Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-10

frosty glass. thanked him repeated.
for bringing news Of new material
and then Freckles went out into TIL
night. He rode for the Limberlos
with his eyes on the stars.
The one thing Freckles knew tina
he could do was to sing. The Duncan
heard him coming a mile up the cor
duroy and could not believe thei
senses. Freckles unfastened the DO,
from his belt and gave Mrs. Duncan
and the children all the eatables i
contained. except one big piece of cake
| that he carried to the sweet loving
Duncan. He put the flowers back ii
the box and set it up among his books
BE did not say anything. but they un
derstood 1t was not to be touched.
Then Freckles started for thu
swamp AS he rode he sang. and as
he sang he worshiped. but the god be
tried to slorify was a dim and far
away mystery. The angel was warm
sesh and blood.
! With the near approach OF dawn
Freckles tuned his last note. Wearied
almost to falling. he turned from the
trail into the path leading to the cabin
For few hours rest.
! As Freckles left the trail from the
swale near the south entrance four
large. muscular men rose up and
swiftlv and carefully entered the
swamp by the wagon road. Two of
them carried big saw. the third coils
! of rope and wire. and all were heavily
armed. They left one man on guard
1t the entrance. The other three made
their way through the darkness and
soon were at Freckles' room. He had
left the swamp on his wheel from the
west trail. They counted on his re-
turning on tie wheel and circling the
east line before he came there.
A little below the west entrance to
Freckles' room Black Jack stepped
into the swale and. binding a wire
tight about scrub oak, carried it be-
low the waving grasses. stretched 1t
taut across the trail and fastened 1t to
a tree in the swamp. Then he obltter-
ated all signs of his work and ar
nnged the grass over the wire until 1t
was so completely covered that only
minute examination would reveal it.
They entered Freckles' room with
coarse oaths and jests. In few mo-
ments his specimen case with its pre-
c;ous contents was rolled back into
the swamp and the saw was eating
Into one Of the finest trees Of the Lin
berlost
AS soon as Freckles was well down
the east line the watch was posted
below the room on the west to report
his coming. 1t was but a few mo-
nents before the signal came. Then
the saw stopped. AID the rope was
brought out and uncoiled near a sap.
ling. wessner and Black Jack crowd
ed to the very edge Of the swamp a
little above the wire and crouched.
waiting.
They heard Freckles before they
50 W him. He came clipping down the
line at a good pace, and as he rode he
was singing softly:
"oh. do you love
Oh. cay you love-
he got no further. The sharply
driven wheel struck the tense wire
and bounded back. Freckles shot over
the handle bar and coasted down the
trail on his chest. As he struck Black
Jack and Wessner were upon him.
wessner clapped an old hat over
Freckies' mouth. while Black Jack
twisted his arms back Of him. and
they rushed him into his room. Al
most before he realized that anything
had happened he was trussed up to
tree and securely gagged.
Then three Of the men resumed
work on the tree. The other followed
the path Ereckles had worn to Little
Chickens tree. and presently be re-
ported that the wires were down and
two teams with the loading apparatus
coming to take out the timber. All the
time the saw was slowly eating. eat
ing into the big tree.
Wessner went out to the trail and
removed the wire. Then he stood in
front Of Freckles and laughed In dew
ilish hate. Freckles found himself
looking fear in the face and marveled
that be was not afraid. Four to one!
The tree halfway eaten through, the
wagons coming up the inside road. he
bound and gagged! The men with
Black Jack and Wessner had belong
ed to McI.ean's gang when last he had
heard of them, but who those coming
with the wagons might be be could
not guess.
IL they secured that tree Mclean
lost its value. lost his wager and lost
his faith in him. The words Of the
angel hammered In his ears "Oh.
Freckles, do watch closelyF'
a: ssc Sc. ste ON.
When the tree was down and loaded
what would they dot Pull. out and
leave him there to report them? 1t
was not to b. hoped for. The place
had always been lawless. It could
mean but one thing.
A mist swept before his eyes. and bis
head SWAN. Was It on4 last night
that he had worshiped the angel in
delirium of happiness7 And now
what? Wessner. released from turn
at the saw. walked over to the flower
bed and. tearing up handful Of rare
ferns BY the roots, started toward
Erec:s!cs. His intention was obvious
Black Jack stopped him with an oath
'.'You see here. Dutchy," he bawled,
smebby ron think you'll wash his face
with that, but you won't. A contract'a
contract We a1rAad IN take out