freckles-第22部分

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She's　a　sort　of　knack　at　it。　　Every　once　in　a　while；　when　the　Boss

sees　her；　he　calls　out　to　her　to　mix　him　a　drink。〃



〃And　does　she？〃　asked　the　man　with　an　interested　grin。



〃Well；　I　guess！　　But　first　she　goes　back　and　sees　how　long　it　is

since　he's　had　a　drink。　　What　he　drank　last。　　How　warm　he　is。　　When　he

ate　last。　　Then　she　comes　here　and　mixes　a　glass　of　fizz　with　a

little　touch　of　acid；　and　a　bit　of　cherry；　lemon；　grape；　pineapple；

or　something　sour　and　cooling；　and　it　hits　the　spot　just　as　no　spot

was　ever　hit　before。　　I　honestly　believe　that　the　INTEREST　she　takes

in　it　is　half　the　trick；　for　I　watch　her　closely　and　I　can't　come

within　gunshot　of　her　concoctions。　　She　has　a　running　bill　here。　

Her　father　settles　once　a　month。　　She　gives　nine…tenths　of　it　away。

Hardly　ever　touches　it　herself；　but　when　she　does　she　makes　me　mix　it。　

She's　just　old　persimmons。　　Even　the　scrub…boy　of　this　establishment

would　fight　for　her。　　It　lasts　the　year　round；　for　in　winter　it's　some

poor；　frozen　cuss　that　she's　warming　up　on　hot　coffee　or　chocolate。〃



〃Mighty　queer　specimen　she　had　this　time；〃　volunteered　another。

〃Irish；　hand　off；　straight　as　a　ramrod；　and　something　worth　while

in　his　face。　　Notice　that　hat　peel　off；　and　the　eyes　of　him？　

There's　a　case　of　‘fight　for　her！'　Wonder　who　he　is？〃



〃I　think；〃　said　a　third；　〃that　he's　McLean's　Limberlost　guard；　and

I　suspect　she's　gone　to　the　swamp　with　the　Bird　Woman　for　pictures

and　knows　him　that　way。　　I've　heard　that　he　is　a　master　hand　with

the　birds；　and　that　would　just　suit　the　Bird　Woman　to　a　T。〃



On　the　street　the　Angel　walked　beside　Freckles　to　the　first

crossing　and　there　she　stopped。　　〃Now；　will　you　promise　to　ride　fast

enough　to　make　up　for　the　five　minutes　that　took？〃　she　asked。　

〃I　am　a　little　uneasy　about　Mrs。　Duncan。〃



Freckles　turned　his　wheel　into　the　street。　　It　seemed　to　him　he　had

poured　that　delicious　icy　liquid　into　every　vein　in　his　body

instead　of　his　stomach。　　It　even　went　to　his　brain。



〃Did　you　insist　on　fixing　that　drink　because　you　knew　how

intoxicating　‘twould　be？〃　he　asked。



There　was　subtlety　in　the　compliment　and　it　delighted　the　Angel。

She　laughed　gleefully。



〃Next　time；　maybe　you　won't　take　so　much　coaxing；〃　she　teased。



〃I　wouldn't　this；　if　I　had　known　your　father　and　been　understanding

you　better。　　Do　you　really　think　the　Bird　Woman　will　be　coming　again？〃



The　Angel　jeered。　　〃Wild　horses　couldn't　drag　her　away；〃　she　cried。

〃She　will　have　hard　work　to　wait　the　week　out。　　I　shouldn't　be　in

the　least　surprised　to　see　her　start　any　hour。〃



Freckles　could　not　endure　the　suspense；　it　had　to　come。



〃And　you？〃　he　questioned；　but　he　dared　not　lift　his　eyes。



〃Wild　horses　me；　too；〃　she　laughed；　〃couldn't　keep　me　away　either！

I　dearly　love　to　come；　and　the　next　time　I　am　going　to　bring　my

banjo；　and　I'll　play；　and　you　sing　for　me　some　of　the　songs　I　like

best；　won't　you？〃



〃Yis；〃　said　Freckles；　because　it　was　all　he　was　capable　of　saying

just　then。



〃It's　beginning　to　act　stormy；〃　she　said。　　〃If　you　hurry　you　will

just　about　make　it。　　Now；　good…bye。〃







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IX



　　　　　　Wherein　the　Limberlost　Falls　upon　Mrs。　Duncan　and　Freckles

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Comes　to　the　Rescue



Freckles　was　halfway　to　the　Limberlost　when　he　dismounted。　　He　could

ride　no　farther；　because　he　could　not　see　the　road。　　He　sat　under　a

tree；　and；　leaning　against　it；　sobs　shook；　twisted；　and　rent　him。

If　they　would　remind　him　of　his　position；　speak　condescendingly；　or

notice　his　hand；　he　could　endure　it；　but　thisit　surely　would　kill　him！　

His　hot；　pulsing　Irish　blood　was　stirred　deeply。　　What　did　they　mean？　

Why　did　they　do　it？　　Were　they　like　that　to　everyone？　　Was　it　pity？



It　could　not　be；　for　he　knew　that　the　Bird　Woman　and　the　Angel's

father　must　know　that　he　was　not　really　McLean's　son；　and　it　did

not　matter　to　them　in　the　least。　　In　spite　of　accident　and　poverty；

they　evidently　expected　him　to　do　something　worth　while　in　the　world。　

That　must　be　his　remedy。　　He　must　work　on　his　education。　　He　must

get　away。　　He　must　find　and　do　the　great　thing　of　which　the

Angel　talked。　　For　the　first　time；　his　thoughts　turned　anxiously

toward　the　city　and　the　beginning　of　his　studies。　　McLean　and　the

Duncans　spoke　of　him　as　〃the　boy；〃　but　he　was　a　man。　　He　must　face

life　bravely　and　act　a　man's　part。　　The　Angel　was　a　mere　child。　

He　must　not　allow　her　to　torture　him　past　endurance　with　her　frank

comradeship　that　meant　to　him　high　heaven；　earth's　richness；　and

all　that　lay　between；　and　NOTHING　to　her。



There　was　an　ominous　growl　of　thunder；　and　amazed　at　himself；

Freckles　snatched　up　his　wheel　and　raced　toward　the　swamp。　　He　was

worried　to　find　his　boots　lying　at　the　cabin　door；　the　children

playing　on　the　woodpile　told　him　that　〃mither〃　said　they　were　so

heavy　she　couldn't　walk　in　them；　and　she　had　come　back　and　taken

them　off。　　Thoroughly　frightened；　he　stopped　only　long　enough　to

slip　them　on；　and　then　sped　with　all　his　strength　for　the　Limberlost。　

To　the　west；　the　long；　black；　hard…beaten　trail　lay　clear；　but　far

up　the　east　side；　straight　across　the　path；　he　could　see　what　was

certainly　a　limp；　brown　figure。　　Freckles　spun　with　all　his　might。



Face　down；　Sarah　Duncan　lay　across　the　trail。　　When　Freckles　turned

her　over；　his　blood　chilled　at　the　look　of　horror　settled　on　her　face。　

There　was　a　low　humming　and　something　spatted　against　him。

Glancing　around；　Freckles　shivered　in　terror；　for　there　was　a　swarm

of　wild　bees　settled　on　a　scrub…thorn　only　a　few　yards　away。　

The　air　was　filled　with　excited；　unsettled　bees　making　ready　to

lead　farther　in　search　of　a　suitable　location。　　Then　he　thought　he

understood；　and　with　a　prayer　of　thankfulness　in　his　heart　that　she

had　escaped；　even　so　narrowly；　he　caught　her　up　and　hurried　down

the　trail　until　they　were　well　out　of　danger。　　He　laid　her　in　the

shade；　and　carrying　water　from　the　swamp　in　the　crown　of　his　hat；

he　bathed　her　face　and　hands；　but　she　lay　in　unbroken　stillness；

without　a　sign　of　life。



She　had　found　Freckles'　boots　so　large　and　heavy　that　she　had　gone

back　and　taken　them　off；　although　she　was　mortally　afraid　to

approach　the　swamp　without　them。　　The　thought　of　it　made　her

nervous；　and　the　fact　that　she　never　had　been　there　alone　added　to

her　fears。　　She　had　not　followed　the　trail　many　rods　when　her

trouble　began。　　She　was　not　Freckles；　so　not　a　bird　of　the　line　was

going　to　be　fooled　into　thinking　she　was。



They　began　jumping　from　their　nests　and　darting　from　unexpected

places　around　her　head　and　feet；　with　quick　whirs；　that　kept　her

starting　and　dodging。　　Before　Freckles　was　halfway　to　the　town；　poor

Mrs。　Duncan　was　hysterical；　and　the　Limberlost　had　neither　sung　nor

performed　for　her。



But　there　was　trouble　brewing。　　It　was　quiet　and　intensely　hot；　with

that　stifling　stillness　that　precedes　a　summer　storm；　and　feathers

and　fur　were　tense　and　nervous。　　The　birds　were　singing　only　a　few

broken　snatches；　and　flying　around；　seeking　places　of　shelter。　

One　moment　everything　seemed　devoid　of　life；　the　next　there　was　an

unexpected　whir；　buzz；　and　sharp　cry。　　Inside；　a　pandemonium　of

growling；　spatting；　snarling；　and　grunting　broke　loose。



The　swale　bent　flat　before　heavy　gusts　of　wind；　and　the　big　black

chicken　swept　lower　and　lower　above　the　swamp。　　Patches　of　clouds

gathered；　shutting　out　the　sun　and　making　it　very　dark；　and　the

next　moment　were　swept　away。　　The　sun　poured　with　fierce；　burning

brightness；　and　everything　was　quiet。　　It　was　at　the　first　growl　of

thunder　that　Freckles　really　had　noticed　the　weather；　and　putting

his　own　troubles　aside　resolutely；　raced　for　the　swamp。



Sarah　Duncan　paused　on　the　line。　　〃Weel；　I　wouldna　stay　in　this

place　for　a　million　a　month；〃　she　said　aloud；　and　the　sound　of　her

voice　brought　no　comfort；　for　it　was　so　little　like　she　had　thought

it　that　she　glanced　hastily　around　to　see　if　it　had　really　been　she

that　spoke。　　She　tremblingly　wiped　the　perspiration　from　her　face

with　the　skirt　of　her　sunbonnet。



〃Awfu'　hot；〃　she　panted　huskily。　　〃B'lieve　there's　going　to　be　a

big　storm。　　I　do　hope　Freckles　will　hurry。〃



Her　chin　was　quivering　as　a　terrified　child's。　　She　lifted　her

bonnet　to　replace　it　and　brushed　against　a　bush　beside　her。　

WHIRR；　almost　into　her　face；　went　a　nighthawk　stretched　along　a　limb

for　its　daytime　nap。　　Mrs。　Duncan　cried　out　and　sprang　down　the　trail；

alighting　on　a　frog　that　was　hopping　across。　　The　horrible　croak　it

gave　as　she　crushed　it　sickened　her。　　She　screamed　wildly　and　jumped

to　one　side。　　That　carried　her　into　the　swale；　where　the　grasses

reached　almost　to　her　waist；　and　her　horror　of　snakes　returning；

she　made　a　flying　leap　for　an　old　log　lying　beside　the　line。　

She　alighted　squarely；　but　it　was　so　damp　and　rotten　that　she　sank

straight　through　it　to　her　knees。　　She　caught　at　the　wire　as　she

went　down；　and　missing；　raked　her　wrist　across　a　barb　until　she

tore　a　bleeding　gash。　　Her　fingers　closed　convulsively　around　the

second　strand。　　She　was　too　frightened　to　scream　now。　　Her　tongue

stiffened。　　She　clung　frantically　to　the　sagging　wire；　and　finally

managed　to　grasp　it　with　the　other　hand。　　Then　she　could　reach　the　top

wire；　and　so　she　drew　herself　up　and　found　solid　footing。　　She　picked

up　the　club　that　she　had　dropped　in　order　to　extricate　herself。　

Leaning　heavily　on　it；　she　managed　to　return　to　the　trail；　but

she　was　trembling　so　that　she　scarcely　could　walk。　　Going　a　few

steps　farther；　she　came　to　the　stump　of　the　first　tree　that　had

been　taken　out。



She　sat　bolt　upright　and　very　still；　trying　to　collect　her　thoughts

and　reason　away　her　terror。　　A　squirrel　above　her　dropped　a　nut；　and

as　it　came　rattling　down；　bouncing　from　branch　to　branch；　every

nerve　in　her　tugged　wildly。　　When　the　disguste