a girl of the limberlost-第11章

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Then　he　stood　tense。　　His　keen　eyes　discovered　the

roll　of　bills　hastily　thrust　back　in　the　bottom　of　the　case。　

He　snatched　them　up；　shut　off　the　light；　relocked　the

case　by　touch；　and　swiftly　went　down　the　trail。　　Every　few

seconds　he　paused　and　listened　intently。　　Just　as　he

reached　the　road；　a　second　figure　approached　him。



〃Is　it　you；　Pete？〃　came　the　whispered　question。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　first　man。



〃I　was　coming　down　to　take　a　peep；　when　I　saw　your

flash；〃　he　said。　　〃I　heard　the　Bird　Woman　had　been　at

the　case　to…day。　　Anything　doing？〃



〃Not　a　thing；〃　said　Pete。　　〃She　just　took　away　about

a　fourth　of　the　moths。　　Probably　had　the　Comstock　girl

getting　them　for　her。　　Heard　they　were　together。　

Likely　she'll　get　the　rest　to…morrow。　　Ain't　picking

gettin'　bare　these　days？〃



〃Well；　I　should　say　so；〃　said　the　second　man；　turning

back　in　disgust。　　〃Coming　home；　now？〃



〃No；　I　am　going　down　this　way；〃　answered　Pete；

for　his　eyes　caught　the　gleam　from　the　window　of　the

Comstock　cabin；　and　he　had　a　desire　to　learn　why　Elnora's

attic　was　lighted　at　that　hour。



He　slouched　down　the　road；　occasionally　feeling　the

size　of　the　roll　he　had　not　taken　time　to　count。



The　attic　was　too　long；　the　light　too　near　the　other

end；　and　the　cabin　stood　much　too　far　back　from　the　road。　

He　could　see　nothing　although　he　climbed　the　fence

and　walked　back　opposite　the　window。　　He　knew

Mrs。　Comstock　was　probably　awake；　and　that　she

sometimes　went　to　the　swamp　behind　her　home　at　night。　

At　times　a　cry　went　up　from　that　locality　that　paralyzed

any　one　near；　or　sent　them　fleeing　as　if　for　life。　　He　did

not　care　to　cross　behind　the　cabin。　　He　returned　to　the

road；　passed；　and　again　climbed　the　fence。　　Opposite　the

west　window　he　could　see　Elnora。　　She　sat　before

a　small　table　reading　from　a　book　between　two　candles。　

Her　hair　fell　in　a　bright　sheen　around　her；　and　with　one

hand　she　lightly　shook；　and　tossed　it　as　she　studied。　

The　man　stood　out　in　the　night　and　watched。



For　a　long　time　a　leaf　turned　at　intervals　and　the

hair…drying　went　on。　　The　man　drew　nearer。　　The　picture

grew　more　beautiful　as　he　approached。　　He　could　not

see　so　well　as　he　desired；　for　the　screen　was　of　white

mosquito　netting；　and　it　angered　him。　　He　cautiously

crept　closer。　　The　elevation　shut　off　his　view。　　Then　he

remembered　the　large　willow　tree　shading　the　well　and

branching　across　the　window　fit　the　west　end　of　the　cabin。　

From　childhood　Elnora　had　stepped　from　the　sill　to　a　limb

and　slid　down　the　slanting　trunk　of　the　tree。　　He　reached

it　and　noiselessly　swung　himself　up。　　Three　steps　out

on　the　big　limb　the　man　shuddered。　　He　was　within　a

few　feet　of　the　girl。



He　could　see　the　throb　of　her　breast　under　its　thin

covering　and　smell　the　fragrance　of　the　tossing　hair。　

He　could　see　the　narrow　bed　with　its　pieced　calico　cover；

the　whitewashed　walls　with　gay　lithographs；　and　every

crevice　stuck　full　of　twigs　with　dangling　cocoons。　

There　were　pegs　for　the　few　clothes；　the　old　chest；

the　little　table；　the　two　chairs；　the　uneven　floor　covered

with　rag　rugs　and　braided　corn　husk。　　But　nothing　was　worth

a　glance　except　the　perfect　face　and　form　within　reach　by

one　spring　through　the　rotten　mosquito　bar。　　He　gripped

the　limb　above　that　on　which　he　stood；　licked　his　lips；

and　breathed　through　his　throat　to　be　sure　he　was　making

no　sound。　　Elnora　closed　the　book　and　laid　it　aside。　

She　picked　up　a　towel；　and　turning　the　gathered　ends　of

her　hair　rubbed　them　across　it；　and　dropping　the　towel　on

her　lap；　tossed　the　hair　again。　　Then　she　sat　in　deep　thought。　

By　and　by　words　began　to　come　softly。　　Near　as　he　was

the　man　could　not　hear　at　first。　　He　bent　closer　and

listened　intently。



〃ever　could　be　so　happy；〃　murmured　the　soft　voice。　

〃The　dress　is　so　pretty；　such　shoes；　the　coat；　and　everything。　

I　won't　have　to　be　ashamed　again；　not　ever　again；

for　the　Limberlost　is　full　of　precious　moths；　and

I　always　can　collect　them。　　The　Bird　Woman　will　buy

more　to…morrow；　and　the　next　day；　and　the　next。　　When　they

are　all　gone；　I　can　spend　every　minute　gathering

cocoons；　and　hunting　other　things　I　can　sell。　　Oh；　thank

God；　for　my　precious；　precious　money。　　Why；　I　didn't

pray　in　vain　after　all！　　I　thought　when　I　asked　the　Lord

to　hide　me；　there　in　that　big　hall；　that　He　wasn't　doing

it；　because　I　wasn't　covered　from　sight　that　instant。　

But　I'm　hidden　now；　I　feel　that。〃　　Elnora　lifted　her　eyes

to　the　beams　above　her。　　〃I　don't　know　much　about　praying

properly；〃　she　muttered；　〃but　I　do　thank　you；　Lord；　for

hiding　me　in　your　own　time　and　way。〃



Her　face　was　so　bright　that　it　shone　with　a　white　radiance。　

Two　big　tears　welled　from　her　eyes；　and　rolled　down　her

smiling　cheeks。　　〃Oh；　I　do　feel　that　you　have　hidden　me；〃

she　breathed。　　Then　she　blew　out　the　lights；　and　the　little

wooden　bed　creaked　under　her　weight。



Pete　Corson　dropped　from　the　limb　and　found　his　way

to　the　road。　　He　stood　still　a　long　time；　then　started　back

to　the　Limberlost。　　A　tiny　point　of　light　flashed　in　the

region　of　the　case。　　He　stopped　with　an　oath。



〃Another　hound　trying　to　steal　from　a　girl；〃　he　exclaimed。　

〃But　it's　likely　he　thinks　if　he　gets　anything　it　will　be

from　a　woman　who　can　afford　it；　as　I　did。〃



He　went　on；　but　beside　the　fences；　and　very　cautiously。　



〃Swamp　seems　to　be　alive　to…night；〃　he　muttered。　

〃That's　three　of　us　out。〃



He　entered　a　deep　place　at　the　northwest　corner；　sat

on　the　ground　and　taking　a　pencil　from　his　pocket；　he

tore　a　leaf　from　a　little　notebook；　and　laboriously　wrote

a　few　lines　by　the　light　he　carried。　　Then　he　went　back

to　the　region　of　the　case　and　waited。　　Before　his　eyes

swept　the　vision　of　the　slender　white　creature　with

tossing　hair。　　He　smiled；　and　worshipped　it；　until　a

distant　rooster　faintly　announced　dawn。



Then　he　unlocked　the　case　again；　and　replaced　the

money；　laid　the　note　upon　it；　and　went　back　to

concealment；　where　he　remained　until　Elnora　came　down　the

trail　in　the　morning；　appearing　very　lovely　in　her　new

dress　and　hat。









CHAPTER　V





WHEREIN　ELNORA　RECEIVES　A　WARNING；

AND　BILLY　APPEARS　ON　THE　SCENE





It　would　be　difficult　to　describe　how　happy　Elnora

was　that　morning　as　she　hurried　through　her　work；

bathed　and　put　on　the　neat；　dainty　gingham　dress；

and　the　tan　shoes。　　She　had　a　struggle　with　her　hair。　

It　crinkled；　billowed；　and　shone；　and　she　could

not　avoid　seeing　the　becoming　frame　it　made　around

her　face。　　But　in　deference　to　her　mother's　feelings　the

girl　set　her　teeth；　and　bound　her　hair　closely　to　her　head

with　a　shoe…string。　　〃Not　to　be　changed　at　the　case；〃

she　told　herself。



That　her　mother　was　watching　she　was　unaware。　　Just　as

she　picked　up　the　beautiful　brown　ribbon　Mrs。　Comstock　spoke。



〃You　had　better　let　me　tie　that。　　You　can't　reach

behind　yourself　and　do　it　right。〃



Elnora　gave　a　little　gasp。　　Her　mother　never　before

had　proposed　to　do　anything　for　the　girl　that　by　any

possibility　she　could　do　herself。　　Her　heart　quaked　at

the　thought　of　how　her　mother　would　arrange　that　bow；

but　Elnora　dared　not　refuse。　　The　offer　was　too　precious。　

It　might　never　be　made　again。



〃Oh　thank　you！〃　said　the　girl；　and　sitting　down　she

held　out　the　ribbon。



Her　mother　stood　back　and　looked　at　her　critically。



〃You　haven't　got　that　like　Mag　Sinton　had　it　last

night；〃　she　announced。　　〃You　little　idiot！　　You've　tried

to　plaster　it　down　to　suit　me；　and　you　missed　it。　　I　liked

it　away　better　as　Mag　fixed　it；　after　I　saw　it。　　You　didn't

look　so　peeled。〃



〃Oh　mother；　mother！〃　laughed　Elnora；　with　a　half

sob　in　her　voice。



〃Hold　still；　will　you？〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You'll　be

late；　and　I　haven't　packed　your　dinner　yet。〃



She　untied　the　string　and　shook　out　the　hair。　　It　rose

with　electricity　and　clung　to　her　fingers　and　hands。　　Mrs。

Comstock　jumped　back　as　if　bitten。　　She　knew　that　touch。　

Her　face　grew　white；　and　her　eyes　angry。



〃Tie　it　yourself；〃　she　said　shortly；　〃and　then　I'll　put

on　the　ribbon。　　But　roll　it　back　loose　like　Mag　did。　

It　looked　so　pretty　that　way。〃



Almost　fainting　Elnora　stood　before　the　glass；　divided

off　the　front　parts　of　her　hair；　and　rolled　them　as　Mrs。

Sinton　had　done；　tied　it　at　the　nape　of　her　neck；　then　sat

while　her　mother　arranged　the　ribbon。



〃If　I　pull　it　down　till　it　comes　tight　in　these　creases

where　she　had　it；　it　will　be　just　right；　won't　it？〃　queried

Mrs。　Comstock；　and　the　amazed　Elnora　stammered



〃Yes。〃



When　she　looked　in　the　glass　the　bow　was　perfectly

tied；　and　how　the　gold　tone　of　the　brown　did　match　the

lustre　of　the　shining　hair！　　〃That's　pretty；〃　commented

Mrs。　Comstock's　soul；　but　her　stiff　lips　had　said　all　that

could　be　forced　from　them　for　once。　　Just　then　Wesley

Sinton　came　to　the　door。



〃Good　morning；〃　he　cried　heartily。　　〃Elnora；　you

look　a　picture！　　My；　but　you're　sweet！　　If　any　of　the

city　boys　get　sassy　you　tell　your　Uncle　Wesley；　and

he'll　horsewhip　them。　　Here's　your　Christmas　present

from　me。〃　　He　handed　Elnora　the　leather　lunch　box；　with

her　name　carved　across　the　strap　in　artistic　lettering。



〃Oh　Uncle　Wesley！〃　was　all　Elnora　could　say。



〃Your　Aunt　Maggie　filled　it　for　me　for　a　starter；〃　he　said。　

〃Now；　if　you　are　ready；　I'm　going　to　drive　past　your　way

and　you　can　ride　almost　to　Onabasha　with　me；　and　save

the　new　shoes　that　much。〃



Elnora　was　staring　at　the　box。　　〃Oh　I　hope　it　isn't

impolite　to　open　it　before　you；〃　she　said。　　〃I　just　feel

as　if　I　must　see　inside。〃



〃Don't　you　stand　on　formality　with　the　neighbours；〃

laughed　Sinton。　　〃Look　in　your　box　if　you　want　to！〃



Elnora　slipped　the　strap　and　turned　back　the　lid。



This　disclosed　the　knife；　fork；　napkin；　and　spoon；　the

milk　flask；　and　the　interior　packed　with　dainty　sandwiches

wrapped　in　tissue　paper；　and　the　little　compartments　for

meat；　salad；　and　the　custard　cup。



〃Oh　mother！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃Oh　mother；　isn't　it　fine？　

What　made　you　think　of　it；　Uncle　Wesley？　　How　will　I　ever

thank　you？　　No　one　will　have　a　finer　lunch　box　than　I。　

Oh　I　do　thank　you！　　That's　the　nicest　gift　I　ever　had。　

How　I　love　Christmas　in　September！〃



〃It's　a　mighty　handy　thing；〃　assented　Mrs。　Comstock；

taking　in　every　detail　with　sharp　eyes。　　〃I　guess　you　are

glad　now　you　went　and　helped　Mag　and　Wesley　when　you

could；　Elnora？〃



〃Deedy；　yes；〃　laughed　Elnora；　〃and　I'm　going　again　first

time　they　have　a　big　day　if　I　stay　from　school　to　do　it。〃



〃You'll　do　no　such　thing！〃　said　the　delighted　Sinton。　

〃Come　now；　if　you're　going！〃



〃If　I　ride；　can　you　spare　me　time　to　run　into　the　swamp

to　my　box　a　minute？〃　asked　Elnora。



The　light　she　had　seen　the　previous　night　troubled　her。



〃Sure；〃　said　Wesley　largely。　　So　they　drove　away　and

left　a　white…