The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-15

he said. 'T tried to tell me uncle what l wanted, but this ain't for him to be mixed up in. anyway. and don't think I made it clear to him. I can be telling you. Sir. I told him that I would pay only $500 for the angels stone. I'm thinking that with what he has laid up for me. and the bigness of things that the angel did for me. that seems like a stingy little sum to him. I know he thinks I ought to be giving lot more. but I feel as if just had to be buying that stone with money I earned meself. and that is all have saved of me wages. I don't mind paying for the muff. or the dressing ta ble. or Mrs. Duncan's things. from this other mon- ey. and later the angel can have every last cent of pe grandmother's., if she'll take it. but just now-oh. sir. can't you see that l have to be buying this stone with what have in the bank?"
 ''ln other words. Freckles.' said the boss. you don't want to buy. the am gels ring with money. You want to give for 1t your first awful fear of the swamp. You want to pay for 1t with the loneliness and heart hunger you have suffered there, with last winters freezing on the line and this summers burning in the sun. You want the price of that stone to be the fears that have chilled your heart the sweat and blood of your body" Freckles' face quivered with feeling. Dear Mir. Mclean" he said. reach ing up with a caress over the boss black hair and along his cheek. Dear boss. that's why I've wanted you so.
 
 will be looking at these? l don't want emeralds. because that's what she gave me"
 Freckles heaped the pearls with the emeralds. He studied the diamonds a long time. The diamonds joined the emeralds and pearls. There was left a little red heap. and Freckles' fingers touched 1t with a new tenderness.
 ''I'm thinking heres me angels stone." he exuIted- ''The Limberlost. and me with it, grew in mine. but it's going to bloom. and her with it, in this! There's the red of the wild poppies. the cardinal flowers and the little bunch of crushed foxtire that we found where she put it to save me. There's the light of the camp fire and the sun setting over Sleepy
 
 blood we were willing to give for each other. It's like her lips and like the drops that dried on her beauti fui arm that first day. and I'm think ing 1t must be like the brave. tender, clean. red heart of her"
 FreckIes lifted the ruby to his lips and handed it to Mclean
 "FreckIes, may 1 ask you some thingT" he said
 why, sure." said Freckles. There's nothing you would be asking that it wouldn't be giving me joy to be telling you."- --.s
 McLean's eyes travelled to FreckIes' right arm. with which he was pushing the jewels about
 "Oh, thatr', cried FreckleS with a merry laugh. You're wanting to know where all the bitterness is gone? We'll. sir, twas carried from me soul. heart and body on the lips of an an- gel Seems that hurt was necessary in the beginning to make today come true. The wound had always been raw. but the angel was healing it. If she doesn't care. 1 don't. May l be asking you a question? Well. then. if this accident and all that's come to me since had never happened, what was it you meant to do with meT'
 "Why. FreckIes.' answered Mclean, sT figured on taking you to Grand Rapids and putting you in the care of my mother. I had an idea it would be best to get a private tutor to coach you for a year or two. until you were fit to enter Ann Arbor or the Chicago university in good shape. Then I thought we'd finish in this country at Yale or Harvard. and end with Oxford. to get good all round flavor"
 els that all?" asked Freckles.
 ''No: that's leaving the music out. I intended to have your voice tested. and