Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-03-28
PAGE SEVEN
currence among the gang.

1aklnE the nurt arm. ne turned Oack
the sleeve and bathed and bound up
the wounds. He examined Freckles'
head and body and convinced himself
that there was NO permanent injury.
Then he sat down beside Frecklea.
Ill the indescribabIe beauty OF the
Place was strong about him. out he
saW only the bruised face OF the suf-
fering boy. who had tedged for the in
formation he wanted ike a diplomat.
argued like a judge. fought like a
sheik and lriumphed like a devL.
As the pain leSSened ana breath
caught up With. t'reckleS pounding
heart he watched the boss from the
tail of his eye. How had Mclean got
there. and how long had he been
there: FreckIeS did not dare ask At
took Out his revolver and the wire
mending apparatus and locked the
door. Then he turned to Mclean.
Have you any orders. STRIP he ask
ed.
Yes" said Mclean, II have. and
you are to follow them to the letter.
Turn ove that apparatus to me and
go straight home. Soak yourself in
the hottest bath your skin will bear
and so to bed at once. Now, hurry"
Mr.. McLean," said Freckles. its
sorry l am to be telling you. but the
afternoons walking Of the line amt
done. You see. | was just for getting
to me feet to start. and | was on good
time when up came a gintleman, and
we got into q little heated argument.
It's either settled or it's just begun.
but between US I'm that late l haven't
started for the afternoon yet. l must
be going at once. for there's a tree l
must find before the days over"
You plucky little idiot" growled
Mclean. you can't walk the line! L
doubt if you can get to Duncan's.
Don't you know when you are done
up? You go TO bed. I'll finish your
work."
"Niver!" protested Freckles- IT was
iEst q little done up for the prisint a
minute ago. I'm all right now, Rid
ing boots are away too low The
uuy . AOI lbu LIZ " SOOu
miles. sir. Niver!."
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 filled
| the wash boiler and set a roaring fire
under it. She pushed the horse trough
off it's 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 off 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 a little
later they Jared open.
"Mr. Mclean" he cried. the tree!
Oh, do be looking after the tree"
Mclean bent over him. Which tree.
Freckles?'
Il don't know exact. sir, but it's on
the east line. and the wire is fastened
to it. He Dragged that you nailed it
yourself. sir. You'll know it by the
| bark having been laid open to the
grain somewhere low down, and it was
$500 he offered me-to be-selling you
out-sir!!"
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. a stranger.
Mclean bent. covering the hurt arm
| with one hand and laying the "t''"r
| with a caress on the boys forel,, Il.
Freckes stirred at his touch and twlt-
tered as softly as the swallows under
the caves.
"If you're coming this way-tomor-
row-be pleased to step overland Veil
repate the-chorus SOFTLY"
"Bless the gritty devil" growled Nc
| Lean.
Then he went out and told Mrs. Dun
a to keep close watch on Freckles
| and send Duncan to him at the swamp
the minute he came home. Following
the trail down to the line and back to
the scene of the fight. the boss entered
Freckles' study softly, as if his spirit
sleeping there might be reused. and
gaZed about with astonished eyes.
How had the boy conceived it? What
a picture he had wrought in living COL
ors! He had the heart Of a painter:
he had the soul Of a 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 gazed
at the banked wall Of bright flowers as
If he could never leave of.