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The Wingham Times, 1915-12-02, Page 7December 2nd, 19X5 THE W INGHAIVM TIMES Freckies. BY Gene Stratton- P.orter Copyright 1904, by Doubleday, Page & Co, SYNOPSIS'. Freckles, a homeless boy, Is hired by • Boss McLean to guard the expensive tim- ber In the Limberlost from timber thieves. Freckles does hie work faithfully. makes rfriends'with the birds and yearns to know .more about nature. He lives with Mr. and Mrs. Duncan. Bei resolves to get books• and educate4 , himself. He becomes interested in a huge • pair of• vultures and cape his bird friends his "chickens." Some of the trees he is guarding are worth 11,000 each. Freckles' !woke arrive. He receives ,a call from Wessner. Wessner attempts to bribe Freckles to • betray his trust, and Freckles whips him. McLean overhears them and witnesses the • fight. Freckles',honesty sauce a preoious tree, no finds, the nest of the vulturee and is visited by •a• beautiful young girl. She calls Freckles McLean's-Earn-19'reckles , calls. her "the angel" and helps the Bird Woman an taking photographs. McLeaq •promises to adopt Freckles. Freckles stili the••' angel become very friendly. Assisted by the Bird Woman, • they drive Wessner and Black Jack, tim- • ber thieve°, from the Limberlost. McLean !ears more trouble, but Freckles :insists upon being the solo guard of the •timber. .Freckles .calla upon the angel's y father., - "That's what • you want to be think. �'` :ing oft" she cried. "Not darkness and .lonesomeness and sadness, but 'light, freedom and song.' I can't begin to • think off hand Af all the big. splendid things an Irishman has to be proud of, but whatever they are they are ail LgA„, v "BS DARENEea' 1 FOUND) THEE," Heart Was So Weak Cola Not Co Cp Stairs Without Nefp, When the heart becomes weak and does not do its work properly the nerves Ole system and hCWh me. tmstru n Y bcco g�� seems to go "all to pieces, When this happens you need a tonic to build up both the heart and nerves, and Milburn's Heart and Nerve Pills will accomplish this fir you, providing you lo not let youx ase run too long and allow it to become cbronie. Mrs. Evangiliste Loverdure, Fort •Coutonge, Que., writes' "bast summer my hest and nerves wt. e. so bad I could not sleep at night, and my heart was sa weak I could not go up stairs without help. My doctor said he could do no more for 1110 as my heart was completely done.. A. cousin of mitre came in one day and told me that Milburit's heart and Nerve Pills cured her completely. I immediately gave her 50 cents to bring me a box, and shire that day there h., a box always en my sideboard, I ant now well, and my heart anti nerves are stronger than when I Was a little school i;ir1. I advise aityene with h:'•rt tr'ou'r1e tel try theta. No doctor hut treat them." Milblltn'e Heed t r•.1 Neave Pills ere 50c per brig3 1 ow••' for Vele; for vele at all dealers; reeled direct ort reocipt of price by The T. Milburn Co,, Limited, Toronto, Ont. ewes, —___,•__-- vantage. 1-,;e never evet-Offered to touch her. Whatever that kiss meant to him. he recognized it was the lov. ing impulse of n child under stress ot strong emotion. IIe was fine and man• ly as any mats ever could have been." McLean lifted bis hat. "Thank you." he said simply end parted the bushes for her to enter Freckles' room. It was ber first visit; and before she left she sent for her cameras and made studies of each side or it and of the cathedral. She wns entranced with the delicate beauty of the place. and ber eyes kept following Freckles as if she could not believe that it could be his conception and work. That was a happy day. The Bird .Woman bad brought a lunch, and they spread it, with Freckles' dinner, on the study floor and sat about, resting and enjoying themselves. But the angel put her banjo into its case, silently gathered up her music, and no one mentioned the concert, The Bird Wonsan left McLean and the angel to clear away the lunch and with Freckles examined the walls of his room and told him all she knew about his shrubs and flowers. She an- alyzed a cardinal flower and showed him what he had all summer wanted to know—why the bees buzzed inef- fectually • about it while • the bumming birds found in it an ever ready feast. Some of his specimens were so rare that she was unfamiliar with them, and with the flower book •between them they knelt, studying the different varieties. She wandered the length of the cathedral aisle with him, an it was at her suggestion that he lighteC. bis altar with a row of flaming foxfire. As Freckles came up to the (cabin from bis long day at theo swamp he saw Mrs. Chicken sweeping away to the south and wondered where she was going. He stepped into the bright, cozy little kitchen, and as he reached down the wash basin be asked Mrs. Duncan a question. "Mother Duncan, do kisses wash off?' "Lord, na, Freckles!" she cried. "At least the anes ye get from people ye love dinna. They dinna stay on the outside. They strike in until they find the center of your heart and m ke their stopping place there, and nath- ing can take them from ye—I doubt it even death. Na, lad, ye can be reet sure kisses dinna wash off." Freckles set the basin down and mut- tered, "I needn't be afraid to be wash- ing, ashing, then, for that one struck in." "l wish," said Freckles at breakfast one morning, "that I had some way to be sending a message to the Bird Wo- man. I've something down at the swamp that I'm believing never hap- pened before, and surely she'll be want- ing it." •"What now, Freckles?" asked Mrs. Duncan. "Why, the oddest thing you ever heard of," said Freckles. "The whole insect tribe gone on a spree. I'm sup- posing it's my fault, but It all hap- pened by accident -like. Yon see, on the Swale side of the line, right against me trail, there's one of these scrub wild crab trees. Where the grass grows thick about it is the finest place you ever conceived of for snakes. Having women about has set me trying to clean out those fellows a bit, and yesterday I noticed that tree in passing. It struck me that it would be a good idea to be taking it out. First 1 thought I'd take me hatchet and cut it down, for it ain't thicker than me upper arm. Then I remembered bow it was blooming in the spring and filling all the air with sweetness. The coloring of the blos= soms is beautiful. and I bated to be killing it. I just cut the grass short all about • 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 trunks 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." "Wee], .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. Soule of them are setting up on their tails and bind legs, fid- dling away with , their fore feet and wiping their eyes. Some are rolling around on the ground, contented. There are quantities of big bluebottle flies over the bark and hanging on the grasses about, 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 anything, even more sap to them- selves. There's a lot of hard backed bugs—beetles, 1 guess—colored like the brown. blue and black' of a peacock's l o4 tail. They hang on until the e 'egs them are so wake they can't stick a minute longer, and then they break away Sind fall to the ground. They just lay there on their hacks, !ably claw- ing air. When it wears oft a bit, up yours and you are a part of them. I just despise that 'saddest when I sing' business. You can sing! Now you go over there and do it! I'm going to come down the aisle playing that ac- companiment, and when I stop in front of you you singl" The augel's face wore an unusual flush. Her eyes were flashing, and she was palpitating with earnestness. She parted the bushes and disap- peared. Freckles, straight as a young pine and with the tenseness of a war horse scenting battle, stood;' waiting. Presently, betore ''he saw she was there. she was coming down the aisle toward bim, playing compelling -le, and rifts of tight were touching her. with golden glory. Freckles stood as if transfixed. The blood rioted in his velins. The cathedral was majestically beau- tiful. from arched dome of frescoed gold, green and blue in never ending shades and harmonies 'to the mosaic aisle she trod, richly inlaid in choicest colors apd gigantic pillars that were God's baudiwork fashioned and per- fected down through ages of sunshine and rain. But the fair young face, and divinely molded form of the angel were his most perfect work of all. Never had she looked so surpassingly beautifuL She was smiling encouragingly now, and as she came toward him she struck the chords full and strong. The heart of poor Ft'ee4les almost burst with dull pain and tilt+ •'great love for her. In his desire to fulfil her expectations be forgot everything else, and when she reached his initial chord he was ready. He Literally burst forth: "Three little leaves of Irish green United on one stem. Love, truth and valor do they mean. They form a magic gem." The angel's eyes widened curiously. and her lips fell apart. A heavier col- or swept into her cheeks. She had intended to arouse him. She had sue- , ceeded with a vengeance. She was too young to know that in the effort to rouse a man women frequently kin- dle indle fires that they can neither quench nor control. Freckles was looking out over her head now and singing that song as it had never been sung before for her alone, and instead of her help- ing him, as she had intended, he was carrying her with bim on the waves of his voice away, away into a world ate knew not of. When be struck into the chorus. wide eyed and panting, she was swaying toward him and playing for dear life to keep up. "Oh. do you love? Oh, say you love, You love the shamrock green!" At the last note Freckles' voice died' away and his eyes fastened on the angel's. He had given his best and his all. He fell on bis knees and fAd- ed his arms across his breast. The angel, as if magnetized, walked straight down the aisle to him and, running her fingers into the crisp masses of his red hair, tilted his head back and laid her lips on his forehead. • Then she stepped back and faced bim. "Good boy!"' she said in a voice that wavered from the throbbing of her shaken heart. "Dear .boy! I knew you coulddo it! I knew it was in you! Freckles, when you go out into the world. if you can face a great audience and sing like that, just once. you will be immortal, and anything you want will be yours." "Anything?" gasped Freckles. "Anything," said the angel. Freckles found his feet, muttered something and. catching up his old bucket, plunged lun ed into the swamp blind- ly on a pretense of getting water. The angel walked slowly across the study and sat down on the rustic bench and through narrowed lids inteutly studied the tip of her shoe. CHAPTER XIII. 3rP15CnLES' BDTTEh1 LIE6. 0 BT on the trail the Bird Woman wheeled on McLean with a dumfounded look. "Do yetithing the angel knew Oho did that?" she asked softly. "No," said AieLean. "I do not. But the poor boy knew It heaven help bim!' The Bird Woman stared across the gently waving howI amgoing`t1eoblame her," she said et last. "It's so exactly what 1 would have done myself." "Say the rest," demanded McLean DOAN'S KIDNEY PILLS Mellow Tho Ktdnwlrs and Gladder Llks Ordinary Medicine" Do The Bowels. When the kidney$ get out of order the back is sure to become affected, and dull pains, sharp pains, quick twinges all point to the fact that the kidneys need attention. Plasters' and liniments will not cure the kidneys, for they cannot get to the seat of the trouble, but Doan's Kidney Pills do, and cure the kidneys quickly and permanently, Mrs. Lizzie Iyl;elanson, Plympton, N.S., writes: "I am sending this testimonial telling you what a wonderful cure Doan's Kidney Pills made for me. For years I had suffered so with my kidneys I could hardly do my housework. I used several kinds of pills, but none of them seemed to be doing me any good. At last I was advised to try a box of Doan's Kidney Pills. When I had taken the first box I found relief. I have used five boxes, and to -day I feel like a new woman, I cannot recommend them too highly." Doan's Kidney Pills are 50c. per box, S boxes for $$L25, at all dealers or trailed direct on receipt of price by The T. Milburn Co., Limited, Toronto, Ont. When ordering direct specify "Doan''." drink until ft' lin urlvfng'tliem away they stagger as they fly and turn som- ersaults in the air. If 1 lave them alone they cling to the grasses. shiver- ing 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 beard of anything sae sur- prising," 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 think- ing." 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." Freckles took his lunch and went down to the swamp. He could find no trace of anything. yet be felt a tense nervousness, as if trouble might be brooding. He came around to his room and cautiously scanned the en- trance before he stepped in. Then he pushed the bushes apart with his right arm and entered, bis left nand on the butt of his favorite revolver. Instantly he knew that some one bad been there. He could find no trace of a clew to confirm his belief, yet so intimate was he with the spirit of the place that he knew. He was most sure about the case. Nothing was disturbed, yet it seemed to Freckles that be could see where prying fingers bad tried the lock. He stepped 'back of the case, carefully examining the ground all about it, and close by the tree to Which it was nailed he found a deep, fresh footprint in tbe spongy soil—along. narrow print. that was Amer, mnLa by the fent. of Neese they get and g6 crawling back for more, and they so fell they bump/hate each other and roll over. SemeEiInes they cant climb thetree until they wait to sober up a little. There's a lot Of big blank and gold bumblebees, done for entire, stumbling over the bark and rolling on the ground. They just lay there oe theft: backs, rocking from side to aide, singing to themselves like fat, happy babies. The wild bees keep up a steady buzzing tvlth the beating of their wings. "The butterflies are the worst old , topers of them all. They're just a cir- cus! YOu never saw the beat of the hoarsely. "Do him justice."betattiest They came every color 'ou "Ile is a born gentleman," conceded could be naming and every shape you , tag llir�, CG,onlan. ."Lia todif,t1h £ad' SitU?d. bp..$hiplti]>g..u�r . Tbeg. i> 1i.$nd HS JOUi D A MEP, Ewen FOOTPRINT. dholiadiditOriefefeedediedivelereie The Army of Constipation 1. crewing Smaller Every Day, CARTER'S LITTLE LIVCR PILLS sre teeronule---they not amp Five rr:lief — ri,ty , rrn:.ncnlly curt: Croat pa- 4 tiara. i:! - tat (otp}� E Sooc• 4+' nzss, L:aigeatien, :i: !' ;Aube, Sn!kw Smna Pill, Smell Dose, Smell Price. Garglitld taus bear Signature rage 7 nee. R'1 it feeling—rose that he was being watched. Growing restive at last Under the strain, be plunged boldly, into the swamp and searched minutely all about his room, but he could not die. cover the least thing to give him fur- ther cause for alarm, Every rod he traveled be used the caution Abet sprang from knowledge of danger and the direction from which it would probably come. Several times he thought of sending for McLean, but for his life be 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 be went up to stir per. • Tile first thing' he saw • as he crossed the Swale was the big bays in the yard. '!'here had been no one passing that day, and Macau readily agreed to watch until Freckles rode to town. He told Duncan of the footprint and urged him to watch closely. •Duncan said he might rest easy and, tilling his pipe and taking a good revolver, went down to the Limberlost: Freckles made himself' clean .,and neat and raced for town, but it was night and the stars were shining' be- fore he reached the home of the Bird Woman. As be 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 scurrying up to him. "Ob. Frecklela'l" sbe cried. "So you could get off? We were so afraid you could not. I'm as glad as 1 can be." "1 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 1 couldn't find time to drive out. But 1 wrote you a letter and told you that the Bird Woman was giving a party for me and we wanted you to come sure. I told them at the otflce to put it with Mr. L)uncun's mail." "Then that's likely where it le at present" said Freckles. "Duncan ouiy tomes to rowu once it week turd at times tot that. He's dome tonight for .the first in a week. He's watch- ing an hour for me until 1 was coin- ing to the Laird Woman with a hit of work I thought she'd be caring to hear about. is she where I can see her?" • The angel's face clouded. "What a disappointment:" she riled. "I did so wont all my friends to ttnow you. Can't you stay nnywayY' Freckles glanced from his wading 'boots to the patent leathers ot some of the angel's friends near by and smiled whimsically. but there was no danger ot his ever misjudging her again. "You know 1 caauot, angel" be said. "I am afraid I do," she said ruefully. "It's too bad. But there is a thing 1 want for you more thnn to come to my party, and that is to hang on and win with your work. 1 think of you ev- ery day, and I just pray that those thieves are not getting ahead ot you. Oh, Freckles, du watch closely!" She was so lovely a picture as she stood before him, ardent in his cause, that Freckles could not tube his eyes from ber to notice what her friends were thinking. if she did not mind, why should he? Anyway, it they real- ly were the angel's friends probably they were better accustomed to uer ways than he: "Alust 1 go for the Bird Woinnne" she pleaded. "Indade, you Mast." answered Frec- kles firmly. The angel 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. "1 am. not dressed to be among your friends." "Then," said the angel, "we nnlsin't go through the house. because it 'would disturb the story, butt 1 want you to come around the outside way to 1 he conservatory and have some ot my birthday lunch and get some cake to take to Mrs. Duncan and the babies." The night was warm and the angel most beautiful and kind. A sort of triple delirium of spirit, mind and body seized upon Freckles and developed a boldness all unnatural. I]c slightly parted the heavy curtains that separat- ed the conservatory from the company and looked in. Ile almost stopped breathing. tie had read or things litre that, but be had never seen them. "1)o you aup nate ilea Vet) is nny liner than that:" tisktd Freckles. 'fhe angel burst into a laugh. "TM you want to he laughing harder tttati that?" queried Preceded ed •'.\ laugh Is &ways good," Paid rhe angel "A little more' ayoirdlipots tvot't hart 111e. Litt spend." -Well, then," snit! Precedes. "it's only that 1 feel ail over tis if 1 b.'longed In their. 1 could wear line clothes and move over those 'floors and hold No awn against the best of ihem." "Tlut where does my laugh come in?" demauded the angel as if she had been defrauded. ".incl you ask me where the laugh tomes in, looking me in the faro niter that," marveled d f''rettdlrs, "1 woulttn't be so foolish as to iantttt I at such a inanifeat truth as that," said I the angel. "Any one that knows you even half as well as 1 do knows that ' you are never guilty of a discourtesy and you more with twice the grace of any man here. Why shouldn't you feel 1 as if you being -el where people are graceful and courteous?" ! "On me soul," said Freckles, "you 1 are kind to be thinking it. You are doubly kind to be saying it." 'Th cnTteeets parted,, and a woman Ir ai is lam_ ildllll� I I 111 �PI Pa ;h. 1 i1 11111 u,n, um, nu uuuu,�, mn, uw»u.a¢uuu",ura..0 onuam,mmn, Tbepraprieraryor.Pateal fcdicineAct AVegetahte Preparation forAs•• atmilatinalheFoodandRegutas. jjinglheStomatimandlloweisof •, INFANTS ,f Cl1ILDREN :Promotes DigestionChee11uF, nzss and itestContains nelthir 0 iumbiorpltine nor/lima N NOT NARC OTIC. RerieefOldDx,Sr1l4iral1t !Eft Plat, kit Syed" soarer rmaa •r 1PbrhdlzSalls+ Rmse8ad e -�nakJada� NomrSrrd- Clari&d Sterni - IYrr'geetflmw deeded Remedy tortonsHpte lion, SourSlomach,Diarrhaesi Worms,Convulsions,Feverish- ness and Loss OF SLEEP? FaeSimile Slgnatureof lifw Me CENTAUR COMPANY• MONTREAL&NEW YORK At6•months old 35 DOSES 35 CENTS Exact Copy of Wrapper. CA$TORI For Infante and Children. t: Mothers Know That Genuine Castoria .Always Bears the Signature of in Use For Over Thirty Years CASTORIA TNS C:iNTAUI, CQMPANY, NLW Yo,.,c C,r/. came toward them. tier HI 1E5 anu laces trailed along the polished floors. The lights gleamed on ber neck and arms and flashed from rare jewels. Sbe was smiling brightly and until she spoke Freckles had not tulIy re- alized that it was his loved Bird Wom- an. Noticing his bewilderment, she cried, "Why. Freckles, don't you know me in my war clothes?' "I do in the uniform in which you fight the Limberlost," said Freckles. The Bird Woman broke into a Laugh. Then he told her why be bad come. A CHAPTER SIV. CAPTURED BY BLAOF. JACK. 5 tbey talked the angel was busy packing a box of sand- wiches, cake, fruit and flow- ers. Sbe gave hima last frosty glass, thanked him repeatedly for bringing news of new material, and then Freckles went out into the night. He rode for the Limberlost with bis eyes on the stars. The one thing Freckles knew that he could do was to sing. The Duncans heard him coming a mile up the cor- duroy and could not believe their senses. Freckles unfastened the box from his belt and gave Mrs. Duncan and the children all the eatables it contained, except tine big piece of cake that he carried to the sweet loving Duncan. He put the flowers back in the box and set it up among his boobs. He did not say anything, but they un- derstood it was not to be touched. Then Freckles started for the swamp. As he rode he sang, and as he sang he worshiped, but the god he tried to glorify was a dim and far- away mystery, The angel was warm flesh and blood. With the near approach of dawn Freckles tuned his last note. Wearied almost to failing. he turned from the trail into the path leading to the cabin for n few hours' rest. As Freckles left the trail from the Swale near the south entrance four large. muscular men rose up and swiftly and carefully entered the ewnmp by the wagon rend. Two of them carried n big sew, the :Hire volts •,f rope and wire. and all were heavily ,"tried They left one man on %mewl at the entrance. The other three made their way through the darkness and soon were at Freckles' room. He had left the swamp on his wheel from the west trail. They counted on bis re- turning on the wheel and circling the east line before he came there. A little below the west entrance tO Freckles. room Black Jack stepped into the awato and, binding a wire tight about a scrub oak, carried it be- low the waving grasses, stretched it taut across the trail and fastened it to a tree in the swamp. Then he obliter- ated e"ted n11 signs o his workar- ranged and 1 ranged the grass over tbe wire until it was so completely •covered that only minute examination would reveal They entered Freckles' room a 1 coarse oaths and jests. In a few tun. ments hi,s specimen case with its pre- cious edntents was rolled back into the swamp and the saw was eating into one of the finest trees of the Lim- berlost. As soon as Freckles was well down the east line the watch was posted below the room on the west to report his coming. It was but a few mo- ments before the signal came. Then the saw stopped. and *he rope was brought out awl uncoilt.1 near a sap- ling. Wessner stud Blatt. Jack crowd- ed to the very edge Of the swamp a little a.bov0 the wire and erouched, visiting. They heard Freckles before they saw him.. IIe came clipping down the line at a good pace, and as he rode he was singing_laoftlyt,. "OF,, do you love— Oh, say you.love"— Re got• no further. The sharply driven wheel struck the tense wire and bounded back. Freckles shot over the handle bar and coasted down the trail on his chest. As he struck Black Jack and Wessner were upon hien.. SLAGS JAMS STOVE/RD MU WITH AN OATH. Wessner clapped an old hat over Freckles' mouth, while Black Jack twisted his arms back or him, and they rushed bim into his room. A.1 - most before he realized that anything had happened be was trussed up to a tree and securely gagged. Then three of the men resumed work on the tree. The other followed the path Freckles had worn to Little Chicken's tree, and presently he re- potted that the wires were down and two teams with the loading apparatus coming to take out the timber. All the time the saw was slowly eating, eat- ing into the big tree. Wessner went out to tbe trail and removed the wire. Then be stood in front of Freckles and laughed in dev- ilish hate. Freckles found Messier looking fear in the face aud marveled that ho was not afraid. Four to one: The tree halfway eaten through, the 1 wagons eoming up rhe Inside road, he Ibound and gaged: The men with i Black Jack and Wessner had belong- ed tO McLean's gang when last he had Ibeard of them, but who those coming with the wagons might be tie could not guess. it they secured that tree ieLean lost its value. lost his wittier and last anis faith in him. The words of the angel hammered in his ears. "Oh, Freckles, do watch closely!" And the saw ate on. When the tree was down and loaded what would they do? Pall out and leave bite there to report them? IC was not to be hoped for. The place had alway been lawless. It could s moan lilt one thing. (To B1: CONTINUEn.1 Children very FOR FL,ETCHER'S CAS-rat:ZIA