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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Nebraska) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 4, 1912)
PROLOGUE. This romance of Freckles and the Angel of the Limberlost is one of the most novel, entertain ing, wholesome and fascinating stories that have come from the pen of an American author in many years. The characters in this sylvan tale are-: Freckles, a plucky waif who faards the Limberlost timber leases and dreams of angels. The Swamp Angel, in whom Freckles' sweetest dream ma terializes. McLean, a member of a lumber company, who befriends Freckles. Mrs. Duncan, who gives moth er love and a home to Freckles. Duncan, head teamster of Mc Lean's timber gang. The Bird Woman, who is col lecting camera studies of birds for a book. Lord and Lady O'More, who come from It eland in quest of a lost relative. The Man of Affairs, brusque of manner, but big of heart. Wessner, a timber thief who wants rascality made easy. Black Jack, a villain to whom thought of repentance comes too late. CHAPTER X. FRECKLES WINS HONOR. rwn. il i 1 1 YTti" dc men reacneu me trail Freckles yelled at the top of 111 his voice: "Dead them off on ' ' I lL . U 1 I 11 nM I h iu nuuiu, uujrs; Tiro iruui lue south!" As ho had hoped. Jack and Wessner Instantly plunged Into the swale. A storm of lend spattered after them. They crossed the swale, running low, with not even one backward glance, and entered the wood beyond the cor duroy. Then the little party gathered at the tree. "I'd better fix this saw so they can't be uslu; It If they come bnck." said Freckles, taking out his hatchet mid making the saw teeth fly. "Now we have to get out of here with out being seen," said the Bird Woman to the angel. "It won't do for me to make enemies of these men, for I am liable to meet them about my work any day." "You can do It by driving straight north on this road," said Freckles. "I will go ahead and cut the wires for you. The swale Is almost dry. You friU only be sluklng a few Inches at most. In a few rods you will strike a cornfield. I will take down the fence and let you Into that. Follow the fur rows and drive straight across It until you come to the other side. He follow ing the fence south until you coaie to a roud through the woods east of It. Then tnke that road and follow oust Qntll you reach the pike. .You will come out on your way buck to town nd two miles north of anywhere they are likely to be. Don't for your lives rer let It out that you did this,'' he artiestly cautioned, "for It's bluck en emies you would lie making." Fri'cklrs Miiiipin'ii the wire, and they drove through. The nngel leaned from the carriage mid held nut his revolver Freckles looked Into her f;ice ninl 'nst his brent li." Iler eve were blnck and her fniV a deeper mp ibnu mu.il. He felt tint hi own was white ns death. "Did I shoot hlirh enough " 8he ask ed sweetly. "I reaMy forgot about ly ing down." Freckles winced. Hid the child know how near she bad gone? Surely she could not. Or was It possible that she had the nerve and skill to tire like that purposely? "I will send the first reliable mnu 1 meet for McLciiu," said the Bird Wo man, gathering up the lines. "It 1 don't meet one when we reach town we wliL send a messenger. If It wasn t for having the gung see me I would go myself." Round eyed. -Freckles watched the Bird Woman and the angel drive away. After they were out of sight tnd he was safely bidden among the ECKLES By COPYRIGHT. 1 904. BY DOUBLEDAY. PACE & CO. brandies of il small tree, be remem bered that he had neither thanked theiu nor said goodby. Would the Bird Woman and the augel come again? No other women that he had ever known would. But were they like any other women he had ever known? lie thought of the Bird Woman's unruffled face and the angel's revolver practice, and presently he wus not so sure that they would not come back. What were the people out in the big world like? His knowledge was so very limited. There hml been people at the home who exchanged a stilted, perfunctory sort of kindness fcr their salaries. The visitors that called on receiving days he had divided into three classes the kind that came with a tear in the eye and hypocrisy In ev ery feature of their faces; the kind that came in silks and jewels and handed out to those poor, little mother hungry souls worn toys that their chil dren no longer cored for. In exactly the same spirit in which they pitched biscuits to the monkeys at the "zoo." and for the same reason to see how they would take them and be amused by what they would do; and the third class, that he considered real people, who made him feel they cared that he was there and would have been glad to see blm elsewhere. Now, here was another class that had met him as a son and brother. With them he coutd for the only time In bis life forget the lost band that every day tortured him with a new pang. What sort of people were they and where did they belong among the classes he knew? lie had to give it up because he had never known others like them, but bow he loved them! Out in the world where he was soon going were the majority like them or were they of the hypocrite and bun throwing classes? Freckles did not know, but he reached the ultimate conclusion that people like the Bird Woman, the angel, McLean and the Duncans were very rare, hence their exceeding preclousness. He had forgotten the excitement of the morning and the passing of time when distant voices aroused him. and he softly lifted bis head. Nearer and nearer they came, and as the heavy wagons rumbled down the east trail be conld hear them plainly. The gang I were shouting themselves hoarse for tne umueriOBt guara. v recities aum r feel that he deserved It.' ' He would have given much to be able to go out to the men and explain bow It was. but only to McLean could he tell hU story. At the sight of Freckles the mn threw up their hats nud cheered. Mc Lean shook bands with blm warmly, but big Duncan gathered him Into bis arms and bugged him like u bear and choked over a few words of praise. The gang drove In and finished felling the tree. When the Inst wagon rolled away McLean sat down ou the stump and Freckles told the story he was aching to tell. The boss could scarcely be lieve his senses. Also be was greatly disappointed. "I have been almost praying all the way over. Freckles," he said, "that you would have some evidence by which we could arrest those fellows and got them out of our way, but this will never do. We can't mix those women up -In It. They have helped you save me the tree and ray wnger as well Going about the country as she does, the Bird Woman could never be ex pected to testify against them." "No, Indeed; nor the angel either, sir," said Freckles. "The nugel?" queried the astonished McLean. The Iwss listened In silence while Freckles told of the coming and chris tening of the angel. "1 know her father well." said Mc Lean at last, "and I have often seen her. You are right, she Is n leautiful young girl. I do not understand why her father risks such a Jewel In thin place." "He's daring It because she Is suchn Jewel, sir." snld Freckles eagerly. "Why. she's trusting h rnttlesnnke to rattle before It strikes her, and. of course, she thinks she can trust man kind us well. The man Isn't made that wouldn't lay down the life of him for her. She don't need any care. Iler fiir-e nnd the pretty ways of her are nil the protection she would need In n baud of howling savages." "Did you say she bundled one of the revolvers?" asked .McLean. "She wnri'd r.ll the breath out of me body." admitted Freckles. "Seems that her father has taught her to shoot. The Bird Woman told her dis tinctly to lie low nnd blaze awny high, Just to help scare them. The spunky little thing followed them right our Into the west rond. spitting lead like hall it nd clipping all about the bends nnd heels of them." "Now. will they come back?" asked McLean. "Of course." said Freckles. "At lenst Black Jack will. Wessner might not have the pluck. And the next time"- Frccklea hesitated. "Whatr "It will just be a question of who hoots first and strnlhtest." j "Then the only thing for me to d U to double the guard and get the ! gang here the first mln'ite possible. As soon as I fee! that we hive tht rarest of the stuff out below we will come. The fact Is In many ease un til It Is felled It's bird to tell what a tree will prova to he. It won't do to leave you here louger alone. Jink has been shooting twcny years to your one, and It stands to reason that you are no match for him. Which of the gang would you like best to have with you?" "No one. sir," said Freckles emphat ically. "Next time Is where 1 run. I won't try to light theiu alone. I'll just be getting wind of them nnd then make tracks for you. I'll need to come like lightning, and Duncan has no ex tra horse, so I'm thinking you'd best get me one, or perhaps a wheel would be better. 1 used to do extra work for the home doctor, and he would let me take his bicycle to ride about the place. And at times the bend nurse would lend me his for nn hour. A wheel would cost less and be faster than a horse and would take less care." As they walked up to the cabin to gether McLean Insisted on another guard, but Freckles was stubbornly set on fighting his battle alone. He made one mental condition. It the Bird Woman was going to give up the Little Chicken series be would yield to the second guard solely for the sake of her work and the presence of the angel in the Limberlost. With McLean it was a case of let ting his sober, better Judgment be overridden by the boy he was growing so to love that he could not bear to cross him. nnd to have Freckles keep his trust and win alone meant to him more thnn any money he might lose. The next morning McLean brought the wheel, and Freckles took It down to the trail to test It. It was new. chalnless. with as little as possible to catch in hurried riding, and In every way the best ol its kind. Freckles "IT WILL JrBT BE A QTJRSTiON OP WBO SHOOTS riKST." went skimming around the trail on It on a preliminary trip before be locked It in his case and started tils minute examination of Ids line on foot. Ho glanced around his room as be left It. On the moss In front of his prettiest sent lay the angel's bat. He went and picked It up. ob, so carefully, gazing at It with hungry eyes, but touching It only to carry It over to his case, where be bung It ou the shining handle bar of the new wheel aud locked It lu among his treasures. Then he went out to the trail with a new look on his face. He was not In the lenst afraid of any thing thut morning. He felt be was the veriest Daniel, nud all bis lions seemed weak and harmless. Black Jack was not n man to give up bis purpose or to bave the bat swept from bis head by a bullet and bear It meekly. Moreover, Wessner would cling to his revenge. When Freckles gained his room be tenderly laid tbe bat upon bis book shelf and. to wear off bis awkward ness, mounted bis wheel and went spinning about the line again. "Wcel. I be drawed on!" exclaimed Mrs. Duncan an hour later. Freckles stood before her, holding tho angel's bat. "I've been thinking this long time that ye or Duncan would see that sun bonnets werena braw enough for a woman of my standing, and ye're a guld Inddle to bring me this beautiful hut." She turned it about, examining the weave of the strnw and the follnge trimmings, passing ber rough fingers over the satin tics delightedly. As she held It up, admiring It Freckles' aston ished eyes saw a new side of Sarah Duucnn. She was Jesting, but under the jest (be fact loomed strong that there was something In ber soul cry ing out after that bit of feminine fin ery. He resolved thnt when ' lie renched tho city he would send her as fine a hat as the angel's If It took $50 to do It. She llngerlngly bnnded It back to blm. "It's unco guld of yo to think of me." sho snld lightly, "but I maun question your tnste a wee. D'ye no think ye had best return this and get a woninn with bulf her hair gray a little plainer headdress? Seems like thnt'i far ower gayforjno. I'pijonyjng. thinMt'j w IrT O&Efrt !'- - sure v i no' exactly what I'd like to hne. but 1 maunn mnk mysel' ridiculous. Ye'd best give this to somebody young and pretty, say about sixteen. Where did ye come by it, Freckles? If there's knythlng been dropping lately ye hne forgotten to mention It." "Do you see anything henveuly about that hat?" quprled Freckles, holding It up. The morning breeze waved the rib bons gracefully, binding one about Freckles' sleeve and the other across his chest, where they caught and clung as If magnetized. "Yes," said Sarah Duncan, "It's ex actly what I'd call a heavenly hat." "Sure." snld Freckles, "for it's be longing to an angel!" Then be told her about the bat and asked her what be should do with it. "Take it to her. of course!" said Sarah Duncan. "You thluk I should be taking It home?" be said. "Of course ye must." said Mrs. Dun can. "Ye gang awa and take the bless ed little angel ber beautiful hat." "Are you sure it will be all right?" urged Freckles. "Do you ttylnk if Mr. McLean came he would care?" "Na," said Mrs. Duncan. "I dlnna. If ye and me agree that a thing ought to be done, and I watch In your place, why. It's bound to be all right with McLean. Ought ye put on your Sab bath day clothes?" Freckles shook bis head. He knew what be had to do, but there was no use In taking time to try to explain It to Mrs. Duncan while he was so hur ried. He exchanged his wading boots for shoes, gave ber bis club and went spinning toward town. Ho knew very well where the nngel lived. He had passed ber home many times, and he passed It again without even taking his eyes from the street, steering straight for her father's place of busi ness. Carrying the hat, Freckles passed a long line of clerks and at tbe door of the private olllce asked to see the pro prietor. When be had waited a mo ment a tall, spare, keen eyed man faced blm nnd In brisk, nervous tones asked. "How can I serve you. sir?" Freckles handed him tbe package and answered: "By delivering to your daughter this bat. which she was after leaving at me place tbe other day when she went off In a hurry. And by say ing to ber and tbe Bird Woman thnt I'm more thankful thnn I'll be having words to express for the brave thing they was doing for roe. I'm McLeun'i Limberlost gimrd. sir." (To Do Continued.) Subscribe for trie Dairy Journal 8 8 1 $900 for this elegant 30-horsc power car. $1,200 for the same, only larger and 35 horse power. $1,500 for the 45-horsc power, still larger. The above models are made in two-passenger, four-passenger and five-passenger cars just to suit size of family. liTPhone or write us if interested. Cars in stock here for immediate delivery. 0 s 8 5 regret that we are not in shape to make any new Easter suits and surely find them here if you come in. New ideas in blue serge silk lined; light tan and gray cheviots in latest cut. Elegant coats and pants in purple and golden blue mixed. All the latest things in shirts, hats, ties and all the ac companiments of a well dressed man. Come in and see them. C. E. WESCOTT'S SONS ALWAYS THE HOME OF SATISFACTION EXAM NAT DNS RURAL MAILCARRIERS To Be Held at Plattsmouth and Weeping Water on Saturday, April 27, 1912. There will be an examination on April 27, 11)12, at Plalts inoulli and nl Weeping Water by the postolllce authorities for the purpose of illling a "vacancy at Union and other vacancies as they may occur on the rural routes at postolllees in Cass county, unless it shall be decided in the interests of the service to ft 1 1 the vacancy by reinstatement, transfer, or promotion. The usual entrance salary for rural carriers is from $(500 to $1,000 per annum." The age limit i9 from 18 to 55, on date of examination. The maximum age limit is waived in cases of persons honorably dis charged from the United Slates military or naval service. An ap plicant must have his actual domicile in the territory (county) supplied by a postolllce in the county for which tho examination is announced. The examination is open to all male citizens of the United Stales who Van comply with the requirements. Applica tion form 1311 and full informa tion concerning the requirements of t tin examination can he secured from the secretary of the local examining hoard or from the postmasters at places named above, or from the U. S. Civil Service commission at Washing ton, I). C. An eligible register for the position of rural letter carrier for each county will he maintained. As a result of such examination he may become eligible to an ap pointment as rural carrier at any postolllce in the county. A rural letter carrier, after one year's satisfactory service, may he transferred to I he position of clerk or carrier in any first or second-class postolllce, to the position of railway mail clerk, or to other positions in the classi fied service, subject to such ex amination as may he required by Overbed 5 . . . OVERLAND MODEL 2 Agents Eastern Cass County, Union, Nebraska Easter Greeting display of our handsome furnishings, but you will tho civil service rules. The information above and notice has been sent out to the postmasters at Plattsmouth and Weeping Water and signed by John G. Mack, president. Almost a Miracle. One of the most startling changes ever seen in any man, ac cording to W. U. Holsclaw, Clar endon, Tex., was elTected years ago in his brother. "Ho had such a dreadful cough," he writes, "that all our family thought he wus going into consumption, but ho began to use Dr. King's New Discovery, and was completely cured by ten bottles. Now he is sound and well and weighs 218 pounds. For many years our family has used this wonderful remedy for Coughs and Colds wilh excellent results." It's quick, safe, reliable and guaranteed. Price 50 cents and $1.00. Trial bottle free at F. O. Fricke & Co. ..?. ?Jt J. JLJLJLJL .Ti.T,iTi.TiTnfi ---- . i i i i T n n ti in . . J Insure your farm properly j 4 in the Farmers' Mutal Fire 4 and Live Stock Insurance 4 J Company of Cass County, Nebraska. Limited to Cass 4 4 county only. Incorporated 4 in 1894. Only one as 4 sessmcnt of 2 mills made 4 4 during the entire time. j 4 Amount of insurance In 4 4 force $1,303,955.00. Amount 4 4 of money in treasury. $4,- 4 4 857.69. Membership fee SO 4 cents ' per hundred for S 4 years. For particulars 4 write ' J. P. FALTER, Secretary, 4. 4 Plattsmouth, Neb. 4 M!!! ,I,W,H ,I,W",I,W I"! It Looks Like a Crime lo separate a hoy from a box of Hueklen's Arnica Salve. His pimples, boils, scratches, knocks, sprains and bruises demand it, and its quick relief for burns, scalds, or cuts is his right. Keep it handy for hoys, also girls. Heals everything healable and does it quick. Unequaled for piles. Only 25 cents at F. O. Fricke & Co. ii I