Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-29
FR[EGgZ|Z|E@
BY
Gene S(hraGG@m-
Porter
CoyYxEshT. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY.
PAGE q CO.
CHAPTER XIV.

I know, we were in Colorado
s.A..-' last peat, and there was n
cowboy Chat was the handsomcst man
sbout He'd come riding into town
every night, and all we girls just
sdored him. Oh but he was beauty!
7 thought at first glance you were
really he. but l see now he wasn't
nearly so tall nor so broad as you and
oMy half as handsome.
The men burst into roar of laugh.
Ter. and Jack flushed crimson. The an
gel toined In the laugh.
well, Ill leave 1t to you Isn't he
handsome" she challenged "As for
that cowboys face, It couldn't be COM
pared with yours. The only trouble
with You is that your clothes are spoil
ing you. It's the dress those cowboys
wear that makes half their looks. IF
you were properly dressed you could
break the heart of the prettiest girl In
the country"
With one accord the other men
focused on Black Jack and for the first
time realized that he was superb
speciman Of manhood, for he stood
six feet tall, was broad. well rounded
and had dark, even skin. big black
eyes and full red lips.
'T'll tell you whntr' exclaimed the
angel. "1'd just love to see you on
horseback. Nothing sets handsome
man OF SO splendidly. Do you ride?"
YES" said Jack. and his eyes were
burning on the angel as II he would
fathom the depths Of her soul.
"Well," said the angel winsomely, x
know what just wish you'd do. 1
wish you would let your hair grow a
httle longer. Then wear blue flannel
,hirt little open at the throat, red
Tie and a broad brimmed felt hat and
ride past my house OF evenings. I'm
always at home then and almost al
ways on the veranda. and. oh. but I
would like to see you. Will you do
that for mef"
The angel was looking straight into
Jacks face. coarse and hardened with
sin and careless living. which was
now taking on a wholly different ex-
preston. The evil lines Of 1t were
eoftening and fading out under her
clear gaze. A dull red famed into his
bronze cheeks. and hts eyes were grow
ing brightly tender.
YES" he said. and the glance he
shot at the men was Of such nature
that no one saw At even to change
countenance.
"Oh, goody" she cried, fitting on her
toes. "I'll ask the girls to come to
see. but they needn't stick in. We can
get along without them, can't WEI"
Jack leaned toward her. He was
.he charmed. fiuttering bird, and the
tngel was the snake
"Well. I rather guess" he cried.
The angel drew deep breath ana
looked him over rapturously.
my. but you're TALL" she gurgled.
DO you suppose Will ever grow to
reach your shoulders?
"Larint Bill used always to have a
bunch Of rcd flowers in his shirt peck
ct, ard the red lit up his dark eyes
md olive cheeks and made his splen-
lid May I put bunch Of red flow
rs on yOu7"
Freckles' eyes popped, and he Wheel
ID for breath. He wished that the
arth would open and swallow him up
Vas he dead or alive? Since his an
gel had set eyes on Black Jack she
tad never even glanced his way. Was
ME completely bewtchede Would she
throw he,self at the nau's feet before
hem ALI Couldn't she give him even
,ne thought? Hsda'i abe seen he was
gagged and ooGnd' Did she truly
think that theso were McLean's men?
Thy, she couldn't. II was Only q few
lays ago tAat she Rad been naar
>nouGh this man Snd angry enough
With him To peel tie lat from his
read With e shct. Suddenly a thing
he had ;asinsly sa+d to him one day
anne sscls With startling force, You
must take angels on trust" or course
rOu musts She was his angel. Sho
must Eave seen H!e life and. what
wes far worse. har own we're IN her
hsndE> There wss nothing he could
DO Bat trust her. Surely che was
working out scme plan.
The eagal knott beside his flower.
he'd and rcck'aagly tore up by the roots
:. G.g bunch OF fo1d-e.
THESE stsEns are 80 tough and
srtcky," che sa!d- II can't break
them. Lend mo your knifs." she or
d".cd Frocklsa.
AZ she reached for the knife her
back Wis one second toward the men.
She looked into hts eyes and detber.
ateiy winked.
She severed the stems. tossed the
knGe back 10 Ereckles and, walking
A. IT, jack, lr.d the Sewers over his
hscrt.
ETcckias broke into sweat IT
DFooy, He hD6 Ha!A siia would be safe
10 hcrd Of bowling snvagas. Would
rhet II Black Js2E evan ,nade mo.
ton toward Touching her Freckias
Shew thu, from somewhere he would
n1rs'er the strength 70 kill HIM He
I"ntoNy measured the distance to
where his c.ab lay and act his muscles
:or eprtng. But no. The big fellow
''as barring hiH bend with hand that
wns unsteady The angel pullc-, one
- the 'cHg silver nins from her hat
ara fastened her nowlrs securely.
frcckloa ;'Gs quaAina. what was to
rome nay.e
~ u" npca! sf2NnoN back from
zee. sac 'urn"d tar head 10 one side
&c pCeFol M If h!!o. tust as Freckles
Ia Hera IL" little yellow follow do
"a tie hHc q Aun1rcl times. and said
ff.af1