Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-03

wnen the last wagon rolled away
Mclean sat down on tho stump and
Freckles told the story he was aching
to tell. The boss could scarcely be-
lieve his senses. Also he was greatly
disappointed.
Il have been almost praying all the
way over, Freckles.' he said. that you
would have some evidence by which
we could arrest those fellows ana get
them ont OF our way. but this will
never do. We can't mix those women
up in It. They have helped you save
me the tree and my wager as we'll.
Going about the country as she does.
the Bird Woman could never be ex-
pected to testify against them,
mo. indeed: o the angel either,
SIR" said Freckles.
1.-THE angslT" queried the a~stonished
Mclean.
The boss listened In silence while
Freckles told of the coming and chris.
tening Of the angel.
II know her father WE'LL" said Nc
Lean ut last. land / have often seen
her. You are right. she is a beautiful
young girl. l do not understand why
her father risks such a Jewel in this
place"
Hes daring 1t because she ia such a
jewel. SIR" said Freckies eagerly.
why. she's trusting a rattiesnake to
rattle before it strikes her. and. OF
course. she thinks she can trust man
kind as we'll. The man isn't made
that wouldn't lay down the life Of him
for her. She don't need any care.
Her face and the pretty ways Of her
are all the protection she would need
in a band of bowling savages.""
Ibid you say she handled one Of the
revolvers:" asked Mclean.
"She scared all the breath out Of me
BODY admitted Freckles. Seems
that her father has taught her to
shoot. The Bird Woman told her dis.
tinctly to lie low and blaze away high,
just to help scare them. The spunky
little thing followed them right out
into the west road. splitting lead like
hail and clipping all about the heads
and heels Of them"
Now. will they come back?' asked
Mclean.
"Of course" said Freckles. "At
least Black Jack will. WessneT Nigh:
not have the pluck. And the next
time Freckles hesitated.
"What:"
ut will Just be a question Of who
shoots first and st-aightest."
~"Then the only thing for me to d.
Is to double the guard and get the
gang here the first minute possible
AS soon as l feel that we have the
rarest OF the stuff out below we viii
come. The fact is in many cases IN
til it is felled it's hard to tell what 9
tree will prove to be. 1t won't do t.
leave you here longer alone. Jack has
been shooting twenty years to your
one. and 1t stands to reason that you
are no match for him. Which Of tie
gang would you like best to have with
you:"
mo one. sir" said Freckles emphat
ically. Next time is where ! rum.
won't try to fight them alone. I'll JUS
be getting wind of them and ther
MAKE tracks for you, III need to com
like lightning. and Duncan has no ex
ira horse. 50 I'm thinking you'd bes
get me one. or perhaps a wheel woult
be better. l used to do extra worl
for the home doctor. and he would LEI
me take his bicycle to ride about thu
place. And at times the head nurse
would lend me his for an hour. a
wheel would cost less and be faster
than q horse and would take less
care"
AS they walked up to the cabin to
gether Mclean insisted on another
guard. but Freckles was %stubbornly
set on fighting his battle alone. He
made one mental condition. If the
Bird Woman was going to give up the
Little Chicken series he would yield
to the second guard solely for the sake
Of her work and the presence Of the
angel in the Limberlost.
With Mclean 1t was a case Of let
ting his sober. better judgment b<
overridden by the boy he was growing
50 to love that he could not bear t
cross him. and to have Freckles keeI
bis trust and win alone meant to hin
more than any money he might lose.
The next morning Mclean brought
the wheel. and Freckles took it dow1
to the trail to test 1t. 1t was new
chainless. with as little as possible tt
catch in hurried riding. and in every
way the best Of its kind. Freckle.