a girl of the limberlost-第14节

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〃You　had　better　let　me　tie　that。　　You　can't　reach

behind　yourself　and　do　it　right。〃



Elnora　gave　a　little　gasp。　　Her　mother　never　before

had　proposed　to　do　anything　for　the　girl　that　by　any

possibility　she　could　do　herself。　　Her　heart　quaked　at

the　thought　of　how　her　mother　would　arrange　that　bow；

but　Elnora　dared　not　refuse。　　The　offer　was　too　precious。　

It　might　never　be　made　again。



〃Oh　thank　you！〃　said　the　girl；　and　sitting　down　she

held　out　the　ribbon。



Her　mother　stood　back　and　looked　at　her　critically。



〃You　haven't　got　that　like　Mag　Sinton　had　it　last

night；〃　she　announced。　　〃You　little　idiot！　　You've　tried

to　plaster　it　down　to　suit　me；　and　you　missed　it。　　I　liked

it　away　better　as　Mag　fixed　it；　after　I　saw　it。　　You　didn't

look　so　peeled。〃



〃Oh　mother；　mother！〃　laughed　Elnora；　with　a　half

sob　in　her　voice。



〃Hold　still；　will　you？〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You'll　be

late；　and　I　haven't　packed　your　dinner　yet。〃



She　untied　the　string　and　shook　out　the　hair。　　It　rose

with　electricity　and　clung　to　her　fingers　and　hands。　　Mrs。

Comstock　jumped　back　as　if　bitten。　　She　knew　that　touch。　

Her　face　grew　white；　and　her　eyes　angry。



〃Tie　it　yourself；〃　she　said　shortly；　〃and　then　I'll　put

on　the　ribbon。　　But　roll　it　back　loose　like　Mag　did。　

It　looked　so　pretty　that　way。〃



Almost　fainting　Elnora　stood　before　the　glass；　divided

off　the　front　parts　of　her　hair；　and　rolled　them　as　Mrs。

Sinton　had　done；　tied　it　at　the　nape　of　her　neck；　then　sat

while　her　mother　arranged　the　ribbon。



〃If　I　pull　it　down　till　it　comes　tight　in　these　creases

where　she　had　it；　it　will　be　just　right；　won't　it？〃　queried

Mrs。　Comstock；　and　the　amazed　Elnora　stammered



〃Yes。〃



When　she　looked　in　the　glass　the　bow　was　perfectly

tied；　and　how　the　gold　tone　of　the　brown　did　match　the

lustre　of　the　shining　hair！　　〃That's　pretty；〃　commented

Mrs。　Comstock's　soul；　but　her　stiff　lips　had　said　all　that

could　be　forced　from　them　for　once。　　Just　then　Wesley

Sinton　came　to　the　door。



〃Good　morning；〃　he　cried　heartily。　　〃Elnora；　you

look　a　picture！　　My；　but　you're　sweet！　　If　any　of　the

city　boys　get　sassy　you　tell　your　Uncle　Wesley；　and

he'll　horsewhip　them。　　Here's　your　Christmas　present

from　me。〃　　He　handed　Elnora　the　leather　lunch　box；　with

her　name　carved　across　the　strap　in　artistic　lettering。



〃Oh　Uncle　Wesley！〃　was　all　Elnora　could　say。



〃Your　Aunt　Maggie　filled　it　for　me　for　a　starter；〃　he　said。　

〃Now；　if　you　are　ready；　I'm　going　to　drive　past　your　way

and　you　can　ride　almost　to　Onabasha　with　me；　and　save

the　new　shoes　that　much。〃



Elnora　was　staring　at　the　box。　　〃Oh　I　hope　it　isn't

impolite　to　open　it　before　you；〃　she　said。　　〃I　just　feel

as　if　I　must　see　inside。〃



〃Don't　you　stand　on　formality　with　the　neighbours；〃

laughed　Sinton。　　〃Look　in　your　box　if　you　want　to！〃



Elnora　slipped　the　strap　and　turned　back　the　lid。



This　disclosed　the　knife；　fork；　napkin；　and　spoon；　the

milk　flask；　and　the　interior　packed　with　dainty　sandwiches

wrapped　in　tissue　paper；　and　the　little　compartments　for

meat；　salad；　and　the　custard　cup。



〃Oh　mother！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃Oh　mother；　isn't　it　fine？　

What　made　you　think　of　it；　Uncle　Wesley？　　How　will　I　ever

thank　you？　　No　one　will　have　a　finer　lunch　box　than　I。　

Oh　I　do　thank　you！　　That's　the　nicest　gift　I　ever　had。　

How　I　love　Christmas　in　September！〃



〃It's　a　mighty　handy　thing；〃　assented　Mrs。　Comstock；

taking　in　every　detail　with　sharp　eyes。　　〃I　guess　you　are

glad　now　you　went　and　helped　Mag　and　Wesley　when　you

could；　Elnora？〃



〃Deedy；　yes；〃　laughed　Elnora；　〃and　I'm　going　again　first

time　they　have　a　big　day　if　I　stay　from　school　to　do　it。〃



〃You'll　do　no　such　thing！〃　said　the　delighted　Sinton。　

〃Come　now；　if　you're　going！〃



〃If　I　ride；　can　you　spare　me　time　to　run　into　the　swamp

to　my　box　a　minute？〃　asked　Elnora。



The　light　she　had　seen　the　previous　night　troubled　her。



〃Sure；〃　said　Wesley　largely。　　So　they　drove　away　and

left　a　white…faced　woman　watching　them　from　the　door；

her　heart　a　little　sorer　than　usual。



〃I'd　give　a　pretty　to　hear　what　he'll　say　to　her！〃　she

commented　bitterly。　　〃Always　sticking　in；　always　doing

things　I　can't　ever　afford。　　Where　on　earth　did　he　get　that

thing　and　what　did　it　cost？〃



Then　she　entered　the　cabin　and　began　the　day's　work；

but　mingled　with　the　brooding　bitterness　of　her　soul　was

the　vision　of　a　sweet　young　face；　glad　with　a　gladness

never　before　seen　on　it；　and　over　and　over　she　repeated：　

〃I　wonder　what　he'll　say　to　her！〃



What　he　said　was　that　she　looked　as　fresh　and　sweet　as　a

posy；　and　to　be　careful　not　to　step　in　the　mud　or　scratch

her　shoes　when　she　went　to　the　case。



Elnora　found　her　key　and　opened　the　door。　　Not　where

she　had　placed　it；　but　conspicuously　in　front　lay　her　little

heap　of　bills；　and　a　crude　scrawl　of　writing　beside　it。　

Elnora　picked　up　the　note　in　astonishment。





DERE　ELNORY；



the　lord　amighty　is　hiding　you　all　right　done　you　ever　dout　it　this

money　of　yourn　was　took　for　some　time　las　nite　but　it　is　returned　with

intres　for　god　sake　done　ever　come　to　the　swamp　at　nite　or　late　evnin

or　mornin　or　far　in　any　time　sompin　worse　an　you　know　could　git　you



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　FREND。





Elnora　began　to　tremble。　　She　hastily　glanced　around。　

The　damp　earth　before　the　case　had　been　trodden　by

large；　roughly　shod　feet。　　She　caught　up　the　money　and

the　note；　thrust　them　into　her　guimpe；　locked　the　case；

and　ran　to　the　road。



She　was　so　breathless　and　her　face　so　white　Sinton　noticed　it。



〃What　in　the　world's　the　matter；　Elnora？〃　he　asked。



〃I　am　half　afraid！〃　she　panted。



〃Tut；　tut；　child！〃　said　Wesley　Sinton。　　〃Nothing　in

the　world　to　be　afraid　of。　　What　happened？〃



〃Uncle　Wesley；〃　said　Elnora；　〃I　had　more　money　than　I

brought　home　last　night；　and　I　put　it　in　my　case。　　Some　one

has　been　there。　　The　ground　is　all　trampled；　and　they

left　this　note。〃



〃And　took　your　money；　I'll　wager；〃　said　Sinton　angrily。



〃No；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃Read　the　note；　and　oh

Uncle　Wesley；　tell　me　what　it　means！〃



Sinton's　face　was　a　study。　　〃I　don't　know　what　it

means；〃　　he　said。　　〃Only　one　thing　is　clear。　　It　means

some　beast　who　doesn't　really　want　to　harm　you　has　got

his　eye　on　you；　and　he　is　telling　you　plain　as　he　can；　not

to　give　him　a　chance。　　You　got　to　keep　along　the　roads；

in　the　open；　and　not　let　the　biggest　moth　that　ever　flew

toll　you　out　of　hearing　of　us；　or　your　mother。　　It　means

that；　plain　and　distinct。〃



〃Just　when　I　can　sell　them！　　Just　when　everything　is　so

lovely　on　account　of　them！　　I　can't！　　I　can't　stay　away

from　the　swamp。　　The　Limberlost　is　going　to　buy　the　books；

the　clothes；　pay　the　tuition；　and　even　start　a　college　fund。　

I　just　can't！〃



〃You've　got　to；〃　said　Sinton。　　〃This　is　plain　enough。　

You　go　far　in　the　swamp　at　your　own　risk；　even　in　daytime。〃



〃Uncle　Wesley；〃　said　the　girl；　〃last　night　before　I　went

to　bed；　I　was　so　happy　I　tried　to　pray；　and　I　thanked　God

for　hiding　me　‘under　the　shadow　of　His　wing。'　　But　how

in　the　world　could　any　one　know　it？〃



Wesley　Sinton's　heart　leaped　in　his　breast。　　His　face

was　whiter　than　the　girl's　now。



〃Were　you　praying　out　loud；　honey？〃　he　almost　whispered。



〃I　might　have　said　words；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃I　know

I　do　sometimes。　　I've　never　had　any　one　to　talk　with；

and　I've　played　with　and　talked　to　myself　all　my　life。　

You've　caught　me　at　it　often；　but　it　always　makes　mother

angry　when　she　does。　　She　says　it's　silly。　　I　forget

and　do　it；　when　I'm　alone。　　But　Uncle　Wesley；　if　I　said

anything　last　night；　you　know　it　was　the　merest　whisper；

because　I'd　have　been　so　afraid　of　waking　mother。　

Don't　you　see？　　I　sat　up　late；　and　studied　two　lessons。〃



Sinton　was　steadying　himself　〃I'll　stop　and　examine

the　case　as　I　come　back；〃　he　said。　　〃Maybe　I　can　find

some　clue。　　That　otherthat　was　just　accidental。　　It's　a

common　expression。　　All　the　preachers　use　it。　　If　I　tried

to　pray；　that　would　be　the　very　first　thing　I'd　say。〃



The　colour　returned　to　Elnora's　face。



〃Did　you　tell　your　mother　about　this　money；　Elnora？〃

he　asked。



〃No；　I　didn't；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃It's　dreadful　not　to；　but

I　was　afraid。　　You　see　they　are　clearing　the　swamp　so　fast。　

Every　year　it　grows　more　difficult　to　find　things；　and

Indian　stuff　becomes　scarcer。　　I　want　to　graduate；　and

that's　four　years　unless　I　can　double　on　the　course。　

That　means　twenty　dollars　tuition　each　year；　and　new　books；

and　clothes。　　There　won't　ever　be　so　much　at　one　time

again；　that　I　know。　　I　just　got　to　hang　to　my　money。　　I　was

afraid　to　tell　her；　for　fear　she　would　want　it　for　taxes；

and　she　really　must　sell　a　tree　or　some　cattle　for　that；

mustn't　she；　Uncle　Wesley？〃



〃On　your　life；　she　must！〃　said　Wesley。　　〃You　put　your

li