a girl of the limberlost-第60章

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naked…handed　and　wrest　from　it　treasures　that　bring　me

books　and　clothing；　and　I　like　enough　of　a　fight　for　things

that　I　always　remember　how　I　got　them。　　I　even　enjoy

seeing　a　canny　old　vulture　eyeing　me　as　if　it　were　saying：　

‘Ware　the　sting　of　the　rattler；　lest　I　pick　your　bones　as　I

did　old　Limber's。'　I　like　sufficient　danger　to　put　an　edge

on　life。　　This　is　so　tame。　　I　should　have　loved　it　when　all

the　homes　were　cabins；　and　watchers　for　the　stealthy

Indian　canoes　patrolled　the　shores。　　You　wait　until

mother　comes；　and　if　my　violin　isn't　angry　with　me　for

leaving　it；　to…night　we　shall　sing　you　the　Song　of

the　Limberlost。　　You　shall　hear　the　big　gold　bees　over　the

red；　yellow；　and　purple　flowers；　bird　song；　wind　talk；　and

the　whispers　of　Sleepy　Snake　Creek；　as　it　goes　past　you。　

You　will　know！〃　　Elnora　turned　to　Freckles。



He　nodded。　　〃Who　better？〃　he　asked。　　〃This　is　secure

while　the　children　are　so　small；　but　when　they　grow　larger；

we　are　going　farther　north；　into　real　forest；　where　they　can

learn　self…reliance　and　develop　backbone。〃



Elnora　laid　away　the　violin。　　〃Come　along；　children；〃

she　said。　　〃We　must　get　at　that　backbone　business　at　once。　

Let's　race　to　the　playhouse。〃



With　the　brood　at　her　heels　Elnora　ran；　and　for　an　hour

lively　sounds　stole　from　the　remaining　spot　of　forest　on　the

Island；　which　lay　beside　the　O'More　cottage。　　Then　Terry

went　to　the　playroom　to　bring　Alice　her　doll。　　He　came

racing　back；　dragging　it　by　one　leg；　and　crying：　

〃There's　company！　　Someone　has　come　that　mamma　and　papa

are　just　tearing　down　the　house　over。　　I　saw　through

the　window。〃



〃It　could　not　be　my　mother；　yet；〃　mused　Elnora。　　〃Her　boat

is　not　due　until　twelve。　　Terry；　give　Alice　that　doll〃



〃It's　a　man…person；　and　I　don't　know　him；　but　my

father　is　shaking　his　hand　right　straight　along；　and　my

mother　is　running　for　a　hot　drink　and　a　cushion。　　It's　a

kind　of　a　sick　person；　but　they　are　going　to　make　him　well

right　away；　any　one　can　see　that。　　This　is　the　best　place。



I'll　go　tell　him　to　come　lie　on　the　pine　needles　in　the　sun

and　watch　the　sails　go　by。　　That　will　fix　him！〃



〃Watch　sails　go　by；〃　chanted　Little　Brother。　　〃'A　fix　him！　

Elnora　fix　him；　won't　you？〃



〃I　don't　know　about　that；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃What　sort

of　person　is　he；　Terry？〃



〃A　beautiful　white　person；　but　my　father　is　going　to

‘colour　him　up；'　I　heard　him　say　so。　　He's　just　out　of　the

hospital；　and　he　is　a　bad　person；　'cause　he　ran　away　from

the　doctors　and　made　them　awful　angry。　　But　father

and　mother　are　going　to　doctor　him　better。　　I　didn't　know

they　could　make　sick　people　well。〃



〃'Ey　do　anyfing！〃　boasted　Little　Brother。



Before　Elnora　missed　her；　Alice；　who　had　gone　to

investigate；　came　flying　across　the　shadows　and　through　the

sunshine　waving　a　paper。　　She　thurst　it　into　Elnora's　hand。



〃There　is　a　man…persona　stranger…person！〃　she　shouted。　

〃But　he　knows　you！　　He　sent　you　that！　　You　are　to　be

the　doctor！　　He　said　so！　　Oh；　do　hurry！　　I　like　him　heaps！〃



Elnora　read　Edith　Carr's　telegram　to　Philip　Ammon

and　understood　that　he　had　been　ill；　that　she　had　been

located　by　Edith　who　had　notified　him。　　In　so　doing

she　had　acknowledged　defeat。　　At　last　Philip　was　free。　

Elnora　looked　up　with　a　radiant　face。



〃I　like　him　‘heaps'　myself！〃　she　cried。　　〃Come　on

children；　we　will　go　tell　him　so。〃



Terry　and　Alice　ran；　but　Elnora　had　to　suit　her　steps

to　Little　Brother；　who　was　her　loyal　esquire；　and　would

have　been　heartbroken　over　desertion　and　insulted　at

being　carried。　　He　was　rather　dragged；　but　he　was

arriving；　and　the　emergency　was　great；　he　could　see　that。　



〃She's　coming！〃　shouted　Alice。



〃She's　going　to　be　the　doctor！〃　cried　Terry。



〃She　looked　just　like　she'd　seen　angels　when　she　read

the　letter；〃　explained　Alice。



〃She　likes　you　‘heaps！'　　She　said　so！〃　danced　Terry。　

〃Be　waiting！　　Here　she　is！〃



Elnora　helped　Little　Brother　up　the　steps；　then　deserted

him　and　came　at　a　rush。　　The　stranger…person　stood

holding　out　trembling　arms。



〃Are　you　sure；　at　last；　runaway？〃　asked　Philip　Ammon。



〃Perfectly　sure！〃　cried　Elnora。



〃Will　you　marry　me　now？〃



〃This　instant！　　That　is；　any　time　after　the　noon　boat

comes　in。〃



〃Why　such　unnecessary　delay？〃　demanded　Ammon。



〃It　is　almost　September；〃　explained　Elnora。　　〃I　sent

for　mother　three　days　ago。　　We　must　wait　until　she　comes；

and　we　either　have　to　send　for　Uncle　Wesley　and　Aunt

Margaret；　or　go　to　them。　　I　couldn't　possibly　be　married

properly　without　those　dear　people。〃



〃We　will　send；〃　decided　Ammon。　　〃The　trip　will　be

a　treat　for　them。　　O'More；　would　you　get　off　a　message

at　once？〃



Every　one　met　the　noon　boat。　　They　went　in　the　motor

because　Philip　was　too　weak　to　walk　so　far。　　As　soon　as

people　could　be　distinguished　at　all　Elnora　and　Philip

sighted　an　erect　figure；　with　a　head　like　a　snowdrift。　

When　the　gang…plank　fell　the　first　person　across　it　was

a　lean；　red…haired　boy　of　eleven；　carrying　a　violin　in

one　hand　and　an　enormous　bouquet　of　yellow　marigolds　and

purple　asters　in　the　other。　　He　was　beaming　with　broad

smiles　until　he　saw　Philip。　　Then　his　expression　changed。



〃Aw；　say！〃　he　exclaimed　reproachfully。　　〃I　bet　you

Aunt　Margaret　is　right。　　He　is　going　to　be　your　beau！〃



Elnora　stooped　to　kiss　Billy　as　she　caught　her　mother。



〃There；　there！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Don't　knock

my　headgear　into　my　eye。　　I'm　not　sure　I've　got　either

hat　or　hair。　　The　wind　blew　like　bizzem　coming　up　the　river。〃



She　shook　out　her　skirts；　straightened　her　hat；　and

came　forward　to　meet　Philip；　who　took　her　into　his　arms

and　kissed　her　repeatedly。　　Then　he　passed　her　along　to

Freckles　and　the　Angel　to　whom　her　greetings　were　mingled

with　scolding　and　laughter　over　her　wind…blown　hair。



〃No　doubt　I'm　a　precious　spectacle！〃　she　said　to　the　Angel。　

〃I　saw　your　pa　a　little　before　I　started；　and　he　sent　you

a　note。　　It's　in　my　satchel。　　He　said　he　was　coming　up

next　week。　　What　a　lot　of　people　there　are　in　this　world！　

And　what　on　earth　are　all　of　them　laughing　about？　

Did　none　of　them　ever　hear　of　sickness；　or　sorrow；

or　death？　　Billy；　don't　you　go　to　playing　Indian　or

chasing　woodchucks　until　you　get　out　of　those　clothes。　

I　promised　Margaret　I'd　bring　back　that　suit　good　as　new。〃



Then　the　O'More　children　came　crowding　to　meet　Elnora's　mother。




〃Merry　Christmas！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock；　gathering

them　in。　　〃Got　everything　right　here　but　the　tree；　and

there　seems　to　be　plenty　of　them　a　little　higher　up。　

If　this　wind　would　stiffen　just　enough　more　to　blow　away

the　people；　so　one　could　see　this　place；　I　believe　it　would

be　right　decent　looking。〃



〃See　here；〃　whispered　Elnora　to　Philip。　　〃You　must

fix　this　with　Billy。　　I　can't　have　his　trip　spoiled。〃



〃Now；　here　is　where　I　dust　the　rest　of　'em！〃　complacently

remarked　Mrs。　Comstock；　as　she　climbed　into　the　motor　car

for　her　first　ride；　in　company　with　Philip　and　Little　Brother。　

〃I　have　been　the　one　to　trudge　the　roads　and　hop　out　of　the

way　of　these　things　for　quite　a　spell。〃



She　sat　very　erect　as　the　car　rolled　into　the　broad　main

avenue；　where　only　stray　couples　were　walking。　　Her　eyes

began　to　twinkle　and　gleam。　　Suddenly　she　leaned　forward

and　touched　the　driver　on　the　shoulder。



〃Young　man；〃　she　said；　〃just　you　toot　that　horn　suddenly

and　shave　close　enough　a　few　of　those　people；　so　that　I

can　see　how　I　look　when　I　leap　for　ragweed　and　snake　fences。〃



The　amazed　chauffeur　glanced　questioningly　at　Philip

who　slightly　nodded。　　A　second　later　there　was　a　quick

〃honk！〃　and　a　swerve　at　a　corner。　　A　man　engrossed

in　conversation　grabbed　the　woman　to　whom　he　was　talking

and　dashed　for　the　safety　of　a　lawn。　　The　woman

tripped　in　her　skirts；　and　as　she　fell　the　man　caught　and

dragged　her。　　Both　of　them　turned　red　faces　to　the　car

and　berated　the　driver。　　Mrs。　Comstock　laughed　in

unrestrained　enjoyment。　　Then　she　touched　the　chauffeur　again。



〃That's　enough；〃　she　said。　　〃It　seems　a　mite　risky。〃　

A　minute　later　she　added　to　Philip；　〃If　only　they　had

been　carrying　six　pounds　of　butter　and　ten　dozen　eggs

apiece；　wouldn't　that　have　been　just　perfect？〃



Billy　had　wavered　between　Elnora　and　the　motor；　but

his　loyal　little　soul　had　been　true　to　her；　so　the　walk　to

the　cottage　began　with　him　at　her　side。　　Long　before

they　arrived　the　little　O'Mores　had　crowded　around　and

captured　Billy；　and　he　was　giving　them　an　expurgated

version　of　Mrs。　Comstock's　tales　of　Big　Foot　and　Adam

Poe；　boasting　that　Uncle　Wesley　had　been　in　the　camps

of　Me…shin…go…me…sia　and　knew　Wa…ca…co…nah　before

he　got　religion　and　dressed　like　white　men；　while　the

mighty　prowess　of　Snap　as　a　woodchuck　hunter　was　done

full　justice。　　When　they　reached　the　cottage　Philip　took

Billy　aside；　showed　him　the　emerald　ring　and　gravely

asked　his　permission　to　marry　Elnora。　　Billy　struggled

to　be　just；　but　it　was　going　hard　with　him；　when　Alice；

who　kept　close　enough　to　hear；　intervened。



〃Why　don't　you　let　them　get　married？〃　she　asked。　

〃You　are　much　too　small　for　her。　　You　wait　for　me！〃



Billy　studied　her　intently。　　At　last　he　turned　to　Ammon。　

〃Aw；　well！　　Go　on；　then！〃　he　said　gruffly。　　〃I'll　marry　Alice！〃



Alice　reached　her　hand。　　〃If　you　got　that　settled

let's　put　on　our　Indian　clothes；　call　the　boys；　and　go　to

the　playhouse。〃



〃I　haven't　got　any　Indian　clothes；〃　said　Billy　ruefully。



〃Yes；　you　have；〃　explained　Alice。　　〃Father　bought

you　some　coming　from　the　dock。　　You　can　put　them　on　in

the　playhouse。　　The　boys　do。〃



Billy　examined　the　playhouse　with　gleaming　eyes。



Never　had　he　encountered　such　possibilities。　　He　could

see　a　hundred　amusing　things　to　try；　and　he　could　not

decide　which　to　do　first。　　The　most　immediate　attraction

seemed　to　be　a　dead　pine；　held　perpendicularly　by　its

fellows；　while　its　bark　had　decayed　and　fallen；　leaving

a　bare；　smooth　trunk。



〃If　we　just　had　some　grease　that　would　make　the　dandiest

pole　to　play　Fourth　of　July　with！〃　he　shouted。



The　children　remembered　the　Fourth。　　It　had　been

great　fun。



〃Butter　is　grease。　　There　is　plenty　in　the　'frigerator；〃

suggested　Alice；　speeding　away。



Billy　caught　the　cold　roll　and　began　to　rub　it　against

the　tree　excitedly。



〃How　are　you　going　to　get　it　greased　to　the　top？〃　inquired　Terry。



Billy's　face　lengthened。　　〃That's　so！〃　he　said。　　〃The　thing

is　to　begin　at　the　top　and　grease　down。　　I'll　show　you！〃



Billy　put　the　butter　in　his　handkerchief　and　took　the

corners　between　his　teeth。　　He　climbed　the　pole；　greasing

it　as　he　slid　down。



〃Now；　I　got　to　try　first；〃　he　said；　〃because　I'm　the

biggest　and　so　I　have　the　best　chance；　only　the　one　that

goes　first　hasn't　hardly　any　chance　at　all；　because　he　has

to　wipe　off　the　grease　on　himsel