The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1912-03-21
FRECKLES
BY
Gene SGIraGG0m-
Porter
COPYRIGHT. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY. PAGE

knew what he was doing. HIS eyes
had a glazed. farsighted look In them
that wrung the heart OF the man that
loved him. Without thought OF pre-
liminaries Mclean leaned In the sad.
die and drew Freckles up to him.
MY poor ladr' he said. My poor.
dear lad: tell me. and we will try TO
right it,
Freckles had twisted his fingers In
Nellle's name. At the kind words his
face dropped on McLean's thigh and
he shook with nervous chill. Mclean
gathered him closer and waited.
"Freckles." said Mclean at last,
Twill you tell me. or must | set to
work In the dark and try TO find the
trouble?"
"0h. want to tell you! | must tell
you. sir" shuddered Freckles. Il can
not be bearing 1t the day out alone.
was coming to you when | remim-
bered you would be here"
He lifted his face and gazed OF
across the swale. with his jaws set
hard a minute. as If gathering his
forces Then he spoke.
IT'S the angel. SIR" he said.
Instinctively McLean's grip on him
frightened
81 tried hard the other day." said
! Freckles. land / couldn't seem to
make you see It's only that there
hasn't been an hour, waking or sleep
ing. since the day she parted the
bushes and looked into me room. that
the face OF her hasn't been before me
in all the tinderness. beauty and mis-
chief OF It. She talked to me friendly
like. She trusted me entirely to take
right care of her She helped me with
things about me books She traited
me like ! was born a gintleman. and
shared with me like | was of her
own blood. She walked the streets of
the town with me before her friends
with NIL the pride of a queen. She
forgot herself and didn't mind the
Bird Woman. and run big iisks to help
me out that first day. sir. This last
time she walked into that gang OF
murderers, took their leader and
lNlsttu him " lht win VI liiis Aohc
outdone him and raced the life almost
out OF her trying to save me.
"Slnce can reminder. whatever the
thing was that happened to me in the
beginning has been me curse. I've
been bitter. hard and smarting under !
IL hopelessly. She came by and found |
me voice and put hope of life and sue
cess like other men into me In spite of
it"
Freckles held up his MANNED arm.
Look at 1t. sirr' he said "A thou
sand times I've cursed 1t. hanging
there helpless. She took 1t on the
street. before all the people. just as If
she didn't see that 1t was a thing to
hide and shrink from. Again and
again I've had the feeling with her,
II | didn't entirely forget 1t. that she
didn't see 1t was gone and ! must pull
her sleeve and be pointing 1t out to
her. Her touch on 1t was so sacred
looking at the awful thing near like
| was proud OF 1t. sir. If was born
your son she couldn't be treating me
more rs her equal. and she can't help
knowing you amt truly me father.
Nobody can know the ugliness or the
ignorance Of me better than | do and
all me lack OF birth. home, relatives
and money and what's It all to herr"
Freckles stepped back from Mclean.
squared his shoulders and with a
royal lift OF his head looked straight
into the boss eyes.
you saw her in the beautiful little
-oom of her and you can't be forget
ing how she begged and pleaded with
you for me. She touched me body.
md twas sanctifed. She laid her lips
IN me brow. and twas sacrament No
body knows the height of her better
han me- Nobody's studied my depths
loser. There's no bridge for the great
distance between us, sir, and, clearest
If all. I'm for realizing 1t. But she
'isked terrible things when she came to
ne among that gang of thieves. She
wore herself past bearing 10 save me
rom such an easy thing as death!
Vow, here's me. man, big, strong
nan. and letting her live under that
earful oath. so worse than any death
twould be for her. and lifting not a
niger to save her. | cannot bear 1t.
lr It's killing me by inches! II any
vii comes to her through Black Jack
I comes from her angel like goodness
o me. Somewhere he's hiding!
he is waiting his chance!
Somewhere he is reaching out for her! {
tell you cannot, dare not be bear {
ng it longerP
"Freckles. be quietr' said Mclean.
lis eyes humid. Believe me. did not
understand. / know the angels father
veil | will go to him at once. have
business with him for the
asst three years. will make him see!
am only Just beginning to realize
7our agony and the real danger there
s for the angel. I will see that she
s fully protected every hour Of the
lay and night until Jack Is located and
disposed Of And promise you further
hat II I fail to move her father or
make him understand the danger l
ufl1 roofptafp a r,7ar5 orar bar mill