The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-01

Q1careQ a cooler place TOT the horse and told them how the next time they came the angel could find his room while she waited.
 Were you forgetting Little Chick ems picture?" Freckles asked the Bird Woman.
 'Why do you call the baby vulture Little Chicken?" she asked.
 "'Twas Duncan began it." said Freckles- You see. through the fierce cold of wi;z:Pr the birds of the swamp were almost starving. It is mighty lonely here. and they were all the com pany I was having. I got to carrying scraps and grain down to them. Dun can was that ginerouS he was giving me of his wheat and corn from his chickens feed, and he called the birds me swamp chickens. Then when these big black fellows came. MT. Me Lean said they were our nearest kind to some in the old world that they called 'Pharoah's Chickens.' and he called mine 'Freckles' Chickens"
 Good ennugh." cried the Bird Wo- man. 'You must shoot something for them occasionally. and I'll bring more food when come. If you will help me keep them until get my series. I'll give you a copy of each study make. mounted in booE''
 "I'II be dning me very best," prom fsed- the boy, and from the deeps he meant it.
 ''I wonder if that other egg is going to hatch!' unused the Bird Woman. '1 am afraid not. 1t should have been out today. Isn't it a beauty? l never saw either an egg or the young before. They are rare this far north"
 "So Mir Mclean said," answered Freckles.
 The Bird Woman gave him her hand at parting. and Freckles joyfully real ized that here was going to be another person for him to love FreckleS couldn't remember. after they had driven away. that they had even mo- ticed his missing hand, and for the first time in his life he had forgot ten it.
 When the Bird Woman and the an gel were we'll on the home road the angel told of the little corner of para disc into which she had strayed and of her new name.
 ''Dfd you know MT. Mclean had son?' asked the angel Isn't the little accent he has and the way he twists a sentence too dear? And isn't it too old fashioned and funny to hear him call his father misterT'
 ''It sounds too good to be true." said the Bird Woman, answering the last question first. ''I am so tired with these present day young men that patroniZingly call their fathers dad governor old man and old chap that the boys attitude of respect and av1ea as silk. There must be something rare about that young man."
 But she did not find it necessary to tell the angel that for several years she had known the man who so proud ly proclaimed himself Freckles' father to be a bachelor and a Scotchman. The Bird Woman had a fine way of attending strictly to her own business.
 Freckles turned back to the trail. but stopped at every wild brier and looked at the pink satin of the petals. She was not of his world. and better than any other he knew it: but she might be his angel. and he was dreaming of naught but blind. silent worship. He finished the happiest day of his life. and that night he went back to the swamp as if drawn by a magnet That Wessner would try for his revenge he knew. That he would be abetted by Black Jack was almost certain. but fear had fled the happy heart of Freck- les. He had kept his trust. He had won the respect of the boss. Nobody could ever wipe from his heart the flood of holy adoration that had welled up with the coming of his angel.
 At the edge of the clearing he came out into the bright moonlight, and there sat Mclean on his mare. 6reck- les hurried up to him.
 els there trouble?" he asked anxious ly.
 That's what wanted to ask you,' said the boss. 'I stopped at the cabin to see you minute before I turned in. and they said you had come down here. You must not do it. Freckles."
 Freckles stood combing his fingers Nellie's mane. and the dainty creature was twisting her head around to his caresses He pushed back his hat and looked up into McLean's face. 'It's come to the sleep with one eye open,' sir. I'm not looking for any thing to be happening for a week or two. but it's bound to come. and soon. If I'm to keep me trust as I've prom tsed you and meself. I've to live here mostly until the gang comes. You must be knowing that. sir"
 ''I'm afraid it's true. Freckles." said Mclean. And I've decided tc double the guard until we get here. It will only be few weeks now. and I'm so anxious for you that you must not be left alone further. If fNanytbing should happen to you. FreckIes. it would spoil one of the very dearest plans of my life"
 Freckles heard with dismay the to place 8 second guard
 'Oh. no. no. Mir. Mclean" he cried. ''Not for the world: I wouldn't be hay ing a stranger around. soaring me birds and tramping up me study and all me ways for any moEeyi am all the guard you need! I will be I will turn over the lease with no tree missing-on me life. will! Oh. don't be sending another man to set them saying I turned cow ard and asked for haln If will inst