The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-09-26

with bitterness to Mclean. The
swamp had lost its flavor without
Frcckies. and yet rs Lord O'More
talked Mclean ferventiy wished that
he was In the heart OF H.
All the tan and sunburn had been
washed from Frecklcs face In sweats
OF agony. II was a smooth. even
white. Its brown rift showing but
! family. What the nurses and Lady
| O'Mors had done TO freckles' hair
Mclean could not guess. but Il was
the most beautiful that tie had ever
seen. Fine as tioss. bright In color,
waving and crisp. Il fell about the
white face
They had got his arms into ana
bis chest covered with q finely en-
broidered pale blue silk shirt. with
soft white tie at the throat. Among
the many changes that had taken place
during his absence. the fact that Free
kles was most attractive and barely
escaped being handsome remained al.
most unnoticed by the boss. SO great
was bis establishment at seeing both
cuns turned back and the right arm
In view. Freckles was using the
manned arm that heretofore he had al.
ways hidden.
"Oh. Lord. sir. but I'm glad to see
your burst out Freckles. almost rolling
from the bed as be reached for him.
I'm picking the ANGELS ring stone
that me Aunt Alice ordered. It's an
emerald-just me color. Lord 0'More
says Every color Of the old swamp
Is In It. . asked angel to have a little
shamrock leaf cut on IL. so every time
saw II I'd I've thinking OF the love.
truth. and valor Of that song she was
teaching me. Amt that a beautiful
songr
Freckles Tilted about tray OF unset
stones that would have ransomed sew.
.raI valuable kings
Il tell you i'm glad TO see you. sir"
he said. II tried to tell me uncle what
] wanted. but this amt for him to DO
mixed up In. anyway. and don't think
I made It clear to him. can be telling
you, sir. I told him that 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 l ought to be giving q lot
more. but I feel as II just had to DO
buying that stone with money earned
meself. and that Is all have saved OF
me wages. don't mind paying for
the mum. or the dressing table. or MIS-.
Duncan's things. from this other mon
ey, and later the angel can have every
last cent Of me grsndmother's, II she'll
take Il, but just now-oh. sir. can't you
see that have to be buying this stone
with what have In the bankr
"In other words. Freckles," said the
boss. you don't want to buy the an.
gels ring with money. You want TO
give for II your FIRST awful fear OF
tho swamp. You want TO pay for IL
with tho loneliness and heart hunger
you have suffered there. with last
winters freezing on the limo 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 Mr. 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 30.
| knew you would know. Now you
will be looking at thesei 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 It with a new tenderness.
I'm thinking here's mo angels
stone" he exuited. The Limberlost.
and me with II. grew in mine. but
it's going to bloom. and her with II,
in thisi There's the red OF the wild
little bunch OF crushed foxfire that We
found where she put Y to save me.
There's tho light OF the camp hre
and the sun setting over Sleepy
Snake creek. There's the red OF tho
blood We were willing TO give for
each other. Its Ike her lips and IKE
the drops that dried on her beauti-
full arm that nrst day. and I'm think
ing II must be like the brave. tender.
clean. red heart Of her"
Freckles lifted the ruby to his lips
and handed II to Mclean
"Freckles. may I ask you some
thingT he said
"why, sure" said Freckles
There's nothing you would be asking
that II wouldn't be giving me Joy to
be telling you"
McLean's eyes Travelled to Freckles'
right arm. with which he was pushing
the jewels about.
"Oh, thatr' cried Freckles with a
merry laugh You're wanting 20
know where all the bitterness IL gomez
Well. sir. twas carried from me soul,
heart and body on the lips Of an an |
gel Seems that hurt was necessary |
I'm the beginning 20 make today come |
true. The wound had always been