ET:
I I
PROLOGUE.
This romance of Freckles and
4he 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
guards the Limberlost timber
leases and dreams of angels.
The Swamp Angel, in whom
Freckles' sweetest dream' ma
Serializes. 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
tecting camera studies of birds
for a book.
Lord and Lady O'More, who
come from Ireland in quest of a
tost relative.
The Man of Affairs, brusque
of manner, but big of heart.
Wessner, a timber thief who
wants rascality made easy.
Blackjack, a villain to whom
thought of repentance comes too
late.
CHAPTER XXIV.
RINOS A.5D A FEATHER.
inu angel's tear stained face
flashed Into dazzling beauty.
"Oh. Freckles, forgive mer
she cried. Tve been through
T
o much that I'm scarcely myself or l
wouldn't be here bothering you when
you should be sleeping. Of course yon
couldn't. Vou're too good a knight to
remember a thing like that. Of course
you are! And when you don't reraetn
ber, why, then It's the same as If It
never happened. Ob, Freckles, I'm so
glad! I'm so happy'. It's dear of you
to Dot remember. Freckles: perfectly
dear! It's no wonder I love you so.
The wonder would be If 1 did not. I
should like to know bow I'm ever go
ing to make you understand bow much
1 love you!"
Pillow and all, she caught hlni to
ber breast, and then she was gone.
Freckles lay dazed wltb astonish
ment At lust bis batting eyes ruiied
about the room, searching for some
thing approaching the human to
which be could appeal, and, failing on
bis mother's portrait, be set It up he
tore blm.
"For the love of life! Me little
mother,' he panted, "did you near
that Did you bear it? 1'eli me. nm
1 tiring or am 1 dead and all heaven
come true this minute? Old you nenr
It? Vou are only u pictured face, and
of course you can't talk, out the soui
ot you must he somewhere, and sure
ty In this hour you are near euougii
to be heating. Tell me. did you hear
tbati 1 can't ever be telling a living
soul; but, darling little mother, tnat
gave your lite tor mine. I can aiwsys
he talking ot It to you: bvery day
we'll talk it over and try to under
stand (be miracle ot it. i'eli we. are
nil women like that? Were you like
me Swamp Auger; It vou were tuen
I'm uoderstaiidiii'; why me rather fol
lowed ucross the ocean and went into
the bre after you.
Freckles' voice trailed ott. his eves
dropped Rhtit. and his head roiled back
from sheer exhaustion. Ijiter in the
day he Insisted on seeing Lord anil
Lady O'More. but he Tainted before
the look of bis own face on thnt of
another roan.
The neit morning the man of af
fairs, with a heart ailed with misgiv
ings, undertook the Interview on
which Freckles Insisted, ills fears
were wtttiout cause. Freckles was
the soul of honor and simplicity.
"Dave they been telling you what's
come to me?" be Hsked without even
waiting for a greeting
"Yes." said the angel's father.
"Do you think you have the very
worst of It clear to your understand
ing?" Under Freckles' earnest eyes the
man of, affalrJinsweredsoherly, T
i
COPYRIGHT. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY. PACE
& CO.
thln! I Imre. Mr. O'More."
Thm whs the first time Freckles
heard hi name trom the lips of au
vtlier man. One set-oud be lay over
come. I lie nest great teara tilled his
eyes. and he reached out his bund
Then to a nidi's father understood,
and be oiaitwl that hand and taeld It
In a strontf. nr'u grasp.
"Terence, my boy." lie said, "let me
do the talking I came In here with
the understanding that you wanted to
ask me for my only child. 1 should
like, at the proper time, to regard ber
marriage. If :ie hns found the man
he desires to marry, not as losing all
I have, but as gaining a man I can
depend on to love as a son and to take
charge f my affairs for her when I
retire from business. Rend all of your
energies toward rapid recovery, and
from this hour understand that my
daughter and my home are yours."
"You're not forgetting this?"
Freckles lifted his right arm.
"Terence, I'm sorrier than I have
words to express about thnt." said the
man of affairs. "But If It's up to me
to choose whether I give all I have
left in this world to a man with a
hand off his body or to one of these
gambling, tippling, Immoral spend
thrifts of today, wltb both hands and
feet off their souls and a rotten spot
In the core. I choose you, and It seems
that my daughter docs the same. Tut
what Is left you of that right arm to
the best uses you can In this world,
and never again mention or feel that
It is defective as long as you live.
Good day, sir!"
"One minute more," said Freckles.
"Yesterday the angel was telling me
that there was money coming to me
from two sources. She said that me
grandmother had left me father all of
ber fortune and her bouse because she
knew that his father would be cutting
him off. and that me uncle had also
set aside for me what would be me
father's Interest In his father's estate.
"Whatever the sum la that me
grandmother left me father, because
she loved him and wanted him to be
having it, that I'll be taking. 'Twas
hers from her father, and she bad the
right to be giving it as she chose. Any
thing from the man that knowingly
left me father and me mother to go
cold and hungry and Into the Ore In
misery when Just a little would hr.ve
made life so beautiful to them and
saved me this crippled body money
that be willed from me when be knew
I was living, of bis blood and ou char
Ity among strangers. I don t touch, not
If 1 freeze, starve and burn too: If
there ain't enough besides thai and I
can't be earning enough to fix things
for the angel"
"We are not discussing money!'
burst in the man of affairs. "We don't
want any blood money! We have ull
we need without It. If you don't feel
right and easy over It, don't you touch
a cent of any of It"
"It's right I should have what me
grandmother intinded for me father,
and I want It" said Freckles, "but
I'd die before I'd touch a cent of me
grandfather's money!"
"Now." said the angel, "we are al.
going home. We have done all we can
for Freckles. Ills people are here. He
needs to know them. They are very
anxious to get acquainted wltb him.
We'll turn him over to them and go
home. When be Is well, why, then he
will be perfectly free to go to Ireland
or come to the Limberlost, Just as be
chooses. We will go right away."
McLean bore It for a week, and then
he could stand It no longer. Commun
ing wltb himself In the long, soundful
nights of the swamp, be had earned
to bis astonishment thnt for the last
year his heart had been circling the
Limberlost with Freckles.
lie started for Chicago, loaded wltb
a big box of goidenrod, asters, fringed
gentians and crimson leaves that the
angei bad carefully gathered . for
Freckles' room, and a little, long
slender package. He would not ad
mlt It even to himself, but be was u tr
eble to remain longer away from
Freckles and leave him to the care
of Lord O'More.
In a Tew minutes' talk, while Mc
Lean wnlted admission to Freckles'
room, bis mrdshlp bad genially chat
ted of Freckles' rapid recovery, of his
delight that he was unspotted by bis
early surroundings and his desire to
visit the l.ttnoerlost with Freckles be
fore they sailed, tie said they were
anxious to do all they could to help
bind Freckles' arrangements with the
angel, as both be and Lady O'More
regarded ber as the most promising
girl they knew and one tbat could be
fully fitted to fill the high position In
which Freckles would place her.
Every word be uttered was pungent
with bitterness to McLean. The
swamp had lost Its flavor without
Freckles, and yet as Lord O'More
talked McLean fervently wished that
he was In the heart of It.
All the tan and sunburn had been
washed from Freckles' face In sweats
of agony.. It was, a smooth, even
white. Its hrnwn rfTT sTlnwTnjf tint
faintly What the nurses and l.ady
I O'More bait done n KiwUeH' hair
McLean could uot guess, but it was
the most beautiful that lie had ever
seen. Klne as floss, iiriabt in coiur.
waving and cnri. U fell about the
white face.
Tuev had ifot his arms Into and
1 his chest rovercd with a fiuely etn
j broldered pale bine silk shirt, with
soft white tie at the throat. Among
the many changes that had taken place
during his absence, ihe fact that Frec
kles was most attractive and barely
escaped neing nanasome remaineu al
most unnoticed by the bos. so great
was his astonishment at seeing both
run's turned back and the right arm
In view. Freckles was using the
maimed arm that heretofore he had al
ways hidden
Oh. Lord. sir. but I'm glad to see
you!" burst out Freckles, almost rolling
from the bed as he reached for him.
I'm picking the angel's ring stone
that me Aunt Alice ordered. It's an
emerald Just me color. Lord O'More
says. Every color of the old swamp
is lu It. I asked angel to have a little
shamrock leaf cut on It so every time
1 saw It I'd be thinking of the love.
truth, and vnlor of that song she was
teaching me. Ain't tbat a beautiful
song?"
Freckles tilted about a trny of unset
titoncs tbat would have ransomed sev
eral valuable kings.
"1 tell you I'm glad to ee you, sir,"
he said. "I tried to tell me uncle what
I wanted, but this ain't for him to be
mixed up In, anyway, and I don't think
I made It clear to him. I can be telling
you, sir. I told hlra that I would pay
only $300 for the angel's stone. I'm
thinking that with what he has laid
up for me, and the bigness of things
thnt the angel did for me, that seems
like a stingy little sum to him. I know
he thinks I ought to be giving a lot
more, but I feel as if I Just had to be
fcuylng that stone with money I earned
mesclf. and tbat Is all I have saved of
me wages. I don't miud paying for
the muff, or the dressing table, or Mrs.
Duncan's things, from this other mon
ey, and Inter the angel can have every
last cent of me grandmother's, If she'll
take It but Just now oh, sir, can't you
see that I have to be buying this stone
with what I have in the bank?"
"In other words. Freckles," said the
boss, "you don't want to buy the an
gel's ring with money. You want to
give for It your first awful fear of
the swamp. Vou want to pay for it
wltb the loneliness and heart hunger
you have suffered there, with last
winter's freezing on the line and this
summer's burning In the sun. You
want the price of that stone to be
the fears that have chilled your heart
-the sweat and blood of your body."
Freckles' face quivered with feeling.
"Dear Mr. McLean." he said, reach
ing up with a caress over the boss'
black hair nnd along his cheek. "Dear
boss, that's why I've wanted yon so.
1 knew you would know. Now you
will be looking at these? 1 don't want
emeralds, because that's what she gave
me."
Freckles heaped the pearls with the
emeralds. lie studied the diamonds
a long time. The diamonds Joined the
emeralds and pearls. There was left
a little red heap, nnd Freckles' fingers
touched It with a new tenderness.
"I'm thinking . here's me angel's
stone." be exulted. "The Limberlost
nnd me with If. grew In
mine, but
It's going to bloom, and her with It.
In this! There's the red of the wild
popples, the cardinal Mowers and the
little bunch of crushed foxfire that we
found where she put it to save me.
There's the light of the camp fire
and the sun setting over Sleepy
Snake creek. There's the red of the
blood we were willing to give for
each other. It's like her Hps and like
the drops that dried on her beauti
ful arm that first day. and I'm think
ing it must be like the brave, tendor,
clean, red heart of her."
Freckles lifted the ruby to his lips
and banded It to McLean.
"Freckles, may 1 ask you some
thing?" he said.
"Why. sure," said Freckles.
"There's nothing you would be asking
that it wouldn't be giving me Joy to
be telling you."
McLean's eyes traveled to Freckles'
right arm. with which be was pushing
the Jewels about
"Oh. that!" cried Freckles with a
merry laugh. You're wanting to
know where all the bitterness Is gone?
Well, sir, 'twas carried from me soul.
heart and body on the lips of an an
gel. Seems that hurt was necessary
in the beginning to make today come
true. The wound bad always been
raw. but the angel was healing It If
she doesn't care, 1 don't May 1 . be
asking you a question? Well, then. If
this accident nnd all that's come to me
since bad never happened, what was
It you meant to do with me?"
"Why, Freckles," answered McLean,
"I figured on taking you to Grand
Rapids and putting you In the care of
my mother. I had an Idea It would bo
best to get a private tutor to coach
you for a year or two. until you were
fit to enter Ann Arbor or the Chicago
university lu good shape. Then I
thought we'd finish In this conntry at
Yale or Harvard, and end with Oxford,
to get a good all round flavor."
"Is that all?" asked Freckles.
"No; that's leaving the music out. I
Intended to have your voice tested, and
if you really were endowed for a
career as a great musician, and bad
Inclinations thnt way, I wished to have
you drop some of the college work
and make music your chief study.
Finally. 1 wanted us to take a trip
over Europe and clear around the
circle together."
"And then what?" queried Freckles
' breathlessly.
(
V
"DEAR ROSS, DRAR FATHER, DON'T BK DO
ISU THAT"'
"Why. tnen." said McLean, "you
know that my heart Is hopelessly In
the woods. I will never quit the Um
ber business while there Is timber to
handle and breath in my body. X
thought if you didn't make a profes
sion of music, and had any inclination
my way, we would stretch the partner
ship one moro and take you Into the
firm, placing your work with me."
Freckles lifted anxious and eager
eyes to McLean.
"You told me once on tho trail, and
again when we thought I was dying,
that you loved me. Do theso things
that have come to me make any dif
ference In any way with your feeling
toward me?"
"None," said McLean. "Nothing
could make me love you more, and you
will never do anything thnt will make
me love you less."
"Glory be to Uod!" burst out
Freckles. "When I'm educated enough,
we'll all trie angel and her father,
the Hlrd Woman, you. nnd me will
go together and ee me house nnd me
relations and be tnkln; that trip
When we get linc!(. we'll add O'More
to the lumber company, nnd golly, sir.
but we'll make things hum! ind1
land, sir! Don't do that: Why. Mr.
McLean, dear boss, dear fattr. don't
be doing that! What Is It?"
"Nothlnu', nothing!" boomed Mc
Lean's deep bass; "nothing at all!"
lie ubmptly turned away and hur
ried to the window.
"This Is a mighty hue view," he
said.
"I'll be glad to see Ireland." said
Freckles, "but I ain't ever staying
long All me heart Is the angel's, nnd
the Limberlost Is tn 1 1 1 n every minute.
"Me heart's all me Swamp Angel's,
and me love Is all hers, and I have her
and the swamp so confused In nie mind
I never can be separating Ihem. When
I look at her, I see blue sky, Ihe sun
rifting through the leaves and pink and
red flowers, and when I look at the
Llmlierlost I see a pink face with blue
eyes, gold hair, and ied Hps, and. It's
the truth, sir, they're mixed till they're
! '
"I'm afraid It will be hurting some.
but I have the feellug that I can be
making my dear people understand.
so thnt they will be willing to let me
come bnck home. Send Lady O'More
to put these flowers God made In the
place of these glasshouse lleganclcs.
and please he cutting the string of this
little packnge the angel's seut me."
As Freckles held up the package, the
lights of the Limberlost flashed in the
emerald on his finger. On the cover
was printed: "To the Limberlost
Guard!" Under It was a big, crisp.
iridescent black feather.
TUK EKD.
Drives Hogs to Plattsmouth.
From Tuesday's Dally.
V. A. Fight, living down nea
Mynard, experienced quite a long
drive for his shipment of hogs
this week. Mr. Fight doliverec
his hogs to the Mynard yards, a
usual, asked for a car of the M
1. agent, and wailed for the sec
ond train to pass through with
out delivering the said cur. Here
Mr. Fight became just slightly
vexed and proceeded to drive hi
hogs to IMaltsmouth, where they
were shipped to South Omaha
over the Durlington. Mr. High
and his men lost one night's slot
and arrived at. South Omaha ahou
5 o'clock and was on the mark
willi Ihem yesterday (Tuesday
morning. In company with Hob
erlPropVst he returned to Plaits
mouth yesterday evening, drivin
from here lo Mynard in the forme
gentleman's auto, somewhat wor
out from the night's experienct
hut met with a good market for
his stock.
It would surprise you to know
of Ihe great good that is being
done by Chamberlain's Tablets,
Darius Downey, of Newberg Junc
tion, N. II., writes: "My wife has
been using Chamberlain's Tab
lets and finds Ihem very etTectual
and doing her lots of good." If
you have any trouble with your
stomach or bowels give them a
trial. Eore sale by H. (. Ericke
Si Co.
Meet With Mrs. Guy McMaken.
From Wednesday's Dally.
The S. Mary's Guidl held their
regular meet ins: yesterday after
noon and were entertained in a
most enjoyable manner. The
usual number of ladies were in
attendance and they were very
much indebted to Mrs. McMaken
for the splendid afternoon's enter
tainment. The ladies held their
regular business session, at which
time a report of the receipts
made from the carnal Ion sale,
held on Saturday, May 11, was
given. The ladies were very much
pleased at the liberal patronage
which they received and decided
to make this carnation sale an
annual occasion. After the busi
ness session social conversation
and plying- the busy needle was
indulged in, when the hostess
served some very delicious re
freshments. I here never was n time when
people appreciated Ihe real merits
f Chamberlain's Cough Remedy
more than now. Ihis is shown In
itio increase in sales and volun-
ary testimonials from persons
who have been cured by tt. If
ou or your children are troubled
with a cough or cold give it a trial
and become acquainted with its
good qualities. For sale by F. G.
Ericke & Co.
Will Purchase Racing Car.
From Wednesday's Dally.
r.ver since ouy McMaken has
teen speeding about, the city in
his racing car, John Fight has
ought to become Ihe owner of it.
(living tin hope of owning this
machine, Mr. Fight, boarded No.
11 Ihis morning for Omaha, where
ic said he would secure a racer
hat would outrun Mr. McMaken's
machine for money, marbles or
chalk." Mr. Fight has nlwavs
iad the speed mania; in fact, the
nnocent-looking nag which he
lrives about has a trotting record
letter than 2:L'0. He hopes to
secure a machine which will go in
ess than 1:00. Mr. Sam Shoe
maker, who is an expert on pumps
and such kinds of machinery, ac-
ompanied Mr. Fight.
Poor appetite is a sure sign of
impaired digestion. A few doses
of Chamberlain's Stomach and
,iver Tablets will strengthen your
digestion and improve your ap
petite. Thousands have been
benefited by taking theso Tablets.
Sold by F. G. Fricko & Co.
Mrs. Crites Visits Here.
Mrs. A. W. Crites, wife of Judge
Crites of Chadron, arrived this
morning and is the guest of her
sister-in-law, Mrs. H. S. Ramsey.
Judge and Mrs. Crites were form
er residents of Plattsmouth. Their
son, Edwin I). Crites, h now
serving his second term as coun
ty attorney of Dawes county, in
which ofllce he has made such a
splendid record, that, against his
protest, he is now running for a
third term by petition of his
democratic friends. Edwin is a
native born IMaltsmouth boy and
a gardunte of our state university.
Now is the time lo get rid of
your rheumatism. ou can do il
by applying Chailiberlum's Lini
ment nnd massaging tho parts
freely at each application. Hor
sale by H. O. Ericke A Co.
L. Q. Larson.
Carpenter and Builder.
Old Established, Practical
Mechanic.
Will Meet Any Competition.
'Phone 104. P. 0. Dox 3i8
Plattsmouth.
Al Egenberger was called to
Omaha on business this morning
and left on the first train.
Special Homeseekers'
Excursions
TO UPTON, WESTON CO., WYO.
WAY 21, 1912
TO MOORCROFT, CROOK CO., WYO.
JUNE 12, 1912
TO GILLETTE, CAMPBELL CO., WYO.
JUNE 18, 1912
I will personally conduct the above special excursion to assist homeseekers
to locate and file upon
320 ACRE FREE HOMESTEADS
in the vicinity of towns named. Here you can file on free h6mestead lands
that are valuable for mixed farming, dairying, poultry raising and stock rais
ing; the most certain and safe method of farming. These lands are well cov
ered with the most nutritious grasses known and large quantities of coal,
building stone, posts and poles are nearby on government land and free to set
tlers. RATES: Very low homeseekers' rates on these dates. Send right away
for our New, Free Government Lands Folder with large map, illustrations
ana descriptive
1004 Farnam St.,
titers
'lU.
s
V Ml V- - J i.
lighted with the rj-
u!:s of Calumt Taking
Po'vder. No disappoint
ni flit, heavy, io;zy biscuits,
cike, or pastry.
Just the lightest, d.iinti-ist, most
naif irmly r,i c and ni.t dSu-
ci -us f jod v in v. or a...
Pur rrd CKoi-ition,
Fins Cattle.
In speaking of the consignment
of cattle at Hie South Omaha
yards on Monday, the Daily Drov
ers Journal-Stockman says:
"There were sixty head of steers
in the consignment of Lee Drown
of Murray today averaging 1,327
pounds and they sold at $8.50.
They were all horned cattle, mixed
Short-horns and Herefords, and
had been fed alfalfa, hay and corn
since the first day of January.
Cass county produces about as
many good cattle as any county in
the state and Mr. Drown says this
is the highest price ever paid fop
cattle from that county."
Lame back is usually caused by
rheumatism of the muscles of the
back, for which you will And noth
ing better than Chamberlain's
Liniment. Hor sale by H. G. Ericke
& Co.
O. M. Kentz Injured.
O. M. Ko til z, the carpenter, who
is working with Daxter Smith on
Carl Cole's new residence, four or
live miles out in the country, met
with an accident this morning;
whereby the leader of the little
linger on his right hand was
severed. Mr. Kentz was dress
ing flooring in a register box
when a plane fell, knocking his
hand against a sharp piece of
metal, resulting in completely
severing the lender of tho small
finger. He went to a physician at.
once and had the injury dressed,
and as a result of the accident
will lay o(T for some lime.
The Journal office carries
kinds of typewriter supplies.
all
articles about these lands.
D. CLEM DEAVER,
Omaha, Neb. Immigration Agent.
