Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-16
9
FRfCkLES
BY
Gene Snraeaona-
Porter
oorsn'c'r. 1904 BY DOUBLEDAY. PACE
n - q
CHAPTER xv1n.

CHAPTER XVIII.
TAXING = f;c1U1E.
HAvR been thinking" said
Freckles. ~ believe II you
will leave one Of the guards
~ on the Iine-say Hall-that !
win begin ON the swamp at the north
end and lay 1t of In sections and try
to hunt out the marked trees. l sup
pose they are all marked something
like that 6rst maple on the line was.
Wessner mentioned another good one
not 90 far from that He said 1t was
best Of all. I'd be having the swelled
head IL I could 6nd that. OF course I
don't know q thing about the trees. but
/ could hunt for the marks. Jack was
20 good at. It he could tell some of
them by the mark. but all he wanted to
take that we've got on to 20 far have
Just had q deep chip cut out rather low
down and where the bushes were thick
over 1T. n believe could be finding
some Of them"
"Good head!'' said Mclean. 1--WE will
DO that. You may begin as soon as
you are rested. And about things you
came across in the swamp, Freckles.
the most trifling little thing that you
think the Bird Woman would want
take your wheel and 60 after her at
any time. I'll leave two men on the
line, 20 that you Will have one on
either side, and you can come and so
0tN
think Of all we owe her. my boy?"
''Yh; and the angel-we owe her a
lot, too" said Freckles II owe her me
life and honor. It's lying awake nights
Ill have to be trying to think how
1'm ever to pay her up"
''Wen. begin with the muft," sug-
eested Mclean. '.That should be 6ne."
Freckles told Mclean of Mrs. Dun.
cans desire for hat like the au-
gel'a He hesitated little in the tell
ing and kept sharp watch on Nc
Leans face. When he saw the boss
eyes were full Of sympathy he loved
him anew. for. as ever, Mclean was
quick to understand Instead Of
laughing he said: Il guess youth have
to let me in on that too. You mustn't
be selfish. you know. III tell you
what .we,ll q. Get it for Christmas.
I'll be home then. and we can send a
box. You get the hat. III add dress
and wrap. You get Duncan 4 hat
ana gloves. I'll send him big over
coat, and wen nut in = lot Of little
stun for babfel"
THAT would b away too serious
for fun" said Frsckles. ''That would
be tyeniy."
lex later everything at the Linn
II. was precisely as 1t had been
before the tragedy. except the case
4 in Freckles' room now rested on the
stump,l.of the newly felled tree.
Enough OF the vines were left to cover
1t prettily. and every vestige of the
havoc Of few days before was gone.
The new guards were patrolling the
trail. Freckles was roughly laying Oh
the swamp in sections. and searching
for marked trees. In that time he had
found one deeply Clipped and the chip
cunningly replaced and tackled In. 1t
promised to be quite rare. 80 he was
jubilant. He also found 80 many sub.
1eCIS ICT luS O1Iu NoAAah ShoS ASA
coming was of almost daily occur
renee, and the hours he spent with
her and the angel were nothing less
than golden.
The Limberlost now was arrayed
like the queen Of Sheba in all her
glory. The first frosts Of autumn had
bejeweled her crown in flashing topaz
ruby and emerald. About her feet
trailed the purple Of her garments. and
in her hand was her golden scepter
Everything was at full tide. 1t seem
ed al. H nothing could grow lovelier
and ftSwas all standing still few
weeks,swaiting coming destruction.
The swamp was paipitant with life.
Every pair Of birds that had hocked to
It in the spring was now multiplied by
from two to ten. The young were
tame from Treckles' triparenthood
and so.plump and sleek that they wers
Guitesas beautiful as their elders. even
# in many cases they lacked their
brilliant plumage. There were chubby
little 2xroundhoEs scudding along the
trail. There were cunning baby coons
and opossums peeping from hollow
logs and trees. Young muskrats fol-
lowed their parents across the lagoons
If you could come upon family OF
foxes that had not yet disbanded and
see the young playing with q Wild
ducks carcass that their mother had
brought and note the pride and sat
isfacti6n. in her eyes a. she lay at one
side guarding them it would be q
picture not to be forgotten. Freckles
never tired Of studying the devotion
Of fox mother to her babies.
The angel was wild about the baby
rabbits and squirrels. Earlier In the
season, when the young were still
very small. It had so happened that
at times Breckles could give into hez
hands one of these little ones. Their
It was pure Joy to stand back and
watch her heaving breast. flushed
cheek and shining eyes. Hers were
such lovely eyes. They were forevea
changing. Now sparkling and dark
ling with Wit. now humid with sym.
pathy. now burning with the 6re OF
courage. now taking on strength OF
color with ambition. now flashing In
i1i1n6iafly NJ the abuse OF any creature