The Irish standard., 1912-02-10
how near che had gone, Surely


had the nerve and skill to tire like that
purposely?
II will send the first reliable man !
meet for Mclean" said the Bird Wo.
man. gathering up the lines. If l
don't meet one when we reach town
We will send a messenger. Ii 1t wasn't
for having the gang see me would 60
myself"
Round eyed. Freckles watched the
Bird Woman and the angel drive
away. After they were out of sight
and he was safely hidden among the
branches Of small tree. he remem-
bered that he had neither thanked
them nor said goodby. Would the Bird
Woman and the angel come again ?
No other women that he had ever
known would. But were they like any
other women he had ever known? He
thought of the Bird Woman's unruffled
face and the angels revolver practice.
and presently he was not SO sure that
they would not come back.
What wele the people out in the big
world like? His knowledge was SO
very limited. There had been people
at the home who exchanged a stiited.
perfunctory sort of kindness for their
salaries. The visitors that called on
receiving days he had divided into
three classes-the kind that came with
tear In the eye and hypocrisy in ev-
cry feature of their faces: the kind
that came in silks and Jewels and
handed out to those poor. little mother
hungry souls worn toys that their chill
dren no longer cared for. in exactly
the same spirit in which they pitched
biscuits to the monkeys at the 200"
and for the same reason-to see how
they would take them and be amused
by what they would do: and the third
class. that he considered real people.
who made him feel they cared that
he was there and would have been
glad to see him elsewhere.
Now. here was another class that
had met him as son and brother.
With them be could for the only time
in his life forget the lost hand that
every day tortured him with new
pang. What sort OF people were they
and where did they belong among the
classes he knew? He had to give it up
because he had never known others
like them. but how he loved them!
Out in the world where he was soon
going were the majority like them or
were they Of the hypocrite and bun
throwing classes? Freckles did not
know. but he reached the ultimate
conclusion that people like the Bird
Woman. the angel. Mclean and the
Duncans were very rare. hence their
exceeding preciousness.
He had forgotten the excitement of
the morning and the passing Of time
when distant voices aroused him, and
he softly lifted his head. Nearer and
nearer they came. and as the heavy
wagons rumbled down the east trail
he could hear them plainly. The gang
were shouting themselves hoarse for
the Limberlost guard. Freckles didn't
feel that he deserved it. He would
have given much to be able to go out
to the men and explain how it was.
but only to Mclean could he tell his
story.
At the sight of Freckles the men
threw up their hats and chcered. Nc
Lean shook hands with him warmly.
but big Duncan gathered him into his
arms and Rugged him like bear and
choked over few words of prnise.
The gang drove in and finished telling
the tree.
When the last wagon rolled away
fol 81,
Freckles told the story he was aching
to tell. The boss could scarcely be-
lieve his senses. Also he was greatly
disappointed.
II have been almost praying all the
way over. Freckles." he said. that you
would have some evidence by which
we could arrest those fellows ana get
them out of our way. but this will
never do. We cant mix those women
up in it. They have helped you save
me the tree and my wager as we'll
Going about the country MS she does.
the Bird Woman could never be cx
pected to testify against them.'
mo. indeed: nor the angel either
SIR" said Freckles.
1.-THE angelo" queried the astonished
Mclean.
The boss listened in silence while
Freckles told Of the coming and chris
tening of the angel.
Il know her father WE'LL" said Nc
Lean at last. land l have often seen
her. You are right. she ia beautiful
young girl. do not understand why
her father risks such a jewel in this
place."
Hes daring 1t because she is such
jewel. SIR said Freckles eagerly.
why. she's trusting Il rattlesnake to
rattle before it strikes her. and. of
course. she thinks she can trust man.
kind as well. The man isn't made
that wouldn't lay down the life of him
for her. She don't need any care.
Her face and the pretty ways of her
are all the protection she would need
In band Of bowling savages."
Ibid you say she handled one Of the