a girl of the limberlost-第49章

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〃Think　what　he　said！〃　she　cried。　　〃He　accepted　my　decision

as　final；　‘in　the　presence　of　witnesses；'　as　if　it　were　court。　　

He　can　return　it　to　me；　if　I　ever　wear　it　again。〃



〃You　think　that　now；　but　in　a　few　days　you　will　find

that　you　feel　very　differently。　　Living　a　life　of　heartache

is　no　joke；　and　no　job　for　a　woman。　　Put　on　your　ring　and

send　me　to　tell　him　to　come。〃



〃No。〃



〃Edith；　there　was　not　a　soul　who　saw　that；　but　sympathized

with　Phil。　　It　was　ridiculous　for　you　to　get　so　angry　over

a　thing　which　was　never　intended　for　the　slightest　offence；

and　by　no　logical　reasoning　could　have　been　so　considered。〃



〃Do　you　think　that？〃　she　demanded。



〃I　do！〃　said　Henderson。　　〃If　you　had　laughed　and　stepped

aside　an　instant；　or　laughed　and　stayed　where　you　were；

Phil　would　have　been　back；　or；　if　he　needed　punishment

in　your　eyes；　to　have　found　me　having　one　of　his　dances

would　have　been　enough。　　I　was　waiting。　　You　could　have

called　me　with　one　look。　　But　to　publicly　do　and　say

what　you　did；　my　ladyI　know　Phil；　and　I　know　you

went　too　far。　　Put　on　that　ring；　and　send　him　word

you　are　sorry；　before　it　is　too　late。〃



〃I　will　not！　　He　shall　come　to　me。〃



〃Then　God　help　you！〃　said　Henderson；　〃for　you　are

plunging　into　misery　whose　depth　you　do　not　dream。　

Edith；　I　beg　of　you〃



She　swayed　where　she　stood。　　Her　maid　opened　the　door

and　caught　her。　　Henderson　went　down　the　hall　and　out

to　his　car。









CHAPTER　XX





WHEREIN　THE　ELDER　AMMON　OFFERS　ADVICE；

AND　EDITH　CARR　EXPERIENCES　REGRETS





Philip　Ammon　walked　from　among　his　friends　a

humiliated　and　a　wounded　man。　　Never　before　had

Edith　Carr　appeared　quite　so　beautiful。　　All　evening

she　had　treated　him　with　unusual　consideration。　

Never　had　he　loved　her　so　deeply。　　Then　in　a　few　seconds

everything　was　different。　　Seeing　the　change　in　her　face；

and　hearing　her　meaningless　accusations；　killed　something

in　his　heart。　　Warmth　went　out　and　a　cold　weight　took

its　place。　　But　even　after　that；　he　had　offered　the　ring

to　her　again；　and　asked　her　before　others　to　reconsider。　

The　answer　had　been　further　insult。



He　walked；　paying　no　heed　to　where　he　went。　　He　had

traversed　many　miles　when　he　became　aware　that　his　feet

had　chosen　familiar　streets。　　He　was　passing　his　home。　

Dawn　was　near；　but　the　first　floor　was　lighted。　

He　staggered　up　the　steps　and　was　instantly　admitted。　

The　library　door　stood　open；　while　his　father　sat　with

a　book　pretending　to　read。　　At　Philip's　entrance　the

father　scarcely　glanced　up。



〃Come　on！〃　he　called。　　〃I　have　just　told　Banks　to　bring

me　a　cup　of　coffee　before　I　turn　in。　　Have　one　with　me！〃



Philip　sat　beside　the　table　and　leaned　his　head　on　his

hands；　but　he　drank　a　cup　of　steaming　coffee　and　felt　better。



〃Father；〃　he　said；　〃father；　may　I　talk　with　you　a　little　while？〃



〃Of　course；〃　answered　Mr。　Ammon。　　〃I　am　not　at

all　tired。　　I　think　I　must　have　been　waiting　in　the

hope　that　you　would　come。　　I　want　no　one's　version

of　this　but　yours。　　Tell　me　the　straight　of　the

thing；　Phil。〃



Philip　told　all　he　knew；　while　his　father　sat　in　deep　thought。



〃On　my　life　I　can't　see　any　occasion　for　such　a　display　of

temper；　Phil。　　It　passed　all　bounds　of　reason　and　breeding。　

Can't　you　think　of　anything　more？〃



〃I　cannot！〃



〃Polly　says　every　one　expected　you　to　carry　the　moth

you　caught　to　Edith。　　Why　didn't　you？〃



〃She　screams　if　a　thing　of　that　kind　comes　near　her。　

She　never　has　taken　the　slightest　interest　in　them。　　I　was

in　a　big　hurry。　　I　didn't　want　to　miss　one　minute　of　my

dance　with　her。　　The　moth　was　not　so　uncommon；　but　by

a　combination　of　bad　luck　it　had　become　the　rarest　in

America　for　a　friend　of　mine；　who　is　making　a　collection　to

pay　college　expenses。　　For　an　instant　last　June　the　series

was　completed；　when　a　woman's　uncontrolled　temper　ruined

this　specimen　and　the　search　for　it　began　over。　　A　few

days　later　a　pair　was　secured；　and　again　the　money　was

in　sight　for　several　hours。　　Then　an　accident　wrecked

one…fourth　of　the　collection。　　I　helped　replace　those

last　June；　all　but　this　Yellow　Emperor　which　we　could

not　secure；　and　we　haven't　been　able　to　find；　buy　or

trade　for　one　since。　　So　my　friend　was　compelled　to　teach

this　past　winter　instead　of　going　to　college。　　When　that

moth　came　flying　in　there　to…night；　it　seemed　to　me　like　fate。　

All　I　thought　of　was；　that　to　secure　it　would　complete　the

collection　and　secure　the　money。　　So　I　caught　the　Emperor　and

started　it　to　Elnora。　　I　declare　to　you　that　I　was　not　out　of

the　pavilion　over　three　minutes　at　a　liberal　estimate。　　If　I

only　had　thought　to　speak　to　the　orchestra！　　I　was　sure　I

would　be　back　before　enough　couples　gathered　and　formed

for　the　dance。〃



The　eyes　of　the　father　were　very　bright。



〃The　friend　for　whom　you　wanted　the　moth　is　a　girl？〃

he　asked　indifferently；　as　he　ran　the　book　leaves　through

his　fingers。



〃The　girl　of　whom　I　wrote　you　last　summer；　and　told

you　about　in　the　fall。　　I　helped　her　all　the　time　I　was　away。〃



〃Did　Edith　know　of　her？〃



〃I　tried　many　times　to　tell　her；　to　interest　her；　but　she

was　so　indifferent　that　it　was　insulting。　　She　would　not

hear　me。〃



〃We　are　neither　one　in　any　condition　to　sleep。　　Why　don't

you　begin　at　the　first　and　tell　me　about　this　girl？　

To　think　of　other　matters　for　a　time　may　clear　our　vision

for　a　sane　solution　of　this。　　Who　is　she；　just　what　is　she

doing；　and　what　is　she　like？　　You　know　I　was　reared　among

those　Limberlost　people；　I　can　understand　readily。　

What　is　her　name　and　where　does　she　live？〃



Philip　gave　a　man's　version　of　the　previous　summer；

while　his　father　played　with　the　book　industriously。



〃You　are　very　sure　as　to　her　refinement　and　education？〃



〃In　almost　two　months'　daily　association；　could　a　man

be　mistaken？　　She　can　far　and　away　surpass　Polly；　Edith；

or　any　girl　of　our　set　on　any　common；　high　school；　or

supplementary　branch；　and　you　know　high　schools　have

French；　German；　and　physics　now。　　Besides；　she　is　a

graduate　of　two　other　institutions。　　All　her　life　she　has

been　in　the　school　of　Hard　Knocks。　　She　has　the　biggest；

tenderest；　most　human　heart　I　ever　knew　in　a　girl。　　She　has

known　life　in　its　most　cruel　phases；　and　instead　of

hardening　her；　it　has　set　her　trying　to　save　other

people　suffering。　　Then　this　nature　position　of　which

I　told　you；　she　graduated　in　the　School　of　the　Woods；

before　she　secured　that。　　The　Bird　Woman；　whose　work　you

know；　helped　her　there。　　Elnora　knows　more　interesting

things　in　a　minute　than　any　other　girl　I　ever　met　knew　in

an　hour；　provided　you　are　a　person　who　cares　to　understand

plant　and　animal　life。〃



The　book　leaves　slid　rapidly　through　his　fingers　as

the　father　drawled：　　〃What　sort　of　looking　girl　is　she？〃



〃Tall　as　Edith；　a　little　heavier；　pink；　even　complexion；

wide　open　blue…gray　eyes　with　heavy　black　brows；　and

lashes　so　long　they　touch　her　cheeks。　　She　has　a　rope

of　waving；　shining　hair　that　makes　a　real　crown　on　her

head；　and　it　appears　almost　red　in　the　light。　　She　is　as

handsome　as　any　fair　woman　I　ever　saw；　but　she　doesn't

know　it。　　Every　time　any　one　pays　her　a　compliment；

her　mother；　who　is　a　caution；　discovers　that；　for　some

reason；　the　girl　is　a　fright；　so　she　has　no　appreciation　of

her　looks。〃



〃And　you　were　in　daily　association　two　months　with

a　girl　like　that！　　How　about　it；　Phil？〃



〃If　you　mean；　did　I　trifle　with　her；　no！〃　cried　Philip　hotly。　

〃I　told　her　the　second　time　I　met　her　all　about　Edith。　

Almost　every　day　I　wrote　to　Edith　in　her　presence。　

Elnora　gathered　violets　and　made　a　fancy　basket　to　put

them　in　for　Edith's　birthday。　　I　started　to　err　in

too　open　admiration　for　Elnora；　but　her　mother　brought

me　up　with　a　whirl　I　never　forgot。　　Fifty　times　a　day

in　the　swamps　and　forests　Elnora　made　a　perfect　picture；

but　I　neither　looked　nor　said　anything。　　I　never　met

any　girl　so　downright　noble　in　bearing　and　actions。　

I　never　hated　anything　as　I　hated　leaving　her；　for　we　were

dear　friends；　like　two　wholly　congenial　men。　　Her　mother

was　almost　always　with　us。　　She　knew　how　much　I　admired

Elnora；　but　so　long　as　I　concealed　it　from　the　girl；

the　mother　did　not　care。〃



〃Yet　you　left　such　a　girl　and　came　back　whole…hearted

to　Edith　Carr！〃



〃Surely！　　You　know　how　it　has　been　with　me　about

Edith　all　my　life。〃



〃Yet　the　girl　you　picture　is　far　her　superior　to　an

unprejudiced　person；　when　thinking　what　a　man　would

require　in　a　wife　to　be　happy。〃



〃I　never　have　thought　what　I　would　‘require'　to　be　happy！　

I　only　thought　whether　I　could　make　Edith　happy。　　I　have

been　an　idiot！　　What　I've　borne　you'll　never　know！　

To…night　is　only　one　of　many　outbursts　like　that；

in　varying　and　lesser　degrees。〃



〃Phil；　I　love　you；　when　you　say　you　have　thought

only　of　Edith！　　I　happen　to　know　that　it　is　true。　

You　are　my　only　son；　and　I　have　had　a　right　to　watch

you　closely。　　I　believe　you　utterly。　　Any　one　who　cares

for　you　as　I　do；　and　has　had　my　years　of　experience　in

this　world　over　yours；　knows　that　in　some　ways；　to…night

would　be　a　blessed　release；　if　you　could　take　it；　but

you　cannot！　　Go　to　bed　now；　and　rest。　　To…morrow；　go　back

to　her　and　fix　it　up。〃



〃You　heard　what　I　said　when　I　left　her！　　I　said　it　because

something　in　my　heart　died　a　minute　before　that；　and

I　realized　that　it　was　my　love　for　Edith　Carr。　　Never　again

will　I　voluntarily　face　such　a　scene。　　If　she　can　act

like　that　at　a　ball；　before　hundreds；　over　a　thing　of　which

I　thought　nothing　at　all；　she　would　go　into　actual　physical

fits　and　spasms；　over　some　of　the　household　crises　I've

seen　the　mater　meet　with　a　smile。　　Sir；　it　is　truth　that

I　have　thought　only　of　her　up　to　the　present。　　Now；　I

will　admit　I　am　thinking　about　myself。　　Father；　did　you

see　her？　　Life　is　too　short；　and　it　can　be　too　sweet；　to

throw　it　away　in　a　battle　with　an　unrestrained　woman。　

I　am　no　fighterwhere　a　girl　is　concerned；　anyway。　

I　respect　and　love　her　or　I　do　nothing。　　Never　again　is

either　respect　or　love　possible　between　me　and　Edith　Carr。　

Whenever　I　think　of　her　in　the　future；　I　will　see　her　as

she　was　to…night。　　But　I　can't　face　the　crowd　just　yet。　

Could　you　spare　me　a　few　days？〃



〃It　is　only　ten　days　until　you　were　to　go　north　for　the

summer；　go　now。〃



〃I　don't　want　to　go　north。　　I　don't　want　to　meet　people

I　know。　　There；　the　story　would　precede　me。　　I　do　not

need　pitying　glances　or　rough　condolences。　　I　wonder　if

I　could　not　hide　at　Uncle　Ed's　in　Wisconsin　for　awhile？〃



The　book　closed　suddenly。　　The　father　leaned　across

the　table　and　looked　into　the　son's　eyes。



〃Phil；　are　you　sure　of　what　you　just　have　said？〃



〃Perfectly　sure！〃



〃Do　you　think　you　are　in　any　condition　to　decide　to…night？〃



〃Death　cannot　re