FRECKLES
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COPYRIGHT. I9W. BY DOL'BLEDAY. PACE
CO.
1
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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
Den 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
r 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
kf manner, but big of heart.
Wessner, a timber thief who
wants rascality made easy.
Black Jack, a yillainjo whom
thought of repentance comes too
late. .
CHAPTER XX.
LOVE AS A REMEDT.
IIIB caught Freckles' band tc
her breast, and, bending ovei
him, looked deep Into bit
stricken eyes.
" 'Angel. I give you my word ol
bonor that I will keep right on breath
ing.' That's what you are going tc
promise me," she said. "Do you say
It?"
Freckles hesitated.
"Freckles," imploringly commanded
tbe angel, "you do say it!"
"Yis," gasped Freckles.
Tbe angel sprang to her feet.
"Then that's all right." she said,
with a tinge of ber old time brisk
ness. "You Just keep sawing away
like a steam engine and 1 will do all
the rest,"
The eager men gathered about her.
"It's going to be a tough pull to
get Freckles out," sho said, "but It's
our only chance. You four there get
on those wagon horses and ride to
the sleeping tent. Get the stoutest
cot, a couple of comforts and a pil
low. Ride back with them some way
to save time. If you meet any other
men of the gang send them on here
to help carry the cot. We won't risk
the Jolt of driving with him. The
rest of you clear a path out to the
road, and, Mr. McLean, you take
Nellie and ride to town. Tell my
father how Freckles Is hurt and that
be risked it to save me. Tell hliu
I'm "going to take Freckles to Chicago
on the noon train and I want him
to hold it if we are a little Inte. If
be can't then have a speclnl ready at
tbe stutlon and another on the I'ltts
burg at Fort Wayne, so we can go
straight through. You needn't mind
leaving us. The Hlrd Woninn will be
here soon.
When they stood ready to lift
Freckles the angel bent over him In
a pusslou of tenderness.
"Dour old Limberlost guard, we're
goins to lift you now." she said "l
suspect you will faint from the pain
of it. but we will be Just ns easy as
ever wo can. and don't you dare
forget your promise!"
A whimsical half smile touched
Freckles' quivering lips.
"Angel, can a man be remembering
a promise when he ain't knowing?"
he asked.
"You can." snid the nngel stoutly,
"becauso a promise means so much
more to you than It does to most men."
A look of strength flashed Into
Freckles' face at her words.
"I am ready." he said.
With the first touch his eyes closed,
a mighty groan wns wrenched from
him, and he lay senseless. The angel
gave Duncan one panic stricken look.
Then sho set her lips and gathered her
forces again.
"I guvw that's n goc.1 thing." she
said. "Maybe he won't feel how wo
are hurting him. Oh. boys, are you
being quick and gentle?"
She stepped to tbe side of the cot
and bathed Freckles face. Taking his
hand In hers, she gave the word to
start. She told the men to ask every
ablebodled man they met to Join them
so that they could change carriers
often and make good time.
The Bird Woman insisted upon tak
ing the angel into the carriage and fol
lowing the cot. but the angel refused
to leave Freckles nnd suggested that
the Bird Woman drive ahead, pack
them some clothing, and be at the sta
tion ready to accompany tbem to Chi
cago. All the way the angel walked
beside the cot. shading Freckles' face
and holding his hand. At every pause
to change carriers she moistened his
face nnd Hps and counted each breath
with heartbreaking anxiety.
She scarcely knew when her father
Joined them, and, taWng the branch
from her, slipped an arm about ber
waist nnd almost carried her along.
To the city street and the swarm of
curious, staring faces she paid no more
attention than she had to the trees of
the Limberlost. When the train pull
ed in and the gang placed Freckles
aboard, Duncan made a place for the
angel beside the cot.
With the best physician to be found,
and with the Bird Woman and .Mc
Lean in attendance, the four hours'
run to Chicago began. Not for an In
stant would the angel yield ber place,
or allow any one else to do anything
for him. The Bird Woman and Mc
Lean regarded ber in amazement.
The only time she spoke was to ask
McLean if he was sure the special
would be ready on the Pittsburg line.
He replied that it was made up and
waiting.
At 5 o'clock Freckles lay stretched
on the operating table of Lake View
hospital, while three of the greatest
surgeons in Chicago bent over him.
At their command. McLean picked up
the unwilling angel and carried her
out to the nurses to be bathed, have
ber. bruises attended to. and be put
to bed.
In a place where It Is difficult to sur
prise people, they were nstoninhed
women as they .removed the angel's
dainty stained nnd torn clothing,
peeled off hose muck baned to tier
limbs, soaked tbe dried loam from her
silken hair and washed the teauttrul.
scratched, bruised, dirt covered body.
I
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f
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The angel fell fast asleep long before
they had finished, and lay deeply un
conscious, while the fight for Freckles'
life was being waged.
Three days later she was up early
and hovering neur Freckles' door.
The surgeon was with him. The
angel hud been told that tbe word
be brought that morning would be
final, so she curled up in a window
seat, dropped the curtains behind her.
j and. in dire anxiety, waited the open
ing of that closed door.
Just as it unclosed, McLean came
hurrying down tbe hall and np to the
surgeon, but with one glance at his
face be stepped back in dismay, and
the angel, who had risen, sank to the
Beat again, loo dazed to come forward.
The men faced each other. The
angel, with parted lips and frightened
eyes, brut forward lu tense anxiety.
"I I thought he was doing nicely?"
faltered McLean.
"He bore the operation well," re
plied the surgeon, "and his wounds
are not necessarily fatal. I told you
that yesterday, but I did not tell yon
that something else would probably
kill him. and it will. He need not die
from the accident, but he will not
live the day out because be so evi
dently prefers death to life. If ho
were full of hope and ambition to live,
my work would be easy. If all of you
love him as you prove you do, and
there Is uullmited means to give him
anything he wants, why should he
desiro death?"
"Is he dying?" demanded McLean.
"He is." said the surgeon, "lie will
not live this day out. unless some
strong reaction sets In at once. He is
so low that, preferring death to life,
nature cannot overcome his Inertia.
If be Is to live, he must be made to
desiro life."
"Then he must die," said McLean.
"Does that mean that you know
what he desires and cannot, or will
not. supply It?"
"It means." said McLean desperately,
"that I know what lie wants, but it Is
as far removed from my power to glvo
it to him as It would be to glvo him n
star. The thing for which he will dlo
ho can never have."
"Then you must prepare for the end
very shortly." said the surgeon, turn
ing abruptly away.
McLean caught his arm roughly.
"Look here!" ho cried In desperation.
"lou say that ns If I could do some
thing If I would. I tell you the boy
is dear to me past expression. I would
donuy.tbin-sii'n(J.anj; gum.Von have
noticed and repeatedly commented n
.i. . ..... i &
i ue joiiiik gin wiiii me ii is i in i
child that lie wants: He worships her I
to adoration, and knowing he can never j J
be anything to her. ho prefers death , y
to life. In God's name, what can I !
do about It?" It
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"Barring that missing nana. I uever
handled n liner man." said the surgeon.
"and she seems perfectly devoted to
him, why cannot he have her?"
"Why?" echoed McLean. "Why?
Well, for a good many reasons. I told
you ho was my sou. You probably knew
that he was not. A little over a year
ago 1 had never seen him. He joined
one of my lumber gangs from the road.
He is u stray, left at one of your homes
for the friendless here lu Chicago.
When he grew up the superintendent
bound him out to a brutal man. He
ran away and landed In one of my
lumber camps He has no name or
knowledge of legal birth. The nngel
we have talked of her. She has ances
tors reaching back to Tlymouth Rock
and across the sea for generations
back of that She Is an Idolized, petted
only child, and there Is great wealth.
He sees It more plainly than nny one
else could. There Is nothing for the
boy but death if it is the angel that is
required to save him."
The angel stood between them.
"Well. 1 guess not!" she cried. "If
Freckles wants me fall he has to do is
to sny so. nnd he can have me!"
"That he will never say." said Mc
Lean at last, "and you don't under
stand, angel. I don't know how yon
came here. I wouldn't have bud you
bear thut for the world, but since you
have, dear, you must be told that It
Isn't your friendship or kindness
Freckles wnnts; It Is your love."
"Well, I do love him." she said sim
ply. McLean's arms dropped helplessly.
"You don't understand." he reiterat
ed patiently, "it Isn't tbe love of a
friend, or n comrade, or a sister, that
Freckles wants from you; it Is the love
of n sweetheart And if to save the
life he bus offered for you you are
thinking of being generous and lm-
j pulsive enough to sacrifice your future
I in the absence of your father it will
become my plain duty, ns the pro
tector in whose hands ho hns placed
you, to prevent such rashness. The
very words you speak and the manner
in which you say them proves thnt you
ore a mere child and have not dreamed
what love is."
"I have never had to dream of love."
she said proudly. "1 have never
known anything else in all my Ufa
but to love every one nnd to have
every one love me. And there has
never been any one so dear ns
Freckles. If you will remember, we
have been through a good deal to
gether 1 do love Freckles. Just as
1 say I do I don't know anything,
about the love of sweethearts, but 1
love him with all the love In my
heart, and I think that will satisfy
Llm." r ,
"Surely It ought!" muttered the man
of knives nnd lancets
"As for my father." continued the
nngel. "he ut owe told iu what tie
learned frotji you ubmjr Freckles.
I've known nil you know for sovnl
weeks That knowledge didn't change
your love for lilm a particle. I think
the U'rd Woman loved tilm more.
Why should you two have all tbe
i
Barga
SB! mos
on lose
hngifms! c
Owing to the fact that we are crowded to the limit
for room and have no space to properly display our gas
oline engines, we are are going to close them out at the
extraordinary low prices listed below:
One iy3 h. p. Chopie Engine $170.00
One 4 h. p. Fairbanks-Morse Engines 150.00
One 2 h. p. Waterloo Boy Engines 57.00
One 2Yi h. p. Hired Hand Engine ! 40.00
Two Vi Waterloo Boy Engines 37.50
One 1 h. p. Aremoter Engine 27.00
PLATTSMOUTH NEBRASKA
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NOBODY
SPARED
"I LOVE
TOC IIKTTKB THAN ANT
FI1WE LES.
o:jf.
TlUf perceptions there are? My father
Is never unreasonable. He won't 'V
peel me tint to love Freckles, or not
to tell lilm so, it the telling will sine
Mm."
She darted past McLean Into
Freckles' room, closed the donr nnd
lured the key.
rYeckie lay raised on a Hat pil
low, his Dody Immovable In a plaster
cast, his maimed arm. ns alwnys, Hid
den. The nngel's heart ached at tbe
change In bis appearance. He seem
ed so weak, bo utterly hopeless nnd
so alone. She could see thnt tbe night
bad been one long terror.
For tbe first time she tried putting
herself In Freckles' place. What would
it mean to have no pnrents, no borne,
no name? No name! That was the
worst of all. That was to be lost
Indeed-utterly and hopelessly lost. The
angel lifted her bands to her dazed
bend and reeled as she tried to face
that proposition. She dropped on her
knees by tbe bed, slipped her arm un
der tbe pillow, and. leaning over
Freckles, Bet ber lips on bis forehead.
He smiled faintly.
"Dear Freckles." she said, "there Is
a story In your eyes this morning,
tell mer
Freckles drew a long, wavering
breath.
"Angel," be begged, "be generous!
Be thinking of me a little. I'm bo
homesick and worn out. dear angel,
be giving' me back me premise. Let
me go?"
"Why, Freckles!" faltered tbe angel.
"You don't know what you are asking.
'Let you go!' I cannot 1 love you
better than any one, Freckles. 1 think
yon are the very finest person I ever
knew. 1 have our lives all planned. 1
want you to go to be educated and
learn all there Is to know about sing
ing Just ns soon as you are well
enough. By the tlmo you bave com
pleted your education I shall have
finished college, and then I want." she
choked on It a second. "I wont you to
be my real knight, Freckles, and come
to me and iVIl me that you like me a
little. I bave been counting on you
for my sweetheart from tho very first
Freckles. I can't give you up unless
you don't like me. Dut you do like
me Just a little don't you, Freckles?"
Freckles lay whiter than tbe cover
let bis eyes on tbe celling and bis
breath wheezing. The angel awaited
bis answer a second, nnd wben none
came, she dropped ber crimsoning face
beside .hlin ou the pillow sad whis
"Freckles. I -I'm trying to make love
to you. t'un't you help me Just a utile
bit? It's nwtiil hard all aioue; i
dn'i know how. when I really iiimiii
It. but Freckles. I low you. 1 unixi
have you. nnd now I gnesn I gu
maybe I'd better kiss you next."
She bravely laid tier feverish, qulv
erltig lips mi bis. Her lin-iitli, iik
clover bloom, wns In his nostrils, mih)
ber bnlr touched bis fine.
"Freckles." she panted, "Freckle
1 didn't think It was lu you to i
meau!" "Mean, angel : Mean to you?" gasp
ed Freckles.
"Ves." snid the angel, "downniMii
mean. When oue kisses you. it u
bad any mercy at all you'd kiss hack.
Just a little bit Mow. I'm going in
try It over, and I want you to help me
a little. You aren't too sick to ueip
me Just a little. Freckles?"
(To He Continued.)
Kidney Troubles Attack Platts
mouth Men and Women,
Old and Young.
Kidney ills seize y,oung ami old.
Often come with little warning.
Children sutler in (heir early
years
Can't control tho kidney seere-
iions.
(iirls are languid, nervous, suf
fer pain.
Women worry, can't do daily
work.
Men have lame and aching
backs.
If you have any form of kidney
ills
You must reach the cause the
kidneys.
Duan s Kidney Pills are for
weak kidneys
The following testimony proves
their worth:
William flilmour, farmer, four
miles south of IMaltsmouth, Neb
says: "Doan's Kidney Pills have
been used with the best of results
in my lamily. The patient had
been suffering intensely from
lameness in the hack and could
get no lasting relief until she bo
gan using Doan's Kidney Pills
They did more to check these
troubles than anything else that
had previously been taken."
I or sale by all dealers. Price
f0 cents. Foster-Milburn Co
New York, sole agents for the
I'nited States.
Itemeinber the name Doan's
and lake no other.
White Plymouth Rock Eggs.
White Plymouth IlocK eggs for
sale at $3.00 per hundred. Mrs
(loo. A. Kaffenlier'ger, H. F. D. No
2. Plattstnouth.
J. II. MeMnken yesterday inovei
in the big boiler at the water
plant, which has been wailing for
the new foundation to settle.
Meet With Mrs. White.
From Wednesday's Dally.
. The St. Mary's (iuild of St.
Aiko's church were entertained in
a most enjoyable manner by Mrs.
White ut her rooms at the Ililey
lotel yesterday afternoon. Tho
adies held their regular business.
session at the usual tune, and
during this session made final ar.
angemertts for the carnation sale.
which they will hold on next Sat
urday afternoon. After the busi
ness session the ladies indulged
in plying the busy needle, con
versation and other amusement.
Delicious refreshments were
served by the hostess. 4
Mrs. Mary Armstrong of Bur
inglon, Iowa, who has been a
guest of her nephew, Sheriff Quin-
ton, for a few days, departed this
afternoon for Council Hluffs,
Iowa, where she will visit relatives
for a time.
CASTOR I A
For Infanta and Children.
Tha Kind You Hara Abtaj Erl
Bear tha
Signature of
it
FOREST ROSE
wahoo.ncb.
Tho Best Flour in tho
Market. Sold by all
Leading Dealers
8
8
Overland
N
s - s
8 j:M I
S
$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 arc made in two-passenger, four-passcngcr and
fivc-passcngcr cars just to suit size of family.
!?7"Phone or write us if interested. Cars in stock here for immediate deliverv.
8 Onion Overland ornnanv.
u
Agents Eastern Cass County, Union, Nebraska
