Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-03-28

tracks,"
Freckles drew back.
"You needn't be afraid of speaking
np." he said. There isn't a soul in
the Limberlost save the birds and the
beasts unless some OF your sorts come
along and's crowding the privileges of
the legal tinints.
"None of my friends along" said
Wessner. Nobody knew l came but
Black il mean u friend OF mine. II
you want to hear sense and act with
reason he can see you later, but it amt
necessary. We a make all the plans
2eeded. The tricks so dead small and
easy"
Must be if you have the engineering
Of it." said Freckles. But he heard
with a sigh Of relief that they were
alone.
Wessner was impervious. You Just
bet it is: Why. only think, Freckles.
slavin' away at a measly little $50 a
month, and here is a chance to clear
$500 in a day! You surely won't be-
the fool to miss it,"
And how was you proposing for
me to stale it," inquired Freckles.
Cor am l just to find it laying in me
path about the line?"
'That's it. Freckles.' clustered the
Dutchman. you're Just to find it.
You needn't know Il thing. You name
a morning when you will walk up the
west side of the swamp and then turn
round and walk back down the same
side again and the money is yours.
Couldn't anything be easier than that.
could it"'
"Depinds entirely on the man. said
Freckles. The Tilt of a lark hanging
above the swale beside them was not
sweeter than the sweetness of his
voice. TO some it would seem to
come aisy as breathing. and to some
wringin' the last drop Of their hearts
blood couldn't force thin! I'm not
the man that goes into a scheme like
that with the blindfold over me eyes.
for. you see, it name to break trust
with the boss. and I've served him
faithful as I knew. You'll have to be
making the thing very clear to me
Understandings"
Its so dead easy" repeated Wess-
ner, ut makes me tired of the SIM
pleness of it. You see, there's a few
trees in the swamp that's real gold
mines. There's three especial. Two
are back in. but ones square on the
line. Why. your pottering old Scotch
fool OF q boss nailed the wire to it
with his own hands! He never no.
ticed where the bark had been peeled
nor saw what it was. If you will stay
on this side Of the trail just one day
we can have it cut. loaded and ready
to drive out at night. Next morning
you can find it. report and be the
know where to fix it all safe and easy.
Then Mclean has a pet up with a
couple of the gang that there can't be
a raw stump found in the Limberlost.
There's plenty Of witnesses to swear
to it, and | know three that will.
There's a cool thousand. and this tree
is worth all OF that raw. Say, it's a
gold mine. | tell you. and just $500 OF
it is yours. There's no danger on
earth to you. for you've got Mclean
that bamboozled you could sell out the
whole swamp and he'd v mistrust
you. What do you say?"
Freckles' soul was satisfied. us
that ala" he asked.
mo, it amt" said Wessner. eff
you van to brace up and be a man
and go into the thing for keeps you
can make five times that in a week.
My friend knows a dozen others we
could get out in a few days, and all
you'd have to do would be to keep out
Of sight. Then you could take your
money and skip some night and begin
life like a gentleman somewhere else.
What do you think about it,"
Freckles purred like a kitten.
"'Twould be a rare joke on the boss"
he said, ITO be staalin' from him the
very thing he's trusted me to guard
and be getting me wages all winter
throwed in free. And you're making
the pay awful high. Me to be getting
five hundred for such a simple little
thing as that. You're trating me most
royal indade!. It's away beyond all
I'd be expecting. Sivinteen cints would
be a big price for that job. 1t must
be looked into thorough. Just you wait
here until l do a minutes turn in the
swamp, and then I'll be eschorting you
out to the clearing and giving you the
answer"
Freckles lifted the o~verhanging
bushes and hurried back to the case.
He unslung the specimen box and laid
it inside with his Ratchet and revolver.
He slipped the key in his pocket and
went back to Wessner.
"Now for the answer" he said.
stand up!"
There was iron in his voice. and he
was commanding like an outraged gen
eral. Anything you want to be TAX
ing off," be questioned.
Wessner looked the establishment be
felt. why. no, Freckles." he said.
"Have the goodness to be calling me
Mr.. Mclean" snapped Freckles. Pm
after resarvin' me pet name for the
use of me friends! You may stand