a girl of the limberlost-第68节

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us　will　be　so　glad　to　have　her。〃



Philip　beamed　on　Polly。　　〃I'll　see　about　that；〃　he　said。　

〃Sounds　pretty　good。　　Elnora；　Henderson　is　in　trouble

with　his　automobile。　　He　wants　me　to　go　to　Onabasha

with　him　to　show　him　where　the　doctor　lives；　and　make

repairs　so　he　can　start　back　this　evening。　　It　will　take

about　two　hours。　　May　I　go？〃



〃Of　course；　you　must　go；〃　she　said；　laughing　lightly。　

〃You　can't　leave　your　sister。　　Why　don't　you　return　to

Chicago　with　them？　　There　is　plenty　of　room；　and　you

could　have　a　fine　visit。〃



〃I'll　be　back　in　just　two　hours；〃　said　Philip。　　〃While　I

am　gone；　you　be　thinking　over　what　we　were　talking　of

when　the　folks　came。〃



〃Miss　Comstock　can　go　with　us　as　well　as　not；〃　said　Polly。　

〃That　back　seat　was　made　for　three；　and　I　can　sit　on　your　lap。〃



〃Come　on！　　Do　come！〃　urged　Philip　instantly；　and

Tom　Levering　joined　him；　but　Henderson　and　Edith

silently　waited　at　the　gate。



〃No；　thank　you；〃　laughed　Elnora。　　〃That　would　crowd　you；

and　it's　warm　and　dusty。　　We　will　say　good…bye　here。〃



She　offered　her　hand　to　all　of　them；　and　when　she　came

to　Philip　she　gave　him　one　long　steady　look　in　the　eyes；

then　shook　hands　with　him　also。









CHAPTER　XXIII





WHEREIN　ELNORA　REACHES　A　DECISION；

AND　FRECKLES　AND　THE　ANGEL　APPEAR





Well；　she　came；　didn't　she？〃　remarked　Mrs。　Comstock

to　Elnora　as　they　watched　the　automobile　speed　down

the　road。　　As　it　turned　the　Limberlost　corner；　Philip

arose　and　waved　to　them。



〃She　hasn't　got　him　yet；　anyway；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；

taking　heart。　　〃What's　that　on　your　finger；　and　what　did

she　say　to　you？〃



Elnora　explained　about　the　ring　as　she　drew　it　off。



〃I　have　several　letters　to　write；　then　I　am　going　to

change　my　dress　and　walk　down　toward　Aunt　Margaret's

for　a　little　exercise。　　I　may　meet　some　of　them；　and　I　don't

want　them　to　see　this　ring。　　You　keep　it　until　Philip

comes；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃As　for　what　Miss　Carr　said　to　me；

many　things；　two　of　importance：　one；　that　I　lacked　every

social　requirement　necessary　for　the　happiness　of　Philip

Ammon；　and　that　if　I　married　him　I　would　see　inside　a

month　that　he　was　ashamed　of　me〃



〃Aw；　shockins！〃　scorned　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Go　on！〃



〃The　other　was　that　she　has　been　engaged　to　him　for

years；　that　he　belongs　to　her；　and　she　refuses　to　give

him　up。　　She　said　that　if　he　were　in　her　presence　one　hour；

she　would　have　him　under　a　mysterious　thing　she　calls　‘her

spell'　again；　if　he　were　where　she　could　see　him　for　one

week；　everything　would　be　made　up。　　It　is　her　opinion

that　he　is　suffering　from　wounded　pride；　and　that　the

slightest　concession　on　her　part　will　bring　him　to　his　knees

before　her。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　giggled。　　〃I　do　hope　the　boy　isn't　weak…kneed；〃

she　said。　　〃I　just　happened　to　be　passing　the　west　window

this　afternoon〃



Elnora　laughed。　　〃Nothing　save　actual　knowledge　ever

would　have　made　me　believe　there　was　a　girl　in　all　this

world　so　infatuated　with　herself。　　She　speaks　casually　of

her　power　over　men；　and　boasts　of　‘bringing　a　man　to　his

knees'　as　complacently　as　I　would　pick　up　a　net　and　say：

‘I　am　going　to　take　a　butterfly。'　　She　honestly　believes

that　if　Philip　were　with　her　a　short　time　she　could　rekindle

his　love　for　her　and　awaken　in　him　every　particle　of

the　old　devotion。　　Mother；　the　girl　is　honest！　　She　is

absolutely　sincere！　　She　so　believes　in　herself　and　the

strength　of　Phil's　love　for　her；　that　all　her　life　she　will

believe　in　and　brood　over　that　thought；　unless　she　is

taught　differently。　　So　long　as　she　thinks　that；　she　will

nurse　wrong　ideas　and　pine　over　her　blighted　life。　　She　must

be　taught　that　Phil　is　absolutely　free；　and　yet　he　will　not　go

to　her。〃



〃But　how　on　earth　are　you　proposing　to　teach　her　that？〃



〃The　way　will　open。〃



〃Lookey　here；　Elnora！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃That　Carr

girl　is　the　handsomest　dark　woman　I　ever　saw。　　She's　got

to　the　place　where　she　won't　stop　at　anything。　　Her　coming

here　proves　that。　　I　don't　believe　there　was　a　thing

the　matter　with　that　automobile。　　I　think　that　was　a

scheme　she　fixed　up　to　get　Phil　where　she　could　see　him

alone；　as　she　worked　to　see　you。　　If　you　are　going

deliberately　to　put　Philip　under　her　influence　again；　you've

got　to　brace　yourself　for　the　possibility　that　she　may　win。　

A　man　is　a　weak　mortal；　where　a　lovely　woman　is　concerned；

and　he　never　denied　that　he　loved　her　once。　　You　may　make

yourself　downright　miserable。〃



〃But　mother；　if　she　won；　it　wouldn't　make　me　half　so

miserable　as　to　marry　Phil　myself；　and　then　read　hunger

for　her　in　his　eyes！　　Some　one　has　got　to　suffer　over　this。　

If　it　proves　to　be　me；　I'll　bear　it；　and　you'll　never　hear　a

whisper　of　complaint　from　me。　　I　know　the　real　Philip

Ammon　better　in　our　months　of　work　in　the　fields　than　she

knows　him　in　all　her　years　of　society　engagements。　

So　she　shall　have　the　hour　she　asked；　many；　many　of　them；

enough　to　make　her　acknowledge　that　she　is　wrong。　

Now　I　am　going　to　write　my　letters　and　take　my　walk。〃



Elnora　threw　her　arms　around　her　mother　and　kissed

her　repeatedly。　　〃Don't　you　worry　about　me；〃　she　said。　

〃I　will　get　along　all　right；　and　whatever　happens；　I　always

will　be　your　girl　and　you　my　darling　mother。〃



She　left　two　sealed　notes　on　her　desk。　　Then　she

changed　her　dress；　packed　a　small　bundle　which　she

dropped　with　her　hat　from　the　window　beside　the　willow；

and　softly　went　down　stairs。　　Mrs。　Comstock　was　in

the　garden。　　Elnora　picked　up　the　hat　and　bundle；　hurried

down　the　road　a　few　rods；　then　climbed　the　fence　and

entered　the　woods。　　She　took　a　diagonal　course；　and　after

a　long　walk　reached　a　road　two　miles　west　and　one　south。　

There　she　straightened　her　clothing；　put　on　her　hat　and　a

thin　dark　veil　and　waited　the　passing　of　the　next　trolley。　

She　left　it　at　the　first　town　and　took　a　train　for　Fort　Wayne。　

She　made　that　point　just　in　time　to　climb　on　the　evening

train　north；　as　it　pulled　from　the　station。　　It　was　after

midnight　when　she　left　the　car　at　Grand　Rapids；　and　went

into　the　depot　to　await　the　coming　of　day。



Tired　out；　she　laid　her　head　on　her　bundle　and　fell　asleep

on　a　seat　in　the　women's　waiting…room。　　Long　after　light

she　was　awakened　by　the　roar　and　rattle　of　trains。　　She　washed；

re…arranged　her　hair　and　clothing；　and　went　into　the　general

waiting…room　to　find　her　way　to　the　street。　　She　saw　him　as

he　entered　the　door。　　There　was　no　mistaking　the　tall；

lithe　figure；　the　bright　hair；　the　lean；　brown…splotched　face；

the　steady　gray　eyes。　　He　was　dressed　for　travelling；　and

carried　a　light　overcoat　and　a　bag。　　Straight　to　him　Elnora

went　speeding。



〃Oh；　I　was　just　starting　to　find　you！〃　she　cried。



〃Thank　you！〃　he　said。



〃You　are　going　away？〃　she　panted。



〃Not　if　I　am　needed。　　I　have　a　few　minutes。　　Can　you

be　telling　me　briefly？〃



〃I　am　the　Limberlost　girl　to　whom　your　wife　gave　the

dress　for　Commencement　last　spring；　and　both　of　you　sent

lovely　gifts。　　There　is　a　reason；　a　very　good　reason；　why　I

must　be　hidden　for　a　time；　and　I　came　straight　to　youas

if　I　had　a　right。〃



〃You　have！〃　answered　Freckles。　　〃Any　boy　or　girl　who

ever　suffered　one　pang　in　the　Limberlost　has　a　claim

to　the　best　drop　of　blood　in　my　heart。　　You　needn't　be

telling　me　anything　more。　　The　Angel　is　at　our　cottage

on　Mackinac。　　You　shall　tell　her　and　play　with　the　babies

while　you　want　shelter。　　This　way！〃



They　breakfasted　in　a　luxurious　car；　talked　over　the

swamp；　the　work　of　the　Bird　Woman；　Elnora　told　of　her

nature　lectures　in　the　schools；　and　soon　they　were

good　friends。　　In　the　evening　they　left　the　train　at

Mackinaw　City　and　crossed　the　Straits　by　boat。　　Sheets　of

white　moonlight　flooded　the　water　and　paved　a　molten　path

across　the　breast　of　it　straight　to　the　face　of　the　moon。



The　island　lay　a　dark　spot　on　the　silver　surface；　its　tall

trees　sharply　outlined　on　the　summit；　and　a　million　lights

blinked　around　the　shore。　　The　night　guns　boomed　from

the　white　fort　and　a　dark　sentinel　paced　the　ramparts

above　the　little　city　tucked　down　close　to　the　water。　

A　great　tenor　summering　in　the　north　came　out　on　the　upper

deck　of　the　big　boat；　and　baring　his　head；　faced　the　moon

and　sang：　　〃Oh；　the　moon　shines　bright　on　my　old

Kentucky　home！〃　　Elnora　thought　of　the　Limberlost；　of

Philip；　and　her　mother；　and　almost　choked　with　the　sobs

that　would　arise　in　her　throat。　　On　the　dock　a　woman　of

exquisite　beauty　swept　into　the　arms　of　Terence　O'More。



〃Oh；　Freckles！〃　she　cried。　　〃You've　been　gone　a　month！〃



〃Four　days；　Angel；　only　four　days　by　the　clock；〃

remonstrated　Freckles。　　〃Where　are　the　children？〃



〃Asleep！　　Thank　goodness！　　I'm　worn　to　a　thread。　　I　never

saw　such　inventive；　active　children。　　I　can't　keep　track　of　them！〃



〃I　have　brought　you　help；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃Here　is　the

Limberlost　girl　in　whom　the