The agony was over.

His soul floated free.

Freckles came into his birthright.
"Before God, I will!" He uttered the oath so impressively that the recording angel never winced as he posted it in the prayer column.
Freckles set his hat over the top of one of the locust posts used between trees to hold up the wire while he fastened the feather securely in the band.

Then he started down the line, talking to himself as men who have worked long alone always fall into the habit of doing.
"What a fool I have been!" he muttered.

"Of course that's what I have to do! There wouldn't likely anybody be doing it for me.