Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-05-02
PAGE SEVEN

bind him and leave him for Wessner
to wreak hi, 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 until he left. Surely
he would not run all that risk for one
tree when he had many others of far
greater value marked.
Once Jack came over to Freckles
and asked if he had any water.
Freckles rose and showed him where
he kept his drinking water. Jack
drank in great gulps. and as he pass
ed the bucket back he said: when q
mans got Il chance of catching a fine
girl like that he ought not to be mix
ed UP in any dirty business. 1 wish I
was out of this"
Freckles answered heartily. II wish
I was too
Jack stared at him a minute and
then broke into a roar Of rough laugh
ter.
"Blest if l blame you" he said
but you had your chance. We offer
ed you a fair thing. and you gave
Wessner his answer. I amt envying
you when he gives you his"
Your 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
soul!'
I'D give anything you could name
if l had your honesty" said Jack.
When the mighty tree fell the Linn
berlost shivered and screamed with
the echo. Freckles groaned in despair,
but the gang took heart. That was
so much accomplished. Now, if they
could get it out quickly they knew
where to dispose of it 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 the
run. In the first three yards she
passed Freckles' wheel. Instantly she
imagined that was why he had insist
ed on her coming by the trail. She
seized it 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
Mrs. Duncan the while what was hap
pening and that she must follow the
east trail until she found the Bird
Woman to tell her she had gone for
Mclean and to leave the swamp as
quickly as possible.
The angel saw Mrs. Duncan started
and then flew.
Those awful miles of corduroy!
Would they never end? The bushes
claimed her hat. and she did not stop
for it.
At last she lifted her head. Surely
it could not be more than a mile now.
She had covered two Of corduroy and
at least three Of pike, and it was only
six in all. She was Keeling in the
saddle, but she gripped the bars with
new energy and raced desperately.
The sun blistered down on her bare
head and hands. Just when she was
choking with dust and almost pros
trate with heat and exhaustion-crash,
she ran into a broken bottle. Snap!
went the tire. The wheel swerved
and pitched over. The tired angel
rolled into the thick yellow dust of
the road and lay still.
From afar Duncan began to notice
a strange, dust covered object in the
road as he headed for town with the
first load of the days Telling. AS he
neared the angel he saw it was a wo-
man n a broken wheel. Many of
the farmers daughters rode wheels,
but this face was a strangers. He
glanced at the angels tumbled cloth
ing, the sickness Of her hair with
she had lost her hat. His lips tight
ened in an ominous culver. He left
her and picked up the wheel. AS he
had surmised. he knew it. This, then.
was Freckles' Swamp Angel.
There was trouble in the Timber.
lost. and she had broken down in rae.
tug for Mclean. Duncan hurried to
Tie nearest FARMHOUSE 10 SeQO uelp 10
the angel. Then he put the bay to
speed and raced for camp.
The angel. left alone. lay still for a
second. then she shivered and opened
her eyes.
"Oh. poor Freckles!" she walled.
"They may be killing him by now
Oh, how much time have 1 wasted?"
She hurried to the bay Duncan had
embarrassed. snatched a blacksnake
whip that lay on the ground. caught
the names stretched along the horses
neck, and. for the first time, the fine.
big fellow felt on his back the quality
OF the lash that Duncan was accus-
toned to crack over him.
At the south camp they were load
ing a second wagon when the angel
Numbered up on one Of Duncan's
bays. lathered and dripping, and cried:
Everybody go' to Freckles! There
are thieves stealing trees. and they