a　boiler　blew　up　in　a　big　factory　beside　the　little

house　and　set　it　on　fire。　　A　piece　of　iron　was　pitched　across　and

broke　through　the　roof。　　It　came　down　smash；　and　cut　just　one　little

hand　off　the　poor　baby。　　It　screamed　and　screamed；　and　the　fire　kept

coming　closer　and　closer。



〃The　old　woman　ran　out　with　the　other　people　and　saw　what　had　happened。　

She　knew　there　wasn't　going　to　be　time　to　wait　for　firemen　or

anything；　so　she　ran　into　the　building。　　She　could　hear　the　baby

screaming；　and　she　couldn't　stand　that；　so　she　worked　her　way　to　it。　

There　it　was；　all　hurt　and　bleeding。　　Then　she　was　almost　scared

to　death　over　thinking　what　its　mother　would　do　to　her　for

going　away　and　leaving　it；　so　she　ran　to　a　Home　for　little

friendless　babies；　that　was　close；　and　banged　on　the　door。　　Then　she

hid　across　the　street　until　the　baby　was　taken　in；　and　then　she　ran

back　to　see　if　her　own　house　was　burning。　　The　big　factory　and　the

little　house　and　a　lot　of　others　were　all　gone。　　The　people　there

told　her　that　the　beautiful　lady　came　back　and　ran　into　the　house

to　find　her　baby。　　She　had　just　gone　in　when　her　husband　came；　and

he　went　in　after　her；　and　the　house　fell　over　both　of　them。〃



Freckles　lay　rigidly；　with　his　eyes　on　the　Angel's　face；　while　she

talked　ra