a girl of the limberlost-第53节

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the　essence　from　all　other　bird　melody；　and　poured　it

out　in　their　pure　bell…tone　notes。　　It　seemed　as　if

every　old　gray　tree…trunk；　slab　of　loose　bark；　and

prostrate　log　yielded　the　flashing　gray　treasures；

while　of　all　others　they　seemed　to　take　alarm　most

easily；　and　be　most　difficult　to　capture。



Philip　came　to　Elnora　at　dusk；　daintily　holding　one

by　the　body；　its　dark　wings　showing　and　its　long　slender

legs　trying　to　clasp　his　fingers　and　creep　from　his　hold。



〃Oh　for　mercy's　sake！〃　cried　Elnora；　staring　at　him。



〃I　half　believe　it！〃　exulted　Ammon。



〃Did　you　ever　see　one？〃



〃Only　in　collections；　and　very　seldom　there。〃



Elnora　studied　the　black　wings　intently。　　〃I　surely

believe　that's　Sappho；〃　she　marvelled。　　〃The　Bird　Woman

will　be　overjoyed。〃



〃We　must　get　the　cyanide　jar　quickly；〃　said　Philip。



〃I　wouldn't　lose　her　for　anything。　　Such　a　chase　as　she

led　me！〃



Elnora　brought　the　jar　and　began　gathering　up　paraphernalia。



〃When　you　make　a　find　like　that；〃　she　said；　〃it's　the

right　time　to　quit　and　feel　glorious　all　the　rest　of

that　day。　　I　tell　you　I'm　proud！　　We　will　go　now。　　We　have

barely　time　to　carry　out　our　plans　before　supper。　

Won't　mother　be　pleased　to　see　that　we　have　a　rare　one？〃



〃I'd　like　to　see　any　one　more　pleased　than　I　am！〃　said

Philip　Ammon。　　〃I　feel　as　if　I'd　earned　my　supper　to…night。　

Let's　go。〃



He　took　the　greater　part　of　the　load　and　stepped　aside

for　Elnora　to　precede　him。　　She　followed　the　path；　broken

by　the　grazing　cattle；　toward　the　cabin　and　nearest　the

violet　patch　she　stopped；　laid　down　her　net；　and　the　things

she　carried。　　Philip　passed　her　and　hurried　straight

toward　the　back　gate。



〃Aren't　you　going　to？〃　began　Elnora。



〃I'm　going　to　get　this　moth　home　in　a　hurry；〃　he　said。　

〃This　cyanide　has　lost　its　strength；　and　it's　not

working　well。　　We　need　some　fresh　in　the　jar。〃



He　had　forgotten　the　violets！　　Elnora　stood　looking

after　him；　a　curious　expression　on　her　face。　　One　second

sothen　she　picked　up　the　net　and　followed。　　At　the

blue…bordered　pool　she　paused　and　half　turned　back；　then

she　closed　her　lips　firmly　and　went　on。　　It　was　nine　o'clock

when　Philip　said　good…bye；　and　started　to　town。　　His　gay

whistle　floated　to　them　from　the　farthest　corner　of

the　Limberlost。　　Elnora　complained　of　being　tired；　so　she

went　to　her　room　and　to　bed。　　But　sleep　would　not　come。　

Thought　was　racing　in　her　brain　and　the　longer　she　lay

the　wider　awake　she　grew。　　At　last　she　softly　slipped　from

bed；　lighted　her　lamp　and　began　opening　boxes。　　Then　she

went　to　work。　　Two　hours　later　a　beautiful　birch　bark

basket；　strongly　and　artistically　made；　stood　on　her　table。　

She　set　a　tiny　alarm　clock　at　three；　returned　to　bed　and

fell　asleep　instantly　with　a　smile　on　her　lips。



She　was　on　the　floor　with　the　first　tinkle　of　the　alarm；

and　hastily　dressing；　she　picked　up　the　basket　and　a　box

to　fit　it；　crept　down　the　stairs；　and　out　to　the　violet　patch。　

She　was　unafraid　as　it　was　growing　light；　and　lining　the

basket　with　damp　mosses　she　swiftly　began　picking；　with

practised　hands；　the　best　of　the　flowers。　　She　scarcely

could　tell　which　were　freshest　at　times；　but　day　soon　came

creeping　over　the　Limberlost　and　peeped　at　her。　　The　robins

awoke　all　their　neighbours；　and　a　babel　of　bird　notes

filled　the　air。　　The　dew　was　dripping；　while　the　first　strong

rays　of　light　fell　on　a　world　in　which　Elnora　worshipped。　

When　the　basket　was　filled　to　overflowing；　she　set　it　in　the

stout　pasteboard　box；　packed　it　solid　with　mosses；　tied　it

firmly　and　slipped　under　the　cord　a　note　she　had　written

the　previous　night。



Then　she　took　a　short　cut　across　the　woods　and　walked

swiftly　to　Onabasha。　　It　was　after　six　o'clock；　but　all　of

the　city　she　wished　to　avoid　were　asleep。　　She　had　no

trouble　in　finding　a　small　boy　out；　and　she　stood　at　a

distance　waiting　while　he　rang　Dr。　Ammon's　bell　and

delivered　the　package　for　Philip　to　a　maid；　with　the　note

which　was　to　be　given　him　at　once。



On　the　way　home　through　the　woods　passing　some　baited

trees　she　collected　the　captive　moths。　　She　entered

the　kitchen　with　them　so　naturally　that　Mrs。　Comstock

made　no　comment。　　After　breakfast　Elnora　went　to　her

room；　cleared　away　all　trace　of　the　night's　work　and　was

out　in　the　arbour　mounting　moths　when　Philip　came　down

the　road。　　〃I　am　tired　sitting；〃　she　said　to　her　mother。　

〃I　think　I　will　walk　a　few　rods　and　meet　him。〃



〃Who's　a　trump？〃　he　called　from　afar。



〃Not　you！〃　retorted　Elnora。　　〃Confess　that　you　forgot！〃



〃Completely！〃　said　Philip。　　〃But　luckily　it　would　not

have　been　fatal。　　I　wrote　Polly　last　week　to　send　Edith

something　appropriate　to…day；　with　my　card。　　But　that

touch　from　the　woods　will　be　very　effective。　　Thank　you

more　than　I　can　say。　　Aunt　Anna　and　I　unpacked　it　to

see　the　basket；　and　it　was　a　beauty。　　She　says　you　are

always　doing　such　things。〃



〃Well；　I　hope　not！〃　laughed　Elnora。　　〃If　you'd　seen

me　sneaking　out　before　dawn；　not　to　awaken　mother　and

coming　in　with　moths　to　make　her　think　I'd　been　to　the

trees；　you'd　know　it　was　a　most　especial　occasion。〃



〃Then　Philip　understood　two　things：　　Elnora's　mother

did　not　know　of　the　early　morning　trip　to　the　city；　and

the　girl　had　come　to　meet　him　to　tell　him　so。



〃You　were　a　brick　to　do　it！〃　he　whispered　as　he　closed

the　gate　behind　them。　　〃I'll　never　forget　you　for　it。　

Thank　you　ever　so　much。〃



〃I　did　not　do　that　for　you；〃　said　Elnora　tersely。　　〃I　did

it　mostly　to　preserve　my　own　self…respect。　　I　saw　you

were　forgetting。　　If　I　did　it　for　anything　besides　that；

I　did　it　for　her。〃



〃Just　look　what　I've　brought！〃　said　Philip；　entering

the　arbour　and　greeting　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Borrowed　it

of　the　Bird　Woman。　　And　it　isn't　hers。　　A　rare　edition

of　Catocalae　with　coloured　plates。　　I　told　her　the　best　I

could；　and　she　said　to　try　for　Sappho　here。　　I　suspect　the

Bird　Woman　will　be　out　presently。　　She　was　all　excitement。〃



Then　they　bent　over　the　book　together　and　with　the

mounted　moth　before　them　determined　her　family。　　The　Bird

Woman　did　come　later；　and　carried　the　moth　away；　to　put

into　a　book　and　Elnora　and　Philip　were　freshly　filled

with　enthusiasm。



So　these　days　were　the　beginning　of　the　weeks　that　followed。　

Six　of　them　flying　on　Time's　wings；　each　filled

to　the　brim　with　interest。　　After　June；　the　moth　hunts

grew　less　frequent；　the　fields　and　woods　were　searched

for　material　for　Elnora's　grade　work。　　The　most　absorbing

occupation　they　found　was　in　carrying　out　Mrs。　Comstock's

suggestion　to　learn　the　vital　thing　for　which　each

month　was　distinctive；　and　make　that　the　key　to　the

nature　work。　　They　wrote　out　a　list　of　the　months；

opposite　each　the　things　all　of　them　could　suggest　which　seemed

to　pertain　to　that　month　alone；　and　then　tried　to　sift　until

they　found　something　typical。　　Mrs。　Comstock　was　a

great　help。　　Her　mother　had　been　Dutch　and　had　brought

from　Holland　numerous　quaint　sayings　and　superstitions

easily　traceable　to　Pliny's　Natural　History；　and　in　Mrs。

Comstock's　early　years　in　Ohio　she　had　heard　much　Indian

talk　among　her　elders；　so　she　knew　the　signs　of　each　season；

and　sometimes　they　helped。　　Always　her　practical

thought　and　sterling　common　sense　were　useful。　　When　they

were　afield　until　exhausted　they　came　back　to　the

cabin　for　food；　to　prepare　specimens　and　classify　them；

and　to　talk　over　the　day。　　Sometimes　Philip　brought

books　and　read　while　Elnora　and　her　mother　worked；

and　every　night　Mrs。　Comstock　asked　for　the　violin。　

Her　perfect　hunger　for　music　was　sufficient　evidence　of　how

she　had　suffered　without　it。　　So　the　days　crept　by；　golden；

filled　with　useful　work　and　pure　pleasure。



The　grosbeak　had　led　the　family　in　the　maple　abroad

and　a　second　brood；　in　a　wild　grape　vine　clambering　over

the　well；　was　almost　ready　for　flight。　　The　dust　lay　thick

on　the　country　roads；　the　days　grew　warmer；　summer

was　just　poising　to　slip　into　fall；　and　Philip　remained；

coming　each　day　as　if　he　had　belonged　there　always。



One　warm　August　afternoon　Mrs。　Comstock　looked

up　from　the　ruffle　on　which　she　was　engaged　to　see

a　blue…coated　messenger　enter　the　gate。



〃Is　Philip　Ammon　here？〃　asked　the　boy。



〃He　is；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃I　have　a　message　for　him。〃



〃He　is　in　the　woods　back　of　the　cabin。　　I　will　ring　the　bell。　

Do　you　know　if　it　is　important？〃



〃Urgent；〃　said　the　boy；　〃I　rode　hard。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　stepped　to　the　back　door　and　clanged

the　dinner　bell　sharply；　paused　a　second；　and　rang　again。　

In　a　short　time　Philip　and　Elnora　ran　down　the　path。



〃Are　you　ill；　mother？〃　cried　Elnora。



Mrs。　Comstock　indicated　the　boy。　　〃There　is　an　important

message　for　Philip；〃　she　said。



He　muttered　an　excuse　and　tore　open　the　telegram。　

His　colour　faded　slightly。　　〃I　have　to　take　the　first　train；〃

he