Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-03-07

tween las cienched teeth.
Hes Eving to do It." whispered the
angel.
Little Chicken nodded daintily and
RULED his feathers. He gave bis head
sundry little sldewise jerks and rap.
idly shifted his point Of vision. Once
there was the fleeting little ghost of
smirk.
Now! MOI" snapped tho angel
Freckles leaned toward the bird.
Tense as n steel trap he waited. Tn.
consciously the hand of the angel
clasped his. He scarcely knew 1t was
there. Suddenly Little Chicken sprang
straight up in the air and landed with
n thud. The angel started slightly.
Dut Freckles was immovable. Then.
as If In approval Of his last perform.
nnce, the overgrown baby wheeled I'M
til he was more than three.quarters.
straighten,d on his legs. squared his
shonlders stretched his neck full
l. light. drew in his chin and smirked
LIS most pronounced smirk directly in
The face ~ the lens.
Freckles' fingers closed on the bulb
convusively, and the Angels closed
on his at the instant. Then the angel
henved a great sigh of relief and lift
ed her hands to push back the damp.
clustering hair from her face.
Hand In hand they ran for the
north end of the swamp. yelling. I'VE
rot itv'
The Bird Woman plunged into the
swale g; the mouth Of Sleepy Snake
creek and came winding out with a
couple of cameras and dripping tri-
pods.
Moved by an impulse she never aft
erward regretted. she bent and laid
her lips on Freckles' forehead. kissing
him gently and thanking him for his
many kindnesses to her in her loved
work. Freckles started of walking
on air. and he felt inclined to keep
watching behind to see II the trail
were not curling up and rolling down
the line after him.
Next day Frecklcs saw them com.
ing. The angel was standing. waving
her hat. He sprang on his wheel and
raced. jolting and pounding. down the
corduroy to meet them. The Bird
Woman stopped the horse. and the an
gel gave him the bit Of print paper.
Freckles leaned the wheel against q
tree and took the proof with eager
fingers He had never before seen a
study from any of his chickens He
stood staring. When he lifted bis
face to them it was TRANSPORTED with
delight.
"You see" he exclaimed. and fell>to
gazing again. "Oh. me little chickenw
he cried. "Oh. me Elegant little chick
en-. I'd be giving all me money in the
bank for you"
Then he thought Of the angels muff
and Mrs Duncan's hat and added:
"Or Mt least all but what I'm needing
bad for something else Would you
mind my stopping at the cabin min.
ute and showing this to Mother Dun.
CAM" he asked.
Freckles went hurrying on ahead.
and they drove up in time to see Mrs
Duncan gazing as il awestruck and to
. ed on!'
Freckles and the angel helped the
J Bird Woman to establish herself for q
long stay at the mouth of Sleepy
. Snake creek. Then she sent them
away and waited what luck would
bring to her
Looks as il some one had been cut
, ting fagpole." said the angel, run.
ming the toe of her shoe around a
small stump. evidently cut that sea-
son. "Treckles. what would anybody
, cut tree as small as that for?"
II don't know" said Freckles.
well. but | want to know" said
. the angel. Nobody came away in
here and cnt it just for fun. They've
taken 1t away. Let's so back and see
If we can see 1t anywhere around
there"
She retraced her steps and began
searching eagerly. Freckles did the
same
There it u.s." he exclaimed at last.
. cleaning just as naturally against the
trunk of that big maple"
Yes. and leaning there has killed n
. patch Of bark" said the angel. "See
low dried up It looks"
Freckes stared Mt her.
Angel" he shouted. II bet you it's
u marked tree!"
Course it is" cried the angel. ut
Is one OF Jacks marked trees"
/, The clear, ringing echo of strongly
swung axes came crashing through tho
..imberlost
TITS the gang" shouted Freckles.
They're clearing place to make the
camp. Let's 20 he!pr
Get out your Ratchet" commanded
the angel II predict this Is the most
valuable tree In the swamp. You
forrd It, I'm going to play that you're
~ knight. Now. you nail my colors
~ IT,
Sue united blue bow in her hair
and doubled it against the tree. The
angel had aUed him her knight! How
he loved her! She must not see his
face or surely her quick eyes would
read what he was lighting to hide. He
did not dare lay his lips on that ribbon
then. but that night he would return
TO 1t. When they had gone little dis.
'ance they both loo sed back, and the
morning breezs set the bit OF blue
waving them a farewell.
She reached him her hand, and, IKE
TWO children. they broke into a run as
they came nearer the ranr. Thew left