Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-28

mixed up in. anyway. and don't think
I made 1t clear to him. can be telling
YOU. sir. I told him that I would pay
only $500 for the angels stone. I'm
thinking that with what he has laid
UP for me. and the bignpss OF things
that the angel did for me- that seems
like stingy little sum TO him. know
he thinks l ought to be giving lot
more. but l feel as II I just had to he
buying that stone with money earned
mesclf, and that is all I have saved OF
me wages. ] don't mind paying for
the muff. or the dressing table, or Mrs.
Duncan's things. from this other mon
ey, ard later the angel can have every
last cent Of me grandmothers, II she'll
! take It. but Just now-Oh, sir. can't you
see that have to be buying this stone
with what I have in the bank"
I'm other words. Freckles." said the
boss. YOU don't want to buy the an
gels ring with money. You want to
give for it your first awful fear Of
the swamp. You want to pay for il
! with the loneliness and heart hunger
! YOU have suffered there. with last
winters freezing on the line and this
summers burning in the sun. You
want the price Of that stone to he
the fears that have chilled your heart
the sweat and blood Of your body"
I'reck les' face quivered with feeling.
Dear Mr.. Mclean" he said reach
ing UP with caress over the boss
black hair and along his cheek. Dear
boss. that's why I've wanted YOU so.
| knew YOU would know. Now yon
will be looking at these: ! don't want
! emeralds. because that's what she gave
me-"
Treckles heaped the pearls with the
emcla,ds. He studied the diamonds
a long time Tho diamonds Joined the
! emcralds and pearls. There was left
n little rcd heap. and Freckles' fingers
touched it with new tenderness.
I'm thinking here's me angels
stone" he exulted. THE Limberlost.
and me with it. grew in mine. but
it's going to bloom. and her with it.
in this! There's the red Of the wild
poppies. the cardinal flowers and the
little bunch Of crushed foxfre that we
! found where she put it to save me.
There's the light Of the camp fire
and the sun setting over Sleepy
Snake creek. There's the rcd of the
blood we were willing to give for
each other It's like her lips and like
the drops that dried on her beau.i
ful arm that first day. and I'm think
ing it must be like the brave. tender
clean, red heart of her"
Freckles lifted the ruby to his lips
and handed 1t to Mclean.
"Freckles. may ask you some
thing" he said
"Why. sure" said Freckles.
There's nothing you would be asking
that 1t wouldn't be giving me Joy TO
be telling you
McLean's eyes Travelled to Freck les
right arm. with which he was pushing
the jewels about
"Oh. that" cried Freckles with a
merry laugh. You're wanting 20
know where all the bitterness is gone?
Well. sir twas carried from me soul.
heart and body on the lips Of an an
gel. Seems that hurt was necessary
In the beginning to make today come
! true. The wound had always been
raw. but the angel was healing it. II
she doesn't care. don't. May he
asking YOU a question? Well. then. II
this accident and nil that's come to me
since had never happened. what was
it you meant to do with me?'
"Why, Freckles." answered Mclean,
~ figured on taking you to Grand
Rapids and putting you in the care of
my mother. I had an idea 1t would be
hest to get a private tutor to coach
. you for year or two. until You were
fit to enter Ann Arbor or the Chicago
university In good shape. Then I
thought we'd finish in this country at
Yale or Harvard and end with Oxford.
to get good all round favor"
us that all?" asked Freckles.
mo; that's leaving the music out.
intended to hive your voice tested and
II you really were endowed for q
: career as great musician, and had
tnciinations that way, wished to have
! you drop some Of the college work
| and make music your chief study.
Finally. l wanted us to take trip
. over Europe and clear around the
circle together"
And then what?" queried Freckles.
breathlessly.
. "Why. Thea said Mclean, lyon
know that my heart is hepeiessly In
the woods. l will never quit the tim.
Der business while there Is timber TO
. handle and breath In my body.
thought If you didn't make a profes.
. sion OF music and had any inclination
, my way. we would stretch the partner
ship one more and take you into the
! arm. placing your work with me-"
Freckles lifted anxious and eager
eyes to Mclean.
you told me once on the trail. ans
again whom we thought was dying.
that you loved me. DO these things
} that have come to me make any DIFF