a girl of the limberlost-第24章

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〃Must　I　take　it　back？〃



〃You　think　hard；　and　decide　yourself。〃



〃Lift　me　down；〃　said　Billy；　after　a　silence；　〃I　got

to　put　this　in　the　jar；　and　tell　her。〃



Wesley　set　the　boy　on　the　floor；　but　as　he　did　so　he

paused　one　second　and　strained　him　close　to　his　breast。



Margaret　sat　in　her　chair　sewing；　Billy　slipped　in　and

crept　beside　her。　　The　little　face　was　lined　with　tragedy。



〃Why　Billy；　whatever　is　the　matter？〃　she　cried　as　she

dropped　her　sewing　and　held　out　her　arms。　　Billy　stood　back。　

He　gripped　his　little　fists　tight　and　squared　his　shoulders。　

〃I　got　to　be　shut　up　in　the　closet；〃　he　said。



〃Oh　Billy！　　What　an　unlucky　day！　　What　have　you

done　now？〃



〃I　stold！〃　gulped　Billy。　　〃He　said　it　was　ist　a　mistake；

but　it　was　worser　'an　that。　　I　took　something　you　told

me　I　wasn't　to　have。〃



〃Stole！〃　Margaret　was　in　despair。　　〃What；　Billy？〃



〃Cookies！〃　answered　Billy　in　equal　trouble。



〃Billy！〃　wailed　Margaret。　　〃How　could　you？〃



〃It　was　for　him　and　you；〃　sobbed　Billy。　　〃He　said

he　couldn't　eat　it　'fore　me；　but　out　in　the　barn　it's　all

dark　and　I　couldn't　see。　　I　thought　maybe　he　could　there。　

Then　we　might　put　out　the　light　and　you　could　have　yours。　

He　said　I　only　made　it　worse；　cos　I　mustn't　take　things；

so　I　got　to　go　in　the　closet。　　Will　you　hold　me　tight　a

little　bit　first？　　He　did。〃



Margaret　opened　her　arms　and　Billy　rushed　in　and　clung

to　her　a　few　seconds；　with　all　the　force　of　his　being；

then　he　slipped　to　the　floor　and　marched　to　the　closet。　

Margaret　opened　the　door。　　Billy　gave　one　glance　at

the　light；　clinched　his　fists　and；　walking　inside；　climbed

on　a　box。　　Margaret　closed　the　door。



Then　she　sat　and　listened。　　Was　the　air　pure　enough？　

Possibly　he　might　smother。　　She　had　read　something　once。　

Was　it　very　dark？　　What　if　there　should　be　a　mouse　in

the　closet　and　it　should　run　across　his　foot　and

frighten　him　into　spasms。　　Somewhere　she　had　heard

Margaret　leaned　forward　with　tense　face　and　listened。　

Something　dreadful　might　happen。　　She　could　bear　it

no　longer。　　She　arose　hurriedly　and　opened　the　door。　

Billy　was　drawn　up　on　the　box　in　a　little　heap；　and　he

lifted　a　disapproving　face　to　her。



〃Shut　that　door！〃　he　said。　　〃I　ain't　been　in　here　near

long　enough　yet！〃









CHAPTER　X





WHEREIN　ELNORA　HAS　MORE　FINANCIAL　TROUBLES；

AND　MRS。　COMSTOCK　AGAIN　HEARS　THE　SONG　OF　THE　LIMBERLOST





The　following　night　Elnora　hurried　to　Sintons'。

She　threw　open　the　back　door　and　with　anxious

eyes　searched　Margaret's　face。



〃You　got　it！〃　panted　Elnora。　　〃You　got　it！　　I　can

see　by　your　face　that　you　did。　　Oh；　give　it　to　me！〃



〃Yes；　I　got　it；　honey；　I　got　it　all　right；　but　don't　be

so　fast。　　It　had　been　kept　in　such　a　damp　place　it　needed

glueing；　it　had　to　have　strings；　and　a　key　was　gone。　

I　knew　how　much　you　wanted　it；　so　I　sent　Wesley　right

to　town　with　it。　　They　said　they　could　fix　it　good　as

new；　but　it　should　be　varnished；　and　that　it　would　take

several　days　for　the　glue　to　set。　　You　can　have　it　Saturday。〃



〃You　found　it　where　you　thought　it　was？　　You　know

it's　his？〃



〃Yes；　it　was　just　where　I　thought；　and　it's　the　same

violin　I've　seen　him　play　hundreds　of　times。　　It's　all

right；　only　laying　so　long　it　needs　fixing。〃



〃Oh　Aunt　Margaret！　　Can　I　ever　wait？〃



〃It　does　seem　a　long　time；　but　how　could　I　help　it？　

You　couldn't　do　anything　with　it　as　it　was。　　You　see；

it　had　been　hidden　away　in　a　garret；　and　it　needed　cleaning

and　drying　to　make　it　fit　to　play　again。　　You　can

have　it　Saturday　sure。　　But　Elnora；　you've　got　to　promise

me　that　you　will　leave　it　here；　or　in　town；　and　not　let

your　mother　get　a　hint　of　it。　　I　don't　know　what　she'd　do。〃



〃Uncle　Wesley　can　bring　it　here　until　Monday。　　Then　I　will

take　it　to　school　so　that　I　can　practise　at　noon。　　Oh；　I

don't　know　how　to　thank　you。　　And　there's　more　than　the

violin　for　which　to　be　thankful。　　You've　given　me　my　father。　

Last　night　I　saw　him　plainly　as　life。〃



〃Elnora　you　were　dreaming！〃



〃I　know　I　was　dreaming；　but　I　saw　him。　　I　saw　him　so

closely　that　a　tiny　white　scar　at　the　corner　of　his

eyebrow　showed。　　I　was　just　reaching　out　to　touch　him

when　he　disappeared。〃



〃Who　told　you　there　was　a　scar　on　his　forehead？〃



〃No　one　ever　did　in　all　my　life。　　I　saw　it　last　night

as　he　went　down。　　And　oh；　Aunt　Margaret！　　I　saw　what

she　did；　and　I　heard　his　cries！　　No　matter　what　she　does；

I　don't　believe　I　ever　can　be　angry　with　her　again。　　Her　heart

is　broken；　and　she　can't　help　it。　　Oh；　it　was　terrible；

but　I　am　glad　I　saw　it。　　Now；　I　will　always　understand。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　that；〃　said　Margaret。　

I　don't　believe　in　such　stuff　at　all；　but　you　couldn't　make

it　up；　for　you　didn't　know。〃



〃I　only　know　that　I　played　the　violin　last　night；　as

he　played　it；　and　while　I　played　he　came　through　the

woods　from　the　direction　of　Carneys'。　　It　was　summer

and　all　the　flowers　were　in　bloom。　　He　wore　gray

trousers　and　a　blue　shirt；　his　head　was　bare；　and　his

face　was　beautiful。　　I　could　almost　touch　him　when　he　sank。〃



Margaret　stood　perplexed。　　〃I　don't　know　what　to

think　of　that！〃　she　ejaculated。　　〃I　was　next　to　the　last

person　who　saw　him　before　he　was　drowned。　　It　was　late

on　a　June　afternoon；　and　he　was　dressed　as　you　describe。　

He　was　bareheaded　because　he　had　found　a　quail's　nest

before　the　bird　began　to　brood；　and　he　gathered　the　eggs

in　his　hat　and　left　it　in　a　fence　corner　to　get　on　his　way

home；　they　found　it　afterward。〃



〃Was　he　coming　from　Carneys'？〃



〃He　was　on　that　side　of　the　quagmire。　　Why　he　ever　skirted

it　so　close　as　to　get　caught　is　a　mystery　you　will　have　to

dream　out。　　I　never　could　understand　it。〃



〃Was　he　doing　something　he　didn't　want　my　mother　to　know？〃



〃Why？〃



〃Because　if　he　had　been；　he　might　have　cut　close　the

swamp　so　he　couldn't　be　seen　from　the　garden。　　You　know；

the　whole　path　straight　to　the　pool　where　he　sank　can　be

seen　from　our　back　door。　　It's　firm　on　our　side。　

The　danger　is　on　the　north　and　east。　　If　he　didn't　want

mother　to　know；　he　might　have　tried　to　pass　on　either　of

those　sides　and　gone　too　close。　　Was　he　in　a　hurry？〃



〃Yes；　he　was；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃He　had　been　away

longer　than　he　expected；　and　he　almost　ran　when　he

started　home。〃



〃And　he'd　left　his　violin　somewhere　that　you　knew；　and

you　went　and　got　it。　　I'll　wager　he　was　going　to　play；

and　didn't　want　mother　to　find　it　out！〃



〃It　wouldn't　make　any　difference　to　you　if　you　knew

every　little　thing；　so　quit　thinking　about　it；　and　just　be

glad　you　are　to　have　what　he　loved　best　of　anything。〃

〃That's　true。　　Now　I　must　hurry　home。　　I　am　dreadfully　late。〃



Elnora　sprang　up　and　ran　down　the　road；　but　when

she　approached　the　cabin　she　climbed　the　fence；　crossed

the　open　woods　pasture　diagonally　and　entered　at　the

back　garden　gate。　　As　she　often　came　that　way　when　she

had　been　looking　for　cocoons　her　mother　asked　no　questions。



Elnora　lived　by　the　minute　until　Saturday；　when；

contrary　to　his　usual　custom；　Wesley　went　to　town　in

the　forenoon；　taking　her　along　to　buy　some　groceries。　

Wesley　drove　straight　to　the　music　store；　and　asked　for

the　violin　he　had　left　to　be　mended。



In　its　new　coat　of　varnish；　with　new　keys　and　strings；

it　seemed　much　like　any　other　violin　to　Sinton；　but　to

Elnora　it　was　the　most　beautiful　instrument　ever　made；

and　a　priceless　treasure。　　She　held　it　in　her　arms；　touched

the　strings　softly　and　then　she　drew　the　bow　across　them

in　whispering　measure。　　She　had　no　time　to　think　what

a　remarkably　good　bow　it　was　for　sixteen　years'　disuse。　

The　tan　leather　case　might　have　impressed　her　as　being

in　fine　condition　also；　had　she　been　in　a　state　to

question　anything。　　She　did　remember　to　ask　for　the　bill

and　she　was　gravely　presented　with　a　slip　calling　for

four　strings；　one　key；　and　a　coat　of　varnish；　total；　one

dollar　fifty。　　It　seemed　to　Elnora　she　never　could　put　the

precious　instrument　in　the　case　and　start　home。　　Wesley　left

her　in　the　music　store　where　the　proprietor　showed　her　all

he　could　about　tuning；　and　gave　her　several　beginners'

sheets　of　notes　and　scales。　　She　carried　the　violin　in　her

arms　as　far　as　the　crossroads　at　the　corner　of　their　land；

then　reluctantly　put　it　under　the　carriage　seat。



As　soon　as　her　work　was　done　she　ran　down　to　Sintons'

and　began　to　play；　and　on　Monday　the　violin　went　to

school　with　her。　　She　made　arrangements　with　the　superintendent

to　leave　it　in　his　office　and　scarcely　took　time　for　her　food

at　noon；　she　was　so　eager　to　practise。　　Often　one　of　the

girls　asked　her　to　stay　in　town　all　night　for　some　lecture

or　entertainment。　　She　could　take　the　violin　with　her；

practise；　and　secure　help。　　Her　skill　was　so　great　that

the　leader　of　the　orchestra　offered　to　give　her　lessons

if　she　would　play　to　pay　for　them；　so　her　progress　was

rapid　in　technical　work。　　But　from　the　first　day　the

instrument　became　hers；　with　perfect　faith　that　she　could

play　as　her　father　did；　she　spent　half　her　practice　time　in

imitating　the　sounds　of　all　outdoors　and　improvising　the

songs　her　happy　heart　sang　in　those　days。



So　the　first　year　went；　and　the　second　and　third　were

a　repetition；　but　the　fourth　was　different；　for　that　was　the

close　of　the　course；　ending　with　graduation　and　all　its

attendant　ceremonies　and　expenses。　　To　Elnora　these

appeared　mountain　high。　　She　had　hoarded　every　cent；

thinking　twice　before　she　parted　with　a　penny；　but　teaching

natural　history　in　the　grades　had　taken　time　from　her　studies

in　school　which　must　be　made　up　outside。　　She　was　a

conscientious　student；　ranking　first　in　most　of　her　classes；

and　standing　high　in　all　branches。　　Her　interest　in

her　violin　had　grown　with　the　years。　　She　went　to　school

early　and　practised　half　an　hour　in　the　little　room　adjoining

the　stage；　while　the　orchestra　gathered。　　She　put　in　a

full　hour　at　noon；　and　remained　another　half　hour　at　night。　

She　carried　the　violin　to　Sintons'　on　Saturday　and　practised

all　the　time　she　could　there；　while　Margaret　watched　the

road　to　see　that　Mrs。　Comstock　was　not　coming。　　She　had

become　so　skilful　that　it　was　a　delight　to　hear　her　play

music　of　any　composer；　but　when　she　played　her　own；　that

was　joy　inexpressible；　for　then　the　wind　blew；　the　water

rippled；　the　Limberlost　sang　her　songs　of　sunshine；　shadow；

black　storm；　and　white　night。



Since　her　dream　Elnora　had　regarded　her　mother　with

peculiar　tenderness。　　The　girl　realized；　in　a　measure；　what

had　happened。　　She　avoided　anything　that　possibly　could

stir　bitter　memories　or　draw　deeper　a　line　on　the　hard；

white　face。　　This　cost　many　sacrifices；　much　work；　and

sometimes　delayed　progress；　but　the　horror　of　that　awful

dream　remained　with　Elnora。　　She　worked　her　way　cheerfully；

doing　all　she　could　t