Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-06-25
-O
F FRECKLES
BY
Gene SmraGt0nAs
Porter
COPYRIGHT. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY. PAGE
CHAPTER XIV.

cowboy that was the handsOmest man
about. He'd come riding into town
every night. and oil we girls just
adored him. Oh. but he was beauty!
| thought at first glance you were
really he. but l see now he wasn't
nearly so tall nor so broad as you and
only half as handsome.
The men burst into roar Of laugh
ter. and Jack flushed crimson. The an
gel joined in the laugh.
"Well. I'll leave 1t to you! Isn't nc
handsome?" she challenged. "As Tor
that cowboys face. 1t couldn't be COM
pared with yours. The only trouble
with you Is that your clothes are spoil
ing you. It's the dress those cowboys
wear that makes half their looks. IL
you were properly dressed you could
break the heart Of the prettiest girl In
the country"
With one accord the other men
focused on Black Jack and for the first
| time realized that he was superb
| speciman Of manhood. for he stood
six feet tall. was broad. well rounded
and had dark. even skin. big black
eyes and full red lips.
I'll tell you what" exclaimed the
angel. I'D just love to see you on
horseback. Nothing sets handsome
man off so splendidly. DO you ride?"
"Yes." said Jack. and his eyes were
burning on the angel rs II he would
| fathom the depths Of her soul.
"Well." said the angel winsomely. Il
know what | just wish you'd do. !
wish you would let your hair grow
little longer Then wear blue flannel
shirt little open at the throat. red
| tie and broad brimmed felt hat and
ride past my house Of evenings I'm
always at home then and almost NJ
ways on the veranda, and. oh. but
would like to see you! Will you d"
that for me?"
The angel was looking straight into
Jacks face. coarse and hardened with
sin and careless living. which was
now taking on n wholly different ex-
preston. The evil lines of it were
softening and fading out under her
clear gaze. A dull red famed into his
bronze cheeks, and his eyes were grow.
ing brightly tender.
YES" he said. and the glance he
shot Mt the men was Of such nature
that no one saw 6t even to change
countenance.
"Oh. goody" she cried. fitting on her
toes. "I'll ask the girls to come to
see. but they needn't stick In. We can
get along without them. can't we"
Jack leaned toward her. He was
the charmed. futtering bird, and the
angel was the snake.
"Well. I rather guess!' he cried.
The angel drew deep breath and
looked him over rapturously.
"My. but you're tall" she gurgled.
"Do you suppose l Will ever grow to
reach your shoulders7
"Lariat Bill used always to have q
bunch of red flowers in his shirt pock-
ct. and the red lit up his dark eyes
and olive cheeks and made his splen-
did May put q bunch Of red fow-
ers on your"
Freckles' eyes popped. and he Wheel
ed for breath. He wished that the
earth would open and swallow him up.
Was be dead or alive? Since his an
gel had set eyes on Black Jack she
had never even glanced his way. Was
she completely bewitched? Would she
throw herself ut the mans feet before
them all? Couldn't she give him even
one thought? Hadn't she seen he was
gagged and bound? Did she truly
think that these were McLean's men?
Why, she couldn't. 1t was only few
DAYS ago that she had been near
enough this man and angry enough
with him to peel the hat from his
head with d shot. Suddenly thing
she had jes:ingly said to him one day
came back with startling force. you
must take angels OH trust.|I or course
you must. She was his angel. She
must have seen. His life aud. what
WAS far worse. her own were In her
hands. There was nothing he could
do but trust her. Surely she was
working out some plan.
The angel knelt beside his flower
bed and reckless!y tore up by the roots
IL big bunch of foxtlre.
"These stems are 80 tough and
sticky" she said. II can't break
them. Lend me your knife" she or
dered Freckles.
As she reached for the knife her
back was one second toward the men
She looked into his eyes and deliber-
ately winked.
She severed the stems. tossed the
knife back to Freckles and. walking
up to Jack. laid the flowers over his
heart.
Freckles broke into sweat OF
agony. He had said she would be safe
in herd Of bowling savages. Would
she? II Black Jack even made mo-
ton toward touching her Freckles
knew that from somewhere he would
muster the strength to kill him. He
mentally measured the distance to
where his club lay and set his muscles
for spring. But. no! The big fellow
was barring his head with hand that
was unsteady. The angel pulled one
of the long silver pins from her hat
and fastened her flowers securely.
Freckles was Quaking. What was to
come next?
As the angel stepped back from
Jack she turned her head to one side
and peered up at him. just as Freckies
had seen the little yellow fellow do
on the line hundred times. and said:
"Well, that does the trick! Isn't that
fine? See how It sets him OF. boys!
Don't you forget the tie Is to be RED
and the first ride soon. can't walt
very long. Now I must 60. The Bird
Woman will be ready to start and she
will come here hunting me next. for
| she is busy today. What did come
here for anyway
She glanced inquiringly about. and
several Of the men laughed. Oh. the
delight Of 1t. She had forgot her er-
rand for him! Jack had second In
crease in height. The angel glanced
helplessly about az II seeking clew.
| Then her eyes fell, as II BY accident,
on Freckles.