The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-03-02

his burning eyes. but they would not
stay shut. AS ii pulled by wires, the
heavy lids few open and the outraged
nerves and muscles of his body
danced. twitched and tingled.
He bent forward and idly watched
the limpid little stream flowing be-
meath his feet. Stretching back into
the swale. it came creeping between
an impenetrable wall of magnificent
wild flowers. vines and ferns. Milk
weed. goldenrod, ironwort. fringcd
gentians, cardinal flowers and turtle
head stood on the very edge Of the
creek. and every flower Of them grew
double in the water. Wild clematis
crowned with snow the heads of trees
scattered here and there along the
bank.
Freckles sat so still that presently
the brim of his hat was covered with
snake feeders, rasping their crisp
wings and singing as they rested.
Some of them settled on the club and
one on his shoulder. He was SO quiet
and feathers. fur and gauze were so
accustomed to him that all about the
swale they went on with their daily
life and forgot he was there.
The heron family waded about the
mouth of the creek. Freckles idly
wondered whether the nerve racking
rasps they occasionally emitted indi-
Gated domestic felicity or a raging
quarrel. A sheitpoke. with faring
crest, went stalking across a bare
space near the creeks mouth. A
stately brown bittern waded out into
the clear flowing water, lifting his feet
high at every step and setting them
down gingerly. as If he dreaded wet
ting them. and. with slightly parted
beak, stood eagerly watching about
him for worms. Behind him were
some mighty trees Of the swamp
above, and below the bank glowed n
solid wall Of goldenrod.
No wonder the ancients had chosen
yellow as the color to represent VIC
tory. for the fierce. conquering hue Of
the sun was in it. They had done we'll.
too. in choosing purple us the color Of
royalty. It was dignified. compelling
color. and In its warm tone there was
q hint of blood.
It was the Limberlosts hour to pro-
claim her sovereignty and triumph.
Everywhere she Haunted her yellow
banner and trailed the purple Of her
mantle. that was paler In the thistle
heads, took on strength in the first
opening asters, and glowed and burned
in the ironwort. ,..,
Compellingly beautiful was the Lin
berlost. but cruel withal; far back in
there bleached the uncof1ned bones Of
her victims, and she had missed era
ding him, oh, so narrowly!
Below the turtle log, dripping silver
gray head. with shining eyes, was eau
tiously lifted, and Freckles' hand slid
around to his revolver. Higher and
higher came the head; long, heavy.
fur coated body rose, now half, now
three-fourths out Of the water
Freckles looked at his shaking hand
and doubted. but he gathered his
forces. the shot rang out. and the otter
lay still. He hurried down and tried
to lift 1t. He could scarcely muster
strength to carry it to'the bridge. The
consciousness that he really could not
60 farther with it made Freckles re-
alize the fact that he was we'll up to
the limit of humanI endurance. He
could bear 1t little. IL any, longer.
Every hour the face Of the angel wav-
cred before him. and behind it the
awful distorted image of Black Jack.
as he swore to the punishment he
would mete out to her.
Freckles stopped when he came to
the first guard. and telling him of his
luck, asked him to go for the otter and
carry it up to the cabin. as he was
anxious to meet Mclean. Freckles
passed the second guard without seeing
him. and hurried up to the boss. He
stood silent under the eyes Of Mclean
The boss was dumfounded. Mrs.
Duncan had led him to expect that he
would find Freckles in bad way. but
this was almost deathly. The fact
was apparent that the boy scarcely
knew what he was doing. His eyes
had a glazed. farsighted look in them.
that wrung the heart Of the man that
loved him. Without thought of pre-
lminaries Mclean leaned in the sad
die and drew Freckles up to him.
"My poor lad!' he said. my poor.
dear lad: tell me. and we will try to
right ity'
Freckles had twisted his fingers in
Nellie's name. At the kind words bis
face dropped on McLean's thigh and
he shook with nervous chill. Mclean
gathered him closer and waited.
"Freckles," said Mclean at last,
twill you tell me, or must l set to
work In the dark and try to find the
trouble?"
"Oh, l want to tell you! I must tell
you, SIR" shuddered Freckles. II can.
not be bearing 1t the day out alone
was coming to you when remim.
bered you would be here"
He lifted his face and gazed OF
across the swale. with his Jaws set
haeA v,oanutn az r. 0afhorin0 hia