The Emmett index., 1912-02-08
.FRECKLES
BY
Gene SGraGG0m9
Porter
boPYRcHT. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY. PAGE
q co.
n !


|
called Jim Crow. Nearest equivalen
TO C-a.t.h.ar-t-e-s A-t-r-a-t-a.'"
80 the Pharaoh's chickens of Euro
mean species. Sometimes stray nortf
as far as Virginia and Kentucky -
"And sometimes farther" interpo-
lated Freckles. ''cos | got them right
here in Indiana so like these pictures
can Just see me big chicken bobDlng
up TO get his ears boxed. HeyT
"'Light blue eggs -
"Golly. got to be seeing them"
80 big as u common turkeys. but
shaped like q hens. heavily splotched
with chocolate -
"Caramels. | suppose. AND
So In hollow logs or stumps.'"
-.Oh, hagginy! Wasn't | barking up
the wrong tree though? Ought TO been
looking near the ground all this time.
Now it's all TO do over. and ! suspect
the sooner | start the sooner III be
likely to find them"
Freckles ate and drank his last drop
of water He sat resting little and
watching the sky TO see II his Dig
chicken was hanging up there. But
be came TO the earth abruptly, for
there were steps coming down the
| trail that were neither McLeans nor
Duncans, and there never had been
others. Freckles' heart leaped hotly.
lie ran a quick hand over his belt TO
feel II his revolver and hatchet were
there, caught up his cudgel and laid
IL across mis- knees. then sat quietly
waiting. Was 1t Black Jack. or some
one even worse? Forced to do some
thing to brace his nerves. he puckered
mis- stiffening lips and began whistling
tune he had led in his clear tenor
every year of his life at the home
Christmas exercises
His quick irish wit reused to the
righteousness OF 1t and he burst into
laugh that steadied him amazingly.
Through the bushes he caught a
glimpse of the oncoming figure. His
neart flooded with JOY. for It was
man from the gang. Wessner mad
been his bunk mate the night he came
down the corduroy. This was no tim
Der thief. Freckles sprang up and
called cheerily. warm welcome on his
face
well. it's good telling II you're glad
to see me-" said Wessner. I'VE been
bearing down at the camp you were
so mighty touchy you didn't allow
man within a rod of the line
"No more do l." answered Freckles.
III he's a stranger. but you're from
Mclean, ain't your
"Oh. curse Mclean" said Wessner.
Freckles gripped the cudgel.
"And are you rally saying so?" he
inquired with elaborate politeness.
"Yes. am" said Wessner. $50
would every other man of the gang If
they wasn't too big towards to say
anything unless maybe that other slob-
berlng old Scotchman Duncan. Grind
lug the lives out OF us! Working us
like dogs and paying us starvation
wages. while he rolls up his millions
and lives like princeT
Green lights began to play through
the gray OF Freckles eyes.
"Wessner," he said impressively.
you'd make a fine pattern for the IA
ther OF liars. Every man on that
gang is strong and hilthy, paid all he
earns and treated with the courtesy OF
gentleman. As for the boss living
IKE prince. he shares fare with you
every day of your lives"
Wessner was not born diplomat.
but he saw he was on the wrong tack,
and be tried another.
"Freckles. uold fellow" he said. "if |
you let me give you a pointer | can
put you on TO making a cool five hun
dred without stepping out of your
tracks"
FreCEles drew back.
"You needn't be afraid of speaking |
up" he said There isn't soul in
the Limberlost save the birds and the |
beasts unless some OF your sorts come |
along ands crowding the privileges of |
the legal tiniuts."
None of my friends along" said |
Wessner. Nobody knew came but |
Black i'll mean Il friend or mine. II |
you want TO hear sense and act with |
reason he can see you later, but 1t amt
necessary. We can make all the plans
needed. The tricks so dead small and
easy"
Must be If you have the engineering
Of it, said Freckles. But he heard
with a sigh of relief that they were
alone
Wessner was impervious. "You just
bet 1t is. Why. only think. Freckles,
slavin' away at measly little $50
and here is a chance to clear
$500 in a day! You surely won't be
the fool TO miss it,"
"And how was you proposing for
me TO stale it2' inquired Freckles
'Or am | Just 10 find it laying in me
path about the line?"
That's 1t. Freckles," clustered the
"you're just TO find It,
You needn't know thing. You name
a morning when you will walk up the
west side of the swamp and then turn
round aud walk back down the same
side again and the money is yours.
Couldn't anything be easier than that
could ity' |