Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-06-06

NS~SSS WV VIII ~ llSuI away -
Mclean bore 1t for a week, and then
he could stand it no longer. Commun.
Ing with himself in the long, soundful
nights of the swamp, he had learned
to his astonishment that for the last
year his heart had been circling the
Limberlost with Freckles.
He started for Chicago, loaded With
q big box OF goldenrod, asters. fringed
gendans and crimson leaves that the
angel had carefully gathered for
freckles' room. and a little. long
slender package. He would not ad
NIT II even to himself. u he was I'M
able to remain longer away from
Freckles and leave him to the care
Of Lord O'More.
In a few minutes talk, while Nc
Lean waited admission to Freckles'
room. his lordship mad genially chat
ted OF treckIes' rapid recovery. Of his
delight that he was unspotted by his
early surroundings and his desire to
visit the Limberlost with Freckles be-
fore they sailed. He said they were
A0ASN " w an VIC NOOlu " uClU
bind Freckles' arrangements with the
angel, as both he and Lady O'More
regarded her as the most promising
girl they knew ana one that could be
fully fitted to fill the high position in
which Freckies would place her.
Every word he uttered was pungent
with bitterness to Mclean. The
swamp had lost its flavor without
Freckles. and vet as Lord OMore
talked Mclean f%ervently wished that
he was in the heart of it.
All the tan and sunburn had been
washed from Freckles' face in sweats
Of agony. 1t was a smooth, even
white. its brown rift showing but
family. What the nurses and Lady
O'More had done to Freckles' hair
Mclean could not guess, but it was
the most beautiful that he had ever
seen. Fine as floss, bright IN color.
waving and crisp, 1t fell about the
white face.
They had got his arms into and
his chest covered with a finely en-
broidered pale blue silk shirt, with
soft white tie at the throat. Among
the many changes that had taken place
during his absence. the fact that Free
kles was most attractive and barely
escaped being handsome remained al
most unnotired by the boss, so great
was his establishment at seeing both
cuffs turned back and the right arm
In vin~ Ernol~1n1 mn 1,csr~ %La
MANNED arm that heretofore be had al
ways hidden
"Oh. Lord. sir. but I'm glad. to see
you" burst Il Freckles. almost rolling
from the bed as be reached for him.
I'm picking h Anglers ring stone
that me Aunt Alice ordered. It's an
emerald-just me color. Lord O'More
says. Every color Of the old swamp
Is in it. | asked angel to have a little
shamrock leaf cut on it, so every time
l saw it I'd be thinking of the love.
truth, and valor Of that song she was
teaching me. Amt that a beautiful
song"
Freckles tilted about a tray Of unset
stones that would have ransomed sew
eral valuable kings.
Il tell you I'm glad to see you. SIR"
he said. IT tried to tell me uncle what
| wanted, but this amt for him to be
mixed up in, anyway, and l don't think
l made it clear to him. / can be telling
you. sir. l told him that I would pay
only $500 for the Angels stone. I'm
thinking that with what he has laid
up for ne. and the bigness of things
that the angel did for me. that seems
like a stingy little sum to him. I know
he thinks l ought to be giving a lot
more. but l feel as If l just had to be
buying that stone with money 1 earned
meself, and that is all l have saved OF
me wages. l don't mind paying for
the muf. or the dressing table, or Mrs.
Duncan's things. from this other mon
ey. and later the angel can have every
last cent OF me grandmother's. If she'll
take 1t. but just now-oh. sir, can't you
see that have to be buying this stone
with what l 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 it
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 be
the fears that have chilled your heart
the sweat and blood of your body"
Freckles' face %quivered with feeling.
Dear Mr.. Mclean" he said, reach.
ing up with a 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 you
will be looking at these? | don't want
emeralds. because that's what she gave
me-"
Freckles heaped the pearls with the
emeralds. He studied the diamonds
a long time. The diamonds joined the
emeralds and pearls. There was left
a little red heap. and Freckles' fingers
touched it with a new tenderness.
"I'm thinking here's me angels