The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-02-24
Freckles' eyes popped. and he wheel
ID for breath. He wished that the


earth would open and swallow him up.
Was be dead or alive2 Since his an
gel had set eyes on Black Jack she
had never even glanced his way. Was
she completely bewitched? Would she
throw herself at the mans feet before
them all? Couldn't she give him even
one thought? Hadn't she seen he was
gagged and bound? Did she truly
think that these were McLean's men?
Why, she couldn't. 1t was only few
days ago that she had been near
en- ough this man and angry enough
with him to peel the hat from his
head with shot. Suddenly thing
she had jestingly said to him one day
came back with startling force. "You
must take angels on trust" OF course
you must! She was his angel. She
must have seen. His life and, what
was far worse. her own were in her
hands. There was nothing he could
do but trust her. Surely she was
working out some plan.
The angel knelt beside his flower.
bed and recklessly tore up by the roots
big bunch Of foxfire.
"These stems are 80 tough and
sticky" she said. II can't break
them. Lend me Your knife" she or
dered Freckles.
AS she reached for the knife her
back was one second toward the men
She looked into his eyes and deliber-
ately winked.
She severed the stems. tossed the
knife back to Freckles and, walking
up to Jack. laid the flowers over his
heart.
Freckles broke into a sweat OF
agony: He had said she would be safe
in herd OF bowling savages. Would
she? II Black Jack even made mo.
ton toward touching her Frecklcs
knew that from somewhere he would
muster the strength to kill him. He
mentally measured the distance to
where his club lay and set his muscles
for spring. But, no! The big fellow
was barring his head with hand that
was unsteady. The angel pulled one
of the long silver pins from her hat
and fastened her flowers securely.
Freckles was quaking. What was to
come next?
AS tho angel stepped back from
Jack she turned her head to one side
and peered up at him. just as Freckles
had seen the little yellow fellow do
on the line hundred times, and said:
"Well. that does the trick! Isn't that
fine? See how 1t sets him of. boys!
Don't you forget tho tic is to be red
and the first ride soon. can't wait
very long. Now I must 70. The Bird
Woman will be ready to start and she
will come here hunting me next. for
she is busy today What did come
here for anyway"
She glanced inquiringly about. and
several OF the men laughed. Oh. the
delight Of It'll She had forgot her er-
rand for him! Jack had second in
crease In height. The angel glanced
helplessly about rs If seeking a clew
Then her eyes fell, as If by accident
on Freckles.
Its mighty risky for you to be
crossing the swamp alofie." he said
II know it's little farther, but it's
begging you am to be going back by
the TRAIL"
The angel laughed merrily.
"Oh. stop your nonsense!" she cried.
"1'm not afraid-not in the least!"
Freckles turned to Jack implorfngly.
"You tell her!" he pleaded. "Tell
her to go by the trail. She will for
you"
The Implication of this statement
was SO gratifying to Black Jack that
he seemed again to expand and take
On increase before their very eyes.
"You betw exclaimed Jack. And to
the angel: "You better take Freckles'
word for 1t, miss. He knows the old
swamp better than any Of us, except
me, and If he says 60 by the trail
you'd best do It."
The angel hesitated. One last glance
at Freckles showed her the agony in
his eyes. She would follow the trail.
"All right" she said, giving Jack
killing glance "1f you say SO I'll 20
back by the trail to please you. Good,
by, everybody"
She lifted the bushes and started fol
the entrance.
"Stop herv growled Wessner. "Keep
her till we're loaded anyhow. Can't
you see that when this thing Is found
out there she'll be to ruin nll Of us.
If you let her 60 every man Of us has
got to cut. and some of us will be
caught sure"
Jack sprang forward. Freckles'
heart muffled 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 step backward and
called: "4o. Freckles. the Bird Wo-
man wants that natural history pam
phlet returned. It belongs to 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