The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-04


 drew a long. quivering breath and opened her eyes.
 When she Raw him bending over her she closed them tightly and. gripping him. struggled to her feet. He help ed herOup. and. with his arm about and half carrying her. they made their way to the clearing. Then. brawny Scotswoman though she was. she keel ed over again. The children added their waiRing to Freckles' panic
 This tiESe he was so near the cabin that he could carry her Into the house and lay her on the bed. He sent the oldest boy scudding down the corduroy for the nearest neighbor. and between them they undressed her and discover ed that she was not bitten. They bath ed and bound up the bleeding wrist and coaxed her back to consciousness. She lay sobbing and shuddering. The first intelligent word she said was. "FreckIes, look at that jar on the Kitchen table and see if my yeast is no running ower."
 Several days went by before she could give Duncan and Freckles any detailed account of what had hap pened to her. She could not rest until SAS 6Gub TUT AlCA@CdB dn0 DCS6G0 nALA to save Freckles from further risk about that place of horrors. The boss went down to the swamp with his mind fully made up to do so.
 Freckles laughed Why, Mr. Me Lean. don't you let a woman's nervous system set you worrying over me-" he said I'm not denying how she felt. because I've been through it meself. k,,A hof afl ho height of me glory to fight it out with the old swamp and all that's in it or will be coming to it and then to turn it over to you. as l promised you and meself I'd do, sir. You couldn't break the heart of me entire quicker than to be taking it from me now when sJ'ms just on, the home stretch. You mustn't let woman get mixed up with busiNesss for I've always heard about how it's bringing trouble"
 The Bird Woman and the angel ar rived on time for the third of the series and found Mclean on the line talking to Freckles. The boss was fill ed with enthusiasm over a marsh arti- cle of the Bird .Woman's that he had just read. He begged to be allowed to accompany her into the swamp and watch the method by which she se- cured an illustration in such a Ioca- ton
 The Bird Woman explained to him that 1t was an easy matter with the subject she then had in hand. and as Little Chicken was too small to be frightened by him and large enough to be getting troublesome. she was glad of his company They went to the chicken log together leaving to the happy Freckles the care of the angel. who had brought her banjo and a roll of songs. The Bird Woman told them that they might go to Freck- les room and practice until she fn- ished with Little Chicken. and then she and McLenR would come to the concert
 It was almost three hours before they finished and came down the west trail As they reached the bushes at the entrance the voice of the angel stopped them. for 1t was commanding and filled with much impatience.
 "Freckles James Ross Mclean" she was saying. you fill me with dark blue despair. You're singing as if your voice was glass and liable to break at any minute. Why don't you sing as you did a week ago? You are fraud. You led ne to think that there was the making of a great sing CT in you. and now you are singing do you know how badly you are sing ing?"
 wis" said Freckles meekly- "I'm thinking I'm too happy to be singing well today. The music don't come right only when I'm lonesome and sad. The worlds for being all sunshine at prisint. for among you and Mr. Me Lean and the Bird Woman I'm after being that happy that l can't keep me thoughts on me notes. It's more than sorry I am to be disappointing you. Play it over. and I'll be beginning again. and this time I'll hold hard" 'WeIl,'' said the angel, fit seems to me that if l had all the things to be proud of that you have I'd lift up my head and sing!"
 And what is 1t I've to be proud of. ma'am?" politely inquired Freckles.
 why. whole worIdfuI of things" cried the angel explosiveIy. For one thing. you can-be good and proud over the way you've kept the timber thieves out of this lease and the trust your father has in you. You can be proud over the way every one speaks of you. I heard a man say a few days ago that the Limberlost was full of disagreeable thinRs-positive dangers. unhealthy as it could be. and that since the memory of the first settlers 1t has been a rem dezvous for runaways. thieves and murderers. This swamp is named for a man that got here and wandered around till he starved That man was talking with said he wouldn't take your job for $1.OOO a month-in fact. he said he wouldn't have it for any money. and you've never missed day or lost a tree. Proud! Why. 1 should think you would just parade around about proper over that!
 And you can always be proud thai you are born an Irishman. My father is Irish. and if you want to see him- just get up and strut give him a teeny opening to enlarge on his race. He says that if the Irish had decent terri