a girl of the limberlost-第40节

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bait　ever　invented。　　Every　Polyphemus　in　range　hastened

to　her；　and　other　fluttering　creatures　of　night　followed。　

The　influx　came　her　way。　　She　snatched　wildly　here　and

there　until　she　had　one　in　each　hand　and　no　place　to

put　them。　　She　could　see　more　coming；　and　her　aching

heart；　swollen　with　the　strain　of　long　excitement；

hurt　pitifully。　　She　prayed　in　broken　exclamations　that

did　not　always　sound　reverent；　but　never　was　human　soul

in　more　intense　earnest。



Moths　were　coming。　　She　had　one　in　each　hand。　

They　were　not　yellow；　and　she　did　not　know　what　to　do。　

She　glanced　around　to　try　to　discover　some　way　to　keep

what　she　had；　and　her　throbbing　heart　stopped　and

every　muscle　stiffened。　　There　was　the　dim　outline　of

a　crouching　figure　not　two　yards　away；　and　a　pair　of

eyes　their　owner　thought　hidden；　caught　the　light　in　a

cold　stream。　　Her　first　impulse　was　to　scream　and　fly

for　life。　　Before　her　lips　could　open　a　big　moth　alighted

on　her　breast　while　she　felt　another　walking　over　her　hair。　

All　sense　of　caution　deserted　her。　　She　did　not　care　to

live　if　she　could　not　replace　the　yellow　moth　she　had　killed。　

She　turned　her　eyes　to　those　among　the　leaves。



〃Here；　you！〃　she　cried　hoarsely。　　〃I　need　you！　　Get　yourself

out　here；　and　help　me。　　These　critters　are　going　to　get　away

from　me。　　Hustle！〃



Pete　Corson　parted　the　bushes　and　stepped　into　the　light。



〃Oh；　it's　　you！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I　might　have　known！　

But　you　gave　me　a　start。　　Here；　hold　these　until　I　make　some

sort　of　bag　for　them。　　Go　easy！　　If　you　break　them　I　don't

guarantee　what　will　happen　to　you！〃



〃Pretty　fierce；　ain't　you！〃　laughed　Pete；　but　he　advanced

and　held　out　his　hands。　　〃For　Elnora；　I　s'pose？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃In　a　mad　fit；　I　trampled

one　this　morning；　and　by　the　luck　of　the　old　boy　himself

it　was　the　last　moth　she　needed　to　complete　a　collection。　

I　got　to　get　another　one　or　die。〃



〃Then　I　guess　it's　your　funeral；〃　said　Pete。　　〃There　ain't

a　chance　in　a　dozen　the　right　one　will　come。　　What　colour

was　it？〃



〃Yellow；　and　big　as　a　bird。〃



〃The　Emperor；　likely；〃　said　Pete。　　〃You　dig　for

that　kind；　and　they　are　not　numerous；　so's　'at　you　can

smash　'em　for　fun。〃



〃Well；　I　can　try　to　get　one；　anyway；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃I　forgot　all　about　bringing　anything　to　put　them　in。　

You　take　a　pinch　on　their　wings　until　I　make　a　poke。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　removed　her　apron；　tearing　off　the　strings。　

She　unfastened　and　stepped　from　the　skirt　of　her

calico　dress。　　With　one　apron　string　she　tied　shut　the

band　and　placket。　　She　pulled　a　wire　pin　from　her　hair；

stuck　it　through　the　other　string；　and　using　it　as　a　bodkin

ran　it　around　the　hem　of　her　skirt；　so　shortly　she　had　a

large　bag。　　She　put　several　branches　inside　to　which　the

moths　could　cling；　closed　the　mouth　partially　and　held

it　toward　Pete。



〃Put　your　hand　well　down　and　let　the　things　go！〃　she　ordered。　

〃But　be　careful；　man！　　Don't　run　into　the　twigs！　　Easy！　

That's　one。　　Now　the　other。　　Is　the　one　on　my　head　gone？　

There　was　one　on　my　dress；　but　I　guess　it　flew。　　Here　comes

a　kind　of　a　gray…looking　one。〃



Pete　slipped　several　more　moths　into　the　bag。



〃Now；　that's　five；　Mrs。　Comstock；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　sorry；

but　you'll　have　to　make　that　do。　　You　must　get　out　of

here　lively。　　Your　lights　will　be　taken　for　hurry

calls；　and　inside　the　next　hour　a　couple　of　men　will　ride

here　like　fury。　　They　won't　be　nice　Sunday…school　men；

and　they　won't　hold　bags　and　catch　moths　for　you。　

You　must　go　quick！〃



Mrs。　Comstock　laid　down　the　bag　and　pulled　one　of

the　lanterns　lower。



〃I　won't　budge　a　step；〃　she　said。　　〃This　land　doesn't

belong　to　you。　　You　have　no　right　to　order　me　off　it。　

Here　I　stay　until　I　get　a　Yellow　Emperor；　and　no　little

petering　thieves　of　this　neighbourhood　can　scare　me　away。〃



〃You　don't　understand；〃　said　Pete。　　〃I'm　willing　to

help　Elnora；　and　I'd　take　care　of　you；　if　I　could；　but

there　will　be　too　many　for　me；　and　they　will　be　mad　at

being　called　out　for　nothing。〃



〃Well；　who's　calling　them　out？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃I'm　catching　moths。　　If　a　lot　of　good…for…nothings　get

fooled　into　losing　some　sleep；　why　let　them；　they　can't

hurt　me；　or　stop　my　work。〃



〃They　can；　and　they'll　do　both。〃



〃Well；　I'll　see　them　do　it！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I've　got

Robert's　revolver　in　my　dress；　and　I　can　shoot　as　straight

as　any　man；　if　I'm　mad　enough。　　Any　one　who　interferes

with　me　to…night　will　find　me　mad　a…plenty。　　There　goes　another！〃



She　stepped　into　the　light　and　waited　until　a　big　brown

moth　settled　on　her　and　was　easily　taken。　　Then　in　light；

airy　flight　came　a　delicate　pale　green　thing；　and　Mrs。

Comstock　started　in　pursuit。　　But　the　scent　was　not　right。　

The　moth　fluttered　high；　then　dropped　lower；　still　lower；

and　sailed　away。　　With　outstretched　hands　Mrs。　Comstock

pursued　it。　　She　hurried　one　way　and　another；　then　ran

over　an　object　which　tripped　her　and　she　fell。　

She　regained　her　feet　in　an　instant；　but　she　had　lost　sight

of　the　moth。　　With　livid　face　she　turned　to　the　crouching　man。



〃You　nasty；　sneaking　son　of　Satan！〃　she　cried。　　〃Why　are

you　hiding　there？　　You　made　me　lose　the　one　I　wanted

most　of　any　I've　had　a　chance　at　yet。　　Get　out　of　here！　

Go　this　minute；　or　I'll　fill　your　worthless　carcass　so　full

of　holes　you'll　do　to　sift　cornmeal。　　Go；　I　say！　　I'm　using

the　Limberlost　to…night；　and　I　won't　be　stopped　by　the

devil　himself！　　Cut　like　fury；　and　tell　the　rest　of　them

they　can　just　go　home。　　Pete　is　going　to　help　me；　and

he　is　all　of　you　I　need。　　Now　go！〃



The　man　turned　and　went。　　Pete　leaned　against　a　tree；

held　his　mouth　shut　and　shook　inwardly。　　Mrs。　Comstock

came　back　panting。



〃The　old　scoundrel　made　me　lose　that！〃　she　said。　　〃If　any

one　else　comes　snooping　around　here　I'll　just　blow　them

up　to　start　with。　　I　haven't　time　to　talk。　　Suppose　that

had　been　yellow！　　I'd　have　killed　that　man；　sure！



The　Limberlost　isn't　safe　to…night；　and　the　sooner　those

whelps　find　it　out；　the　better　it　will　be　for　them。〃



Pete　stopped　laughing　to　look　at　her。　　He　saw　that

she　was　speaking　the　truth。　　She　was　quite　past　reason；

sense；　or　fear。　　The　soft　night　air　stirred　the　wet　hair

around　her　temples；　the　flickering　lanterns　made　her　face

a　ghastly　green。　　She　would　stop　at　nothing；　that　was　evident。　

Pete　suddenly　began　catching　moths　with　exemplary　industry。　

In　putting　one　into　the　bag；　another　escaped。



〃We　must　not　try　that　again；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃Now；　what　will　we　do？〃



〃We　are　close　to　the　old　case；〃　said　Pete。　　〃I　think

I　can　get　into　it。　　Maybe　we　could　slip　the　rest　in　there。〃



〃That's　a　fine　idea！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃They'll　have

so　much　room　there　they　won't　be　likely　to　hurt

themselves；　and　the　books　say　they　don't　fly　in　daytime

unless　they　are　disturbed；　so　they　will　settle　when　it's

light；　and　I　can　come　with　Elnora　to　get　them。〃



They　captured　two　more；　and　then　Pete　carried　them

to　the　case。



〃Here　comes　a　big　one！〃　he　cried　as　he　returned。



Mrs。　Comstock　looked　up　and　stepped　out　with　a　prayer

on　her　lips。　　She　could　not　tell　the　colour　at　that

distance；　but　the　moth　appeared　different　from　the　others。　

On　it　came；　dropping　lower　and　darting　from　light　to　light。　

As　it　swept　near　her；　〃O　Heavenly　Father！〃　exulted　Mrs。

Comstock；　〃it's　yellow！　　Careful　Pete！　　Your　hat；　maybe！〃



Pete　made　a　long　sweep。　　The　moth　wavered　above

the　hat　and　sailed　away。　　Mrs。　Comstock　leaned　against

a　tree　and　covered　her　face　with　her　shaking　hands。



〃That　is　my　punishment！〃　she　cried。　　〃Oh；　Lord；　if

you　will　give　a　moth　like　that　into　my　possession；　I'll

always　be　a　better　woman！〃



The　Emperor　again　came　in　sight。　　Pete　stood　tense

and　ready。　　Mrs。　Comstock　stepped　into　the　light　and

watched　the　moth's　course。　　Then　a　second　appeared

in　pursuit　of　the　first。　　The　larger　one　wavered　into

the　radius　of　light　once　more。　　The　perspiration　rolled

down　the　man's　face。　　He　half　lifted　the　hat。



〃Pray；　woman！　　Pray　now！〃　he　panted。



〃I　guess　I　best　get　over　by　that　lard　oil　light　and　go

to　work；〃　breathed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃The　Lord　knows

this　is　all　in　prayer；　but　it's　no　time　for　words　just　now。　

Ready；　Pete！　　You　are　going　to　get　a　chance　first！〃



Pete　made　another　long；　steady　sweep；　but　the　moth

darted　beneath　the　hat。　　In　its　flight　it　came　straight

toward　Mrs。　Comstock。　　She　snatched　off　the　remnant

of　apron　she　had　tucked　into　her　petticoat　band　and

held　the　calico　before　her。　　The　moth　struck　full　against

it　and　clung　to　the　goods。　　Pete　crept　up　stealthily。　

The　second　moth　followed　the　first；　and　the　spray

showered　the　apron。



〃Wait！〃　gasped　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I　think　they　have　settled。　

The　books　say　they　won't　leave　now。〃



The　big　pale　yellow　creature　clung　firmly；　lowering

and　raisi