a girl of the limberlost-第16节

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There　was　salad　in　the　little　box；　fried　chicken　in　the　large

one；　and　nut　sandwiches　in　the　tray。　　You　can　see　the

crumbs　of　all　of　them。　　A　man　set　a　dog　on　a　child　who　was

so　starved　he　was　stealing　apples。　　I　talked　with　him；　and

I　thought　I　could　bear　hunger　better；　he　was　such　a　little　boy；

so　I　gave　him　my　lunch；　and　got　the　sandwich　at　the　restaurant。〃



Elnora　held　out　the　box。　　The　girls　were　laughing　by

that　time。　　〃You　goose；〃　said　one；　〃why　didn't　you　give

him　the　money；　and　save　your　lunch？〃



〃He　was　such　a　little　fellow；　and　he　really　was　hungry；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃I　often　go　without　anything　to　eat　at　noon

in　the　fields　and　woods；　and　never　think　of　it。〃



She　closed　the　box　and　set　it　beside　the　lunches　of　other

country　pupils。　　While　her　back　was　turned；　into　the

room　came　the　girl　of　her　encounter　on　the　first　day；

walked　to　the　rack；　and　with　an　exclamation　of　approval

took　down　Elnora's　hat。



〃Just　the　thing　I　have　been　wanting！〃　she　said。　　〃I　never

saw　such　beautiful　quills　in　all　my　life。　　They　match

my　new　broadcloth　to　perfection。　　I've　got　to　have　that

kind　of　quills　for　my　hat。　　I　never　saw　the　like！　　Whose　is

it；　and　where　did　it　come　from？〃



No　one　said　a　word；　for　Elnora's　question；　the　reply；　and

her　answer；　had　been　repeated。　　Every　one　knew　that　the

Limberlost　girl　had　come　out　ahead　and　Sadie　Reed　had

not　been　amiable；　when　the　little　flourish　had　been　added

to　Elnora's　name　in　the　algebra　class。　　Elnora's　swift

glance　was　pathetic；　but　no　one　helped　her。　　Sadie　Reed

glanced　from　the　hat　to　the　faces　around　her　and　wondered。



〃Why；　this　is　the　Freshman　section；　whose　hat　is　it？〃

she　asked　again；　this　time　impatiently。



〃That's　the　tassel　of　the　cornstock；〃　said　Elnora　with　a

forced　laugh。



The　response　was　genuine。　　Every　one　shouted。　　Sadie　Reed

blushed；　but　she　laughed　also。



〃Well；　it's　beautiful；〃　she　said；　〃especially　the　quills。　

They　are　exactly　what　I　want。　　I　know　I　don't　deserve

any　kindness　from　you；　but　I　do　wish　you　would　tell　me

at　whose　store　you　found　those　quills。〃



〃Gladly！〃　said　Elnora。　　You　can't　buy　quills　like　those

at　a　store。　　They　are　from　a　living　bird。　　Phoebe　Simms

gathers　them　in　her　orchard　as　her　peacocks　shed　them。　

They　are　wing　quills　from　the　males。〃



Then　there　was　perfect　silence。　　How　was　Elnora　to

know　that　not　a　girl　there　would　have　told　that？



〃I　haven't　a　doubt　but　I　can　get　you　some；〃　she　offered。　

〃She　gave　Aunt　Margaret　a　large　bunch；　and　those　are　part

of　them。　　I　am　quite　sure　she　has　more；　and　would　spare　some。〃



Sadie　Reed　laughed　shortly。　　〃You　needn't　trouble；〃

she　said；　〃I　was　fooled。　　I　thought　they　were　expensive　quills。　

I　wanted　them　for　a　twenty…dollar　velvet　toque　to　match　my

new　suit。　　If　they　are　gathered　from　the　ground；　really；

I　couldn't　use　them。〃



〃Only　in　spots！〃　said　Elnora。　　〃They　don't　just　cover

the　earth。　　Phoebe　Simms's　peacocks　are　the　only　ones

within　miles　of　Onabasha；　and　they　moult　but　once　a　year。　

If　your　hat　cost　only　twenty　dollars；　it's　scarcely　good

enough　for　those　quills。　　You　see；　the　Almighty　made　and

coloured　those　Himself；　and　He　puts　the　same　kind　on

Phoebe　Simms's　peacocks　that　He　put　on　the　head　of　the

family　in　the　forests　of　Ceylon；　away　back　in　the　beginning。　

Any　old　manufactured　quill　from　New　York　or　Chicago

will　do　for　your　little　twenty…dollar　hat。　　You　should　have

something　infinitely　better　than　that　to　be　worthy　of　quills

that　are　made　by　the　Creator。〃



How　those　girls　did　laugh！　　One　of　them　walked　with

Elnora　to　the　auditorium；　sat　beside　her　during　exercises；

and　tried　to　talk　whenever　she　dared；　to　keep　Elnora

from　seeing　the　curious　and　admiring　looks　bent　upon　her。



For　the　brown…eyed　boy　whistled；　and　there　was　pantomime

of　all　sorts　going　on　behind　Elnora's　back　that　day。　

Happy　with　her　books；　no　one　knew　how　much　she　saw；

and　from　her　absorption　in　her　studies　it　was　evident　she

cared　too　little　to　notice。



After　school　she　went　again　to　the　home　of　the　Bird

Woman；　and　together　they　visited　the　swamp　and　carried

away　more　specimens。　　This　time　Elnora　asked　the　Bird

Woman　to　keep　the　money　until　noon　of　the　next　day；

when　she　would　call　for　it　and　have　it　added　to　her

bank　account。　　She　slowly　walked　home；　for　the　visit　to

the　swamp　had　brought　back　full　force　the　experience　of

the　morning。　　Again　and　again　she　examined　the　crude　little

note；　for　she　did　not　know　what　it　meant；　yet　it　bred

vague　fear。　　The　only　thing　of　which　Elnora　knew　herself

afraid　was　her　mother；　when　with　wild　eyes　and　ears　deaf　to

childish　pleading；　she　sometimes　lost　control　of　herself　in

the　night　and　visited　the　pool　where　her　husband　had　sunk

before　her；　calling　his　name　in　unearthly　tones　and　begging

of　the　swamp　to　give　back　its　dead。









CHAPTER　VI





WHEREIN　MRS。　COMSTOCK　INDULGES　IN　〃FRILLS；〃

AND　BILLY　REAPPEARS





It　was　Wesley　Sinton　who　really　wrestled　with

Elnora's　problem　while　he　drove　about　his　business。　

He　was　not　forced　to　ask　himself　what　it　meant；　he　knew。　

The　old　Corson　gang　was　still　holding　together。　

Elder　members　who　had　escaped　the　law　had　been　joined　by

a　younger　brother　of　Jack's；　and　they　met　in　the　thickest

of　the　few　remaining　fast　places　of　the　swamp　to　drink；

gamble；　and　loaf。　　Then　suddenly；　there　would　be　a

robbery　in　some　country　house　where　a　farmer　that　day　had

sold　his　wheat　or　corn　and　not　paid　a　visit　to　the　bank；

or　in　some　neighbouring　village。



The　home　of　Mrs。　Comstock　and　Elnora　adjoined　the　swamp。　

Sinton's　land　lay　next；　and　not　another　residence　or　man

easy　to　reach　in　case　of　trouble。　　Whoever　wrote　that

note　had　some　human　kindness　in　his　breast；　but　the　fact

stood　revealed　that　he　feared　his　strength　if　Elnora　were

delivered　into　his　hands。　　Where　had　he　been　the　previous

night　when　he　heard　that　prayer？　　Was　that　the　first　time

he　had　been　in　such　proximity？　　Sinton　drove　fast；

for　he　wished　to　reach　the　swamp　before　Elnora　and　the

Bird　Woman　would　go　there。



At　almost　four　he　came　to　the　case；　and　dropping　on　his

knees　studied　the　ground；　every　sense　alert。　　He　found

two　or　three　little　heel　prints。　　Those　were　made　by

Elnora　or　the　Bird　Woman。　　What　Sinton　wanted　to　learn

was　whether　all　the　remainder　were　the　footprints　of

one　man。　　It　was　easily　seen；　they　were　not。　　There　were

deep；　even　tracks　made　by　fairly　new　shoes；　and　others

where　a　well…worn　heel　cut　deeper　on　the　inside　of

the　print　than　at　the　outer　edge。　　Undoubtedly　some　of

Corson's　old　gang　were　watching　the　case；　and　the　visits

of　the　women　to　it。　　There　was　no　danger　that　any　one

would　attack　the　Bird　Woman。　　She　never　went　to　the

swamp　at　night；　and　on　her　trips　in　the　daytime；　every　one

knew　that　she　carried　a　revolver；　understood　how　to　use　it；

and　pursued　her　work　in　a　fearless　manner。



Elnora；　prowling　around　the　swamp　and　lured　into　the

interior　by　the　flight　of　moths　and　butterflies；　Elnora；

without　father；　money；　or　friends　save　himself；　to　defend

herElnora　was　a　different　proposition。　　For　this　to

happen　just　when　the　Limberlost　was　bringing　the　very

desire　of　her　heart　to　the　girl；　it　was　too　bad。



Sinton　was　afraid　for　her；　yet　he　did　not　want　to　add

the　burden　of　fear　to　Katharine　Comstock's　trouble；　or　to

disturb　the　joy　of　Elnora　in　her　work。　　He　stopped　at　the

cabin　and　slowly　went　up　the　walk。　　Mrs。　Comstock　was

sitting　on　the　front　steps　with　some　sewing。　　The　work

seemed　to　Sinton　as　if　she　might　be　engaged　in　putting　a

tuck　in　a　petticoat。　　He　thought　of　how　Margaret　had

shortened　Elnora's　dress　to　the　accepted　length　for　girls　of

her　age；　and　made　a　mental　note　of　Mrs。　Comstock's　occupation。



She　dropped　her　work　on　her　lap；　laid　her　hands　on　it

and　looked　into　his　face　with　a　sneer。



〃You　didn't　let　any　grass　grow　under　your　feet；〃　she　said。



Sinton　saw　her　white；　drawn　face　and　comprehended。



〃I　went　to　pay　a　debt　and　see　about　this　opening　of　the

ditch；　Kate。〃



〃You　said　you　were　going　to　prosecute　me。〃



〃Good　gracious；　Kate！〃　cried　Sinton。　　〃Is　that　what

you　have　been　thinking　all　day？　　I　told　you　before　I　left

yesterday　that　I　would　not　need　do　that。　　And　I　won't！　

We　can't　afford　to　quarrel　over　Elnora。　　She's　all　we've　got。　

Now　that　she　has　proved　that　if　you　don't　do　just

what　I　think　you　ought　by　way　of　clothes　and　schooling；

she　can　take　care　of　herself；　I　put　that　out　of　my　head。　

What　I　came　to　see　you　about　is　a　kind　of　scare　I've

had　to…day。　　I　want　to　ask　you　if　you　ever　see　anything

about　the　swamp　that　makes　you　think　the　old　Corson　gang

is　still　at　work？〃



〃Can't　say　that　I　do；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃There's　kind

of　dancing　lights　there　sometimes；　but　I　supposed　it

was　just　people　passing　along　the　road　with　lanterns。　

Folks　hereabout　are　none　too　fond　of　the　swamp。　　I　hate