freckles-第25部分

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I　hated　to　be　killing　it。　　I　just　cut　the　grass　short　all　around　it。

Then　I　started　at　the　ground；　trimmed　up　the　trunk　near　the　height

of　me　shoulder；　and　left　the　top　spreading。　　That　made　it　look　so

truly　ornamental　that；　idle　like；　I　chips　off　the　rough　places　neat；

and　this　morning；　on　me　soul；　it's　a　sight！　　You　see；　cutting　off

the　limbs　and　trimming　up　the　trunk　sets　the　sap　running。　　In　this

hot　sun　it　ferments　in　a　few　hours。　　There　isn't　much　room　for　more

things　to　crowd　on　that　tree　than　there　are；　and　to　get　drunker

isn't　noways　possible。〃



〃Weel；　I　be　drawed　on！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Duncan。　　〃What　kind　of　things

do　ye　mean；　Freckles？〃



〃Why；　just　an　army　of　black　ants。　　Some　of　them　are　sucking　away

like　old　topers。　　Some　of　them　are　setting　up　on　their　tails　and

hind　legs；　fiddling　with　their　fore…feet　and　wiping　their　eyes。

Some　are　rolling　around　on　the　ground；　contented。　　There　are

quantities　of　big　blue…bottle　flies　over　the　bark　and　hanging　on

the　grasses　around；　too　drunk　to　steer　a　course　flying；　so　they

just　buzz　away　like　flying；　and　all　the　time　sitting　still。　

The　snake…feeders　are　too　full　to　feed　anythingeven　more　sap　to

themselves。　　There's　a　lot　of　hard…backed　bugsbeetles；　I

guesscolored　like　the　brown；　blue；　and　black　of　a　peacock's　tail。

They　hang　on　until　the　legs　of　them　are　so　wake　they　can't　stick　a

minute　longer；　and　then　they　break　away　and　fall　to　the　ground。

They　just　lay　there　on　their　backs；　fably　clawing　air。　　When　it

wears　off　a　bit；　up　they　get；　and　go　crawling　back　for　more；　and　they

so　full　they　bump　into　each　other　and　roll　over。　　Sometimes　they

can't　climb　the　tree　until　they　wait　to　sober　up　a　little。

There's　a　lot　of　big　black…and…gold　bumblebees；　done　for　entire；

stumbling　over　the　bark　and　rolling　on　the　ground。　　They　just　lay

there　on　their　backs；　rocking　from　side　to　side；　singing　to

themselves　like　fat；　happy　babies。　　The　wild　bees　keep　up　a　steady

buzzing　with　the　beating　of　their　wings。



〃The　butterflies　are　the　worst　old　topers　of　them　all。　　They're　just

a　circus！　　You　never　saw　the　like　of　the　beauties！　　They　come　every

color　you　could　be　naming；　and　every　shape　you　could　be　thinking　up。　

They　drink　and　drink　until；　if　I'm　driving　them　away；　they　stagger

as　they　fly　and　turn　somersaults　in　the　air。　　If　I　lave　them　alone；

they　cling　to　the　grasses；　shivering　happy　like；　and　I'm　blest；

Mother　Duncan；　if　the　best　of　them　could　be　unlocking　the　front

door　with　a　lead　pencil；　even。〃



〃I　never　heard　of　anything　sae　surprising；〃　said　Mrs。　Duncan。



〃It's　a　rare　sight　to　watch　them；　and　no　one　ever　made　a　picture　of

a　thing　like　that　before；　I'm　for　thinking；〃　said　Freckles　earnestly。



〃Na；〃　said　Mrs。　Duncan。　　〃Ye　can　be　pretty　sure　there　didna。　　The

Bird　Woman　must　have　word　in　some　way；　if　ye　walk　the　line　and　I

walk　to　town　and　tell　her。　　If　ye　think　ye　can　wait　until　after

supper；　I　am　most　sure　ye　can　gang　yoursel'；　for　Duncan　is　coming

home　and　he'd　be　glad　to　watch　for　ye。　　If　he　does　na　come；　and　na

ane　passes　that　I　can　send　word　with　today；　I　really　will　gang

early　in　the　morning　and　tell　her　mysel'。〃



Freckles　took　his　lunch　and　went　to　the　swamp。　　He　walked　and

watched　eagerly。　　He　could　find　no　trace　of　anything；　yet　he　felt　a

tense　nervousness；　as　if　trouble　might　be　brooding。　　He　examined

every　section　of　the　wire；　and　kept　watchful　eyes　on　the　grasses　of

the　swale；　in　an　effort　to　discover　if　anyone　had　passed　through

them；　but　he　could　discover　no　trace　of　anything　to　justify　his　fears。



He　tilted　his　hat　brim　to　shade　his　face　and　looked　for　his　chickens。　

They　were　hanging　almost　beyond　sight　in　the　sky。



〃Gee！〃　he　said。　　〃If　I　only　had　your　sharp　eyes　and　convenient

location　now；　I　wouldn't　need　be　troubling　so。〃



He　reached　his　room　and　cautiously　scanned　the　entrance　before　he

stepped　in。　　Then　he　pushed　the　bushes　apart　with　his　right　arm　and

entered；　his　left　hand　on　the　butt　of　his　favorite　revolver。

Instantly　he　knew　that　someone　had　been　there。　　He　stepped　to　the

center　of　the　room；　closely　scanning　each　wall　and　the　floor。　

He　could　find　no　trace　of　a　clue　to　confirm　his　belief；　yet　so

intimate　was　he　with　the　spirit　of　the　place　that　he　knew。



How　he　knew　he　could　not　have　told；　yet　he　did　know　that　someone

had　entered　his　room；　sat　on　his　benches；　and　walked　over　his　floor。　

He　was　surest　around　the　case。　　Nothing　was　disturbed；　yet　it

seemed　to　Freckles　that　he　could　see　where　prying　fingers　had　tried

the　lock。　　He　stepped　behind　the　case；　carefully　examining　the

ground　all　around　it；　and　close　beside　the　tree　to　which　it　was

nailed　he　found　a　deep；　fresh　footprint　in　the　spongy　soila　long；

narrow　print；　that　was　never　made　by　the　foot　of　Wessner。　　His　heart

tugged　in　his　breast　as　he　mentally　measured　the　print；　but　he　did

not　linger；　for　now　the　feeling　arose　that　he　was　being　watched。　

It　seemed　to　him　that　he　could　feel　the　eyes　of　some　intruder　at

his　back。　　He　knew　he　was　examining　things　too　closely：　if　anyone

were　watching；　he　did　not　want　him　to　know　that　he　felt　it。



He　took　the　most　open　way；　and　carried　water　for　his　flowers　and

moss　as　usual；　but　he　put　himself　into　no　position　in　which　he　was

fully　exposed；　and　his　hand　was　close　his　revolver　constantly。

Growing　restive　at　last　under　the　strain；　he　plunged　boldly　into

the　swamp　and　searched　minutely　all　around　his　room；　but　he　could

not　discover　the　least　thing　to　give　him　further　cause　for　alarm。

He　unlocked　his　case；　took　out　his　wheel；　and　for　the　remainder　of

the　day　he　rode　and　watched　as　he　never　had　before。　　Several　times

he　locked　the　wheel　and　crossed　the　swamp　on　foot；　zigzagging　to

cover　all　the　space　possible。　　Every　rod　he　traveled　he　used　the

caution　that　sprang　from　knowledge　of　danger　and　the　direction　from

which　it　probably　would　come。　　Several　times　he　thought　of　sending

for　McLean；　but　for　his　life　he　could　not　make　up　his　mind　to　do　it

with　nothing　more　tangible　than　one　footprint　to　justify　him。



He　waited　until　he　was　sure　Duncan　would　be　at　home；　if　he　were

coming　for　the　night；　before　he　went　to　supper。　　The　first　thing　he

saw　as　he　crossed　the　swale　was　the　big　bays　in　the　yard。



There　had　been　no　one　passing　that　day；　and　Duncan　readily　agreed

to　watch　until　Freckles　rode　to　town。　　He　told　Duncan　of　the

footprint；　and　urged　him　to　guard　closely。　　Duncan　said　he　might

rest　easy；　and　filling　his　pipe　and　taking　a　good　revolver；　the　big

man　went　to　the　Limberlost。



Freckles　made　himself　clean　and　neat；　and　raced　to　town；　but　it　was

night　and　the　stars　were　shining　before　he　reached　the　home　of　the

Bird　Woman。　　From　afar　he　could　see　that　the　house　was　ablaze

with　lights。　　The　lawn　and　veranda　were　strung　with　fancy　lanterns　and

alive　with　people。　　He　thought　his　errand　important；　so　to　turn　back

never　occurred　to　Freckles。　　This　was　all　the　time　or　opportunity

he　would　have。　　He　must　see　the　Bird　Woman；　and　see　her　at　once。　

He　leaned　his　wheel　inside　the　fence　and　walked　up　the　broad

front　entrance。　　As　he　neared　the　steps；　he　saw　that　the　place　was

swarming　with　young　people；　and　the　Angel；　with　an　excuse　to　a

group　that　surrounded　her；　came　hurrying　to　him。



〃Oh　Freckles！〃　she　cried　delightedly。　　〃So　you　could　come？　　We　were

so　afraid　you　could　not！　　I'm　as　glad　as　I　can　be！〃



〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃Were　you　expecting　me？〃



〃Why　of　course！〃　exclaimed　the　Angel。　　〃Haven't　you　come　to　my　party？　

Didn't　you　get　my　invitation？　　I　sent　you　one。〃



〃By　mail？〃　asked　Freckles。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Angel。　　〃I　had　to　help　with　the　preparations；　and　I

couldn't　find　time　to　drive　out；　but　I　wrote　you　a　letter；　and　told

you　that　the　Bird　Woman　was　giving　a　party　for　me；　and　we　wanted

you　to　come；　surely。　　I　told　them　at　the　office　to　put　it　with　Mr。

Duncan's　mail。〃



〃Then　that's　likely　where　it　is　at　present；〃　said　Freckles。　

〃Duncan　comes　to　town　only　once　a　week；　and　at　times　not　that。　

He's　home　tonight　for　the　first　in　a　week。　　He's　watching　an

hour　for　me　until　I　come　to　the　Bird　Woman　with　a　bit　of　work

I　thought　she'd　be　caring　to　hear　about　bad。　　Is　she　where　I

can　see　her？〃



The　Angel's　face　clouded。



〃What　a　disappointment！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　did　so　want　all　my　friends

to　know　you。　　Can't　you　stay　anyway？〃



Freckles　glanced　from　his　wading…boots　to　the　patent　leathers　of

some　of　the　Angel's　friends；　and　smiled　whimsically；　but　there　was

no　danger　of　his　ever　misjudging　her　again。



〃You　know　I　cannot；　Angel；〃　he　said。



〃I　am　afraid　I　do；〃　she　said　ruefully。　　〃It's　too　bad！　　But　there　is

a　thing　I　want　for　you　more　than　to　come　to　my　party；　and　that　is

to　hang　on　and　win　with　your　work。　　I　think　of　you　every　day；　and　I

just　pray　that　those　thieves　are　not　getting　ahead　of　you。　

Oh；　Freckles；　do　watch　closely！〃



She　was　so　lovely　a　picture　as　she　stood　before　him；　ardent　in　his

cause；　that　Freckles　could　not　take　his　eyes　from　her　to　notice

what　her　friends　were　thinking。　　If　she　did　not　mind；　why　should　he？　

Anyway；　if　they　really　were　the　Angel's　friends；　probably　they　were

better　accustomed　to　her　ways　than　he。



Her　face　and　bared　neck　and　arms　were　like　the　wild　rose　bloom。　

Her　soft　frock　of　white　tulle　lifted　and　stirred　around　her　with　the

gentle　evening　air。　　The　beautiful　golden　hair；　that　crept　around

her　temples　and　ears　as　if　it　loved　to　cling　there；　was　caught　back

and　bound　with　broad　blue　satin　ribbon。　　There　was　a　sash　of　blue　at

her　waist；　and　knots　of　it　catching　up　her　draperies。



〃Must　I　go　after　the　Bird　Woman？〃　she　pleaded。



〃Indade；　you　must；〃　answered　Freckles　firmly。



The　Angel　went　away；　but　returned　to　say　that　the　Bird　Woman　was

telling　a　story　to　those　inside　and　she　could　not　come　for　a　short　time。



〃You　won't　come　in？〃　she　pleaded。



〃I　must　not；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃I　am　not　dressed