a girl of the limberlost-第21节

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and　notified　the　proper　authorities　ending　with　the　Women's

Relief　Association。　　He　sent　a　basket　of　food　to　Belle　and　Jimmy；

bought　Billy　a　pair　of　trousers；　and　a　shirt；　and　went　to

bring　Elnora。



〃Why；　Uncle　Wesley！〃　cried　the　girl。　　〃Where　did　you

find　Billy？〃



〃I've　adopted　him　for　the　time　being；　if　not　longer；〃

replied　Wesley　Sinton。



〃Where　did　you　get　him？〃



〃Well；　young　woman；〃　said　Wesley　Sinton；　〃Mr。　Brownlee

told　me　the　history　of　your　lunch　box。　　It　didn't

seem　so　funny　to　me　as　it　does　to　the　rest　of　them；　so　I

went　to　look　up　the　father　of　Billy's　family；　and　make　him

take　care　of　them；　or　allow　the　law　to　do　it　for　him。　

It　will　have　to　be　the　law。〃



〃He's　deader　than　anything！〃　broke　in　Billy。　　〃He　can't

ever　take　all　the　meat　any　more。〃



〃Billy！〃　gasped　Elnora。



〃Never　you　mind！〃　said　Sinton。　　〃A　child　doesn't　say

such　things　about　a　father　who　loved　and　raised　him　right。　

When　it　happens；　the　father　alone　is　to　blame。　　You　won't

hear　Billy　talk　like　that　about　me　when　I　cross　over。〃



〃You　don't　mean　you　are　going　to　take　him　to　keep！〃



〃I'll　soon　need　help；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Billy　will　come

in　just　about　right　ten　years　from　now；　and　if　I　raise　him

I'll　have　him　the　way　I　want　him。〃



〃But　Aunt　Margaret　doesn't　like　boys；〃　objected　Elnora。



〃Well；　she　likes　me；　and　I　used　to　be　a　boy。　　Anyway；　as

I　remember　she　has　had　her　way　about　everything　at　our

house　ever　since　we　were　married。　　I　am　going　to　please

myself　about　Billy。　　Hasn't　she　always　done　just　as　she

chose　so　far　as　you　know？　　Honest；　Elnora！〃



〃Honest！〃　replied　Elnora。　　〃You　are　beautiful　to　all　of

us；　Uncle　Wesley；　but　Aunt　Margaret　won't　like　Billy。　

She　won't　want　him　in　her　home。〃



〃In　our　home；〃　corrected　Wesley。



〃What　makes　you　want　him？〃　marvelled　Elnora。



〃God　only　knows；〃　said　Sinton。　　〃Billy　ain't　so　beautiful；

and　he　ain't　so　smart；　I　guess　it's　because　he's　so　human。　

My　heart　goes　out　to　him。〃



〃So　did　mine；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　love　him。　　I'd　rather

see　him　eat　my　lunch　than　have　it　myself　any　time。〃



〃What　makes　you　like　him？〃　asked　Wesley。



〃Why；　I　don't　know；〃　pondered　Elnora。　　〃He's　so　little；

he　needs　so　much；　he's　got　such　splendid　grit；　and

he's　perfectly　unselfish　with　his　brother　and　sister。　

But　we　must　wash　him　before　Aunt　Margaret　sees　him。　

I　wonder　if　mother〃



〃You　needn't　bother。　　I'm　going　to　take　him　home　the

way　he　is；〃　said　Sinton。　　〃I　want　Maggie　to　see　the

worst　of　it。〃



〃I'm　afraid〃　began　Elnora。



〃So　am　I；〃　said　Wesley；　〃but　I　won't　give　him　up。　

He's　taken　a　sort　of　grip　on　my　heart。　　I've　always

been　crazy　for　a　boy。　　Don't　let　him　hear　us。〃



〃Don't　let　him　be　killed！〃　cried　Elnora。　　During　their

talk　Billy　had　wandered　to　the　edge　of　the　walk　and

barely　escaped　the　wheels　of　a　passing　automobile　in　an

effort　to　catch　a　stray　kitten　that　seemed　in　danger。



Wesley　drew　Billy　back　to　the　walk；　and　held　his　hand　closely。　

〃Are　you　ready；　Elnora？〃



〃Yes；　you　were　gone　a　long　time；〃　she　said。



Wesley　glanced　at　a　package　she　carried。　　〃Have　to

have　another　book？〃　he　asked。



〃No；　I　bought　this　for　mother。　　I've　had　such　splendid

luck　selling　my　specimens；　I　didn't　feel　right　about　keeping

all　the　money　for　myself；　so　I　saved　enough　from　the

Indian　relics　to　get　a　few　things　I　wanted。　　I　would　have

liked　to　have　gotten　her　a　dress；　but　I　didn't　dare；　so　I

compromised　on　a　book。〃



〃What　did　you　select；　Elnora？〃　asked　Wesley　wonderingly。



〃Well；〃　said　she；　〃I　have　noticed　mother　always　seemed

interested　in　anything　Mark　Twain　wrote　in　the　newspapers；

and　I　thought　it　would　cheer　her　up　a　little；　so　I　just

got　his　‘Innocents　Abroad。'　　I　haven't　read　it　myself；

but　I've　seen　mention　made　of　it　all　my　life；　and　the

critics　say　it's　genuine　fun。〃



〃Good！〃　cried　Sinton。　　〃Good！　　You've　made　a

splendid　choice。　　It　will　take　her　mind　off　herself

a　lot。　　But　she　will　scold　you。〃



〃Of　course；〃　assented　Elnora。　　〃But；　possibly　she　will

read　it；　and　feel　better。　　I'm　going　to　serve　her　a　trick。　

I　am　going　to　hide　it　until　Monday；　and　set　it　on　her　little

shelf　of　books　the　last　thing　before　I　go　away。　　She　must

have　all　of　them　by　heart。　　When；　she　sees　a　new　one　she

can't　help　being　glad；　for　she　loves　to　read；　and　if　she　has

all　day　to　become　interested；　maybe　she'll　like　it　so　she

won't　scold　so　much。〃



〃We　are　both　in　for　it；　but　I　guess　we　are　prepared。　

I　don't　know　what　Margaret　will　say；　but　I'm　going　to　take

Billy　home　and　see。　　Maybe　he　can　win　with　her；　as　he

did　with　us。〃



Elnora　had　doubts；　but　she　did　not　say　anything　more。　

When　they　started　home　Billy　sat　on　the　front　seat。　

He　drove　with　the　hitching　strap　tied　to　the　railing　of

the　dash…board；　flourished　the　whip；　and　yelled

with　delight。　　At　first　Sinton　laughed　with　him；　but

by　the　time　he　left　Elnora　with　several　packages　at　her

gate；　he　was　looking　serious　enough。



Margaret　was　at　the　door　as　they　drove　up　the　lane。　

Wesley　left　Billy　in　the　carriage；　hitched　the　horses　and

went　to　explain　to　her。　　He　had　not　reached　her　before　she

cried；　〃Look；　Wesley；　that　child！　　You'll　have　a　runaway！〃



Wesley　looked　and　ran。　　Billy　was　standing　in　the

carriage　slashing　the　mettlesome　horses　with　the　whip。



〃See　me　make　'em　go！〃　he　shouted　as　the　whip　fell　a

second　time。



He　did　make　them　go。　　They　took　the　hitching　post

and　a　few　fence　palings；　which　scraped　the　paint　from

a　wheel。　　Sinton　missed　the　lines　at　the　first　effort；

but　the　dragging　post　impeded　the　horses；　and　he　soon

caught　them。　　He　led　them　to　the　barn；　and　ordered　Billy

to　remain　in　the　carriage　while　he　unhitched。　　Then　leading

Billy　and　carrying　his　packages　he　entered　the　yard。



〃You　run　play　a　few　minutes；　Billy；〃　he　said。　　〃I　want

to　talk　to　the　nice　lady。〃



The　nice　lady　was　looking　rather　stupefied　as　Wesley

approached　her。



〃Where　in　the　name　of　sense　did　you　get　that　awful

child？〃　she　demanded。



〃He　is　a　young　gentleman　who　has　been　stopping　Elnora

and　eating　her　lunch　every　day；　part　of　the　time

with　the　assistance　of　his　brother　and　sister；　while　our

girl　went　hungry。　　Brownlee　told　me　about　it　at　the　store。　

It's　happened　three　days　running。　　The　first　time　she

went　without　anything；　the　second　time　Brownlee's　girl

took　her　to　lunch；　and　the　third　a　crowd　of　high　school

girls　bought　a　lot　of　stuff　and　met　them　at　the　bridge。　

The　youngsters　seemed　to　think　they　could　rob　her　every

day；　so　I　went　to　see　their　father　about　having　it　stopped。〃



〃Well；　I　should　think　so！〃　cried　Margaret。



〃There　were　three　of　them；　Margaret；〃　said　Wesley；

〃that　little　fellow〃



〃Hyena；　you　mean；〃　interpolated　Margaret。　



〃Hyena；〃　corrected　Wesley　gravely；　〃and　another

boy　and　a　girl；　all　equally　dirty　and　hungry。　　The　man

was　dead。　　They　thought　he　was　in　a　drunken　sleep；

but　he　was　stone　dead。　　I　brought　the　little　boy　with

me；　and　sent　the　officers　and　other　help　to　the　house。　

He's　half　starved。　　I　want　to　wash　him；　and　put　clean

clothes　on　him；　and　give　him　some　supper。〃



〃Have　you　got　anything　to　put　on　him？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Where　did　you　get　it？〃



〃Bought　it。　　It　ain't　much。　　All　I　got　didn't　cost　a　dollar。〃



〃A　dollar　is　a　　good　deal　when　you　work　and　save　for

it　the　way　we　do。〃



〃Well；　I　don't　know　a　better　place　to　put　it。　　Have　you

got　any　hot　water？　　I'll　use　this　tub　at　the　cistern。　

Please　give　me　some　soap　and　towels。〃



Instead　Margaret　pushed　by　him　with　a　shriek。　　Billy　had

played　by　producing　a　cord　from　his　pocket；　and　having

tied　the　tails　of　Margaret's　white　kittens　together；　he　had

climbed　on　a　box　and　hung　them　across　the　clothes　line。　

Wild　with　fright　the　kittens　were　clawing　each　other

to　death；　and　the　air　was　white　with　fur。　　The　string

had　twisted　and　the　frightened　creatures　could　not

recognize　friends。　　Margaret　stepped　back　with　bleeding　hands。　

Sinton　cut　the　cord　with　his　knife　and　the　poor　little　cats

raced　under　the　house　bleeding　and　disfigured。　

Margaret　white　with　wrath　faced　Wesley。



〃If　you　don't　hitch　up　and　take　that　animal　back　to

town；〃　she　said；　〃I　will。〃



Billy　threw　himself　on　the　grass　and　began　to　scream。



〃You　said　I　could　have　fried　chicken　for　supper；〃

he　wailed。　　〃You　said　she　was　a　nice　lady！〃



Wesley　lifted　him　and　something　in　his　manner　of

handling　the　child　infuriated　Margaret。　　His　touch　was

so　gentle。　　She　reached　for　Billy　and　gripped　his　shirt

collar　in　the　back。　　Wesley's　hand　closed　over　hers。



〃Gently；　girl！〃　he　said。　　〃This　little　body　is　covered

with　sores。〃



〃Sores！〃　she　ejaculated。　　〃Sores？　　What　kind　of　sores？〃



〃Oh；　they　might　be　from　bruises　made　by　fists　or　boot

toes；　or　they　might　be　bad　blood；　from　wrong　eating；

or　they　might　be　pure　filth。　　Will　you　hand　me　some　towels？〃