freckles-第37部分

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So；　by　shifting　the　pins　a　little；　they　obtained　comfort　for　which

they　blessed　the　Angel　every　day。　　When　they　came　to　the

sleeping…tent；　they　consulted　her　about　that。　　She　explained　the

general　direction　of　the　night　breeze　and　indicated　the　best

position　for　the　tent。　　Before　anyone　knew　how　it　happened；　the

Angel　was　standing　on　the　wagon；　directing　the　location　and

construction　of　the　cooking…shack；　the　erection　of　the　crane

for　the　big　boiling…pots；　and　the　building　of　the　store…room。　

She　superintended　the　laying　of　the　floor　of　the　sleeping…tent

lengthwise；　So　that　it　would　be　easier　to　sweep；　and　suggested　a

new　arrangement　of　the　cots　that　would　afford　all　the　men　an　equal

share　of　night　breeze。　　She　left　the　wagon；　and　climbing　on　the

newly　erected　dining…table；　advised　with　the　cook　in　placing　his

stove；　table；　and　kitchen　utensils。



When　Freckles　returned　from　the　tree　to　join　in　the　work　around　the

camp；　he　caught　glimpses　of　her　enthroned　on　a　soapbox；　cleaning　beans。　

She　called　to　him　that　they　were　invited　for　dinner；　and　that　they

had　accepted　the　invitation。



When　the　beans　were　steaming　in　the　pot；　the　Angel　advised　the　cook

to　soak　them　overnight　the　next　time；　so　that　they　would　cook　more

quickly　and　not　burst。　　She　was　sure　their　cook　at　home　did　that

way；　and　the　CHEF　of　the　gang　thought　it　would　be　a　good　idea。　

The　next　Freckles　saw　of　her　she　was　paring　potatoes。　　A　little　later

she　arranged　the　table。



She　swept　it　with　a　broom；　instead　of　laying　a　cloth；　took　the

hatchet　and　hammered　the　deepest　dents　from　the　tin　plates；　and

nearly　skinned　her　fingers　scouring　the　tinware　with　rushes。　

She　set　the　plates　an　even　distance　apart；　and　laid　the　forks　and

spoons　beside　them。　　When　the　cook　threw　away　half　a　dozen

fruit…cans；　she　gathered　them　up　and　melted　off　the　tops；　although

she　almost　blistered　her　face　and　quite　blistered　her　fingers　doing　it。　

Then　she　neatly　covered　these　improvised　vases　with　the　Manila　paper

from　the　groceries；　tying　it　with　wisps　of　marshgrass。　　These　she

filled　with　fringed　gentians；　blazing…star；　asters；　goldenrod；

and　ferns；　placing　them　the　length　of　the　dining…table。　　In　one　of

the　end　cans　she　arranged　her　red　leaves；　and　in　the　other　the

fancy　grass。　　Two　men；　watching　her；　went　away　proud　of　themselves

and　said　that　she　was　〃a　born　lady。〃　　She　laughingly　caught　up　a

paper　bag　and　fitted　it　jauntily　to　her　head　in　imitation　of　a

cook's　cap。　　Then　she　ground　the　coffee；　and　beat　a　couple　of　eggs

to　put　in；　〃because　there　is　company；〃　she　gravely　explained　to

the　cook。　　She　asked　that　delighted　individual　if　he　did　not　like　it

best　that　way；　and　he　said　he　did　not　know；　because　he　never　had　a

chance　to　taste　it。　　The　Angel　said　that　was　her　case　exactlyshe

never　had；　either；　she　was　not　allowed　anything　stronger　than　milk。

Then　they　laughed　together。



She　told　the　cook　about　camping　with　her　father；　and　explained　that

he　made　his　coffee　that　way。　　When　the　steam　began　to　rise　from　the

big　boiler；　she　stuffed　the　spout　tightly　with　clean　marshgrass；　to

keep　the　aroma　in；　placed　the　boiler　where　it　would　only　simmer；

and　explained　why。　　The　influence　of　the　Angel's　visit　lingered　with

the　cook　through　the　remainder　of　his　life；　while　the　men　prayed

for　her　frequent　return。



She　was　having　a　happy　time；　when　McLean　came　back　jubilant；　from

his　trip　to　the　tree。　　How　jubilant　he　told　only　the　Angel；　for　he

had　been　obliged　to　lose　faith　in　some　trusted　men　of　late；　and　had

learned　discretion　by　what　he　suffered。　　He　planned　to　begin

clearing　out　a　road　to　the　tree　that　same　afternoon；　and　to　set　two

guards　every　night；　for　it　promised　to　be　a　rare　treasure；　so　he

was　eager　to　see　it　on　the　way　to　the　mills。



〃I　am　coming　to　see　it　felled；〃　cried　the　Angel。　　〃I　feel　a　sort　of

motherly　interest　in　that　tree。〃



McLean　was　highly　amused。　　He　would　have　staked　his　life　on　the

honesty　of　either　the　Angel　or　Freckles；　yet　their　versions　of　the

finding　of　the　tree　differed　widely。



〃Tell　me；　Angel；〃　the　Boss　said　jestingly。　　〃I　think　I　have　a　right

to　know。　　Who　really　did　locate　that　tree？〃



〃Freckles；〃　she　answered　promptly　and　emphatically。



〃But　he　says　quite　as　positively　that　it　was　you。　　I　don't　understand。〃



The　Angel's　legal　look　flashed　into　her　face。　　Her　eyes　grew　tense

with　earnestness。　　She　glanced　around；　and　seeing　no　towel　or　basin；

held　out　her　hand　for　Sears　to　pour　water　over　them。　　Then；　using

the　skirt　of　her　dress　to　dry　them；　she　climbed　on　the　wagon。



〃I'll　tell　you；　word　for　word；　how　it　happened；〃　she　said；　〃and

then　you　shall　decide；　and　Freckles　and　I　will　agree　with　you。〃



When　she　had　finished　her　version；　〃Tell　us；　‘oh；　most　learned

judge！'〃　she　laughingly　quoted；　〃which　of　us　located　that　tree？〃



〃Blest　if　I　know　who　located　it！〃　exclaimed　McLean。　　〃But　I　have　a

fairly　accurate　idea　as　to　who　put　the　blue　ribbon　on　it。〃



The　Boss　smiled　significantly　at　Freckles；　who　just　had　come；　for

they　had　planned　that　they　would　instruct　the　company　to　reserve

enough　of　the　veneer　from　that　very　tree　to　make　the　most　beautiful

dressing　table　they　could　design　for　the　Angel's　share　of　the　discovery。



〃What　will　you　have　for　yours？〃　McLean　had　asked　of　Freckles。



〃If　it's　all　the　same　to　you；　I'll　be　taking　mine　out　in　music　lessons

begging　your　pardonvoice　culture；〃　said　Freckles　with　a　grimace。



McLean　laughed；　for　Freckles　needed　to　see　or　hear　only　once　to

absorb　learning　as　the　thirsty　earth　sucks　up　water。



The　Angel　placed　McLean　at　the　head　of　the　table。　　She　took　the

foot；　with　Freckles　on　her　right；　while　the　lumber　gang；　washed；

brushed；　and　straightened　until　they　felt　unfamiliar　with

themselves　and　each　other；　filled　the　sides。　　That　imposed　a　slight

constraint。　　Then；　too；　the　men　were　afraid　of　the　flowers；　the

polished　tableware；　and　above　all；　of　the　dainty　grace　of　the　Angel。　

Nowhere　do　men　so　display　lack　of　good　breeding　and　culture　as

in　dining。　　To　sprawl　on　the　table；　scoop　with　their　knives；　chew

loudly；　gulp　coffee；　and　duck　their　heads　as　snapping…turtles　for

every　bite；　had　not　been　noticed　by　them　until　the　Angel；　sitting

straightly；　suddenly　made　them　remember　that　they；　too；　were

possessed　of　spines。　　Instinctively　every　man　at　the　table　straightened。







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XVII



Wherein　Freckles　Offers　His　Life　for　His　Love　and　Gets　a　Broken　Body



To　reach　the　tree　was　a　more　difficult　task　than　McLean　had　supposed。　

The　gang　could　approach　nearest　on　the　outside　toward　the　east；

but　after　they　reached　the　end　of　the　east　entrance　there　was

yet　a　mile　of　most　impenetrable　thicket；　trees　big　and　little；　and

bushes　of　every　variety　and　stage　of　growth。　　In　many　places　the

muck　had　to　be　filled　to　give　the　horses　and　wagons　a　solid

foundation　over　which　to　haul　heavy　loads。　　It　was　several　days

before　they　completed　a　road　to　the　noble；　big　tree　and　were　ready

to　fell　it。



When　the　sawing　began；　Freckles　was　watching　down　the　road　where　it

met　the　trail　leading　from　Little　Chicken's　tree。　　He　had　gone　to　the

tree　ahead　of　the　gang　to　remove　the　blue　ribbon。　　Carefully　folded；

it　now　lay　over　his　heart。　　He　was　promising　himself　much

comfort　with　that　ribbon；　when　he　would　leave　for　the　city　next

month　to　begin　his　studies　and　dream　the　summer　over　again。　

It　would　help　to　make　things　tangible。　　When　he　was　dressed　as　other

men；　and　at　his　work；　he　knew　where　he　meant　to　home　that　precious

bit　of　blue。　　It　should　be　his　good…luck　token；　and　he　would　wear　it

always　to　keep　bright　in　memory　the　day　on　which　the　Angel　had

called　him　her　knight。



How　he　would　study；　and　oh；　how　he　would　sing！　　If　only　he　could

fulfill　McLean's　expectations；　and　make　the　Angel　proud　of　him！　

If　only　he　could　be　a　real　knight！



He　could　not　understand　why　the　Angel　had　failed　to　come。　　She　had

wanted　to　see　their　tree　felled。　　She　would　be　too　late　if　she　did

not　arrive　soon。　　He　had　told　her　it　would　be　ready　that　morning；

and　she　had　said　she　surely　would　be　there。　　Why；　of　all　mornings；

was　she　late　on　this？



McLean　had　ridden　to　town。　　If　he　had　been　there；　Freckles　would

have　asked　that　they　delay　the　felling；　but　he　scarcely　liked　to

ask　the　gang。　　He　really　had　no　authority；　although　he　thought　the

men　would　wait；　but　some　way　he　found　such　embarrassment　in　framing

the　request　that　he　waited　until　the　work　was　practically　ended。

The　saw　was　out；　and　the　men　were　cutting　into　the　felling　side　of

the　tree　when　the　Boss　rode　in。



His　first　word　was　to　inquire　for　the　Angel。　　When　Freckles　said　she

had　not　yet　come；　the　Boss　at　once　gave　orders　to　stop　work　on　the

tree　until　she　arrived；　for　he　felt　that　she　virtually　had　located

it；　and　if　she　desired　to　see　it　felled；　she　should。　　As　the　men

stepped　back；　a　stiff　morning　breeze　caught　the　top；　that　towered

high　above　its　fellows。　　There　was　an　ominous　grinding　at　the　base；

a　shiver　of　the　mighty　trunk；　then　directly　in　line　of　its　fall　the

bushes　swung　apart　and　the　laughing　face　of　the　Angel　looked　on　them。



A　groan　of　horror　burst　from　the　dry　throats　of　the　men；　and

reading　the　agony　in　their　faces；　she　stopped　short；　glanced　up；

and　understood。



〃South！〃　shouted　McLean。　　〃Run　south！〃



The　Angel　was　helpless。　　It　was　apparent　that　she　did　not　know　which

way　south　was。　　There　was　another　slow　shiver　of　the　big　tree。　

The　remainder　of　the　gang　stood　motionless；　but　Freckles　sprang　past

the　trunk　and　went　leaping　in　big　bounds。　　He　caught　up　the　Angel

and　dashed　through　the　thicket　for　safety。　　The　swaying　trunk　was

half　over　when；　for　an　instant；　a　near…by　tree　stayed　its　fall。　

They　saw　Freckles'　foot　catch；　and　with　the　Angel　he　plunged　headlong。



A　terrible　cry　broke　from　the　men；　while　McLean　covered　his　face。

Instantly　Freck