freckles-第19部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



fellows　and　get　them　out　of　our　way；　but　this　will　never　do。　

We　can't　mix　up　those　women　in　it。　　They　have　helped　you　save　me

the　tree　and　my　wager　as　well。　　Going　across　the　country　as　she

does；　the　Bird　Woman　never　could　be　expected　to　testify　against　them。〃



〃No；　indeed；　nor　the　Angel；　either；　sir；〃　said　Freckles。



〃The　Angel？〃　queried　the　astonished　McLean。



The　Boss　listened　in　silence　while　Freckles　told　of　the　coming　and

christening　of　the　Angel。



〃I　know　her　father　well；〃　said　McLean　at　last；　〃and　I　have　often

seen　her。　　You　are　right；　she　is　a　beautiful　young　girl；　and　she

appears　to　be　utterly　free　from　the　least　particle　of　false　pride

or　foolishness。　　I　do　not　understand　why　her　father　risks　such　a

jewel　in　this　place。〃



〃He's　daring　it　because　she　is　a　jewel；　sir；〃　said　Freckles；　eagerly。　

〃Why；　she's　trusting　a　rattlesnake　to　rattle　before　it　strikes　her；

and　of　course；　she　thinks　she　can　trust　mankind　as　well。　　The　man

isn't　made　who　wouldn't　lay　down　the　life　of　him　for　her。　　She　doesn't

need　any　care。　　Her　face　and　the　pretty　ways　of　her　are　all　the

protection　she　would　need　in　a　band　of　howling　savages。〃



〃Did　you　say　she　handled　one　of　the　revolvers？〃　asked　McLean。



〃She　scared　all　the　breath　out　of　me　body；〃　admitted　Freckles。

〃Seems　that　her　father　has　taught　her　to　shoot。　　The　Bird　Woman　told

her　distinctly　to　lie　low　and　blaze　away　high；　just　to　help　scare　them。　

The　spunky　little　thing　followed　them　right　out　into　the　west

road；　spitting　lead　like　hail；　and　clipping　all　around　the　heads

and　heels　of　them；　and　I'm　damned；　sir；　if　I　believe　she'd　cared　a

rap　if　she'd　hit。　　I　never　saw　much　shooting；　but　if　that　wasn't　the

nearest　to　miss　I　ever　want　to　see！　　Scared　the　life　near　out　of　me

body　with　the　fear　that　she'd　drop　one　of　them。　　As　long　as　I'd　no

one　to　help　me　but　a　couple　of　women　that　didn't　dare　be　mixed　up

in　it；　all　I　could　do　was　to　let　them　get　away。〃



〃Now；　will　they　come　back？〃　asked　McLean。



〃Of　course！〃　said　Freckles。　　〃They're　not　going　to　be　taking　that。

You　could　stake　your　life　on　it；　they'll　be　coming　back。　　At　least；

Black　Jack　will。　　Wessner　may　not　have　the　pluck；　unless　he　is

half　drunk。　　Then　he'd　be　a　terror。　　And　the　next　time〃

Freckles　hesitated。



〃What？〃



〃It　will　be　a　question　of　who　shoots　first　and　straightest。〃



〃Then　the　only　thing　for　me　to　do　is　to　double　the　guard　and　bring

the　gang　here　the　first　minute　possible。　　As　soon　as　I　feel　that　we

have　the　rarest　of　the　stuff　out　below；　we　will　come。　　The　fact　is；

in　many　cases；　until　it　is　felled　it's　difficult　to　tell　what　a

tree　will　prove　to　be。　　It　won't　do　to　leave　you　here　longer　alone。

Jack　has　been　shooting　twenty　years　to　your　one；　and　it　stands　to

reason　that　you　are　no　match　for　him。　　Who　of　the　gang　would　you

like　best　to　have　with　you？〃



〃No　one；　sir；〃　said　Freckles　emphatically。　　〃Next　time　is　where　I　run。　

I　won't　try　to　fight　them　alone。　　I'll　just　be　getting　wind　of

them；　and　then　make　tracks　for　you。　　I'll　need　to　come　like

lightning；　and　Duncan　has　no　extra　horse；　so　I'm　thinking　you'd

best　get　me　oneor　perhaps　a　wheel　would　be　better。　　I　used　to　do

extra　work　for　the　Home　doctor；　and　he　would　let　me　take　his

bicycle　to　ride　around　the　place。　　And　at　times　the　head　nurse　would

loan　me　his　for　an　hour。　　A　wheel　would　cost　less　and　be　faster　than

a　horse；　and　would　take　less　care。　　I　believe；　if　you　are　going　to

town　soon；　you　had　best　pick　up　any　kind　of　an　old　one　at　some

second…hand　store；　for　if　I'm　ever　called　to　use　it　in　a　hurry

there　won't　be　the　handlebars　left　after　crossing　the　corduroy。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　McLean；　〃and　if　you　didn't　have　a　first…class　wheel；

you　never　could　cross　the　corduroy　on　it　at　all。〃



As　they　walked　to　the　cabin；　McLean　insisted　on　another　guard；　but

Freckles　was　stubbornly　set　on　fighting　his　battle　alone。　　He　made

one　mental　condition。　　If　the　Bird　Woman　was　going　to　give　up　the

Little　Chicken　series；　he　would　yield　to　the　second　guard；　solely

for　the　sake　of　her　work　and　the　presence　of　the　Angel　in　the

Limberlost。　　He　did　not　propose　to　have　a　second　man　unless　it　were

absolutely　necessary；　for　he　had　been　alone　so　long　that　he　loved

the　solitude；　his　chickens；　and　flowers。　　The　thought　of　having　a

stranger　to　all　his　ways　come　and　meddle　with　his　arrangements；

frighten　his　pets；　pull　his　flowers；　and　interrupt　him　when　he

wanted　to　study；　so　annoyed　him　that　he　was　blinded　to　his　real

need　for　help。



With　McLean　it　was　a　case　of　letting　his　sober；　better　judgment　be

overridden　by　the　boy　he　was　growing　so　to　love　that　he　could　not

endure　to　oppose　him；　and　to　have　Freckles　keep　his　trust　and　win

alone　meant　more　than　any　money　the　Boss　might　lose。



The　following　morning　McLean　brought　the　wheel；　and　Freckles　took

it　to　the　trail　to　test　it。　　It　was　new；　chainless；　with　as　little

as　possible　to　catch　in　hurried　riding；　and　in　every　way　the　best

of　its　kind。　　Freckles　went　skimming　around　the　trail　on　it　on　a

preliminary　trip　before　he　locked　it　in　his　case　and　started　his

minute　examination　of　his　line　on　foot。　　He　glanced　around　his　room

as　he　left　it；　and　then　stood　staring。



On　the　moss　before　his　prettiest　seat　lay　the　Angel's　hat。　　In　the

excitement　of　yesterday　all　of　them　had　forgotten　it。　　He　went　and

picked　it　up；　oh！　　so　carefully；　gazing　at　it　with　hungry　eyes；　but

touching　it　only　to　carry　it　to　his　case；　where　he　hung　it　on　the

shining　handlebar　of　the　new　wheel　and　locked　it　among　his　treasures。　

Then　he　went　to　the　trail；　with　a　new　expression　on　his　face　and

a　strange　throbbing　in　his　heart。　　He　was　not　in　the　least　afraid

of　anything　that　morning。　　He　felt　he　was　the　veriest　Daniel；　but

all　his　lions　seemed　weak　and　harmless。



What　Black　Jack's　next　move　would　be　he　could　not　imagine；　but　that

there　would　be　a　move　of　some　kind　was　certain。　　The　big　bully　was

not　a　man　to　give　up　his　purpose；　or　to　have　the　hat　swept　from　his

head　with　a　bullet　and　bear　it　meekly。　　Moreover；　Wessner　would

cling　to　his　revenge　with　a　Dutchman's　singleness　of　mind。



Freckles　tried　to　think　connectedly；　but　there　were　too　many　places

on　the　trail　where　the　Angel's　footprints　were　vet　visible。　　She　had

stepped　in　one　mucky　spot　and　left　a　sharp　impression。　　The　afternoon

sun　had　baked　it　hard；　and　the　horses'　hoofs　had　not　obliterated

any　part　of　it；　as　they　had　in　so　many　places。　　Freckles　stood

fascinated；　gazing　at　it。　　He　measured　it　lovingly　with　his　eye。　

He　would　not　have　ventured　a　caress　on　her　hat　any　more　than

on　her　person；　but　this　was　different。　　Surely　a　footprint　on　a

trail　might　belong　to　anyone　who　found　and　wanted　it。　　He　stooped

under　the　wires　and　entered　the　swamp。　　With　a　little　searching；　he

found　a　big　piece　of　thick　bark　loose　on　a　log　and　carefully

peeling　it；　carried　it　out　and　covered　the　print　so　that　the　first

rain　would　not　obliterate　it。



When　he　reached　his　room；　he　tenderly　laid　the　hat　upon　his

bookshelf；　and　to　wear　off　his　awkwardness；　mounted　his　wheel　and

went　spinning　on　trail　again。　　It　was　like　flying；　for　the　path　was

worn　smooth　with　his　feet　and　baked　hard　with　the　sun　almost　all

the　way。　　When　he　came　to　the　bark；　he　veered　far　to　one　side　and

smiled　at　it　in　passing。　　Suddenly　he　was　off　the　wheel；　kneeling

beside　it。　　He　removed　his　hat；　carefully　lifted　the　bark；　and　gazed

lovingly　at　the　imprint。



〃I　wonder　what　she　was　going　to　say　of　me　voice；〃　he　whispered。

〃She　never　got　it　said；　but　from　the　face　of　her；　I　believe　she　was

liking　it　fairly　well。　　Perhaps　she　was　going　to　say　that　singing

was　the　big　thing　I　was　to　be　doing。　　That's　what　they　all　thought

at　the　Home。　　Well；　if　it　is；　I'll　just　shut　me　eyes；　think　of　me

little　room；　the　face　of　her　watching；　and　the　heart　of　her

beating；　and　I'll　raise　them。　　Damn　them；　if　singing　will　do　it；

I'll　raise　them　from　the　benches！〃



With　this　dire　threat；　Freckles　knelt；　as　at　a　wayside　spring；　and

deliberately　laid　his　lips　on　the　footprint。　　Then　he　arose；

appearing　as　if　he　had　been　drinking　at　the　fountain　of　gladness。







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VIII



Wherein　Freckles　Meets　a　Man　of　Affairs　and　Loses　Nothing　by　the　Encounter



〃Weel；　I　be　drawed　on！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Duncan。



Freckles　stood　before　her；　holding　the　Angel's　hat。



〃I've　been　thinking　this　long　time　that　ye　or　Duncan　would　see　that

sunbonnets　werena　braw　enough　for　a　woman　of　my　standing；　and　ye're

a　guid　laddie　to　bring　me　this　beautiful　hat。〃



She　turned　it　around；　examining　the　weave　of　the　straw　and　the

foliage　trimmings；　passing　her　rough　fingers　over　the　satin

ties　delightedly。　　As　she　held　it　up；　admiring　it；　Freckles'

astonished　eyes　saw　a　new　side　of　Sarah　Duncan。　　She　was　jesting；

but　under　the　jest　the　fact　loomed　strong　that；　though　poor；

overworked；　and　with　none　but　God…given　refinement；　there　was

something　in　her　soul　crying　after　that　bit　of　feminine　finery；

and　it　made　his　heart　ache　for　her。　　He　resolved　that　when　he

reached　the　city　he　would　send　her　a　hat；　if　it　took　fifty

dollars　to　do　it。



She　lingeringly　handed　it　back　to　him。



〃It's　unco　guid　of　ye　to　think　of　me；〃　she　said　lightly；　〃but　I　maun

question　your　taste　a　wee。　　D'ye　no　think　ye　had　best　return　this

and　get　a　woman　with　half　her　hair　gray　a　little　plainer　headdress？　

Seems　like　that's　far　ower　gay　for　me。　　I'm　no'　saying　that　it's

no'　exactly　what　I'd　like　to　hae；　but　I　mauna　mak　mysel'　ridiculous。　

Ye'd　best　give　this　to　somebody　young　and　pretty；　say　about　sixteen。　

Where　did　ye　come　by　it；　Freckles？　　If　there's　anything　been

dropping　lately；　ye　hae　forgotten　to　mention　it。〃



〃Do　you　see　anything　heavenly　about　that　hat？〃　queried　Freckles；

holding　it　up。



The　morning　breeze　waved　the　ribbons　gracefully；　binding　one　around

Freckles'　sleeve　and　the　other