Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-05-16

~ HAVE been thinking" said
Freckles. II believe if you
. will leave one Of the guards
~ on the line-say Hall-that l
will begin on the swamp at the north
end and lay it off in sections and try
to hunt out the marked trees. 1 sup
pose they are all marked something
like that first maple on the line was.
Wessner' mentioned another good one
not so far from that. He said it was
best of all. I'd be having the swelled
head if I could find that. Of course 7
don't know a thing about the trees, but
1 could hunt for the marks. Jack was
so good at it he could tell some of
them by the mark, but all he wanted to
take that we've got on to so far have
just had a deep chip cut out rather low
down and where the bushes were thick
owe it. I believe I could be finding
some of them"
"Good head" said Mclean. "We will
do that. You may begin as soon as
you are rested. And about things you
came across in the swamp, Freckles.
the most trifing little thing that you
think the Bird Woman would want,
take your wheel and go after her at
any time. I'll leave two men on the
line, SO that you will have one on
either side, and you can come and so
as you please. Have you stopped to
think Of all we owe her, my boy?"
<SVic. on1 tho orro1 r,o o-o Jo~, r.
lot, too," said Freckles. 81 owe her me
life and honor. It's lying awake nights
I'll have to be trying to think how
Pm ever to pay her up"
well begin with the muff," sug-
gested Mclean. That should be fine"
Freckles told Mclean of Mrs. Dun
cans desire for Il hat like the an
gels. He hesitated Il little in the tell
ing and kept sharp watch on Nc
Leans face. When he saw the boss
eyes were full of sympathy he loved
him new for. as ever Mclean was
quick to understand. Instead of
laughing he said: Il guess you'll hav.
to let me in on that too. You mustn't
be selfish, you know. III tell you
what We'll do. Get it for Christmas.
I'll be home then. and we can send a
box. You get the hat. I'll add a dress
and wrap. You get Duncan a hat
and gloves. I'll send him a big over.
coat. and We'll put in a lot Of little
stuff for the babies"
"That would be away too serious
for fun," said Freckles. "That would
be heavenly"
A week later everything at the Lin.
berlost was precisely as it had been
before the tragedy. except the case
in Freckles' room now rested on the
stump of the newly felled tree.
Enough Of the vines were left to cover
it prettily, and every vestige Of the
havoc Of a few days before was gone.
The new guards were %patrolling the
trail. Freckles was roughly laying of
the swamp in sections and searching
for marked trees. In that time he had
found one deeply Clipped and the chip
cunningly replaced and tackled in. 1t
promised to be quite rare. so he was
jubilant. He also found so many sub.
jects for the Bird Woman that her
coming was Of almost daily occur
renee. and the hours he spent with
her and the angel were nothing less
than golden.
The Limberlost now was arrayed
like the queen of Sheba in all her
glory. The first frosts of autumn had
bejeWeled her crown in flashing topaz
ruby and emerald. About her feet
trailed the purple Of her garments. and
in her hand was her golden scepter.
Everything was at full tide. 1t seem.
ed as if nothing could grow lovelier,
and it was all standing still a few
weeks, waiting coming destruction.
The swamp was palpitant with life.
Every pair Of birds that had flocked to
It in the spring was now multiplied by
| from two to ten. The young were