Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-06-04

Woman, the angel. Mclean and the
Duncans were very rare. hence their
exceeding preciousness.
He had forgotten the excitement OF
the morning and the passing OF ume
when distant voices aroused him. and
he softly lifted his head. Nearer and
nearer they came. and as the heavy
wagons rumbled down the east trail
be could hear them plainly. The gang
we're shouting themselves hoarse for
the Limberlost guard. Freckles didn't
feel that he deserved It. He would
have given much to be able to 60 out
to the men and explain bow It was.
but only to Mclean could he tell his
story.
At the sight Of Freckles the men
threw up their hats and cheered. Nc.
Lean shook hands with him warmly.
but big Duncan gathered him into his
arms and hugged him like bear and
choked over a few words Of praise
The gang drove In and finished telling
the tree.
When the last wagon rolled away
Mclean sat down on the stump and
Freckles told the story he was aching
to tell. The boss could scarcely be
neve his senses. Also he was greatly
disappointed.
II have been almost praying all the
way over. Freckles." he said. that you
would hav, some evidence by which
We could arrest those fellows ana get
them out 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; nor the angel either
SIR" said Freckles.
1.-THE angelY queried the astonishrd
Mclean.
The boss listened In silence while
Freckles told of the coming and chris
tening Of the angel.
II know her father WELL" said Nc
Lean at last. "and have often seen
her. You are right. she Is beautiful
young girl. do not understand why
her father risks such q jewel In this
place"
Hes daring II because she Is such n
jewel. SIR said Freckles eagerly.
why. she's trusting rattlesnake tn
rattle before 1t strikes her. and. OF
course. she thinks she can trust man
kind as well. The man isn't made
that wouldn't lay down the life Of him
for her She don't need any care
Rer 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 Oni
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. "a
least Black Jack will. Wessnrr mI1 n
not have the pluck. And the neA
time Freckles hesitated.
"WhatT'
1T will Just he question Of VIII
shoots first and straightest"
"Then the only thing for me to d
Is to double the guard and get tn
gang here the first minute possible
As soon as | feel that we have the
rnrest Of the stuff out below we will
coma The fact is In many cases un'
I'll It Is felled it's hard to tell what
tree will prove to be. 1t won't do to
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 Ut the
gang would you like best to have Will
your"
mo one, SIR" said Freckles emphat.
icaIly. Next time is where ] run. !
won't try to fight them alone. III just
be getting wind of them and then
make tracks for you. I'll need to come
like lightning. and Duncan has no ex.
ira horse. 80 I'm thinking you'd best
get me one. or perhaps q wheel would
be better. used to do extra work
for the home doctor. and he would let
me take bis bicycle to ride about the
place. And ut times the head nurse
would lend me his for an hour.
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 bis battle alone. He
made one mental condition. II 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 q case OF let
ting his sober. better judgment be
overridden by the boy he was growing
80 to love that he could not bear TO
cross him. and to have Freckles keep
his trust and win alone meant to MIN
more than any money he might lose
The next morning Mclean brought
the wheel and Freckles took 1t down
to the trail to test 1t. 1t was new
chainless. with as little "a possible TO
catch IN hurried riding. and In every
vay the best Of Its kind. Freckles