a girl of the limberlost-第26节

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Presently　she　was　carrying　the　specimens；　and　he　was

making　the　trips　of　investigation　to　see　which　was　a

cocoon　and　which　a　curled　leaf；　or　he　was　on　his　knees

digging　around　stumps。　　As　he　worked　he　kept　asking　questions。　

What　kind　of　logs　were　best　to　look　beside；　what　trees　were

pupae　cases　most　likely　to　be　under；　on　what　bushes　did

caterpillars　spin　most　frequently？　　Time　passed；　as　it

always　does　when　one's　occupation　is　absorbing。



When　the　Sintons　took　Mrs。　Comstock　home；　they　stopped

to　see　Elnora。　　She　was　not　there。　　Mrs。　Comstock　called

at　the　edge　of　her　woods　and　received　no　reply。　

Then　Wesley　turned　and　drove　back　to　the　Limberlost。　

He　left　Margaret　and　Mrs。　Comstock　holding　the　team　and

entertaining　Billy；　while　he　entered　the　swamp。



Elnora　and　Pete　had　made　a　wide　trail　behind　them。　

Before　Sinton　had　thought　of　calling；　he　heard　voices

and　approached　with　some　caution。　　Soon　he　saw　Elnora；

her　flushed　face　beaming　as　she　bent　with　an　armload　of

twigs　and　branches　and　talked　to　a　kneeling　man。



〃Now　go　cautiously！〃　she　was　saying。　　〃I　am　just　sure

we　will　find　an　Imperialis　here。　　It's　their　very　kind　of

a　place。　　There！　　What　did　I　tell　you！　Isn't　that　splendid？　

Oh；　I　am　so　glad　you　came　with　me！〃



Wesley　stood　staring　in　speechless　astonishment；　for

the　man　had　arisen；　brushed　the　dirt　from　his　hands；　and

held　out　to　Elnora　a　small　shining　dark　pupa　case。　

As　his　face　came　into　view　Sinton　almost　cried　out；　for　he

was　the　one　man　of　all　others　Wesley　knew　with　whom　he

most　feared　for　Elnora's　safety。　　She　had　him　on　his

knees　digging　pupae　cases　for　her　from　the　swamp。



〃Elnora！〃　called　Sinton。　　〃Elnora！〃



〃Oh；　Uncle　Wesley！〃　cried　the　girl。　　〃See　what　luck

we've　had！　　I　know　we　have　a　dozen　and　a　half　cocoons

and　we　have　three　pupae　cases。　　It's　much　harder　to　get

the　cases　because　you　have　to　dig　for　them；　and　you　can't

see　where　to　look。　　But　Pete　is　fine　at　it！　　He's　found

three；　and　he　says　he　will　keep　watch　beside　the　roads；

and　through　the　woods　while　he　hunts。　　Isn't　that　splendid

of　him？　　Uncle　Wesley；　there　is　a　college　over　there

on　the　western　edge　of　the　swamp。　　Look　closely；　and

you　can　see　the　great　dome　up　among　the　clouds。〃



〃I　should　say　you　have　had　luck；〃　said　Wesley；　striving

to　make　his　voice　natural。　　〃But　I　thought　you　were　not

coming　to　the　swamp？〃



〃Well；　I　wasn't；〃　said　Elnora；　〃but　I　couldn't　find

many　anywhere　else；　honest；　I　couldn't；　and　just　as　soon

as　I　came　to　the　edge　I　began　to　see　them　here。　　I　kept

my　promise。　　I　didn't　come　in　alone。　　Pete　came　with　me。　

He's　so　strong；　he　isn't　afraid　of　anything；　and

he's　perfectly　splendid　to　locate　cocoons！　　He's　found

half　of　these。　　Come　on；　Pete；　it's　getting　dark　now；　and

we　must　go。〃



They　started　toward　the　trail；　Pete　carrying　the　cocoons。　

He　left　them　at　the　case；　while　Elnora　and　Wesley　went

on　to　the　carriage　together。



〃Elnora　Comstock；　what　does　this　mean？〃　demanded

her　mother。



〃It's　all　right；　one　of　the　neighbours　was　with　her；　and

she　got　several　dollars'　worth　of　stuff；〃　interposed　Wesley。



〃You　oughter　seen　my　pa；〃　shouted　Billy。　　〃He　was　ist

all　whited　out；　and　he　laid　as　still　as　anything。　

They　put　him　away　deep　in　the　ground。〃



〃Billy！〃　breathed　Margaret　in　a　prolonged　groan。



〃Jimmy　and　Belle　are　going　to　be　together　in　a　nice　place。　

They　are　coming　to　see　me；　and　Snap　is　right　down　here

by　the　wheel。　　Here；　Snap！　　My；　but　he'll　be　tickled

to　get　something　to　eat！　　He's　'most　twisted　as　me。　

They　get　new　clothes；　and　all　they　want　to　eat；　too；

but　they'll　miss　me。　　They　couldn't　have　got　along

without　me。　　I　took　care　of　them。　　I　had　a　lot　of　things

give　to　me　'cause　I　was　the　littlest；　and　I　always　divided

with　them。　　But　they　won't　need　me　now。〃



When　she　left　the　carriage　Mrs。　Comstock　gravely

shook　hands　with　Billy。　　〃Remember；〃　she　said　to　him；

〃I　love　boys；　and　I　love　dogs。　　Whenever　you　don't

have　a　good　time　up　there；　take　your　dog　and　come　right

down　and　be　my　little　boy。　　We　will　just　have　loads　of　fun。　

You　should　hear　the　whistles　I　can　make。　　If　you

aren't　treated　right　you　come　straight　to　me。〃



Billy　wagged　his　head　sagely。　　〃You　ist　bet　I　will！〃

he　said。



〃Mother；　how　could　you？〃　asked　Elnora　as　they　walked

up　the　path。



〃How　could　I；　missy？　　You　better　ask　how　couldn't　I？　

I　just　couldn't！　　Not　for　enough　to　pay；　my　road　tax！　

Not　for　enough　to　pay　the　road　tax；　and　the　dredge　tax；　too！〃



〃Aunt　Margaret　always　has　been　lovely　to　me；　and　I

don't　think　it's　fair　to　worry　her。〃



〃I　choose　to　be　lovely　to　Billy；　and　let　her　sweat　out

her　own　worries　just　as　she　has　me；　these　sixteen　years。　

There　is　nothing　in　all　this　world　so　good　for　people　as

taking　a　dose　of　their　own　medicine。　　The　difference　is

that　I　am　honest。　　I　just　say　in　plain　English；　‘if　they

don't　treat　you　right；　come　to　me。'　　They　have　only

said　it　in　actions　and　inferences。　　I　want　to　teach　Mag

Sinton　how　her　own　doses　taste；　but　she　begins　to　sputter

before　I　fairly　get　the　spoon　to　her　lips。　　Just　you　wait！〃



〃When　I　think　what　I　owe　her〃　began　Elnora。



〃Well；　thank　goodness；　I　don't　owe　her　anything；　and

so　I'm　perfectly　free　to　do　what　I　choose。　　Come　on；

and　help　me　get　supper。　　I'm　hungry　as　Billy！〃



Margaret　Sinton　rocked　slowly　back　and　forth　in　her　chair。　

On　her　breast　lay　Billy's　red　head；　one　hand　clutched　her

dress　front　with　spasmodic　grip；　even　after　he　was　unconscious。



〃You　mustn't　begin　that；　Margaret；〃　said　Sinton。　

〃He's　too　heavy。　　And　it's　bad　for　him。　　He's　better

off　to　lie　down　and　go　to　sleep　alone。〃



〃He's　very　light；　Wesley。　　He　jumps　and　quivers　so。　

He　has　to　be　stronger　than　he　is　now；　before　he　will

sleep　soundly。〃









CHAPTER　IX





WHEREIN　ELNORA　DISCOVERS　A　VIOLIN；

AND　BILLY　DISCIPLINES　MARGARET





Elnora　missed　the　little　figure　at　the　bridge　the

following　morning。　　She　slowly　walked　up　the

street　and　turned　in　at　the　wide　entrance　to　the

school　grounds。　　She　scarcely　could　comprehend　that

only　a　week　ago　she　had　gone　there　friendless；　alone；　and

so　sick　at　heart　that　she　was　physically　ill。　　To…day　she

had　decent　clothing；　books；　friends；　and　her　mind　was　at

ease　to　work　on　her　studies。



As　she　approached　home　that　night　the　girl　paused

in　amazement。　　Her　mother　had　company；　and　she　was　laughing。　

Elnora　entered　the　kitchen　softly　and　peeped　into　the

sitting…room。　　Mrs。　Comstock　sat　in　her　chair　holding

a　book　and　every　few　seconds　a　soft　chuckle　broke　into

a　real　laugh。　　Mark　Twain　was　doing　his　work；　while

Mrs。　Comstock　was　not　lacking　in　a　sense　of　humour。　

Elnora　entered　the　room　before　her　mother　saw　her。　

Mrs。　Comstock　looked　up　with　flushed　face。



〃Where　did　you　get　this？〃　she　demanded。



〃I　bought　it；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Bought　it！　　With　all　the　taxes　due！〃



〃I　paid　for　it　out　of　my　Indian　money；　mother；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃I　couldn't　bear　to　spend　so　much　on　myself　and　nothing

at　all　on　you。　　I　was　afraid　to　buy　the　dress　I　should

have　liked　to；　and　I　thought　the　book　would　be　company；

while　I　was　gone。　　I　haven't　read　it；　but　I　do　hope　it's　good。〃



〃Good！　　It's　the　biggest　piece　of　foolishness　I　have

read　in　all　my　life。　　I've　laughed　all　day；　ever　since　I

found　it。　　I　had　a　notion　to　go　out　and　read　some　of　it

to　the　cows　and　see　if　they　wouldn't　laugh。〃



〃If　it　made　you　laugh；　it's　a　wise　book；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Wise！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You　can　stake　your　life

it's　a　wise　book。　　It　takes　the　smartest　man　there　is

to　do　this　kind　of　fooling；〃　and　she　began　laughing　again。



Elnora；　highly　satisfied　with　her　purchase；　went　to　her

room　and　put　on　her　working　clothes。　　Thereafter　she

made　a　point　of　bringing　a　book　that　she　thought　would

interest　her　mother；　from　the　library　every　week；　and

leaving　it　on　the　sitting…room　table。　　Each　night　she

carried　home　at　least　two　school　books　and　studied　until

she　had　mastered　the　points　of　her　lessons。　　She　did

her　share　of　the　work　faithfully；　and　every　available

minute　she　was　in　the　fields　searching　for　cocoons；　for

the　moths　promised　to　become　her　largest　source　of　income。



She　gathered　baskets　of　nests；　flowers；　mosses；　insects；

and　all　sorts　of　natural　history　specimens　and　sold　them

to　the　grade　teachers。　　At　first　she　tried　to　tell　these

instructors　what　to　teach　their　pupils　about　the　specimens；

but　recognizing　how　much　more　she　knew　than　they；　one　after

another　begged　her　to　study　at　home；　and　use　her　spare　hours

in　school　to　exhibit　and　explain　nature　subjects　to

their　pupils。　　Elnora　loved　the　work；　and　she　needed　the

money；　for　every　few　days　some　matter　of　expense　arose

that　she　had　not　expected。



From　the　first　week　she　had　been　received　and　invited

with　the　crowd　of　girls　in　her　class；　and　it　was　their

custom　in　pas