a girl of the limberlost-第43节

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interested　I　took　mine　back　home　and　started　to　hunt　them。　

Every　year　after　that　we　went　to　our　cottage　a　month

earlier；　so　I　could　find　them；　and　all　my　family　helped。　

I　stuck　to　it　until　I　went　to　college。　　Then；　keeping

the　little　moths　out　of　the　big　ones　was　too　much　for　the

mater；　so　father　advised　that　I　donate　mine　to　the　museum。　

He　bought　a　fine　case　for　them　with　my　name　on　it；

which　constitutes　my　sole　contribution　to　science。　　I　know

enough　to　help　you　all　right。〃



〃Aren't　you　going　north　this　year？〃



〃All　depends　on　how　this　fever　leaves　me。　　Uncle　says

the　nights　are　too　cold　and　the　days　too　hot　there

for　me。　　He　thinks　I　had　better　stay　in　an　even

temperature　until　I　am　strong　again。　　I　am　going　to　stick

pretty　close　to　him　until　I　know　I　am。　　I　wouldn't　admit

it　to　any　one　at　home；　but　I　was　almost　gone。　　I　don't

believe　anything　can　eat　up　nerve　much　faster　than　the

burning　of　a　slow　fever。　　No；　thanks；　I　have　enough。

I　stay　with　Uncle　Doc；　so　if　I　feel　it　coming　again　he　can

do　something　quickly。〃



〃I　don't　blame　you；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　never　have　been

sick；　but　it　must　be　dreadful。　　I　am　afraid　you　are　tiring

yourself　over　that。　　Let　me　take　the　knife　awhile。〃



〃Oh；　it　isn't　so　bad　as　that！　　I　wouldn't　be　wading

creeks　if　it　were。　　I　only　need　a　few　more　days　to　get

steady　on　my　feet　again。　　I'll　soon　have　this　out。〃



〃It　is　kind　of　you　to　get　it；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　should

have　had　to　peel　it；　which　would　spoil　the　cocoon　for　a'

specimen　and　ruin　the　moth。〃



〃You　haven't　said　yet　whether　I　may　help　you　while

I　am　here。〃



Elnora　hesitated。



〃You　better　say　‘yes；'〃　he　persisted。　　〃It　would　be　a

real　kindness。　　It　would　keep　me　outdoors　all　day　and

give　an　incentive　to　work。　　I'm　good　at　it。　　I'll　show　you

if　I　am　not　in　a　week　or　so。　　I　can　‘sugar；'　manipulate

lights；　and　mirrors；　and　all　the　expert　methods。　　I'll　wager；

moths　are　numerous　in　the　old　swamp　over　there。〃



〃They　are；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Most　I　have　I　took　there。　

A　few　nights　ago　my　mother　caught　a　number；　but　we

don't　dare　go　alone。〃



〃All　the　more　reason　why　you　need　me。　　Where　do

you　live？　　I　can't　get　an　answer　from　you；　I'll　go　tell

your　mother　who　I　am　and　ask　her　if　I　may　help　you。　

I　warn　you；　young　lady；　I　have　a　very　effective　way

with　mothers。　　They　almost　never　turn　me　down。〃



〃Then　it's　probable　you　will　have　a　new　experience

when　you　meet　mine；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃She　never　was

known　to　do　what　any　one　expected　she　surely　would。〃



The　cocoon　came　loose。　　Philip　Ammon　stepped　down

the　embankment　turning　to　offer　his　hand　to　Elnora。　

She　ran　down　as　she　would　have　done　alone；　and　taking

the　cocoon　turned　it　end　for　end　to　learn　if　the　imago　it

contained　were　alive。　　Then　Ammon　took　back　the　cocoon

to　smooth　the　edges。　　Mrs。　Comstock　gave　them　one

long　look　as　they　stood　there；　and　returned　to

her　dandelions。　　While　she　worked　she　paused　occasionally；

listening　intently。　　Presently　they　came　down　the　creek；

the　man　carrying　the　cocoon　as　if　it　were　a　jewel；　while

Elnora　made　her　way　along　the　bank；　taking　a　lesson　in　casting。　

Her　face　was　flushed　with　excitement；　her　eyes　shining；

the　bushes　taking　liberties　with　her　hair。　　For　a　picture

of　perfect　loveliness　she　scarcely　could　have　been　surpassed；

and　the　eyes　of　Philip　Ammon　seemed　to　be　in　working　order。



〃Moth…er！〃　called　Elnora。



There　was　an　undulant；　caressing　sweetness　in　the　girl's

voice；　as　she　sung　out　the　call　in　perfect　confidence

that　it　would　bring　a　loving　answer；　that　struck　deep　in

Mrs。　Comstock's　heart。　　She　never　had　heard　that　word

so　pronounced　before　and　a　lump　arose　in　her　throat。



〃Here！〃　she　answered；　still　cleaning　dandelions。



〃Mother；　this　is　Mr。　Philip　Ammon；　of　Chicago；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃He　has　been　ill　and　he　is　staying　with

Dr。　Ammon　in　Onabasha。　　He　came　down　the　creek

fishing　and　cut　this　cocoon　from　under　the　bridge　for　me。　

He　feels　that　it　would　be　better　to　hunt　moths　than　to

fish；　until　he　is　well。　　What　do　you　think　about　it？〃



Philip　Ammon　extended　his　hand。　　〃I　am　glad　to

know　you；〃　he　said。



〃You　may　take　the　hand…shaking　for　granted；〃　replied

Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Dandelions　have　a　way　of　making

fingers　sticky；　and　I　like　to　know　a　man　before　I

take　his　hand；　anyway。　　That　introduction　seems　mighty

comprehensive　on　your　part；　but　it　still　leaves

me　unclassified。　　My　name　is　Comstock。〃



Philip　Ammon　bowed。



〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　you　have　been　sick；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃But　if　people　will　live　where　they　have　such　vile　water　as

they　do　in　Chicago；　I　don't　see　what　else　they　are　to　expect。〃



Philip　studied　her　intently。



〃I　am　sure　I　didn't　have　a　fever　on　purpose；〃　he　said。



〃You　do　seem　a　little　wobbly　on　your　legs；〃　she　observed。　

〃Maybe　you　had　better　sit　and　rest　while　I　finish

these　greens。　　It's　late　for　the　genuine　article；　but

in　the　shade；　among　long　grass　they　are　still　tender。〃



〃May　I　have　a　leaf？〃　he　asked；　reaching　for　one　as　he　sat

on　the　bank；　looking　from　the　little　creek　at　his　feet；　away

through　the　dim　cool　spaces　of　the　June　forest　on　the

opposite　side。　　He　drew　a　deep　breath。　　〃Glory；　but　this

is　good　after　almost　two　months　inside　hospital　walls！〃



He　stretched　on　the　grass　and　lay　gazing　up　at　the

leaves；　occasionally　asking　the　interpretation　of　a　bird　note

or　the　origin　of　an　unfamiliar　forest　voice。　　Elnora　began

helping　with　the　dandelions。



〃Another；　please；〃　said　the　young　man；　holding　out　his　hand。



〃Do　you　suppose　this　is　the　kind　of　grass　Nebuchadnezzar

ate？〃　Elnora　asked；　giving　the　leaf。



〃He　knew　a　good　thing　if　it　is。〃



〃Oh；　you　should　taste　dandelions　boiled　with　bacon　and

served　with　mother's　cornbread。〃



〃Don't！　　My　appetite　is　twice　my　size　now。　　While　it

ishow　far　is　it　to　Onabasha；　shortest　cut？〃



〃Three　miles。〃



The　man　lay　in　perfect　content；　nibbling　leaves。



〃This　surely　is　a　treat；〃　he　said。　　〃No　wonder　you　find

good　hunting　here。　　There　seems　to　be　foliage　for　almost

every　kind　of　caterpillar。　　But　I　suppose　you　have　to

exchange　for　northern　species　and　Pacific　Coast　kinds？〃



〃Yes。　　And　every　one　wants　Regalis　in　trade。　　I　never

saw　the　like。　　They　consider　a　Cecropia　or　a　Polyphemus

an　insult；　and　a　Luna　is　barely　acceptable。〃



〃What　authorities　have　you？〃



Elnora　began　to　name　text…books　which　started　a　discussion。　

Mrs。　Comstock　listened。　　She　cleaned　dandelions　with　greater

deliberation　than　they　ever　before　were　examined。　

In　reality　she　was　taking　stock　of　the　young　man's　long；

well…proportioned　frame；　his　strong　hands；　his　smooth；

fine…textured　skin；　his　thick　shock　of　dark　hair；

and　making　mental　notes　of　his　simple　manly　speech　and

the　fact　that　he　evidently　did　know　much　about　moths。　

It　pleased　her　to　think　that　if　he　had　been　a　neighbour　boy

who　had　lain　beside　her　every　day　of　his　life　while　she

worked；　he　could　have　been　no　more　at　home。　　She　liked

the　things　he　said；　but　she　was　proud　that　Elnora　had　a

ready　answer　which　always　seemed　appropriate。



At　last　Mrs。　Comstock　finished　the　greens。



〃You　are　three　miles　from　the　city　and　less　than　a　mile

from　where　we　live；〃　she　said。　　〃If　you　will　tell　me　what

you　dare　eat；　I　suspect　you　had　best　go　home　with　us　and

rest　until　the　cool　of　the　day　before　you　start　back。　

Probably　some　one　that　you　can　ride　in　with　will　be　passing

before　evening。〃



〃That　is　mighty　kind　of　you；〃　said　Philip。　　〃I　think　I　will。　

It　doesn't　matter　so　much　what　I　eat；　the　point　is　that

I　must　be　moderate。　　I　am　hungry　all　the　time。〃



〃Then　we　will　go；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃and　we　will

not　allow　you　to　make　yourself　sick　with　us。〃



Philip　Ammon　arose：　picking　up　the　pail　of　greens　and

his　fishing　rod；　he　stood　waiting。　　Elnora　led　the　way。　

Mrs。　Comstock　motioned　Philip　to　follow　and　she　walked

in　the　rear。　　The　girl　carried　the　cocoon　and　the　box　of

moths　she　had　taken；　searching　every　step　for　more。　

The　young　man　frequently　set　down　his　load　to　join　in

the　pursuit　of　a　dragonfly　or　moth；　while　Mrs。　Comstock　watched

the　proceedings　with　sharp　eyes。　　Every　time　Philip　picked

up　the　pail　of　greens　she　struggled　to　suppress　a　smile。



Elnora　proceeded　slowly；　chattering　about　everything

beside　the　trail。　　Philip　was　interested　in　all　the　objects

she　pointed　out；　noticing　several　things　which　escaped　her。　

He　carried　the　greens　as　casually　when　they　took　a　short

cut　down　the　roadway　as　on　the　trail。　　When　Elnora

turned　toward　the　gate　of　her　home　Philip　Ammon

stopped；　took　a　long　look　at　the　big　hewed　log　cabin；　the

vines　which　clambered　over　it；　the　flower　garden　ablaze

with　beds　of　bright　bloom　interspersed　with　strawberries

and　tomatoes；　the　trees　of　the　forest　rising　north　and　west

like　a　green　wall　and　exclaimed：　　〃How　beautiful！〃



Mrs。　Comstock　was　pleased。　　〃If