freckles-第27部分

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be　he　could　not　guess。



If　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　closely！〃



The　saw　worked　steadily。



When　the　tree　was　down　and　loaded；　what　would　they　do？　　Pull　out；

and　leave　him　there　to　report　them？　　It　was　not　to　be　hoped　for。　

The　place　always　had　been　lawless。　　It　could　mean　but　one　thing。



A　mist　swept　before　his　eyes；　while　his　head　swam。　　Was　it　only　last

night　that　he　had　worshiped　the　Angel　in　a　delirium　of　happiness？

And　now；　what？　　Wessner；　released　from　a　turn　at　the　saw；　walked　to

the　flower　bed；　and　tearing　up　a　handful　of　rare　ferns　by　the

roots；　started　toward　Freckles。　　His　intention　was　obvious。　

Black　Jack　stopped　him；　with　an　oath。



〃You　see　here；　Dutchy；〃　he　bawled；　〃mebby　you　think　you'll　wash　his

face　with　that；　but　you　won't。　　A　contract's　a　contract。　　We　agreed

to　take　out　these　trees　and　leave　him　for　you　to　dispose　of　whatever

way　you　please；　provided　you　shut　him　up　eternally　on　this　deal。　

But　I'll　not　see　a　tied　man　tormented　by　a　fellow　that　he　can

lick　up　the　ground　with；　loose；　and　that's　flat。　　It　raises　my　gorge

to　think　what　he'll　get　when　we're　gone；　but　you　needn't　think

you're　free　to　begin　before。　　Don't　you　lay　a　hand　on　him　while

I'm　here！　　What　do　you　say；　boys？〃



〃I　say　yes；〃　growled　one　of　McLean's　latest　deserters。　　〃What's　more；

we're　a　pack　of　fools　to　risk　the　dirty　work　of　silencing　him。　

You　had　him　face　down　and　you　on　his　back；　why　the　hell　didn't

you　cover　his　head　and　roll　him　into　the　bushes　until　we　were　gone？

When　I　went　into　this；　I　didn't　understand　that　he　was　to　see　all

of　us　and　that　there　was　murder　on　the　ticket。　　I'm　not　up　to　it。　

I　don't　mind　lifting　trees　we　came　for；　but　I'm　cursed　if　I　want

blood　on　my　hands。〃



〃Well；　you　ain't　going　to　get　it；〃　bellowed　Jack。　　〃You　fellows

only　contracted　to　help　me　get　out　my　marked　trees。　　He　belong　to

Wessner；　and　it　ain't　in　our　deal　what　happens　to　him。〃



〃Yes；　and　if　Wessner　finishes　him　safely；　we　are　practically　in　for

murder　as　well　as　stealing　the　trees；　and　if　he　don't；　all　hell's

to　pay。　　I　think　you've　made　a　damnable　bungle　of　this　thing；　that's

what　I　think！〃



〃Then　keep　your　thoughts　to　yourself；〃　cried　Jack。　　〃We're　doing

this；　and　it's　all　planned　safe　and　sure。　　As　for　killing　that

buckcome　to　think　of　it；　killing　is　what　he　needs。　　He's　away　too

good　for　this　world　of　woe；　anyhow。　　I　tell　you；　it's　all　safe

enough。　　His　dropping　out　won't　be　the　only　secret　the　old

Limberlost　has　never　told。　　It's　too　dead　easy　to　make　it　look　like

he　helped　take　the　timber　and　then　cut。　　Why；　he's　played　right　into

our　hands。　　He　was　here　at　the　swamp　all　last　night；　and　back　again

in　an　hour　or　so。　　When　we　get　our　plan　worked　out；　even　old　fool

Duncan　won't　lift　a　finger　to　look　for　his　carcass。　　We　couldn't

have　him　going　in　better　shape。〃



〃You　just　bet；〃　said　Wessner。　　〃I　owe　him　all　he'll　get；　and　be

damned　to　you；　but　I'll　pay！〃　he　snarled　at　Freckles。



So　it　was　killing；　then。　　They　were　not　only　after　this　one　tree；

but　many；　and　with　his　body　it　was　their　plan　to　kill　his　honor。　

To　brand　him　a　thief；　with　them；　before　the　Angel；　the　Bird　Woman；

the　dear　Boss；　and　the　DuncansFreckles；　in　sick　despair；　sagged

against　the　ropes。



Then　he　gathered　his　forces　and　thought　swiftly。　　There　was　no　hope

of　McLean's　coming。　　They　had　chosen　a　day　when　they　knew　he　had　a

big　contract　at　the　South　camp。　　The　Boss　could　not　come　before

tomorrow　by　any　possibility；　and　there　would　be　no　tomorrow　for

the　boy。　　Duncan　was　on　his　way　to　the　South　camp；　and　the　Bird　Woman

had　said　she　would　come　as　soon　as　she　could。　　After　the　fatigue　of

the　party；　it　was　useless　to　expect　her　and　the　Angel　today；　and

God　save　them　from　coming！　　The　Angel's　father　had　said　they　would

be　as　safe　in　the　Limberlost　as　at　home。　　What　would　he　think　of　this？



The　sweat　broke　on　Freckles'　forehead。　　He　tugged　at　the　ropes

whenever　he　felt　that　he　dared；　but　they　were　passed　around　the

tree　and　his　body　several　times；　and　knotted　on　his　chest。　

He　was　helpless。　　There　was　no　hope；　no　help。　　And　after　they　had

conspired　to　make　him　appear　a　runaway　thief　to　his　loved　ones；

what　was　it　that　Wessner　would　do　to　him？



Whatever　it　was；　Freckles　lifted　his　head　and　resolved　that　he

would　bear　in　mind　what　he　had　once　heard　the　Bird　Woman　say。　

He　would　go　out　bonnily。　　Never　would　he　let　them　see；　if　he

grew　afraid。　　After　all；　what　did　it　matter　what　they　did　to　his

body　if　by　some　scheme　of　the　devil　they　could　encompass　his　disgrace？



Then　hope　suddenly　rose　high　in　Freckles'　breast。　　They　could　not

do　that！　　The　Angel　would　not　believe。　　Neither　would　McLean。　　He　would

keep　up　his　courage。　　Kill　him　they　could；　dishonor　him　they　could　not。



Yet；　summon　all　the　fortitude　he　might；　that　saw　eating　into　the

tree　rasped　his　nerves　worse　and　worse。　　With　whirling　brain　he

gazed　into　the　Limberlost；　searching　for　something；　he　knew　not

what；　and　in　blank　horror　found　his　eyes　focusing　on　the　Angel。　

She　was　quite　a　distance　away；　but　he　could　see　her　white　lips　and

angry　expression。



Last　week　he　had　taken　her　and　the　Bird　Woman　across　the　swamp　over

the　path　he　followed　in　going　from　his　room　to　the　chicken　tree。　

He　had　told　them　the　night　before；　that　the　butterfly　tree　was　on　the

line　close　to　this　path。　　In　figuring　on　their　not　coming　that　day；

he　failed　to　reckon　with　the　enthusiasm　of　the　Bird　Woman。　　They　must

be　there　for　the　study；　and　the　Angel　had　risked　crossing　the　swamp

in　search　of　him。　　Or　was　there　something　in　his　room　they　needed？　

The　blood　surged　in　his　ears　as　the　roar　of　the　Limberlost　in　the

wrath　of　a　storm。



He　looked　again；　and　it　had　been　a　dream。　　She　was　not　there。　

Had　she　been？　　For　his　life；　Freckles　could　not　tell　whether　he

really　had　seen　the　Angel；　or　whether　his　strained　senses　had

played　him　the　most　cruel　trick　of　all。　　Or　was　it　not　the　kindest？　

Now　he　could　go　with　the　vision　of　her　lovely　face　fresh　with　him。



〃Thank　You　for　that；　oh　God！〃　whispered　Freckles。〃　　‘Twas　more　than

kind　of　You　and　I　don't　s'pose　I　ought　to　be　wanting　anything　else；

but　if　You　can；　oh；　I　wish　I　could　know　before　this　ends；　if　‘twas

me　mother〃Freckles　could　not　even　whisper　the　words；　for　he

hesitated　a　second　and　ended〃IF　‘TWAS　ME　MOTHER　DID　IT！〃



〃Freckles！　　Freckles！　　Oh；　Freckles！〃　the　voice　of　the　Angel

came　calling。　　Freckles　swayed　forward　and　wrenched　at　the　rope

until　it　cut　deeply　into　his　body。



〃Hell！〃　cried　Black　Jack。　　〃Who　is　that？　　Do　you　know？〃



Freckles　nodded。



Jack　whipped　out　a　revolver　and　snatched　the　gag　from　Freckles'　mouth。



〃Say　quick；　or　it's　up　with　you　right　now；　and　whoever　that　is　with　you！〃



〃It's　the　girl　the　Bird　Woman　takes　with　her；〃　whispered　Freckles

through　dry；　swollen　lips。



〃They　ain't　due　here　for　five　days　yet；〃　said　Wessner。　　〃We　got　on

to　that　last　week。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Freckles；　〃but　I　found　a　tree　covered　with　butterflies

and　things　along　the　east　line　yesterday　that　I　thought　the　Bird

Woman　would　want　extra；　and　I　went　to　town　to　tell　her　last　night。　

She　said　she'd　come　soon；　but　she　didn't　say　when。　　They　must　be

here。　　I　take　care　of　the　girl　while　the　Bird　Woman　works。　　Untie　me

quick　until　she　is　gone。　　I'll　try　to　send　her　back；　and　then　you

can　go　on　with　your　dirty　work。〃



〃He　ain't　lying；〃　volunteered　Wessner。　　〃I　saw　that　tree　covered

with　butterflies　and　him　watching　around　it　when　we　were　spying　on

him　yesterday。〃



〃No；　he　leaves　lying　to　your　sort；〃　snapped　Black　Jack；　as　he　undid

the　rope　and　pitched　it　across　the　room。　　〃Remember　that　you're

covered　every　move　you　make；　my　buck；〃　he　cautioned。



〃Freckles！　　Freckles！〃　came　the　Angel's　impatient　voice；　closer　and　closer。



〃I　must　be　answering；〃　said　Freckles；　and　Jack　nodded。　　〃Right　here！〃

he　called；　and　to　the　men：　　〃You　go　on　with　your　work；　and

remember　one　thing　yourselves。　　The　work　of　the　Bird　Woman　is　known

all　over　the　world。　　This　girl's　father　is　a　rich　man；　and　she　is

all　he　has。　　If　you　offer　hurt　of　any　kind　to　either　of　them；　this

world　has　no　place　far　enough　away　or　dark　enough　for　you　to　be

hiding　in。　　Hell　will　be　easy　to　what　any　man　will　get　if　he　touches

either　of　them！〃



〃Freckles；　where　are　you？〃　demanded　the　Angel。



Soulsick　with　fear　for　her；　Freckles　went　toward　her　and　parted　the

bushes　that　she　might　enter。　　She　came　through　without　apparently

giving　him　a　glance；　and　the　first　words　she　said　were：　　〃Why　have

the　gang　come　so　soon？　　I　didn't　know　you　expected　them　for　three

weeks　yet。　　Or　is　this　some　especial　tree　that　Mr。　McLean　needs　to

fill　an　order　right　now？〃



Freckles　hesitated。　　Would　a　man　dare　lie　to　save　himself？　　No。　

But　to　save　the　Angelsurely　that　was　different。　　He　opened　his　lips；

but　the　Angel　was　capable　of　saving　herself。　　She　walked　among　them；

exactly　as　if　she　had　been　reared　in　a　lumber　camp；　and　never

waited　for　an　answer。



〃Why；　your　specimen　case！〃　she　cried。　　〃Look！　　Haven't　you　noticed

that　it's　tipped　over？　　Set　it　straight；　quickly！〃



A　couple　of　the　men　stepped　out　and　carefully　righted　the　case。



〃There！　　That's　better；〃　she　said。　　〃Freckles；　I'm　surprised　at　your

being　so　careless。　　It　would　be　a　shame　to　break　those　lovely

butterflies　for　one　old　tree！　　Is　that　a　valuable　tree？　　Why　didn't

you　tell　us　last　night　you　were　going　to　take　out　a　tree　this　morning？　

Oh；　say；　did　you　put　your　case　there　to　protect　that　tree　from

that　stealing　old　Black　Jack　and　his　gang？　　I　bet　you　did！　

Well；　if　that　wasn't　bright！　　What　kind　of　a　tree　is　it？〃



〃It's　a　white　oak；〃　said　Freckles。



〃Like　those　they　make　dining…tables　and　sideboards　from？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃My！　　How　inter