Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-02-22
FREGNlES
Ely
Gene Stnrat10ra-
Porter
COPYRIGHT. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY.
PAGE & co.
CHAPTER XIII.

In wheeled OIL Mclean with a
VB dumtoundcd look.
"Do you thing the angel
Knew she did that?" she asked softly.
NO." said Mclean. Il do not. But
the poor boy knew it. Heaven help
him.
The Bird Woman stared across the
gently waving swale. II don't see
how ] am going to blame her." she
said nj last. IT'S so exactly what
would have done myself"
SAY the rest" demanded Mclean
hoarsely. "Do him Justice"
HE is a born gentleman" conceded
the Bird Woman. "He took no ad-
vantage. He never even offered to
touch her. Whatever that kiss meant
10 him. he recognized it was the low
ing impulse of Il child under stress OF
strong emotion. He was fine and man
IL as any man ever could have been"
Mclean lifted his hat. THANK you."
re said simply ard parted the bushes
for her to enter Freckles' room.
Il was her FIRST visit. and before she
left she sent for her cameras and
made studies Of each side of 1t and OF
.ae cathedral She was entranced with
the delicate beuuty oc the place. and
her eyes kept following Frecliles as II
ane could not believe that 1t could be
his conception and work.
Tha. was happy day. The Bird
Woman had brought lunch. and they
spread it, with Freckles' dinner. on the
study floor and sat about. resting ana
enjoying themselves. But the angel
put her banjo into its case, silently
gathered up her music. and no one
mentioned the concert.
The Bird Woman left Mclean and
the angel to clear away the lunch and
with Freckles examined the walls OF
his room and told him all she knew
about his shrubs and flowers. She an
alyzed cardinal flower and showed
him what ne had all summer wanted
to know-why the bees buzzed inef-
fectually about it while tho humming
birds found in 1t an ever ready feast.
Some Of his specimens were so rare
that she was unfamiliar with them.
and with the flower book between
them they knelt, studying the different
varieties. She wandered the length of
the cathedral aisle with him, and 1t
was at her suggestion that he lighted
his altar with n row Of flaming foxtire.
AS Freckl,s came up to the cabin
from his long day at the swamp he
saw Mrs. Chicken sweeping away to
the south and wondered where she WINS
going. He stepped into the bright,
cozy little kitchen. and as he reached
down the wash basin he asked Mrs.
Duncan question.
Mother Duncan, do kisses wash
sff?"
Lord, IA, Freckles!' she cried. cat
least the anes ye get from people We
love dinna. They dinna stay on the
outside. They strike in until they find
The center OF your heart and make
their stopping place there. and naeth-
ing can take them from ye-I doubt II
even death. Ma. lad, We can be rect
sure kisses dinna wash off,"
Freckles set the basin down and NUT
tered, II needn't be afraid to be wash
ing. then, for TINT one struck In"
~ w'2h," said Freckles at breakfast
one me ing, that had some way to
he ser hnS a message to the Bird W0-
man. I've something down at the
swan D that I'm believing never hap
pened before, and surely she'll be want
ing it."
What now. FrecklssT' asked Mrs
Duncan.
why, the oldest thing you ever
heard Of" said Freckles. 1.-THE whole
insect tribe gone on a spree. I'm sup
posing it's my fault. but it all hap
pened by accident-like. You see, on
the swale side of the line, righr
against me trail, there's one Of these
scrub wild crab trees. Where the
grass grows thick about it is the
finest place you ever conceived Of for
snakes. Having women about has set
me trying to clean out those fellows n
bit. and yesterday noticed that tree
in passing. 1t struck me that it
would be good idea to be taking it
ont. First 4 thought I'd take me
Ratchet and cut it down. for 1t amt
remembered how it was blooming IN
the spring and filling all the air with
sweetness The colOring of the bios
SONS iz beautiful. and ! hated TO be
killing It. Just cut the grass short
all about It, Then ! started at the
ground, trimmed W the trunk near
the height OF me shoulder and Left
the top spreading. That made 1t look
80 truly ornamental that, idle like,
chips of the rough places neat, and
this morning. on me soul, it's sight
You see. cutting OFF the limbs and
trimming up the trunks sets the sap
running In this hot sun 1t ferments
in few hours. There isn't much
room for more things to crowd on
that tree than there are and to get
drunken isn't noways possible"
"Weel. be drawed on!' exclaimed
Mrs. Duncan. What kind Of things
do ye mean, FrecklesT
"Why, Just an army CT black ants
Some of them are sucking away like
o'd topafv. Some of them are setting
Up On their tails and hind legs, I'D
ding away with their fore feet and
Wtping their eyes. Some are rolling
around on the ground. contented.
There are quantities OF big bluebottle
cjes over the bark and hanging on the
grasses about. too drunk to steer a
conrse flying. 60 they Just buzz away
like flying and all tho time sitting
srIll The snake feeders are too full to