freckles-第16部分

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tapping　the　wire；　and　singing　in　a　voice　that　scarcely　could　have

been　surpassed　for　sweetness。



At　the　edge　of　the　clearing　he　came　into　the　bright　moonlight　and

there　sat　McLean　on　his　mare。　　Freckles　hurried　to　him。



〃Is　there　trouble？〃　he　inquired　anxiously。



〃That's　what　I　wanted　to　ask　you；〃　said　the　Boss。　　〃I　stopped　at　the

cabin　to　see　you　a　minute；　before　I　turned　in；　and　they　said　you

had　come　down　here。　　You　must　not　do　it；　Freckles。　　The　swamp　is　none

too　healthful　at　any　time；　and　at　night　it　is　rank　poison。〃



Freckles　stood　combing　his　fingers　through　Nellie's　mane；　while　the

dainty　creature　was　twisting　her　head　for　his　caresses。　　He　pushed

back　his　hat　and　looked　into　McLean's　face。　　〃It's　come　to　the

‘sleep　with　one　eye　open；'　sir。　　I'm　not　looking　for　anything　to　be

happening　for　a　week　or　two；　but　it's　bound　to　come；　and　soon。　

If　I'm　to　keep　me　trust　as　I've　promised　you　and　meself；　I've　to　live

here　mostly　until　the　gang　comes。　　You　must　be　knowing　that；　sir。〃



〃I'm　afraid　it's　true；　Freckles；〃　said　McLean。　　〃And　I've　decided　to

double　the　guard　until　we　come。　　It　will　be　only　a　few　weeks；　now；

and　I'm　so　anxious　for　you　that　you　must　not　be　left　alone　further。

If　anything　should　happen　to　you；　Freckles；　it　would　spoil　one　of

the　very　dearest　plans　of　my　life。〃



Freckles　heard　with　dismay　the　proposition　to　place　a　second　guard。



〃Oh！　　no；　no；　Mr。　McLean；〃　he　cried。　　〃Not　for　the　world！　　I　wouldn't

be　having　a　stranger　around；　scaring　me　birds　and　tramping　up　me

study；　and　disturbing　all　me　ways；　for　any　money！　　I　am　all　the

guard　you　need！　　I　will　be　faithful！　　I　will　turn　over　the　lease　with

no　tree　missingon　me　life；　I　will！　　Oh；　don't　be　sending　another

man　to　set　them　saying　I　turned　coward　and　asked　for　help。　　It　will

just　kill　the　honor　of　me　heart　if　you　do　it。　　The　only　thing　I　want

is　another　gun。　　If　it　railly　comes　to　trouble；　six　cartridges　ain't

many；　and　you　know　I　am　slow…like　about　reloading。〃　　McLean　reached

into　his　hip　pocket　and　handed　a　shining　big　revolver　to　Freckles；

who　slipped　it　beside　the　one　already　in　his　belt。



Then　the　Boss　sat　brooding。



〃Freckles；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃we　never　know　the　timber　of　a　man's

soul　until　something　cuts　into　him　deeply　and　brings　the　grain

out　strong。　　You've　the　making　of　a　mighty　fine　piece　of　furniture；

my　boy；　and　you　shall　have　your　own　way　these　few　weeks　yet。　

Then；　if　you　will　go；　I　intend　to　take　you　to　the　city　and　educate

you；　and　you　are　to　be　my　son；　my　ladmy　own　son！〃



Freckles　twisted　his　finger　in　Nellie's　mane　to　steady　himself。



〃But　why　should　you　be　doing　that；　sir？〃　he　faltered。



McLean　slid　his　arm　around　the　boy's　shoulder　and　gathered　him　close。



〃Because　I　love　you；　Freckles；〃　he　said　simply。



Freckles　lifted　a　white　face。　　〃My　God；　sir！〃　he　whispered。　　〃Oh；　my　God！〃



McLean　tightened　his　clasp　a　second　longer；　then　he　rode　down　the　trail。



Freckles　lifted　his　hat　and　faced　the　sky。　　The　harvest　moon　looked

down；　sheeting　the　swamp　in　silver　glory。　　The　Limberlost　sang　her

night　song。　　The　swale　softly　rustled　in　the　wind。　　Winged　things　of

night　brushed　his　face；　and　still　Freckles　gazed　upward；　trying　to

fathom　these　things　that　had　come　to　him。　　There　was　no　help　from

the　sky。　　It　seemed　far　away；　cold；　and　blue。　　The　earth；　where

flowers　blossomed；　angels　walked；　and　love　could　be　found；　was　better。　

But　to　One；　above；　he　must　make　acknowledgment　for　these　miracles。　

His　lips　moved　and　he　began　talking　softly。



〃Thank　You　for　each　separate　good　thing　that　has　come　to　me；〃　he

said；　〃and　above　all　for　the　falling　of　the　feather。　　For　if　it

didn't　really　fall　from　an　angel；　its　falling　brought　an　Angel；　and

if　it's　in　the　great　heart　of　you　to　exercise　yourself　any　further

about　me；　oh；　do　please　to　be　taking　good　care　of　her！〃







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VI



　　　　　　　　　　　　Wherein　a　Fight　Occurs　and　Women　Shoot　Straight



The　following　morning　Freckles；　inexpressibly　happy；　circled　the

Limberlost。　　He　kept　snatches　of　song　ringing；　as　well　as　the　wires。

His　heart　was　so　full　that　tears　of　joy　glistened　in　his　eyes。　

He　rigorously　strove　to　divide　his　thought　evenly　between　McLean　and

the　Angel。　　He　realized　to　the　fullest　the　debt　he　already　owed　the

Boss　and　the　magnitude　of　last　night's　declaration　and　promises。　

He　was　hourly　planning　to　deliver　his　trust　and　then　enter　with

equal　zeal　on　whatever　task　his　beloved　Boss　saw　fit　to　set　him　next。　

He　wanted　to　be　ready　to　meet　every　device　that　Wessner　and　Black　Jack

could　think　of　to　outwit　him。　　He　recognized　their　double　leverage；

for　if　they　succeeded　in　felling　even　one　tree　McLean　became　liable

for　his　wager。



Freckles'　brow　wrinkled　in　his　effort　to　think　deeply　and　strongly；

but　from　every　swaying　wild　rose　the　Angel　beckoned　to　him。　　When　he

crossed　Sleepy　Snake　Creek　and　the　goldfinch；　waiting　as　ever；

challenged：　　〃SEE　ME？〃　Freckles　saw　the　dainty　swaying　grace　of　the

Angel　instead。　　What　is　a　man　to　do　with　an　Angel　who　dismembers

herself　and　scatters　over　a　whole　swamp；　thrusting　a　vivid　reminder

upon　him　at　every　turn？



Freckles　counted　the　days。　　This　first　one　he　could　do　little　but

test　his　wires；　sing　broken　snatches；　and　dream；　but　before　the

week　would　bring　her　again　he　could　do　many　things。　　He　would　carry

all　his　books　to　the　swamp　to　show　to　her。　　He　would　complete　his

flower　bed；　arrange　every　detail　he　had　planned　for　his　room；　and

make　of　it　a　bower　fairies　might　envy。　　He　must　devise　a　way　to　keep

water　cool。　　He　would　ask　Mrs。　Duncan　for　a　double　lunch　and　an

especially　nice　one　the　day　of　her　next　coming；　so　that　if　the　Bird

Woman　happened　to　be　late；　the　Angel　might　not　suffer　from　thirst

and　hunger。　　He　would　tell　her　to　bring　heavy　leather　leggings；　so

that　he　might　take　her　on　a　trip　around　the　trail。　　She　should　make

friends　with　all　of　his　chickens　and　see　their　nests。



On　the　line　he　talked　of　her　incessantly。



〃You　needn't　be　thinking；〃　he　said　to　the　goldfinch；　〃that　because

I'm　coming　down　this　line　alone　day　after　day；　it's　always　to　be　so。　

Some　of　these　times　you'll　be　swinging　on　this　wire；　and　you'll

see　me　coming；　and　you'll　swing；　skip；　and　flirt　yourself　around；

and　chip　up　right　spunky：　　‘SEE　ME？'　I'll　be　saying　‘See　you？　

Oh；　Lord！　　See　her！'　You'll　look；　and　there　she'll　stand。　

The　sunshine　won't　look　gold　any　more；　or　the　roses　pink；　or　the

sky　blue；　because　she'll　be　the　pinkest；　bluest；　goldest　thing

of　all。　　You'll　be　yelling　yourself　hoarse　with　the　jealousy　of　her。　

The　sawbird　will　stretch　his　neck　out　of　joint；　and　she'll　turn　the

heads　of　all　the　flowers。　　Wherever　she　goes；　I　can　go　back

afterward　and　see　the　things　she's　seen；　walk　the　path　she's　walked；

hear　the　grasses　whispering　over　all　she's　said；　and　if　there's

a　place　too　swampy　for　her　bits　of　feet；　Holy　Mother！　　Maybemaybe

she'd　be　putting　the　beautiful　arms　of　her　around　me　neck　and　letting

me　carry　her　over！〃



Freckles　shivered　as　with　a　chill。　　He　sent　the　cudgel　whirling

skyward；　dexterously　caught　it；　and　set　it　spinning。



〃You　damned　presumptuous　fool！〃　he　cried。　　〃The　thing　for　you　to　be

thinking　of　would　be　to　stretch　in　the　muck　for　the　feet　of　her　to

be　walking　over；　and　then　you　could　hold　yourself　holy　to　be　even

of　that　service　to　her。



〃Maybe　she'll　be　wanting　the　cup　me　blue…and…brown　chickens　raised

their　babies　in。　　Perhaps　she'd　like　to　stop　at　the　pool　and　see　me

bullfrog　that　had　the　goodness　to　take　on　human　speech　to　show　me

the　way　out　of　me　trouble。　　If　there's　any　feathers　falling　that

day；　why；　it's　from　the　wings　of　me　chickensit's　sure　to　be；　for

the　only　Angel　outside　the　gates　will　be　walking　this　timberline；

and　every　step　of　the　way　I'll　be　holding　me　breath　and　praying　that

she　don't　unfold　wings　and　sail　away　before　the　hungry　eyes　of　me。〃



So　Freckles　dreamed　his　dreams；　made　his　plans；　and　watched　his　line。　

He　counted　not　only　the　days；　but　the　hours　of　each　day。　　As　he

told　them　off；　every　one　bringing　her　closer；　he　grew　happier　in

the　prospect　of　her　coming。　　He　managed　daily　to　leave　some　offering

at　the　big　elm　log　for　his　black　chickens。　　He　slipped　under　the

line　at　every　passing；　and　went　to　make　sure　that　nothing　was

molesting　them。　　Though　it　was　a　long　trip；　he　paid　them　several

extra　visits　a　day　for　fear　a　snake；　hawk；　or　fox　might　have　found

the　baby。　　For　now　his　chickens　not　only　represented　all　his　former

interest　in　them；　but　they　furnished　the　inducement　that　was

bringing　his　Angel。



Possibly　he　could　find　other　subjects　that　the　Bird　Woman　wanted。

The　teamster　had　said　that　his　brother　went　after　her　every　time　he

found　a　nest。　　He　never　had　counted　the　nests　that　he　knew　of；　and

it　might　be　that　among　all　the　birds　of　the　swamp　some　would　be

rare　to　her。



The　feathered　folk　of　the　Limberlost　were　practically　undisturbed

save　by　their　natural　enemies。　　It　was　very　probable　that　among　his

chickens　others　as　odd　as　the　big　black　ones　could　be　found。　　If　she

wanted　pictures　of　half…grown　birds；　he　could　pick　up　fifty　in　one

morning's　trip　around　the　line；　for　he　had　fed；　handled；　and　made

friends　with　them　ever　since　their　eyes　opened。



He　had　gathered　bugs　and　worms　all　spring　as　he　noticed　them　on　the

grass　and　bushes；　and　dropped　them　into　the　first　little　open　mouth

he　had　found。　　The　babies　gladly　had　accepted　this　queer　tri…parent

addition　to　their　natural　providers。



When　the　week　had　passed；　Freckles　had　his　room　crisp　and　glowing

with　fresh　living　things　that　represented　every　color　of　the　swamp。

He　carried　bark　and　filled　all　the　muckiest　places　of　the　trail。



It　was　middle　July。　　The　heat　of　the　past　few　days　had　dried　the

water　around　and　through　the　Limberlost；　so　that　it　was　possible　to

cross　it　on　foot　in　almost　any　directioni