a girl of the limberlost-第43章

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impetus　they　danced　until　they　dropped　panting　on　the

arbour　bench。



Billy　scarcely　knew　when　he　reached　the　road。　　His　light

feet　barely　touched　the　soft　way；　so　swiftly　he　flew。　

He　vaulted　the　fence　and　burst　into　the　house。



〃Aunt　Margaret！　　Uncle　Wesley！〃　he　screamed。　　〃Listen！　

Listen！　　She's　playing　it！　　Elnora's　playing　her　violin

at　home！　　And　Aunt　Kate　is　dancing　like　anything

before　the　arbour！　　I　saw　her　in　the　moonlight！　　I　ran　down！　

Oh；　Aunt　Margaret！〃



Billy　fled　sobbing　to　Margaret's　breast。



〃Why　Billy！〃　she　chided。　　〃Don't　cry；　you　little　dunce！　

That's　what　we've　all　prayed　for　these　many　years；　but

you　must　be　mistaken　about　Kate。　　I　can't　believe　it。〃



Billy　lifted　his　head。　　〃Well；　you　just　have　to！〃　he　said。　

〃When　I　say　I　saw　anything；　Uncle　Wesley　knows　I　did。　

The　city　man　was　dancing　with　her。　　They　danced　together

and　Elnora　laughed。　　But　it　didn't　look　funny　to　me；

I　was　scared。〃



〃Who　was　it　said　‘wonders　never　cease；'〃　asked　Wesley。　

〃You　mark　my　word；　once　you　get　Kate　Comstock　started；

you　can't　stop　her。　　There's　a　wagon　load　of　penned…up

force　in　her。　　Dancing　in　the　moonlight！　　Well；　I'll

be　hanged！〃



Billy　was　at　his　side　instantly。　　〃Whoever　does　it　will

have　to　hang　me；　too；〃　he　cried。



Sinton　threw　his　arm　around　Billy　and　drew　him　closely。　

〃Tell　us　all　about　it；　son；〃　he　said。　　Billy　told。　　〃And　when

Elnora　just　stopped　a　breath；　‘Can't　you　play　some

of　the　old　things　I　knew　when　I　was　a　girl？'　said　her　ma。　

Then　Elnora　began　to　do　a　thing　that　made　you　want　to

whirl　round　and　round；　and　quicker　'an　scat　there　was　her

ma　a…whirling。　　The　city　man；　he　ups　and　grabs　her　and

whirls；　too；　and　back　in　the　woods　I　was　going　just　like

they　did。　　Elnora　begins　to　laugh；　and　I　ran　to　tell　you；

cos　I　knew　you'd　like　to　know。　　Now；　all　the　world　is

right；　ain't　it？〃　ended　Billy　in　supreme　satisfaction。



〃You　just　bet　it　is！〃　said　Wesley。



Billy　looked　steadily　at　Margaret。　　〃Is　it；　Aunt　Margaret？〃



Margaret　Sinton　smiled　at　him　bravely。



An　hour　later　when　Billy　was　ready　to　climb　the　stairs

to　his　room；　he　went　to　Margaret　to　say　good　night。　

He　leaned　against　her　an　instant；　then　brought　his　lips

to　her　ear。　　〃Wish　I　could　get　your　little　girls　back

for　you！〃　he　whispered　and　dashed　toward　the　stairs。



Down　at　the　Comstock　cabin　the　violin　played　on　until

Elnora　was　so　tired　she　scarcely　could　lift　the　bow。　

Then　Philip　went　home。　　The　women　walked　to　the　gate

with　him；　and　stood　watching　him　from　sight。



〃That's　what　I　call　one　decent　young　man！〃　said

Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃To　see　him　fit　in　with　us；　you'd　think

he'd　been　brought　up　in　a　cabin；　but　it's　likely　he's

always　had　the　very　cream　o'　the　pot。〃



〃Yes；　I　think　so；〃　laughed　Elnora；　〃but　it　hasn't

hurt　him。　　I've　never　seen　anything　I　could　criticise。　

He's　teaching　me　so　much；　unconsciously。　　You　know

he　graduated　from　Harvard；　and　has　several　degrees　in　law。　

He's　coming　in　the　morning；　and　we　are　going　to　put　in　a

big　day　on　Catocalae。〃



〃Which　is？〃



〃Those　gray　moths　with　wings　that　fold　back　like　big

flies；　and　they　appear　as　if　they　had　been　carved　from

old　wood。　　Then；　when　they　fly；　the　lower　wings　flash

out　and　they　are　red　and　black；　or　gold　and　black；　or

pink　and　black；　or　dozens　of　bright；　beautiful　colours

combined　with　black。　　No　one　ever　has　classified　all

of　them　and　written　their　complete　history；　unless　the

Bird　Woman　is　doing　it　now。　　She　wants　everything

she　can　get　about　them。〃



〃I　remember；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃They　are　mighty

pretty　things。　　I've　started　up　slews　of　them　from　the

vines　covering　the　logs；　all　my　life。　　I　must　be　cautious

and　catch　them　after　this；　but　they　seem　powerful　spry。　

I　might　get　hold　of　something　rare。〃　　She　thought

intently　and　added；　〃And　wouldn't　know　it　if　I　did。　

It　would　just　be　my　luck。　　I've　had　the　rarest　thing　on

earth　in　reach　this　many　a　day　and　only　had　the　wit　to

cinch　it　just　as　it　was　going。　　I'll　bet　I　don't　let

anything　else　escape　me。〃



Next　morning　Philip　came　early；　and　he　and　Elnora

went　at　once　to　the　fields　and　woods。　　Mrs。　Comstock

had　come　to　believe　so　implicitly　in　him　that　she　now

stayed　at　home　to　complete　the　work　before　she　joined

them；　and　when　she　did　she　often　sat　sewing；　leaving

them　wandering　hours　at　a　time。　　It　was　noon　before

she　finished；　and　then　she　packed　a　basket　of　lunch。　

She　found　Elnora　and　Philip　near　the　violet　patch；　which

was　still　in　its　prime。　　They　all　lunched　together　in　the

shade　of　a　wild　crab　thicket；　with　flowers　spread　at　their

feet；　and　the　gold　orioles　streaking　the　air　with　flashes

of　light　and　trailing　ecstasy　behind　them；　while　the　red…

wings；　as　always；　asked　the　most　impertinent　questions。　

Then　Mrs。　Comstock　carried　the　basket　back　to　the　cabin；

and　Philip　and　Elnora　sat　on　a　log；　resting　a　few　minutes。　

They　had　unexpected　luck；　and　both　were　eager　to　continue

the　search。



〃Do　you　remember　your　promise　about　these　violets？〃

asked　he。　　〃To…morrow　is　Edith's　birthday；　and　if　I'd

put　them　special　delivery　on　the　morning　train；　she'd

get　them　in　the　late　afternoon。　　They　ought　to　keep

that　long。　　She　leaves　for　the　North　next　day。〃



〃Of　　course；　you　may　have　them；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃We　will

quit　long　enough　before　supper　to　gather　a　large　bunch。　

They　can　be　packed　so　they　will　carry　all　right。　

They　should　be　perfectly　fresh；　especially　if　we　gather

them　this　evening　and　let　them　drink　all　night。〃



Then　they　went　back　to　hunt　Catocalae。　　It　was　a

long　and　a　happy　search。　　It　led　them　into　new；

unexplored　nooks　of　the　woods；　past　a　red…poll　nest；

and　where　goldfinches　prospected　for　thistledown　for

the　cradles　they　would　line　a　little　later。　　It　led

them　into　real　forest；　where　deep；　dark　pools　lay；

where　the　hermit　thrush　and　the　wood　robin　extracted

the　essence　from　all　other　bird　melody；　and　poured　it

out　in　their　pure　bell…tone　notes。　　It　seemed　as　if

every　old　gray　tree…trunk；　slab　of　loose　bark；　and

prostrate　log　yielded　the　flashing　gray　treasures；

while　of　all　others　they　seemed　to　take　alarm　most

easily；　and　be　most　difficult　to　capture。



Philip　came　to　Elnora　at　dusk；　daintily　holding　one

by　the　body；　its　dark　wings　showing　and　its　long　slender

legs　trying　to　clasp　his　fingers　and　creep　from　his　hold。



〃Oh　for　mercy's　sake！〃　cried　Elnora；　staring　at　him。



〃I　half　believe　it！〃　exulted　Ammon。



〃Did　you　ever　see　one？〃



〃Only　in　collections；　and　very　seldom　there。〃



Elnora　studied　the　black　wings　intently。　　〃I　surely

believe　that's　Sappho；〃　she　marvelled。　　〃The　Bird　Woman

will　be　overjoyed。〃



〃We　must　get　the　cyanide　jar　quickly；〃　said　Philip。



〃I　wouldn't　lose　her　for　anything。　　Such　a　chase　as　she

led　me！〃



Elnora　brought　the　jar　and　began　gathering　up　paraphernalia。



〃When　you　make　a　find　like　that；〃　she　said；　〃it's　the

right　time　to　quit　and　feel　glorious　all　the　rest　of

that　day。　　I　tell　you　I'm　proud！　　We　will　go　now。　　We　have

barely　time　to　carry　out　our　plans　before　supper。　

Won't　mother　be　pleased　to　see　that　we　have　a　rare　one？〃



〃I'd　like　to　see　any　one　more　pleased　than　I　am！〃　said

Philip　Ammon。　　〃I　feel　as　if　I'd　earned　my　supper　to…night。　

Let's　go。〃



He　took　the　greater　part　of　the　load　and　stepped　aside

for　Elnora　to　precede　him。　　She　followed　the　path；　broken

by　the　grazing　cattle；　toward　the　cabin　and　nearest　the

violet　patch　she　stopped；　laid　down　her　net；　and　the　things

she　carried。　　Philip　passed　her　and　hurried　straight

toward　the　back　gate。



〃Aren't　you　going　to？〃　began　Elnora。



〃I'm　going　to　get　this　moth　home　in　a　hurry；〃　he　said。　

〃This　cyanide　has　lost　its　strength；　and　it's　not

working　well。　　We　need　some　fresh　in　the　jar。〃



He　had　forgotten　the　violets！　　Elnora　stood　looking

after　him；　a　curious　expression　on　her　face。　　One　second

sothen　she　picked　up　the　net　and　followed。　　At　the

blue…bordered　pool　she　paused　and　half　turned　back；　then

she　closed　her　lips　firmly　and　went　on。　　It　was　nine　o'clock

when　Philip　said　good…bye；　and　started　to　town。　　His　gay

whistle　floated　to　them　from　the　farthest　corner　of

the　Limberlost。　　Elnora　complained　of　being　tired；　so　she

went　to　her　room　and　to　bed。　　But　sleep　would　not　come。　

Thought　was　racing　in　her　brain　and　the　longer　she　lay

the　wider　awake　she　grew。　　At　last　she　softly　slipped　from

bed；　lighted　her　lamp　and　began　opening　boxes。　　Then　she

went　to　work。　　Two　hours　later　a　beautiful　birch　bark

basket；　strongly　and　artistically　made；　stood　on　her　table。　

She　set　a　tiny　alarm　clock　at　three；　returned　to　bed　and

fell　asleep　instantly　with　a　smile　on　her　lips。



She　was　on　the　floor　with　the　first　tinkle　of　the　alarm；

and　hastily　dressing；　she　picked　up　the　basket　and　a　box

to　fit　it；　crept　down　the　stairs；　and　out　to　the　violet　patch。　

She　was　unafraid　as　it　was　growing　light；　and　lining　the

basket　with　damp　mosses　she　swiftly　began　picking；　with

practised　hands；　the　best　of　the　flowers。　　She　scarcely

could　tell　which　were　freshest　at　times；　but　day　soon　came

creeping　over　the　Limberlost　and　peeped　at　her。　　The　robins

awoke　all　their　neighbours；　and　a　babel　of　bird　notes

filled　the　air。　　The　dew　was　dripping；　while　the　first　strong

rays　of　light　fell　on　a　world　in　which　Elnora　worshipped。　

When　the　basket　was　filled　to　overflowing；　she　set　it　in　the

stout　pasteboard　box；　packed　it　solid　with　mosses；　tied　it

firmly　and　slipped　under　the　cord　a　note　she　had　written

the　previous　night。



Then　she　took　a　short　cut　across　the　woods　and　walked

swiftly　to　Onabasha。　　It　was　after　six　o'clock；　but　all　of

the　city　she　wished　to　avoid　were　asleep。　　She　had　no

trouble　in　finding　a　small　boy　out；　and　she　stood　at　a

distance　waiting　while　he　rang　Dr。　Ammon's　bell　and

delivered　the　package　for　Philip　to　a　maid；　with　the　note

which　was　to　be　given　him　at　once。



On　the　way　home　through　the　woods　passing　some　baited

trees　she　collected　the　captive　moths。　　She　entered

the　kitchen　with　them　so　naturally　that　Mrs。　Comstock

made　no　comment。　　After　breakfast　Elnora　went　to　her

room；　cleared　away　all　trace　of　the　night's　work　and　was

out　in　the　arbour　mounting　moths　when　Philip　came　down

the　road。　　〃I　am　tired　sitting；〃　she　said　to　her　mother。　

〃I　think　I　will　walk　a　few　rods　and　meet　him。〃



〃Who's　a　trump？〃　he　called　from　afar。



〃Not　you！〃　retorted　Elnora。　　〃Confess　that　you　forgot！〃



〃Completely！〃　said　Philip。　　〃But　luckily　it　would　not

have　been　fatal。　　I　wrote　Polly　last　week　to　send　Edith

something　appropriate　to…day；　with　my　card。　　But　that

touch　from　the　woods　will　be　very　effective。　　Thank　you

more　than　I　can　say。　　Aunt　Anna　and　I　unpacked　it　to

see　the　basket；　and　it　was　a　beauty。　　She　says　you　are

always　doing　such　things。〃



〃Well；　I　hope　not！〃　laughed