a girl of the limberlost-第6节

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What　did　you　get？〃



〃I　just　said　for　a　girl　of　sixteen　with　a　slender　foot。〃



〃Well；　that's　about　as　near　as　I　could　come。　　If　they

don't　fit　when　she　tries　them；　we　will　drive　straight　in

and　change　them。　　Come　on　now；　let's　get　home。〃



All　the　way　they　discussed　how　they　should　give　Elnora

their　purchases　and　what　Mrs。　Comstock　would　say。



〃I　am　afraid　she　will　be　awful　mad；〃　said　Margaret。



〃She'll　just　rip！〃　replied　Wesley　graphically。　　〃But　if

she　wants　to　leave　the　raising　of　her　girl　to　the　neighbours；

she　needn't　get　fractious　if　they　take　some　pride　in　doing

a　good　job。　　From　now　on　I　calculate　Elnora　shall　go

to　school；　and　she　shall　have　all　the　clothes　and　books

she　needs；　if　I　go　around　on　the　back　of　Kate　Comstock's

land　and　cut　a　tree；　or　drive　off　a　calf　to　pay　for　them。　

Why　I　know　one　tree　she　owns　that　would　put　Elnora　in

heaven　for　a　year。　　Just　think　of　it；　Margaret！　　It's　not

fair。　　One…third　of　what　is　there　belongs　to　Elnora　by

law；　and　if　Kate　Comstock　raises　a　row　I'll　tell　her　so；

and　see　that　the　girl　gets　it。　　You　go　to　see　Kate　in　the

morning；　and　I'll　go　with　you。　　Tell　her　you　want　Elnora's

pattern；　that　you　are　going　to　make　her　a　dress；　for

helping　us。　　And　sort　of　hint　at　a　few　more　things。　

If　Kate　balks；　I'll　take　a　hand　and　settle　her。　　I'll　go

to　law　for　Elnora's　share　of　that　land　and　sell　enough　to

educate　her。〃



〃Why；　Wesley　Sinton；　you're　perfectly　wild。〃



〃I'm　not！　　Did　you　ever　stop　to　think　that　such　cases　are

so　frequent　there　have　been　laws　made　to　provide　for　them？　

I　can　bring　it　up　in　court　and　force　Kate　to　educate

Elnora；　and　board　and　clothe　her　till　she's　of　age；

and　then　she　can　take　her　share。〃



〃Wesley；　Kate　would　go　crazy！〃



〃She's　crazy　now。　　The　idea　of　any　mother　living　with　as

sweet　a　girl　as　Elnora。　and　letting　her　suffer　till　I　find

her　crying　like　a　funeral。　　It　makes　me　fighting　mad。　

All　uncalled　for。　　Not　a　grain　of　sense　in　it。　　I've　offered

and　offered　to　oversee　clearing　her　land　and　working

her　fields。　　Let　her　sell　a　good　tree；　or　a　few　acres。　

Something　is　going　to　be　done；　right　now。　　Elnora's　been

fairly　happy　up　to　this；　but　to　spoil　the　school　life　she's

planned；　is　to　ruin　all　her　life。　　I　won't　have　it！　If　Elnora

won't　take　these　things；　so　help　me；　I'll　tell　her

what　she　is　worth；　and　loan　her　the　money　and　she　can

pay　me　back　when　she　comes　of　age。　　I　am　going　to　have

it　out　with　Kate　Comstock　in　the　morning。　　Here　we　are！　

You　open　up　what　you　got　while　I　put　away　the　horses；

and　then　I'll　show　you。〃



When　Wesley　came　from　the　barn　Margaret　had　four

pieces　of　crisp　gingham；　a　pale　blue；　a　pink；　a　gray　with

green　stripes　and　a　rich　brown　and　blue　plaid。　　On　each

of　them　lay　a　yard　and　a　half　of　wide　ribbon　to　match。　

There　were　handkerchiefs　and　a　brown　leather　belt。　　In　her

hands　she　held　a　wide…brimmed　tan　straw　hat；　having　a

high　crown　banded　with　velvet　strips　each　of　which　fastened

with　a　tiny　gold　buckle。



〃It　looks　kind　of　bare　now；〃　she　explained。　　〃It　had

three　quills　on　it　here。〃



〃Did　you　have　them　taken　off？〃　asked　Wesley。



〃Yes；　I　did。　　The　price　was　two　and　a　half　for　the

hat；　and　those　things　were　a　dollar　and　a　half　apiece。　

I　couldn't　pay　that。〃



〃It　does　seem　considerable；〃　admitted　Wesley；　〃but

will　it　look　right　without　them？〃



〃No；　it　won't！〃　said　Margaret。　　〃It's　going　to　have

quills　on　it。　　Do　you　remember　those　beautiful　peacock

wing　feathers　that　Phoebe　Simms　gave　me？　　Three　of

them　go　on　just　where　those　came　off；　and　nobody　will

ever　know　the　difference。　　They　match　the　hat　to　a

moral；　and　they　are　just　a　little　longer　and　richer　than

the　ones　that　I　had　taken　off。　　I　was　wondering　whether

I　better　sew　them　on　to…night　while　I　remember　how　they

set；　or　wait　till　morning。〃



〃Don't　risk　it！〃　exclaimed　Wesley　anxiously。　　〃Don't　you

risk　it！　　Sew　them　on　right　now！〃



〃Open　your　bundles；　while　I　get　the　thread；〃　said　Margaret。



Wesley　unwrapped　the　shoes。　　Margaret　took　them　up

and　pinched　the　leather　and　stroked　them。



〃My；　but　they　are　fine！〃　she　cried。



Wesley　picked　up　one　and　slowly　turned　it　in　his　big　hands。　

He　glanced　at　his　foot　and　back　to　the　shoe。



〃It's　a　little　bit　of　a　thing；　Margaret；〃　he　said　softly。　

〃Like　as　not　I'll　have　to　take　it　back。　　It　seems　as　if　it

couldn't　fit。〃



〃It　seems　as　if　it　didn't　dare　do　anything　else；〃　said　Margaret。　

〃That's　a　happy　little　shoe　to　get　the　chance　to　carry　as

fine　a　girl　as　Elnora　to　high　school。　　Now　what's　in　the

other　box？〃



Wesley　looked　at　Margaret　doubtfully。



〃Why；〃　he　said；　〃you　know　there's　going　to　be　rainy

days；　and　those　things　she　has　now　ain't　fit　for　anything

but　to　drive　up　the　cows〃



〃Wesley；　did　you　get　high　shoes；　too？〃



〃Well；　she　ought　to　have　them！　　The　man　said　he

would　make　them　cheaper　if　I　took　both　pairs　at　once。〃



Margaret　laughed　aloud。　　〃Those　will　do　her　past

Christmas；〃　she　exulted。　　〃What　else　did　you　buy？〃



〃Well　sir；〃　said　Wesley；　〃I　saw　something　to…day。　

You　told　me　about　Kate　getting　that　tin　pail　for　Elnora

to　carry　to　high　school　and　you　said　you　told　her　it　was

a　shame。　　I　guess　Elnora　was　ashamed　all　right；　for

to…night　she　stopped　at　the　old　case　Duncan　gave　her；

and　took　out　that　pail；　where　it　had　been　all　day；　and

put　a　napkin　inside　it。　　Coming　home　she　confessed

she　was　half　starved　because　she　hid　her　dinner　under

a　culvert；　and　a　tramp　took　it。　　She　hadn't　had　a　bite

to　eat　the　whole　day。　　But　she　never　complained　at　all；

she　was　pleased　that　she　hadn't　lost　the　napkin。　　So　I

just　inquired　around　till　I　found　this；　and　I　think　it's

about　the　ticket。〃



Wesley　opened　the　package　and　laid　a　brown　leather

lunch　box　on　the　table。　　〃Might　be　a　couple　of　books；

or　drawing　tools　or　most　anything　that's　neat　and　genteel。　

You　see；　it　opens　this　way。〃



It　did　open；　and　inside　was　a　space　for　sandwiches；

a　little　porcelain　box　for　cold　meat　or　fried　chicken；

another　for　salad；　a　glass　with　a　lid　which　screwed　on；　held

by　a　ring　in　a　corner；　for　custard　or　jelly；　a　flask　for　tea　or

milk；　a　beautiful　little　knife；　fork；　and　spoon　fastened　in

holders；　and　a　place　for　a　napkin。



Margaret　was　almost　crying　over　it。



〃How　I'd　love　to　fill　it！〃　she　exclaimed。



〃Do　it　the　first　time；　just　to　show　Kate　Comstock

what　love　is！〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Get　up　early　in　the　morning

and　make　one　of　those　dresses　to…morrow。　　Can't　you

make　a　plain　gingham　dress　in　a　day？　　I'll　pick　a　chicken；

and　you　fry　it　and　fix　a　little　custard　for　the　cup；

and　do　it　up　brown。　　Go　on；　Maggie；　you　do　it！〃



〃I　never　can；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃I　am　slow　as　the

itch　about　sewing；　and　these　are　not　going　to　be　plain

dresses　when　it　comes　to　making　them。　　There　are　going

to　be　edgings　of　plain　green；　pink；　and　brown　to　the　bias

strips；　and　tucks　and　pleats　around　the　hips；　fancy　belts

and　collars；　and　all　of　it　takes　time。〃



〃Then　Kate　Comstock's　got　to　help；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Can　the

two　of　you　make　one；　and　get　that　lunch　to…morrow？〃



〃Easy；　but　she'll　never　do　it！〃



〃You　see　if　she　doesn't！〃　said　Wesley。　　〃You　get

up　and　cut　it　out；　and　soon　as　Elnora　is　gone　I'll　go　after

Kate　myself。　　She'll　take　what　I'll　say　better　alone。　

But　she'll　come；　and　she'll　help　make　the　dress。　　These　other

things　are　our　Christmas　gifts　to　Elnora。　　She'll　no　doubt

need　them　more　now　than　she　will　then；　and　we　can　give

them　just　as　well。　　That's　yours；　and　this　is　mine；　or

whichever　way　you　choose。〃



Wesley　untied　a　good　brown　umbrella　and　shook　out

the　folds　of　a　long；　brown　raincoat。　　Margaret　dropped

the　hat；　arose　and　took　the　coat。　　She　tried　it　on；　felt　it；

cooed　over　it　and　matched　it　with　the　umbrella。



〃Did　it　look　anything　like　rain　to…night？〃　she　inquired

so　anxiously　that　Wesley　laughed。



〃And　this　last　bundle？〃　she　said；　dropping　back　in　her

chair；　the　coat　still　over　her　shoulders。



〃I　couldn't　buy　this　much　stuff　for　any　other　woman

and　nothing　for　my　own；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃It's　Christmas

for　you；　too；　Margaret！〃　　He　shook　out　fold　after　fold

of　soft　gray　satiny　goods　that　would　look　lovely　against

Margaret's　pink　cheeks　and　whitening　hair。



〃Oh；　you　old　darling！〃　she　exclaimed；　and　fled　sobbing

into　his　arms。



But　she　soon　dried　her　eyes；　raked　together　the　coals

in　the　cooking　stove　and　boiled　one　of　the　dress　patterns

in　salt　water　for　half　an　hour。　　Wesley　held　the　lamp

while　she　hung　the　goods　on　the　line　to　dry。　　Then　she

set　the　irons　on　the　stove　so　they　would　be　hot　the　first

thing　in　the　morning。









CHAPTER　III





WHEREIN　ELNORA　VISITS　THE　BIRD　WOMAN；

AND　OPENS　A　BANK　ACCOUNT





Four　o'clock　the　following　morning　Elnora

was　shelling　beans。　　At　six　she　fed　the　chickens

and　pigs；　swept　two　of　the　rooms　of　the　cabin；

built　a　fire；　an