a girl of the limberlost-第34章

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sitting…room　and　looked　in　at　the　open　door。　　There　was

no　one；　and　the　bed　had　not　been　used。　　Her　first　thought

was　that　her　mother　had　gone　to　the　pool；　and　the　Limberlost

was　alive　with　signals。　　Pity　and　fear　mingled　in　the

heart　of　the　girl。　　She　opened　the　kitchen　door；　crossed　the

garden　and　ran　back　to　the　swamp。　　As　she　neared　it　she

listened；　but　she　could　hear　only　the　usual　voices　of　night。



〃Mother！〃　she　called　softly。　　Then　louder；　〃Mother！〃



There　was　not　a　sound。　　Chilled　with　fright　she　hurried

back　to　the　cabin。　　She　did　not　know　what　to　do。　

She　understood　what　the　lights　in　the　Limberlost　meant。　

Where　was　her　mother？　　She　was　afraid　to　enter；　while

she　was　growing　very　cold　and　still　more　fearful　about

remaining　outside。　　At　last　she　went　to　her　mother's　room；

picked　up　the　gun；　carried　it　into　the　kitchen；　and　crowding

in　a　little　corner　behind　the　stove；　she　waited　in　trembling

anxiety。　　The　time　was　dreadfully　long　before　she　heard

her　mother's　voice。　　Then　she　decided　some　one　had　been

ill　and　sent　for　her；　so　she　took　courage；　and　stepping

swiftly　across　the　kitchen　she　unbarred　the　door　and　drew

back　from　sight　beside　the　table。



Mrs。　Comstock　entered　dragging　her　heavy　feet。　　Her　dress

skirt　was　gone；　her　petticoat　wet　and　drabbled；　and

the　waist　of　her　dress　was　almost　torn　from　her　body。　

Her　hair　hung　in　damp　strings；　her　eyes　were　red　with　crying。　

In　one　hand　she　held　the　lantern；　and　in　the　other　stiffly

extended　before　her；　on　a　wad　of　calico　reposed　a

magnificent　pair　of　Yellow　Emperors。　　Elnora　stared；　her

lips　parted。



〃Shall　I　put　these　others　in　the　kitchen？〃　inquired　a

man's　voice。



The　girl　shrank　back　to　the　shadows。



〃Yes；　anywhere　inside　the　door；〃　replied　Mrs。　Comstock

as　she　moved　a　few　steps　to　make　way　for　him。　

Pete's　head　appeared。　　He　set　down　the　moths　and　was　gone。



〃Thank　you；　Pete；　more　than　ever　woman　thanked　you　before！〃

said　Mrs。　Comstock。



She　placed　the　lantern　on　the　table　and　barred　the　door。　

As　she　turned　Elnora　came　into　view。　　Mrs。　Comstock

leaned　toward　her；　and　held　out　the　moths。　　In　a　voice

vibrant　with　tones　never　before　heard　she　said：　　〃Elnora；

my　girl；　mother's　found　you　another　moth！〃









CHAPTER　XIII





WHEREIN　MOTHER　LOVE　IS　BESTOWED　ON　ELNORA；

AND　SHE　FINDS　AN　ASSISTANT　IN　MOTH　HUNTING





Elnora　awoke　at　dawn　and　lay　gazing　around　the

unfamiliar　room。　　She　noticed　that　every　vestige

of　masculine　attire　and　belongings　was　gone；　and

knew；　without　any　explanation；　what　that　meant。　

For　some　reason　every　tangible　evidence　of　her　father

was　banished；　and　she　was　at　last　to　be　allowed　to

take　his　place。　　　　She　turned　to　look　at　her　mother。　

Mrs。　Comstock's　face　was　white　and　haggard；　but　on　it

rested　an　expression　of　profound　peace　Elnora　never

before　had　seen。　　As　she　studied　the　features　on　the

pillow　beside　her；　the　heart　of　the　girl　throbbed　in　tenderness。　

She　realized　as　fully　as　any　one　else　could　what　her　mother

had　suffered。　　Thoughts　of　the　night　brought　shuddering　fear。　

She　softly　slipped　from　the　bed；　went　to　her　room；　dressed　and

entered　the　kitchen　to　attend　the　Emperors　and　prepare　breakfast。　

The　pair　had　been　left　clinging　to　the　piece　of　calico。　

The　calico　was　there　and　a　few　pieces　of　beautiful　wing。　

A　mouse　had　eaten　the　moths！



〃Well；　of　all　the　horrible　luck！〃　gasped　Elnora。



With　the　first　thought　of　her　mother；　she　caught　up　the

remnants　of　the　moths；　burying　them　in　the　ashes　of　the　stove。　

She　took　the　bag　to　her　room；　hurriedly　releasing　its

contents；　but　there　was　not　another　yellow　one。　　Her　mother

had　said　some　had　been　confined　in　the　case　in　the　Limberlost。　

There　was　still　a　hope　that　an　Emperor　might　be　among　them。　

She　peeped　at　her　mother；　who　still　slept　soundly。



Elnora　took　a　large　piece　of　mosquito　netting；　and　ran

to　the　swamp。　　Throwing　it　over　the　top　of　the　case；　she

unlocked　the　door。　　She　reeled；　faint　with　distress。　

The　living　moths　that　had　been　confined　there　in　their

fluttering　to　escape　to　night　and　the　mates　they　sought

not　only　had　wrecked　the　other　specimens　of　the　case；

but　torn　themselves　to　fringes　on　the　pins。　　A　third　of　the

rarest　moths　of　the　collection　for　the　man　of　India　were

antennaless；　legless；　wingless；　and　often　headless。　

Elnora　sobbed　aloud。



〃This　is　overwhelming；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃It　is　making

a　fatalist　of　me。　　I　am　beginning　to　think　things

happen　as　they　are　ordained　from　the　beginning；　this

plainly　indicating　that　there　is　to　be　no　college；　at　least；

this　year；　for　me。　　My　life　is　all　mountain…top　or　canon。　

I　wish　some　one　would　lead　me　into　a　few　days　of　‘green　pastures。'　

Last　night　I　went　to　sleep　on　mother's　arm；　the　moths　all

secured；　love　and　college；　certainties。　　This　morning　I　wake

to　find　all　my　hopes　wrecked。　　I　simply　don't　dare　let　mother

know　that　instead　of　helping　me；　she　has　ruined　my　collection。　

Everything　is　goneunless　the　love　lasts。　　That　actually

seemed　true。　　I　believe　I　will　go　see。〃



The　love　remained。　　Indeed；　in　the　overflow　of　the　long…

hardened；　pent…up　heart；　the　girl　was　almost　suffocated

with　tempestuous　caresses　and　generous　offerings。　　Before　the

day　was　over；　Elnora　realized　that　she　never　had　known

her　mother。　　The　woman　who　now　busily　went　through　the

cabin；　her　eyes　bright；　eager；　alert；　constantly　planning；

was　a　stranger。　　Her　very　face　was　different；　while　it　did

not　seem　possible　that　during　one　night　the　acid　of　twenty

years　could　disappear　from　a　voice　and　leave　it　sweet　and　pleasant。



For　the　next　few　days　Elnora　worked　at　mounting　the

moths　her　mother　had　taken。　　She　had　to　go　to　the　Bird

Woman　and　tell　about　the　disaster；　but　Mrs。　Comstock

was　allowed　to　think　that　Elnora　delivered　the　moths

when　she　made　the　trip。　　If　she　had　told　her　what　actually

happened；　the　chances　were　that　Mrs。　Comstock　again

would　have　taken　possession　of　the　Limberlost；　hunting

there　until　she　replaced　all　the　moths　that　had　been　destroyed。　

But　Elnora　knew　from　experience　what　it　meant　to　collect

such　a　list　in　pairs。　　It　would　require　steady　work　for　at

least　two　summers　to　replace　the　lost　moths。　　When　she　left

the　Bird　Woman　she　went　to　the　president　of　the　Onabasha

schools　and　asked　him　to　do　all　in　his　power　to　secure　her

a　room　in　one　of　the　ward　buildings。



The　next　morning　the　last　moth　was　mounted；　and　the

housework　finished。　　Elnora　said　to　her　mother；　〃If　you

don't　mind；　I　believe　I　will　go　into　the　woods　pasture

beside　Sleepy　Snake　Creek　and　see　if　I　can　catch　some

dragonflies　or　moths。〃



〃Wait　until　I　get　a　knife　and　a　pail　and　I　will　go　along；〃

answered　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃The　dandelions　are　plenty

tender　for　greens　among　the　deep　grasses；　and　I　might　just

happen　to　see　something　myself。　　My　eyes　are　pretty　sharp。〃



〃I　wish　you　could　realize　how　young　you　are；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃I　know　women　in　Onabasha　who　are　ten　years　older　than　you；

yet　they　look　twenty　years　younger。　　So　could　you；　if　you

would　dress　your　hair　becomingly；　and　wear　appropriate　clothes。〃



〃I　think　my　hair　puts　me　in　the　old　woman　class　permanently；〃

said　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃Well；　it　doesn't！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃There　is　a　woman

of　twenty…eight　who　has　hair　as　white　as　yours　from　sick

headaches；　but　her　face　is　young　and　beautiful。　　If　your

face　would　grow　a　little　fuller　and　those　lines　would　go

away；　you'd　be　lovely！〃



〃You　little　pig！〃　laughed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Any　one

would　think　you　would　be　satisfied　with　having　a　splinter

new　mother；　without　setting　up　a　kick　on　her　looks；

first　thing。　　Greedy！〃



〃That　is　a　good　word；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　admit　the　charge。　

I　am　greedy　over　every　wasted　year。　　I　want　you　young；

lovely；　suitably　dressed　and　enjoying　life　like　the

other　girls'　mothers。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　laughed　softly　as　she　pushed　back　her

sunbonnet　so　that　shrubs　and　bushes　beside　the　way　could

be　scanned　closely。　　Elnora　walked　ahead　with　a　case　over

her　shoulder；　a　net　in　her　hand。　　Her　head　was　bare；　the

rolling　collar　of　her　lavender　gingham　dress　was　cut　in　a　V

at　the　throat；　the　sleeves　only　reached　the　elbows。　　Every　few

steps　she　paused　and　examined　the　shrubbery　carefully；

while　Mrs。　Comstock　was　watching　until　her　eyes　ached；

but　there　were　no　dandelions　in　the　pail　she　carried。



Early　June　was　rioting　in　fresh　grasses；　bright　flowers；

bird　songs；　and　gay…winged　creatures　of　air。　　Down　the

footpath　the　two　went　through　the　perfect　morning；　the

love　of　God　and　all　nature　in　their　hearts。　　At　last　they

reached　the　creek；　following　it　toward　the　bridge。　　Here　Mrs。

Comstock　found　a　large　bed　of　tender　dandelions　and　stopped

to　fill　her　pail。　　Then　she　sat　on　the　bank；　picking　over　the

greens；　while　she　listened　to　the　creek　softly　singing　its　June　song。



Elnora　remained　within　calling　distance；　and　was　having

good　success。　　At　last　she　crossed　the　creek；　following

it　up　to　a　bridge。　　There　she　began　a　careful　examination

of　the　under　sides　of　the　sleepers　and　flooring　for　cocoons。　

Mrs。　Comstock　could　see　her　and　the　creek　for　several

rods　above。　　The　mother　sat　beating　the　long　green　leaves

across　her　hand；　carefully　picking　out　the　white　buds；

because　Elnora　liked　them；　when　a　splash　up　the　creek

attracted　her　attention。



Around　the　bend　came　a　man。　　He　was　bareheaded；

dressed　in　a　white　sweater；　and　waders　which　reached

his　waist。　　He　walked　on　the　bank；　only　entering　the

water　when　forced。　　He　had　a　queer　basket　strapped　on

his　hip；　and　with　a　small　rod　he　sent　a　long　line　spinning

before　him　down　the　creek；　deftly　manipulating　with

it　a　little　floating　object。　　He　was　closer　Elnora　than

her　mother；　but　Mrs。　Comstock　thought　possibly　by

hurrying　she　could　remain　unseen　and　yet　warn　the　girl

that　a　stranger　was　coming。　　As　she　approached　the

bridge；　she　caught　a　sapling　and　leaned　over　the　water　to

call　Elnora。　　With　her　lips　parted　to　speak　she　hesitated

a　second　to　watch　a　sort　of　insect　that　flashed　past　on　the

water；　when　a　splash　from　the　man　attracted　the　girl。



She　was　under　the　bridge；　one　knee　planted　in　the

embankment　and　a　foot　braced　to　support　her。　　Her　hair

was　tousled　by　wind　and　bushes；　her　face　flushed；

and　she　lifted　her　arms　above　her　head；　working　to　loosen

a　cocoon　she　had　found。　　The　call　Mrs。　Comstock　had

intended　to　utter　never　found　voice；　for　as　Elnora　looked

down　at　the　sound；　〃Possibly　I　could　get　that　for　you；〃

suggested　the　man。



Mrs。　Comstock　drew　back。　　He　was　a　young　man　with　a

wonderfully　attractive　face；　although　it　was　too

white　for　robust　health；　broad　shoulders；　and　slender；

upright　frame。



〃Oh；　I　do　hope　you　can！〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃It's　quite

a　find！　　It's　one　of　those　lovely　pale　red　cocoons

described　in　the　books。　　I　suspect　it　comes　from　having

been　in