Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1912-08-30
CHAPTER XIV.
CAPTURED BY BLACK JACK.

wiches. cake, fruit and flow
9 ers She gave him last
frosty glass. thanked him repeatedly
for bringing news of new material,
and then Freckles went out into The
night. He rode for the Limberlost
with his eyes on the stars.
The one thing Freckles knew that
he could do was to sing The Duncans
heard him coming mile up the cor
duroy and could not believe their
senses. Freckles unfastened the box
from his belt and gave Mrs. Duncan
and the children all the eatables It
contained. except one big piece of cake
that he carried TO the sweet loving
Duncan He put the flowers back in
the box and set it up among his books
He did not say anything, but they I'M
derstood IT was not to be touched
Then Freckles started for the
swamp As he rode he sang and as
he sang he worshiped. but the god he
tried to glorify was dim and far
away mystery The angel was warm
flesh and blood.
With the near approach of dawn
Freckles tuned his last note Wearied
almost to falling. he turned from the
trail into the path leading TO the cabin
for few hours rest
As FreckIes left the trail from the
swale near the south entrance four
large. muscular men rose up ane |
swiftly and carefully entered the |
swamp by the wagon road. Two of
them carried big saw. the third coils
OF rope and wire. and all were heavily
armed They left one man on guard
at the entrance. The other three made
their way through the darkness and
soon were at Freckles' room. He had
left the swamp on his wheel from the
west trail. They counted on his re-
tuning on the wheel and circling the
east line before he came there.
A little below the west entrance to
Freckles' room Black Jack stepped .
INTO the swale and. binding wire
light about scrub oak, carried it be-
ow the waving grasses. stretched 1t
aut across the trail and fastened 1t to '
tree in the swamp. Then be obllter- I
tied all signs Of his work and ar I
vas so completely covered that only .
minute examination would reveal 1t Z
hey entered Freckles' room with o
oarse oaths and iests. In n few mo- s.
lents his specimen case with its pre- d
ious contents was rolled back into D
he swamp and the saw was eating q
Ito one OF the finest trees of the Lin
erlost. f
As soon as Freckles was well down Il
he east line the watch was posted n
Glow the room on the west to report k'
Is coming. II was but few mo &C
ents before the signal came Then
lie saw stopped. and the rope was nj
ought out and uncoiled near a sap "a
lg. Wessner and Black Jack crowd "
TO the very edge of the swamp IN
tie above the wire and crouched. tn
aiting. no
They heard Freckles before they an
W him. He came clipping down the aN
e Mt good pace. and as be rode he an
Is singing softly: l
'Oh. do you love III
Oh. say you love- the
lie got no further. The sharply Ills
ven wheel struck the tense wire toll
j bounded back. Freckles shot over tire
) handle bar and coasted down the In
IL on his chest. As be struck Black dal
X and Wessuer were upon him. thu
'ssner clapped an ola hat over mu
sckles' mouth. while Black Jack ans
sted his arms back of him, and In
Y rushed him Into his room. AL tnil
st before he realized that anything olo'
happened be was trussed up to q or
; and securely gagged. stoi
hen three of the men resumed III
K on the tree The other followed drei
path Freckles had worn to Little heel
eken's tree, and presently he re- tell
ed that the wires were down and ang
teams with the loading apparatus had
Ing to take out the timber. All the All.
; the saw was slowly eating. eat ne
into the big tree love
essner went out TO the trail and
owed the wire. Then he stood in wins
{ of Freckles and laughed in dew tnan
hate. Freckles found himself ougf