a girl of the limberlost-第21章

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which　she　went；　and　found　several。　　Sense　of　caution　was

rapidly　vanishing；　she　was　in　a　fair　way　to　forget　everything

and　plunge　into　the　swamp　when　she　thought　she　heard

footsteps　coming　down　the　trail。　　She　went　back；　and　came

out　almost　facing　Pete　Corson。



That　ended　her　difficulty。　　She　had　known　him　since　childhood。　

When　she　sat　on　the　front　bench　of　the　Brushwood　schoolhouse；

Pete　had　been　one　of　the　big　boys　at　the　back　of　the　room。　

He　had　been　rough　and　wild；　but　she　never　had　been　afraid　of

him；　and　often　he　had　given　her　pretty　things　from　the　swamp。



〃What　luck！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　promised　mother　I　would

not　go　inside　the　swamp　alone；　and　will　you　look　at　the

cocoons　I've　found！　　There　are　more　just　screaming　for

me　to　come　get　them；　because　the　leaves　will　fall　with　the

first　frost；　and　then　the　jays　and　crows　will　begin　to　tear

them　open。　　I　haven't　much　time；　since　I'm　going　to　school。　

You　will　go　with　me；　Pete！　　Please　say　yes！　　Just　a　little　way！〃



〃What　are　those　things？〃　asked　the　man；　his　keen

black　eyes　staring　at　her。



〃They　are　the　cases　these　big　caterpillars　spin　for

winter；　and　in　the　spring　they　come　out　great　night　moths；

and　I　can　sell　them。　　Oh；　Pete；　I　can　sell　them　for　enough

to　take　me　through　high　school　and　dress　me　so　like　the

others　that　I　don't　look　different；　and　if　I　have　very　good

luck　I　can　save　some　for　college。　　Pete；　please　go　with　me？〃



〃Why　don't　you　go　like　you　always　have？〃



〃Well；　the　truth　is；　I　had　a　little　scare；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃I　never　did　mean　to　go　alone；　sometimes　I　sort　of　wandered

inside　farther　than　I　intended；　chasing　things。　　You　know

Duncan　gave　me　Freckles's　books；　and　I　have　been　gathering

moths　like　he　did。　　Lately　I　found　I　could　sell　them。　

If　I　can　make　a　complete　collection；　I　can　get　three

hundred　dollars　for　it。　　Three　such　collections　would

take　me　almost　through　college；　and　I've　four　years　in　the

high　school　yet。　　That's　a　long　time。　　I　might　collect　them。〃



〃Can　every　kind　there　is　be　found　here？〃



〃No；　not　all　of　them；　but　when　I　get　more　than　I　need

of　one　kind；　I　can　trade　them　with　collectors　farther　north

and　west；　so　I　can　complete　sets。　　It's　the　only　way　I　see

to　earn　the　money。　　Look　what　I　have　already。　　Big　gray

Cecropias　come　from　this　kind；　brown　Polyphemus　from　that；

and　green　Lunas　from　these。　　You　aren't　working　on　Sunday。　

Go　with　me　only　an　hour；　Pete！〃



The　man　looked　at　her　narrowly。　　She　was　young；

wholesome；　and　beautiful。　　She　was　innocent；　intensely　in

earnest；　and　she　needed　the　money；　he　knew　that。



〃You　didn't　tell　me　what　scared　you；〃　he　said。



〃Oh；　I　thought　I　did！　　Why　you　know　I　had　Freckles's

box　packed　full　of　moths　and　specimens；　and　one　evening

I　sold　some　to　the　Bird　Woman。　　Next　morning　I　found

a　note　telling　me　it　wasn't　safe　to　go　inside　the　swamp。　

That　sort　of　scared　me。　　I　think　I'll　go　alone；　rather　than

miss　the　chance；　but　I'd　be　so　happy　if　you　would　take

care　of　me。　　Then　I　could　go　anywhere　I　chose；　because　if

I　mired　you　could　pull　me　out。　　You　will　take　care　of　me；　Pete？〃



〃Yes；　I'll　take　care　of　you；〃　promised　Pete　Corson。



〃Goody！〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Let's　start　quick！　　And　Pete；

you　look　at　these　closely；　and　when　you　are　hunting　or

going　along　the　road；　if　one　dangles　under　your　nose；　you

cut　off　the　little　twig　and　save　it　for　me；　will　you？〃



〃Yes；　I'll　save　you　all　I　see；〃　promised　Pete。　　He　pushed

back　his　hat　and　followed　Elnora。　　She　plunged　fearlessly

among　bushes；　over　underbrush；　and　across　dead　logs。　

One　minute　she　was　crying　wildly；　that　here　was　a

big　one；　the　next　she　was　reaching　for　a　limb　above　her

head　or　on　her　knees　overturning　dead　leaves　under　a

hickory　or　oak　tree；　or　working　aside　black　muck　with　her

bare　hands　as　she　searched　for　buried　pupae　cases。　　For　the

first　hour　Pete　bent　back　bushes　and　followed；　carrying

what　Elnora　discovered。　　Then　he　found　one。



〃Is　this　the　kind　of　thing　you　are　looking　for？〃　he　asked

bashfully；　as　he　presented　a　wild　cherry　twig。



〃Oh　Pete；　that's　a　Promethea！　　I　didn't　even　hope　to

find　one。〃



〃What's　the　bird　like？〃　asked　Pete。



〃Almost　black　wings；〃　said　Elnora；　〃with　clay…coloured

edges；　and　the　most　wonderful　wine…coloured　flush　over　the

under　side　if　it's　a　male；　and　stronger　wine　above　and　below

if　it's　a　female。　　Oh；　aren't　I　happy！〃



〃How　would　it　do　to　make　what　you　have　into　a　bunch

that　we　could　leave　here；　and　come　back　for　them？〃



〃That　would　be　all　right。〃



Relieved　of　his　load　Pete　began　work。　　First；　he　narrowly

examined　the　cocoons　Elnora　had　found。　　He　questioned

her　as　to　what　other　kinds　would　be　like。　　He　began　to

use　the　eyes　of　a　trained　woodman　and　hunter　in　her　behalf。　

He　saw　several　so　easily；　and　moved　through　the　forest

so　softly；　that　Elnora　forgot　the　moths　in　watching　him。　

Presently　she　was　carrying　the　specimens；　and　he　was

making　the　trips　of　investigation　to　see　which　was　a

cocoon　and　which　a　curled　leaf；　or　he　was　on　his　knees

digging　around　stumps。　　As　he　worked　he　kept　asking　questions。　

What　kind　of　logs　were　best　to　look　beside；　what　trees　were

pupae　cases　most　likely　to　be　under；　on　what　bushes　did

caterpillars　spin　most　frequently？　　Time　passed；　as　it

always　does　when　one's　occupation　is　absorbing。



When　the　Sintons　took　Mrs。　Comstock　home；　they　stopped

to　see　Elnora。　　She　was　not　there。　　Mrs。　Comstock　called

at　the　edge　of　her　woods　and　received　no　reply。　

Then　Wesley　turned　and　drove　back　to　the　Limberlost。　

He　left　Margaret　and　Mrs。　Comstock　holding　the　team　and

entertaining　Billy；　while　he　entered　the　swamp。



Elnora　and　Pete　had　made　a　wide　trail　behind　them。　

Before　Sinton　had　thought　of　calling；　he　heard　voices

and　approached　with　some　caution。　　Soon　he　saw　Elnora；

her　flushed　face　beaming　as　she　bent　with　an　armload　of

twigs　and　branches　and　talked　to　a　kneeling　man。



〃Now　go　cautiously！〃　she　was　saying。　　〃I　am　just　sure

we　will　find　an　Imperialis　here。　　It's　their　very　kind　of

a　place。　　There！　　What　did　I　tell　you！　Isn't　that　splendid？　

Oh；　I　am　so　glad　you　came　with　me！〃



Wesley　stood　staring　in　speechless　astonishment；　for

the　man　had　arisen；　brushed　the　dirt　from　his　hands；　and

held　out　to　Elnora　a　small　shining　dark　pupa　case。　

As　his　face　came　into　view　Sinton　almost　cried　out；　for　he

was　the　one　man　of　all　others　Wesley　knew　with　whom　he

most　feared　for　Elnora's　safety。　　She　had　him　on　his

knees　digging　pupae　cases　for　her　from　the　swamp。



〃Elnora！〃　called　Sinton。　　〃Elnora！〃



〃Oh；　Uncle　Wesley！〃　cried　the　girl。　　〃See　what　luck

we've　had！　　I　know　we　have　a　dozen　and　a　half　cocoons

and　we　have　three　pupae　cases。　　It's　much　harder　to　get

the　cases　because　you　have　to　dig　for　them；　and　you　can't

see　where　to　look。　　But　Pete　is　fine　at　it！　　He's　found

three；　and　he　says　he　will　keep　watch　beside　the　roads；

and　through　the　woods　while　he　hunts。　　Isn't　that　splendid

of　him？　　Uncle　Wesley；　there　is　a　college　over　there

on　the　western　edge　of　the　swamp。　　Look　closely；　and

you　can　see　the　great　dome　up　among　the　clouds。〃



〃I　should　say　you　have　had　luck；〃　said　Wesley；　striving

to　make　his　voice　natural。　　〃But　I　thought　you　were　not

coming　to　the　swamp？〃



〃Well；　I　wasn't；〃　said　Elnora；　〃but　I　couldn't　find

many　anywhere　else；　honest；　I　couldn't；　and　just　as　soon

as　I　came　to　the　edge　I　began　to　see　them　here。　　I　kept

my　promise。　　I　didn't　come　in　alone。　　Pete　came　with　me。　

He's　so　strong；　he　isn't　afraid　of　anything；　and

he's　perfectly　splendid　to　locate　cocoons！　　He's　found

half　of　these。　　Come　on；　Pete；　it's　getting　dark　now；　and

we　must　go。〃



They　started　toward　the　trail；　Pete　carrying　the　cocoons。　

He　left　them　at　the　case；　while　Elnora　and　Wesley　went

on　to　the　carriage　together。



〃Elnora　Comstock；　what　does　this　mean？〃　demanded

her　mother。



〃It's　all　right；　one　of　the　neighbours　was　with　her；　and

she　got　several　dollars'　worth　of　stuff；〃　interposed　Wesley。



〃You　oughter　seen　my　pa；〃　shouted　Billy。　　〃He　was　ist

all　whited　out；　and　he　laid　as　still　as　anything。　

They　put　him　away　deep　in　the　ground。〃



〃Billy！〃　breathed　Margaret　in　a　prolonged　groan。



〃Jimmy　and　Belle　are　going　to　be　together　in　a　nice　place。　

They　are　coming　to　see　me；　and　Snap　is　right　down　here

by　the　wheel。　　Here；　Snap！　　My；　but　he'll　be　tickled

to　get　something　to　eat！　　He's　'most　twisted　as　me。　

They　get　new　clothes；　and　all　they　want　to　eat；　too；

but　they'll　miss　me。　　They　couldn't　have　got　along

without　me。　　I　took　care　of　them。　　I　had　a　lot　of　things

give　to　me　'cause　I　was　the　littlest；　and　I　always　divided

with　them。　　But　they　won't　need　me　now。〃



When　she　left　the　carriage　Mrs。　Comstock　gravely

shook　hands　with　Billy。　　〃Remember；〃　she　said　to　him；

〃I　love　boys；　and　I　love　dogs。　　Whenever　you　don't

have　a　good　time　up　there；　take　your　dog　and　come　right

down　and　be　my　little　boy。　　We　will　just　have　loads　of　fun。　

You　should　hear　the　whistles　I　can　make。　　If　you

aren't　treated　right　you　come　straight　to　me。〃



Billy　wagged　his　head　sagely。　　〃You　ist　bet　I　will！〃

he　said。



〃Mother；　how　could　you？〃　asked　Elnora　as　they　walked

up　the　path。



〃How　could　I；　missy？　　You　better　ask　how　couldn't　I？　

I　just　couldn't！　　Not　for　enough　to　pay；　my　road　tax！　

Not　for　enough　to　pay　the　road　tax；　and　the　dredge　tax；　too！〃



〃Aunt　Margaret　always　has　been　lovely　to　me；　and　I

don't　think　it's　fair　to　worry　her。〃



〃I　choose　to　be　lovely　to　Billy；　and　let　her　sweat　out

her　own　worries　just　as　she　has　me；　these　sixteen　years。　

There　is　nothing　in　all　this　world　so　good　for　people　as

taking　a　dose　of　their　own　medicine。　　The　difference　is

that　I　am　honest。　　I　just　say　in　plain　English；　‘if　they

don't　treat　you　right；　come　to　me。'　　They　have　only

said　it　in　actions　and　inferences。　　I　want　to　teach　Mag

Sinton　how　her　own　doses　taste；　but　she　begins　to　sputter

before　I　fairly　get　the　spoon　to　her　lips。　　Just　you　wait！〃



〃When　I　think　what　I　owe　her〃　began　Elnora。



〃Well；　thank　goodness；　I　don't　owe　her　anything；　and

so　I'm　perfectly　free　to　do　what　I　choose。　　Come　on；

and　help　me　get　supper。　　I'm　hungry　as　Billy！〃



Margaret　Sinton　rocked　slowly　back　and　forth　in　her　chair。　

On　her　breast　lay　Billy's　red　head；　one　hand　clutched　her

dress　front　with　spasmodic　grip；　even　after　he　was　unconscious。



〃You　mustn't　begin　that；　Margaret；〃　said　Sinton。　

〃He's　too　heavy。　　And　it's　bad　for　him。　　He's　better

off　to　lie　down　and　go　to　sleep　alone。〃



〃He's　very　light；　Wesley。　　He　jumps　and　quivers　so。　

He　has　to　be　stronger　than　he　is　now；　before　he　will

sleep　soundly。〃









CHAPTER　IX





WHEREIN　ELNORA　DISCOVERS　A　VIOLIN；

AND　BILLY　DISCIPLINES　MARGARET





Elnora　missed　the　little　figure　at　the　bridge　the

following　morning。　　She　s