a girl of the limberlost-第41节

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The　books　say　they　won't　leave　now。〃



The　big　pale　yellow　creature　clung　firmly；　lowering

and　raising　its　wings。　　The　other　came　nearer。　　Mrs。

Comstock　held　the　cloth　with　rigid　hands；　while　Pete

could　hear　her　breathing　in　short　gusts。



〃Shall　I　try　now？〃　he　implored。



〃Wait！〃　whispered　the　woman。　　〃Something　seems　to

say　wait！〃



The　night　breeze　stiffened　and　gently　waved　the　apron。　

Locusts　rasped；　mosquitoes　hummed　and　frogs　sang　uninterruptedly。　

A　musky　odour　slowly　filled　the　air。



〃Now　shall　I？〃　questioned　Pete。



〃No。　　Leave　them　alone。　　They　are　safe　now。　　They　are　mine。　

They　are　my　salvation。　　God　and　the　Limberlost　gave　them

to　me！　　They　won't　move　for　hours。　　The　books　all　say　so。　

O　Heavenly　Father；　I　am　thankful　to　You；　and　you；　too；

Pete　Corson！　　You　are　a　good　man　to　help　me。　　Now；　I　can

go　home　and　face　my　girl。〃



Instead；　Mrs。　Comstock　dropped　suddenly。　　She　spread

the　apron　across　her　knees。　　The　moths　remained　undisturbed。　

Then　her　tired　white　head　dropped；　the　tears　she　had　thought

forever　dried　gushed　forth；　and　she　sobbed　for　pure　joy。



〃Oh；　I　wouldn't　do　that　now；　you　know！〃　comforted　Pete。　

〃Think　of　getting　two！　　That's　more　than　you　ever　could

have　expected。　　A　body　would　think　you　would　cry；　if　you

hadn't　got　any。　　Come　on；　now。　　It's　almost　morning。　

Let　me　help　you　home。〃



Pete　took　the　bag　and　the　two　old　lanterns。　　Mrs。　Comstock

carried　her　moths　and　the　best　lantern　and　went　ahead　to

light　the　way。



Elnora　had　sat　beside　her　window　far　into　the　night。　

At　last　she　undressed　and　went　to　bed；　but　sleep　would

not　come。　　She　had　gone　to　the　city　to　talk　with　members　of

the　School　Board　about　a　room　in　the　grades。　　There　was

a　possibility　that　she　might　secure　the　moth；　and　so　be　able

to　start　to　college　that　fall；　but　if　she　did　not；　then　she

wanted　the　school。　　She　had　been　given　some　encouragement；

but　she　was　so　unhappy　that　nothing　mattered。　　She　could

not　see　the　way　open　to　anything　in　life；　save　a　long

series　of　disappointments；　while　she　remained　with

her　mother。　　Yet　Margaret　Sinton　had　advised　her　to　go

home　and　try　once　more。　　Margaret　had　seemed　so　sure

there　would　be　a　change　for　the　better；　that　Elnora　had

consented；　although　she　had　no　hope　herself。　　So　strong　is

the　bond　of　blood；　she　could　not　make　up　her　mind　to　seek

a　home　elsewhere；　even　after　the　day　that　had　passed。　

Unable　to　sleep　she　arose　at　last；　and　the　room　being　warm；

she　sat　on　the　floor　close　the　window。　　The　lights　in　the

swamp　caught　her　eye。　　She　was　very　uneasy；　for　quite　a

hundred　of　her　best　moths　were　in　the　case。　　However；　there

was　no　money；　and　no　one　ever　had　touched　a　book　or　any

of　her　apparatus。　　Watching　the　lights　set　her　thinking；

and　before　she　realized　it；　she　was　in　a　panic　of　fear。



She　hurried　down　the　stairway　softly　calling　her　mother。　

There　was　no　answer。　　She　lightly　stepped　across　the

sitting…room　and　looked　in　at　the　open　door。　　There　was

no　one；　and　the　bed　had　not　been　used。　　Her　first　thought

was　that　her　mother　had　gone　to　the　pool；　and　the　Limberlost

was　alive　with　signals。　　Pity　and　fear　mingled　in　the

heart　of　the　girl。　　She　opened　the　kitchen　door；　crossed　the

garden　and　ran　back　to　the　swamp。　　As　she　neared　it　she

listened；　but　she　could　hear　only　the　usual　voices　of　night。



〃Mother！〃　she　called　softly。　　Then　louder；　〃Mother！〃



There　was　not　a　sound。　　Chilled　with　fright　she　hurried

back　to　the　cabin。　　She　did　not　know　what　to　do。　

She　understood　what　the　lights　in　the　Limberlost　meant。　

Where　was　her　mother？　　She　was　afraid　to　enter；　while

she　was　growing　very　cold　and　still　more　fearful　about

remaining　outside。　　At　last　she　went　to　her　mother's　room；

picked　up　the　gun；　carried　it　into　the　kitchen；　and　crowding

in　a　little　corner　behind　the　stove；　she　waited　in　trembling

anxiety。　　The　time　was　dreadfully　long　before　she　heard

her　mother's　voice。　　Then　she　decided　some　one　had　been

ill　and　sent　for　her；　so　she　took　courage；　and　stepping

swiftly　across　the　kitchen　she　unbarred　the　door　and　drew

back　from　sight　beside　the　table。



Mrs。　Comstock　entered　dragging　her　heavy　feet。　　Her　dress

skirt　was　gone；　her　petticoat　wet　and　drabbled；　and

the　waist　of　her　dress　was　almost　torn　from　her　body。　

Her　hair　hung　in　damp　strings；　her　eyes　were　red　with　crying。　

In　one　hand　she　held　the　lantern；　and　in　the　other　stiffly

extended　before　her；　on　a　wad　of　calico　reposed　a

magnificent　pair　of　Yellow　Emperors。　　Elnora　stared；　her

lips　parted。



〃Shall　I　put　these　others　in　the　kitchen？〃　inquired　a

man's　voice。



The　girl　shrank　back　to　the　shadows。



〃Yes；　anywhere　inside　the　door；〃　replied　Mrs。　Comstock

as　she　moved　a　few　steps　to　make　way　for　him。　

Pete's　head　appeared。　　He　set　down　the　moths　and　was　gone。



〃Thank　you；　Pete；　more　than　ever　woman　thanked　you　before！〃

said　Mrs。　Comstock。



She　placed　the　lantern　on　the　table　and　barred　the　door。　

As　she　turned　Elnora　came　into　view。　　Mrs。　Comstock

leaned　toward　her；　and　held　out　the　moths。　　In　a　voice

vibrant　with　tones　never　before　heard　she　said：　　〃Elnora；

my　girl；　mother's　found　you　another　moth！〃









CHAPTER　XIII





WHEREIN　MOTHER　LOVE　IS　BESTOWED　ON　ELNORA；

AND　SHE　FINDS　AN　ASSISTANT　IN　MOTH　HUNTING





Elnora　awoke　at　dawn　and　lay　gazing　around　the

unfamiliar　room。　　She　noticed　that　every　vestige

of　masculine　attire　and　belongings　was　gone；　and

knew；　without　any　explanation；　what　that　meant。　

For　some　reason　every　tangible　evidence　of　her　father

was　banished；　and　she　was　at　last　to　be　allowed　to

take　his　place。　　　　She　turned　to　look　at　her　mother。　

Mrs。　Comstock's　face　was　white　and　haggard；　but　on　it

rested　an　expression　of　profound　peace　Elnora　never

before　had　seen。　　As　she　studied　the　features　on　the

pillow　beside　her；　the　heart　of　the　girl　throbbed　in　tenderness。　

She　realized　as　fully　as　any　one　else　could　what　her　mother

had　suffered。　　Thoughts　of　the　night　brought　shuddering　fear。　

She　softly　slipped　from　the　bed；　went　to　her　room；　dressed　and

entered　the　kitchen　to　attend　the　Emperors　and　prepare　breakfast。　

The　pair　had　been　left　clinging　to　the　piece　of　calico。　

The　calico　was　there　and　a　few　pieces　of　beautiful　wing。　

A　mouse　had　eaten　the　moths！



〃Well；　of　all　the　horrible　luck！〃　gasped　Elnora。



With　the　first　thought　of　her　mother；　she　caught　up　the

remnants　of　the　moths；　burying　them　in　the　ashes　of　the　stove。　

She　took　the　bag　to　her　room；　hurriedly　releasing　its

contents；　but　there　was　not　another　yellow　one。　　Her　mother

had　said　some　had　been　confined　in　the　case　in　the　Limberlost。　

There　was　still　a　hope　that　an　Emperor　might　be　among　them。　

She　peeped　at　her　mother；　who　still　slept　soundly。



Elnora　took　a　large　piece　of　mosquito　netting；　and　ran

to　the　swamp。　　Throwing　it　over　the　top　of　the　case；　she

unlocked　the　door。　　She　reeled；　faint　with　distress。　

The　living　moths　that　had　been　confined　there　in　their

fluttering　to　escape　to　night　and　the　mates　they　sought

not　only　had　wrecked　the　other　specimens　of　the　case；

but　torn　themselves　to　fringes　on　the　pins。　　A　third　of　the

rarest　moths　of　the　collection　for　the　man　of　India　were

antennaless；　legless；　wingless；　and　often　headless。　

Elnora　sobbed　aloud。



〃This　is　overwhelming；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃It　is　making

a　fatalist　of　me。　　I　am　beginning　to　think　things

happen　as　they　are　ordained　from　the　beginning；　this

plainly　indicating　that　there　is　to　be　no　college；　at　least；

this　year；　for　me。　　My　life　is　all　mountain…top　or　canon。　

I　wish　some　one　would　lead　me　into　a　few　days　of　‘green　pastures。'　

Last　night　I　went　to　sleep　on　mother's　arm；　the　moths　all

secured；　love　and　college；　certainties。　　This　morning　I　wake

to　find　all　my　hopes　wrecked。　　I　simply　don't　dare　let　mother

know　that　instead　of　helping　me；　she　has　ruined　my　collection。　

Everything　is　goneunless　the　love　lasts。　　That　actually

seemed　true。　　I　believe　I　will　go　see。〃



The　love　remained。　　Indeed；　in　the　overflow　of　the　long…

hardened；　pent…up　heart；　the　girl　was　almost　suffocated

with　tempestuous　caresses　and　generous　offerings。　　Before　the

day　was　over；　Elnora　realized　that　she　never　had　known

her　mother。　　The　woman　who　now　busily　went　through　the

cabin；　her　eyes　bright；　eager；　alert；　constantly　planning；

was　a　stranger。　　Her　very　face　was　different；　while　it　did

not　seem　possible　that　during　one　night　the　acid　of　twenty

years　could　disappear　from　a　voice　and　leave　it　sweet　and　pleasant。



For　the　next　few　days　Elnora　worked　at　mounting　the

moths　her　mother　had　taken。　　She　had　to　go　to　the　Bird

Woman　and　tell　about　the　disaster；　but　Mrs。　Comstock

was　allowed　to　think　that　Elnora　delivered　the　moths

when　she　made　the　trip。　　If　she　had　told　her　what　actually

happened；　the　chances　were　that　Mrs。　Comstock　again

would　have　taken　possession　of　the　Limb