Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-05-02

100000 NSNs
Why, she couldn't. 1t was only a few
days ago that she had been near
enough this man and angry enough
with him to peel the hat from his
head with a shot. Suddenly a thing
she had jestingly said to him one day
came back with startling force. You
must take angels on trust" OF course
you must. She was his angel. She
must have seen. His life and, what
was far worse. her own were in her
hands. There was nothing he could
do but trust her. Surely she was
working out some plan.
The angel knelt beside his flower.
bed and recklessly tore up by the roots
Il big bunch of foxire.
"These stems are so tough and
sticky" she said. Il can't break
them. Lend me your knife" she or.
dered Freckles.
AS she reached for the knife her
She looked into his eyes and deliber-
ately winked.
She severed the stems. tossed the
knife back to Freckles and, walking
up to Jack. laid the flowers over his
heart.
Freckles broke into a sweat of
agony. He had said she would be safe
in a herd of bowling savages. Would
she? If Black Jack even made a mo-
ton toward touching her Freckles
knew that from somewhere be would
muster the strength to kill him. He
mentally measured the distance. to
where his club lay and set his muscles
for a spring. But. no! The big fellow
was barring his head with a hand that
was unsteady. The angel pulled one
Of the long silver pins from her hat
and fastened her flowers securely.
Freckles was quaking. What was to
come next?
AS the angel stepped back from
Jack she turned her head to n side
and peered up at him. just as Freckles
had seen the little yellow fellow do
on the line Il hundred times, and said:
well, that does the trick. Isn't that
fine? See how it sets him off. boys!
Don't you forget the tie is to be red
and the first ride soon. I can't wait
very long. Now I must go. The Bird
Woman will be ready to start. and she
will come here hunting me next. for
she is busy today. What did I come
here for anyway"
She glanced inquiringly about. and
several Of the men laughed. Oh. the
delight of it! She had forgot her err
rand for him! Jack had a second in
crease in height. The angel glanced
helplessly about as if seeking a clew.
Then her eyes fell. as if by accident.
on Freckles.
ITS mighty risky for you to be
crossing the swamp alone" he said.
II know it's a little farther. but it's
the trail"
The angel laughed merrily.
ooh. stop your %nonsense." she cried.
I'm not afraid-not in the least"
Freckles turned to Jack imploringly.
"You tell herr he pleaded. "Tell
her to go by the trail. She will for
you
The implication of this statement
was so gratifying to Black Jack that
he seemed again to expand and take
on increase before their very eyes.
"You bet!" exclaimed Jack. And to
the angel: "You better take Freckles'
word for it, miss. He knows the old
swamp better than any of us. except
me, and if he says go by the trail
you'd best do it."
The angel hesitated. One last glance
at Freckles showed her the agony in
his eyes. She would follow the trail.
Gail right" she said, giving Jack a
killing glance. IF you say so I'll go
back by the trail to please you. Good
by, everybody"
She lifted the bushes and started for
the entrance.
"Stop her" growled Wessner. Keep
her till we're loaded anyhow. Can't
you see that when this thing is found
out there she'll be to ruin all of us.
If you let her go every man of us has
got to cut. and some of us will be
caught sure"
Jack sprang forward. Freckles'
heart mufled up in his throat. The
angel seemed to divine Jacks coming.
She was humming a little song. She
deliberately stopped and began pulling
the heads of the curious grasses that
grew all about her. When she straight
ened she took a step backward and
called: "Ho. Freckles. the Bird Wo-
man wants that natural history pam
phlet returned. 1t belongs to a set she
is going to have bound"
Then the angel shot a parting glance
at Jack. and she was bewitchingly
lovely.
"You won't forget that ride and the
red tie" she half asserted. half ques-
toned.
Jack lost his head entirely. Free
kles was his captive. but he was the
angels. soul and body. With head
held well up the angel walked slowly
away, and Jack wheeled on the men.
Drop your staring and saw wood!!"
he shouted. Don't you know any
thing at all about how to treat a
lady?"