Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-03-28
"1-l guess 1 got enough" he mum

"Oh. do you?" roared Freckles.
well, this amt your say. You come
on to me ground lying about me boss
and intimatin' I'd stale from his very
pockets. Now. will you be standing
up and taking your medicine like a
man or getting it poured down the
throat Of you like Il baby: / amt got
enough. This is only just the begin
ming with me. Be looking out there
He sprang against Wessner and sent
him rolling. He attacked the unre-
sisting figure and fought him uEtil be
lay limp and still and FreckleS had
no strength left to lift an arm. Then
he o s and stepped back. gasping for
breath. With us first good Iungfui
OF air he shouted. Time" But the
figure OF Wessner lay motionless.
Freckles watched him with regard
full eye and saw ut last that he was
completely exhausted. he bent yer
him and. catching him by the back OF
the neck. ierked him to his knees.
Wessner lifted the face of d whipped
cur and. fearing further punishment.
burst into great %shivering sobs. while
the tears washed tiny rivulets through
the blood and muck. Freckles step
ped back, glaring at Wessner. but sud
denly the scowi OF anger and the ugly
disfguring red faded from the boys
face. He dabbed at a cut on his tenn
pie. from which issued a tiny crimson
stream. and jauntily shook back his
hair. His face took on the innocent
look Of a cherub. and his voice RI
vailed that OF a brooding dove, but
into his eyes crept a look of diabolical
mischief.
he glanced vaguely about him until
he saw his club. seized and twirled it
like a drum major. stuck it upright in
the muck and marched on tiptoe owe
to Wessner mechanically, as a puppet
worked by a string. Bending over.
Freckles rpached an arm about Wess-
ner's waist and helped him to his feet.
Careful. now" he c%autioned: "be
careful. Freddy. There's danger of you
hurting me-"
Fishing Il handkerchief from a back
pocket. Frrckles tenderly wiped Wess-
ner's eyes and nose.
"Come. Freddy. me child" he adj
Tonished Wessner: cts time little
boys We're getting home. I've me work
to do and can't be entertaining you
any more today. Come back tOmor-
row if You Amt through yet and We'll
repate the pprfarmance."
Again an awful %wrenching seized
Mclean. !>reckles stepped back as
Wessner. lettering and Keeling like a
thoroughly drunken man. came toward
the path. looking indeed as it wildcats
had taken their fill of him.
The cud@pl spun high in air. and.
catching it with an experiences ac-
CURED by long practice on the line. the
boy twirled it Il second and, stepping
out into the trail. followed Wessner.
| Because Frackles was Irish it was i'm
| possible to do it silently. and presently
his clear tenor rang out, though there
were bad catches where he was hard
pressed for breath:
''It was the Dutch: 1t was the Dutch.
Do you thin it was the Irish hollered
help? Not much!
It was the Dutch. 1t was the Dutch
Wessner turned and mumbled: "What
you following me for? What r you
going to do with me""
Freckles called the Limberlost to wit.
ness. SLOWS that for the ingratitude
Of a beast? And me troubling meselt
to show him off me territory with the
honors Of war"
Then he changed his tone completely
and added: Belize it's this. Freddy.
You see, the boss might come riding
down this trail any minute, and the
little mares so wheed]esome that if
she'd come on to you in your prisint
state all Of a sudden she'd stop that
short she'd send Mr.. Mclean out yer
the ears of her. No disparagement in
tinded to the sinse Of the mareH,' be
added hastily.
Wessner belched a fearful oath, and
Freckles laughed merrily.
That's a sample Of the thanks q
generous acts always for getting" he
continued. Here's me neglectin' me
WOlh W coSuOlI SOu Jul pAoPCi. ouu
you saying such awful words. Fred
dy," be demanded sternly. do you
want me to soap out your mouth?
You don't seem to be realizing it. but
if you was to buck into Mr.. Mclean
in your pr1sint state without me there
to explain matters the chance is he'd
cut the liver out of you. and l shouldn't
think you'd be wanting such a fine gin
tleman as him to see that it's white
Wessner grew CHASTITY under his
CRIME and broke into q staggering run
Freckles twirled the baton and stood
like a soldier at attention" until
Wessner left the clearing. but it was
the last scene OF that performance.
When the boy turned there was a
deathly illness in his face, and his legs
wavered like reeds beneath his weight.
He staggered back to the case. and
opening it. he took out a piece Of cloth.
He dipped it into the water and. sit
ting on Il bench. he wiped the blood
and CRIME from his face. while his
breath sucked between his clinched
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