Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-29

You tell her! ne pieaucu Ell
her to 20 by the trail. She will fol
you"
The implication Of this statement
was so gratifying to Black Jack tina.
ne seemed again to expand ana take
on increase before their very eyes.
"Ycu bet" exclaimed Jack. And to
the angel: "You better take Freckles
word for it. miss. He knows the old
swamp better than any Of US. except
me, and If he says 20 by the trail
you'd best do It."
The angel hesitated. One last glance
Mt Freckles showed her the agony in
his ewes. She would follow the trail.
IAN right" she said, giving Jack Z
killing glance IF you say so I'll &c
back by the trail to please you. Good
by. everybody"
She lifted the bushes and started for
the entrance.
"Stop herr" growled Wessner. "Keer
her TIL we're loaded anyhow. Can't
you see that when this thing is found
out there she'll be to ruin all of us.
If you let her 90 every man of us has
got to cut. and some of us will be
caught sure"
Jack sprang forward. Frecklcs
heart mufiled up in his throat. The
angel seemed to divine Jacks coming
She was humming little song. She
deliberately stopped and began pulling
the heads Of the curious grasses that
grew all about her When she straight.
ened she took a step backward and
called: ''HO. Freckles. the Bird Wo-
man wants that natural history pam.
phlct returned. 1t belongs to a set she
Is going to have bound"
Then the angel shot a parting glance
at Jack. and she was bewitchingly
lovely.
"You won't forget that ride and the
red tie." she half asserted. half ques.
toned.
Jack lost his head entirely. Free
kles was his captive. but he was the
angels. soul and body. With head
held we'll up the angel walked slowly
away. and Jack wheeled on the men.
Drop your staring and saw wood"
he shouted. Don't you know any
thing at all about how to treat a
LADY,"
The men muttered and threatened
among themselves. but they fell to
working with vengeance.
Freckles sat down on one OF his
benches and waited. In their haste to
get the tree down and loaded so that
the teamsters could start with it and
leave them free to attack another
they had forgotten to rebind him.
The angel was on the trail and safe
~ started.
Freckles wondered what she would
say to the Bird Woman and how long
1t would take them to pack and get
started. He knew now that they
would understand and the angel
would try to get the boss there in
time to save his wager. She could
never do It, for tho saw was over half
through and Jack and Wessner cut.
ting into the opposite side of the tree.
1t looked as If they could get at least
that tree out before Mclean could
come
When 1t was down would they re-
bind him and leave him for Wessner
TO wreak his insane vengeance on, or
would they take him along to the
next tree and dispose Of him when
they had stolen all the timber they
could? Jack had said that he should
not be touched unit, he left Surely
he would not run all that risk for ono
tree when he had many others Of far
greater value marked.
Once Jack came over to Freckles
and asked II he had any water.
Freckles rose and showed him where
he kept his drinking water. Jack
drank in great gulrs. and as he pass
ed the bucket back he said. when a
mans got a chance OF catching . fine
g!ri like that he ought not to be mix.
ed up Ia any dirty business. l wish I
was out of this
Freclsles ensweras heartily. ~ wish
was too"
Jack stared at him minute and
then brSke into q roar Of rough laugh.
ter.
''i3lest If tsame you" he snid.
~Eut you hsd your chance We Offer.
cd you fair thing. and You gavo
Wessner his answer. amt envyjps
Won when he gives you his"
You're six to one" answered Free
kles. Ut will be easy enough for you
to be killing the body Of me, but
curse you all. you can't blacken me
SOUR
I'D give anything you could name
II I had your honesty" said Jack.
When the mighty tree fell the Linn
berlost shivered and screamed with
tie echo, Freckles groaned in despair,
but the gang took heart. That was
80 much accomplished Now, II they
could ret Il out quickly they knew
where to dispose of 1t safely with no
questions asked. Before the day was
over they could remove three others
worth far more than this.
On the line. the angel gave one
Backward glance at Black Jack to see
that he had returned to his work.
Then she gathered her skirts above
her knees and leaped forward on tho
run. In the FIRST three yards she
pasSed Freckles' Wheel Instantly she
Imagined that was why no had insist
cd Oil her coming by the trail. She
seized il and sprang on. The saddle
was too high. but she was an expert
rider and could catch the pedals as
they came up She stopped at Dun
cans cabin long enough TO get out the
wrench and lower the saddle, telling