a girl of the limberlost-第45章

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eyes　as　if　to　close　it　out。　　That　made　hearing　so　acute　she

felt　certain　she　heard　Elnora　moaning　beside　the　path。　

The　eyes　flew　open。　　They　looked　straight　at　a　few

spindling　tomato　plants　set　too　near　the　tree　and　stunted

by　its　shade。　　Mrs。　Comstock　whirled　on　the　hickory　and

swung　the　axe。　　Her　hair　shook　down；　her　clothing　became

disarranged；　in　the　heat　the　perspiration　streamed；　but

stroke　fell　on　stroke　until　the　tree　crashed　over；　grazing

a　corner　of　the　milk　house　and　smashing　the　garden　fence

on　the　east。



At　the　sound　Elnora　sprang　to　her　feet　and　came　running

down　the　garden　walk。　　〃Mother！〃　she　cried。　　〃Mother！　

What　in　the　world　are　you　doing？〃



Mrs。　Comstock　wiped　her　ghastly　face　on　her　apron。　

〃I've　laid　out　to　cut　that　tree　for　years；〃　she　said。　

〃It　shades　the　beets　in　the　morning；　and　the　tomatoes

in　the　afternoon！〃



Elnora　uttered　one　wild　little　cry　and　fled　into　her

mother's　arms。　　〃Oh　mother！〃　she　sobbed。　　〃Will　you

ever　forgive　me？〃



Mrs。　Comstock's　arms　swept　together　in　a　tight　grip

around　Elnora。



〃There　isn't　a　thing　on　God's　footstool　from　a　to　izzard

I　won't　forgive　you；　my　precious　girl！〃　she　said。　　〃Tell　mother

what　it　is！〃



Elnora　lifted　her　wet　face。　　〃He　told　me；〃　she　panted；

〃just　as　soon　as　he　decently　couldthat　second　day　he

told　me。　　Almost　all　his　life　he's　been　engaged　to　a　girl

at　home。　　He　never　cared　anything　about　me。　　He　was　only

interested　in　the　moths　and　growing　strong。〃



Mrs。　Comstock's　arms　tightened。　　With　a　shaking　hand

she　stroked　the　bright　hair。



〃Tell　me；　honey；〃　she　said。　　〃Is　he　to　blame　for　a

single　one　of　these　tears？〃



〃Not　one！〃　sobbed　Elnora。　　〃Oh　mother；　I　won't　forgive　you

if　you　don't　believe　that。　　Not　one！　　He　never　said；

or　looked；　or　did　anything　all　the　world　might　not

have　known。　　He　likes　me　very　much　as　a　friend。　

He　hated　to　go　dreadfully！〃



〃Elnora！〃　the　mother's　head　bent　until　the　white　hair

mingled　with　the　brown。　　〃Elnora；　why　didn't　you　tell　me

at　first？〃



Elnora　caught　her　breath　in　a　sharp　snatch。　　〃I　know

I　should！〃　she　sobbed。　　〃I　will　bear　any　punishment　for

not；　but　I　didn't　feel　as　if　I　possibly　could。　　I　was　afraid。〃



〃Afraid　of　what？〃　the　shaking　hand　was　on　the　hair　again。



〃Afraid　you　wouldn't　let　him　come！〃　panted　Elnora。　

〃And　oh；　mother；　I　wanted　him　so！〃









CHAPTER　XVIII





WHEREIN　MRS。　COMSTOCK　EXPERIMENTS　WITH　REJUVENATION；

AND　ELNORA　TEACHES　NATURAL　HISTORY





For　the　following　week　Mrs。　Comstock　and　Elnora

worked　so　hard　there　was　no　time　to　talk；　and　they

were　compelled　to　sleep　from　physical　exhaustion。　

Neither　of　them　made　any　pretence　of　eating；　for　they

could　not　swallow　without　an　effort；　so　they　drank　milk

and　worked。　　Elnora　kept　on　setting　bait　for　Catacolae

and　Sphinginae；　which；　unlike　the　big　moths　of　June；　live

several　months。　　She　took　all　the　dragonflies　and

butterflies　she　could；　and　when　she　went　over　the　list

for　the　man　of　India；　she　found；　to　her　amazement；

that　with　Philip's　help　she　once　more　had　it　complete

save　a　pair　of　Yellow　Emperors。



This　circumstance　was　so　surprising　she　had　a　fleeting

thought　of　writing　Philip　and　asking　him　to　see　if　he　could

not　secure　her　a　pair。　　She　did　tell　the　Bird　Woman；　who

from　every　source　at　her　command　tried　to　complete　the

series　with　these　moths；　but　could　not　find　any　for　sale。



〃I　think　the　mills　of　the　Gods　are　grinding　this　grist；〃

said　Elnora；　〃and　we　might　as　well　wait　patiently　until

they　choose　to　send　a　Yellow　Emperor。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　invented　work。　　When　she　had　nothing　more

to　do；　she　hoed　in　the　garden　although　the　earth　was　hard

and　dry　and　there　were　no　plants　that　really　needed　attention。　

Then　came　a　notification　that　Elnora　would　be　compelled

to　attend　a　week's　session　of　the　Teachers'　Institute

held　at　the　county　seat　twenty　miles　north　of　Onabasha

the　following　week。　　That　gave　them　something　of　which

to　think　and　real　work　to　do。　　Elnora　was　requested　to　bring

her　violin。　　As　she　was　on　the　programme　of　one　of　the　most

important　sessions　for　a　talk　on　nature　work　in　grade　schools；

she　was　driven　to　prepare　her　speech；　also　to　select　and

practise　some　music。　　Her　mother　turned　her　attention　to　clothing。



They　went　to　Onabasha　together　and　purchased　a　simple

and　appropriate　fall　suit　and　hat；　goods　for　a　dainty　little

coloured　frock；　and　a　dress　skirt　and　several　fancy　waists。　

Margaret　Sinton　came　down　and　the　sewing　began。　　When　everything

was　finished　and　packed；　Elnora　kissed　her　mother　good…bye

at　the　depot；　and　entered　the　train。　　Mrs。　Comstock　went　into

the　waiting…room　and　dropped　into　a　seat　to　rest。　　Her　heart

was　so　sore　her　whole　left　side　felt　tender。　　She　was　half

starved　for　the　food　she　had　no　appetite　to　take。　　She　had

worked　in　dogged　determination　until　she　was　exhausted。　

For　a　time　she　simply　sat　and　rested。　　Then　she　began　to　think。　

She　was　glad　Elnora　had　gone　where　she　would　be　compelled　to

fix　her　mind　on　other　matters　for　a　few　days。　　She　remembered

the　girl　had　said　she　wanted　to　go。



School　would　begin　the　following　week。　　She　thought

over　what　Elnora　would　have　to　do　to　accomplish　her

work　successfully。　　She　would　be　compelled　to　arise　at

six　o'clock；　walk　three　miles　through　varying　weather；　lead

the　high　school　orchestra；　and　then　put　in　the　remainder　of

the　day　travelling　from　building　to　building　over　the　city；

teaching　a　specified　length　of　time　every　week　in　each　room。　

She　must　have　her　object　lessons　ready；　and　she　must　do　a

certain　amount　of　practising　with　the　orchestra。　　Then　a

cold　lunch　at　noon；　and　a　three…mile　walk　at　night。



〃Humph！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃to　get　through　that

the　girl　would　have　to　be　made　of　cast…iron。　　I　wonder

how　I　can　help　her　best？〃



She　thought　deeply。



〃The　less　she　sees　of　what　she's　been　having　all　summer；

the　sooner　she'll　feel　better　about　it；〃　she　muttered。



She　arose；　went　to　the　bank　and　inquired　for　the　cashier。



〃I　want　to　know　just　how　I　am　fixed　here；〃　she　said。



The　cashier　laughed。　　〃You　haven't　been　in　a　hurry；〃

he　replied。　　〃We　have　been　ready　for　you　any　time　these

twenty　years；　but　you　didn't　seem　to　pay　much　attention。　

Your　account　is　rather　flourishing。　　Interest；　when　it　gets

to　compounding；　is　quite　a　money　breeder。　　Come　back

here　to　a　table　and　I　will　show　you　your　balances。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　sank　into　a　chair　and　waited　while

the　cashier　read　a　jumble　of　figures　to　her。　　It　meant

that　her　deposits　had　exceeded　her　expenses　from　one

to　three　hundred　dollars　a　year；　according　to　the　cattle；

sheep；　hogs；　poultry；　butter；　and　eggs　she　had　sold。　

The　aggregate　of　these　sums　had　been　compounding　interest

throughout　the　years。　　Mrs。　Comstock　stared　at　the

total　with　dazed　and　unbelieving　eyes。　　Through　her

sick　heart　rushed　the　realization；　that　if　she　merely　had

stood　before　that　wicket　and　asked　one　question；　she

would　have　known　that　all　those　bitter　years　of　skimping

for　Elnora　and　herself　had　been　unnecessary。　　She　arose

and　went　back　to　the　depot。



〃I　want　to　send　a　message；〃　she　said。　　She　picked

up　the　pencil；　and　with　rash　extravagance；　wrote；　〃Found

money　at　bank　didn't　know　about。　　If　you　want　to　go

to　college；　come　on　first　train　and　get　ready。〃　

She　hesitated　a　second　and　then　she　said　to　herself　grimly；

〃Yes；　I'll　pay　for　that；　too；〃　and　recklessly　added；　〃With

love；　Mother。〃　　Then　she　sat　waiting　for　the　answer。　　It　came

in　less　than　an　hour。　　〃Will　teach　this　winter。　　With　dearest

love；　Elnora。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　held　the　message　a　long　time。　　When　she

arose　she　was　ravenously　hungry；　but　the　pain　in　her

heart　was　a　little　easier。　　She　went　to　a　restaurant

and　ate　some　food；　then　to　a　dressmaker　where　she　ordered

four　dresses：　two　very　plain　every…day　ones；　a　serviceable

dark　gray　cloth　suit；　and　a　soft　light　gray　silk　with

touches　of　lavender　and　lace。　　She　made　a　heavy　list

of　purchases　at　Brownlee's；　and　the　remainder　of　the　day

she　did　business　in　her　direct　and　spirited　way。　　At　night

she　was　so　tired　she　scarcely　could　walk　home；　but　she

built　a　fire　and　cooked　and　ate　a　hearty　meal。



Later　she　went　out　beside　the　west　fence　and　gathered

an　armful　of　tansy　which　she　boiled　to　a　thick　green　tea。　

Then　she　stirred　in　oatmeal　until　it　was　a　stiff　paste。　

She　spread　a　sheet　over　her　bed　and　began　tearing　strips

of　old　muslin。　　She　bandaged　each　hand　and　arm　with　the

mixture　and　plastered　the　soggy；　evil…smelling　stuff　in　a

thick　poultice　over　her　face　and　neck。　　She　was　so　tired

she　went　to　sleep；　and　when　she　awoke　she　was　half　skinned。　

She　bathed　her　face　and　hands；　did　the　work　and　went　back

to　town；　coming　home　at　night　to　go　through　the　same　process。



By　the　third　morning　she　was　a　raw　even　red；　the　fourth

she　had　faded　to　a　brilliant　pink　under　the　soothing

influence　of　a　cream　recommended。　　That　day　came　a

letter　from　Elnora　saying　that　she　would　remain　where

she　was　until　Saturday　morning；　and　then　come　to　Ellen

Brownlee's　at　Onabasha　and　stay　for　the　Saturday's

session　of　teachers　to　arrange　their　year's　work。　

Sunday　was　Ellen's　last　day　at　home；　and　she　wanted　Elnora

very　much。　　She　had　to　call　together　the　orchestra　and

practise　them　Sunday；　and　could　not　come　home　until

after　school　Monday　night。　　Mrs。　Comstock　at　once

answered　the　letter　saying　those　arrangements　suited　her。



The　following　day　she　was　a　pale　pink；　later　a　delicate

porcelain　white。　　Then　she　went　to　a　hairdresser　and

had　the　rope　of　snowy　hair　which　covered　her　scalp　washed；

dressed；　and　fastened　with　such　pins　and　combs　as　were

decided　to　be　most　becoming。　　She　took　samples　of　her

dresses；　went　to　a　milliner；　and　bought　a　street　hat　to

match　her　suit；　and　a　gray　satin　with　lavender　orchids　to

wear　with　the　silk　dress。　　Her　last　investment　was　a　loose

coat　of　soft　gray　broadcloth　with　white　lining；　and　touches

of　lavender　on　the　embroidered　collar；　and　gray　gloves　to　match。



Then　she　went　home；　rested　and　worked　by　turns

until　Monday。　　When　school　closed　on　that　evening；

Elnora；　so　tired　she　almost　trembled；　came　down　the

long　walk　after　a　late　session　of　teachers'　meeting；

to　be　stopped　by　a　messenger　boy。



〃There's　a　lady　wants　to　see　you　most　important。　

I　am　to　take　you　to　the　place；〃　he　said。



Elnora　groaned。　　She　could　not　imagine　who　wanted

her；　but　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　find　out；　tired　and

anxious　to　see　her　mother　as　she　was。



〃This　is　the　place；〃　said　the　boy；　and　went　his　way　whistling。　

Elnora　was　three　blocks　from　the　high　school　building　on　the

same　street。　　She　was　before　a　quaint　old　house；　fresh　with

paint　and　covered　with　vines。　　There　was　a　long　wide　lot；

grass…covered；　closely　set　with　trees；　and　a　barn　and　chicken

park　at　the　back　that　seemed