Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-05-21

month. and here Is chance to clear
$500 in q day! You surely won't be
the fool to miss 1T"
"And how was You proposing for
me to stale it?" inquired Freckles.
"Ot am I just to find It laying in me
path about the liner
That's II. Freckles," clustered the
Dutchman. you're just to and It.
You needn't know a thing. You name
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 Ii yours.
Couldn't anything be easier than that.
could itY'
"Depinds entirely on the man." said
Freckles. The Tilt Of lark hanging
above the swale beside them was not
sweeter than the sweetness Of bis
| voice. ITO 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 scheme like
that with the blindfold over me eyes.
for. you see. 1t names to break trust
with the boss. and I've served him
faithful as knew. You'll have to be
making the thing very clear to me
understanding"
ats so dead easy" repeated Wess-
ner, 1T 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 a boss nailed the wire to 1t
with his own hands! He never no.
ticed where the bark had been peeled
nor saw what it was. II 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 flnd 1t, report and be the
busiest man in the search for Us. We
know where to fix 1t all safe and easy.
Then Mclean has a bet 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 1t, and I know three that will.
There's a cool thousand. and this tree
Is worth all of that raw. Say, its 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 never mtstrust
you. What do you say"
Freckles soul was satisfied. us
that all" he asked.
mo, 1t amt" said Wessner. "lf
you want to brace up and be a man
and 20 into the thing for keeps you
can make Eve times that " a week.
My friend knows dozen others we
could get out in 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 q gentleman somewhere else.
What do you think about itr
Freckles purred like q 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 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. It 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 overhanging
bushes and hurried back to the case.
He unslung the specimen box and laid
II inside with his hatchet and revolver.
he slipped the key In bis pocket ana
went back to Wessner.
"Now for the answer" he said.
"Stand upr'
There was iron in his voice. and ne
was commanding like an outraged gen
eral. Anything you want to be tax
ing off?" he questioned.
Wessner looked the astonishment he
felt. why, no. Freckles." he said.
Have the goodness to be calling me
Mr. Mclean" snapped Freckles. "fm
after resarvin' me pet name for the
use Of me friends! You may stand
with your back to the light or be tak'
ing any advantage you want"
"Why. what do you mean? splutter
ed Wessner.
"rm manin'," said Freckles tersely.
ITO lick a quarter section Of b. out
of you, and may the Holy vargin stay
me before | leave you here carrion. for
your carcass would turn the stummicks
Of me chickens"
Down at the camp that morning
Wessner's conduct had been so pal
pable an excuse to force discharge
tnat Duncuu uOfcu uoht WSAou SA
whispered. Think of the boy. sirF
Mclean was ~ troubled that an
hour later he mounted Nellie and fol-
lowed Wessner to his home In Wildcat
Hollow, only to find that he had left
there a little before. heading for the
Limberlost. Mclean rode at top
speed. When Mrs. Duncan told him
that a man answering Wessners de-
scription had gone down the west side
of the swamp near noon be left the
mare in her charge and followed on
foot. When he heard voices he enter
ed the swamp and silently crept near
iust in time to hear Wessner whine:
"But l can't fight you. Freckles. l
hain't done nothing to you. I'm away
bigger than you. and you've only one
hand"
fro BE CONTINUED