The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-11

"Then he must die" said Mclean.
 Does that mean that you know what he desires and cannot. or will not, supply it?'
 'It means" said Mclean desperately, ''that know what he wants, but 1t Is as far removed from my power to give it to him as it would be to give him star. The thing for which he will die he can never have"
 ''Then you must prepare for the end very shortly" said the surgeon, turn ing abruptly away.
 Mclean caught his arm roughly.
 Look here!' he cried in desperation. ''You say that as if I could do some thing If I would. tell you the boy is dear to me past expression. would do anything-spend any sum. You have noticed and repeatedly commented on | the young girl with me. It is that | child that. he. wants! He worships her to adoration. and knowing he can never be anything to her. he prefers death to life. In Gods name, what can I do about itr'
 Barring that missing hand, never handled a finer man." said the surgeon. .'and she seems, perfectly devoted to him. why cannot he have herr"
 "Why?' echoed Mclean. "Why7 We'll, for good many reasons 1 told you he was nay son. You probably knew i that he was not A little over a year ago had never seen him. He joined | one of my lumber gangs from the road. ] He is Q stray. left at one of your homes 1! for. the friendless here in Chicago. l When he grew up the superintendent bound him out to a brutal man. He ran away and landed in one of my lumber camps He has no name or knowledge of legal birth The angel 1 we have talked of her. She has ances- 1 tors reaching back to Plymouth Rock and across the sen, for generations back of that. She is an idolized. petted l only child. a nd there, Is great wealth. f He sees it more plainly than any one else could There fx nothing for the boy but death if ii Is the angel that is 1 required to save him.
 The angel stood between them. '.Well. I guess notr. she cried eff Freckles wantsrme all he has to do Is | to say so. and he can have meT'
 That be will never say" said Mc- Lean at last. "and you. don't under stand. angel. 1 don't Know how you came here. wouldn't have had you hear that for the world. sbut since you have. dear. you must be told that 1t isn't yonr friendship or kindness Freckles wa nts: 1t is your love"
 Well. 1 do love him." she said sim ply.
 McLean's arms dropped helpIeSsly. |. -Tou don't understand" = he reiterat- l ed patiently '.It isn't the love Of a | friend. or comrade. or .sister->that FreckleS wants from you: it Is the love r of n sweetheart. -And' if to save the | life he has offered for you you are l thinking of being generous and inn pulStver enough to sacrifice your future | fin the absence of your father 1t will become my, plain duty. as the pro- tector in whose hands he has placed you. to prevent such rashness- The | very words you speak and the manner in which you say them proves that you are a mere child and have not dreamed what love fs-F'
 ''I have never had to dream of Iove.'' she said proudly "I have never known anything else in all my life but to love every, one and to have every one love me. And there has I never been any one so dear as |, FFeckIeS If yon will remember. we have been through a good deal to- | gether do love FreckIes. just as say do don't know anything about the love of sweethearts. but | love him with lall the love in my heart. and l think that will satisfy him."
 "SureIy it oughtr' muttered the man of knives and Iancets. ''As for my father." confirmed the angel. "he at once told me what he learned from you about Freckles. I I've known all you know for several weeks That knowledge didn't change your love for him a particle. 1 think the Bird Woman loved him more. Why should you two have all the fne perceptions there areT My father is never unreasonable. He won't ex- peci- me not to love Freckles. or not him."
 She darted past Mclean into FreckIes room. closed the door and turned the key. Freckles lay raised on a fiat pill low. his body fmmovabIe in a plaster cast. his maimed arm. as always. hid .den. The angels heart ached at the change in his appearance. Be seem cd so weak. so utterly hopeless and So alone. She could see that the night had been one long terror. I For the first time she tried putting herself in Freckles' place. What would T fl mean 10 have no parents. no home. no name: No name! Tint was the .I worst of all. That was to be lost. I indeed utterly and hopeIessly lost. The E angel lifted her hands to her dazed head and reeled as she tried to face that proposition. She dropped on her knees by the bed. slipped her arm un- der the pillow. and. leaning over Freckles. set her lips on his forehead. He smiled fainfly.
 Dear Freckles." she said. ''there Is story in your eyes this morning. tell me?'
 FreckIes drew a long. waverine breath.
 Angel" he begged, "be generous!