The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-07-18

doubt II You can get TO Duncan's
Don't you know when you are don,
up1 You go to bed. III finish youI
work"
"Niverw protested Frcckles. II wa,
Just little done up for the prisint q
minute ago. I'm all right now, Rid
ing boots are away too low The
days hot and the walk a good seven
miles. sir. Niverw
As he reached for the outfit he pitch.
ed forward and his eyes closed. Nc.
Lean stretched him on the moss and
applied restoratives. When Freckles
returned TO consciousness Mclean ran
to the cabin TO tell Mrs. Duncan to get
a hot bath ready and to bring Nellie.
That worthy woman promptly filed
the wash boiler and set n roaring fire
under It. She pushed the horse trough
OF its base and rolled It up to the
kitchen.
BY the time Mclean came again,
leading Nellie and holding Freckles on
her back. Mrs. Duncan was ready for
business. She and the boss laid Freck-
les in a trough and poured on hot wa.
ter until he squirmed. They soaked.
rubbed and secured him. Then they
let the hot water or and closed his
pores with cold. Lastly they stretched
him on the floor and chafed. rubbed
and kneaded him until he cried out
for mercy. As they rolled him into
bed his eyes dropped shut. but little
later they fiared open.
"Mr. Mclean" he cried. 'the treel
Oh. do be looking after the treeI'
Mclean bent over him. which tree.
FrecklesT
III don't know exact, sir. but It's on
the east line. and the wire is fastened
to II. lie Dragged that you nailed II
yourself. sir. You'll know II by the
bark having been laid open to the
grain somewhere low down. and IL was
$500 he offered me-to be-selling you
out-sirr'
Freckles' head rolled over and his
eyes dropped shut McLean's mind
travelled back to the night almost a
year before when he had engaged
Freckles. stranger.
Mclean bent. covering the hurt arm
with one hand and laying the other
with n caress on the boys forehead.
Freckles stirred at his touch and twit-
tered as softly as the swallows under
the caves.
'1f you're coming this way-tomor.
row-be pleased TO step overland Wen
repate the-chorus softly"
"Bless the gritty devil" growled Nc.
Lean.
Then he went out and told Mrs. Dun
can 20 keep close watch on Freckles
and send Duncan TO him at the swamp
the minute he came home. Following
the trail down 10 the line and back TO
the scene Of the fight. the boss entered
Freckles' study softly. ms II his spirit
sleeping there might be reused. and |
gazed about with astonished eyes.
How had the boy conceived II? What !
a picture he had wrought in living col !
ors! He had the heart OF a painter;
he had the soul OF poet. The boss |
stepped carefully over the velvet car
pet and touched the walls Of crisp yer.
dure with gentle fingers. He stood |
long beside the flower bed and gaxed |
at the banked wall of bright flowers as
II be could never leave OF.
CHAPTER VII
AN ANGEL MATERIALIzEs.
KAYl HERE had Freckles ever found |
IM and how had he trausplanted /
U such ferns? As Mclean turned |
- from them he stopped sudden
ly. He had reached the door OF the |
cathedral. That which Freckles had
attempted would have been patent to
any one. What had been in the heart
Of the shy. silent boy when he had I
found that long. dim stretch OF forest.
decorated its entrance. cleared and
Emoothed its aisle and carpeted its al
tar? What veriest work Of God was I'm
these mighty living pillars and the
arched dome Of green. How like stain
ed cathedral windows were the long
openings between the trees. filed with
riffs Of blue. rays OF gold and the shift
ing emerald of leaves. Where could
be found mosaics to match this aisle
paved with living color and glowing
lights? Was Freckles a devout Chris
tian and did he worship here? Or was
he an untaught heather and down this
vista Of enhancing loneliness did Pan
come piping and dryads. nymphs and
fairies dance for himi
Who can fathom the heart OF n boy?
Mclean had been thinking OF Freckles
rs a creature of answering honesty.
courage and faithfulness. Here was
evidence of a heart aching for beauty.
art. companionship. worship. 1t was
writ large all over the floor, walls and
Of that little Limberlost
clearing.
When Duncan came Mclean told him
the story Of the fight, and they laughed
until they cried. Then they started
around the line In search Of the tree.
Said Duncan, Now the boy Is In for
,ore trouble!"
II hope not" answered Mclean.
You never In all your life saw q cur
whipped SO completely. He won't
,ome back for the repetition Of the
'horus. We can surely find the tree.
4 we can't Freckles can. | will bring
enough OF the gang to take II out at