a girl of the limberlost-第9节

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school　or　open　a　bank　account　and　begin　being　a　millionaire？　

Uncle　Wesley　and　I　have　a　bushel　of　arrow　points　gathered；

a　stack　of　axes；　pipes；　skin…dressing　tools；　tubes　and　mortars。　

I　don't　know　how　I　ever　shall　wait　three　hours。〃



〃You　must　go；　or　you　will　be　late；〃　said　the　Bird　Woman。　

〃I　will　be　ready　at　four。〃



After　school　closed　Elnora；　seated　beside　the　Bird

Woman；　drove　to　Freckles's　room　in　the　Limberlost。　　One　at

a　time　the　beautiful　big　moths　were　taken　from　the

interior　of　the　old　black　case。　　Not　a　fourth　of　them　could

be　moved　that　night　and　it　was　almost　dark　when　the　last

box　was　closed；　the　list　figured；　and　into　Elnora's　trembling

fingers　were　paid　fifty…nine　dollars　and　sixteen　cents。　

Elnora　clasped　the　money　closely。



〃Oh　you　beautiful　stuff！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　are　going　to

buy　the　books；　pay　the　tuition；　and　take　me　to　high　school。〃



Then　because　she　was　a　woman；　she　sat　on　a　log　and

looked　at　her　shoes。　　Long　after　the　Bird　Woman　drove

away　Elnora　remained。　　She　had　her　problem；　and　it　was

a　big　one。　　If　she　told　her　mother；　would　she　take　the

money　to　pay　the　taxes？　　If　she　did　not　tell　her；　how　could

she　account　for　the　books；　and　things　for　which　she　would

spend　it。　　At　last　she　counted　out　what　she　needed　for

the　next　day；　placed　the　remainder　in　the　farthest　corner

of　the　case；　and　locked　the　door。　　She　then　filled　the　front

of　her　skirt　from　a　heap　of　arrow　points　beneath　the　case

and　started　home。









CHAPTER　IV





WHEREIN　THE　SINTONS　ARE　DISAPPOINTED；

AND　MRS。　COMSTOCK　LEARNS　THAT　SHE　CAN　LAUGH





With　the　first　streak　of　red　above　the　Limberlost

Margaret　Sinton　was　busy　with　the　gingham　and　the

intricate　paper　pattern　she　had　purchased。　

Wesley　cooked　the　breakfast　and　worked　until　he　thought

Elnora　would　be　gone；　then　he　started　to　bring　her　mother。



〃Now　you　be　mighty　careful；〃　cautioned　Margaret。　

〃I　don't　know　how　she　will　take　it。〃



〃I　don't　either；〃　said　Wesley　philosophically；　〃but

she's　got　to　take　it　some　way。　　That　dress　has　to　be

finished　by　school　time　in　the　morning。〃



Wesley　had　not　slept　well　that　night。　　He　had　been　so

busy　framing　diplomatic　speeches　to　make　to　Mrs。　Comstock

that　sleep　had　little　chance　with　him。　　Every　step　nearer

to　her　he　approached　his　position　seemed　less　enviable。　

By　the　time　he　reached　the　front　gate　and　started　down

the　walk　between　the　rows　of　asters　and　lady　slippers

he　was　perspiring；　and　every　plausible　and　convincing

speech　had　fled　his　brain。　　Mrs。　Comstock　helped　him。　

She　met　him　at　the　door。



〃Good　morning；〃　she　said。　　〃Did　Margaret　send　you

for　something？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃She's　got　a　job　that's　too　big

for　her；　and　she　wants　you　to　help。〃



〃Of　course　I　will；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　It　was　no

one's　affair　how　lonely　the　previous　day　had　been；　or

how　the　endless　hours　of　the　present　would　drag。　

〃What　is　she　doing　in　such　a　rush？〃



Now　was　his　chance。



〃She's　making　a　dress　for　Elnora；〃　answered；　Wesley。　

He　saw　Mrs。　Comstock's　form　straighten；　and　her　face

harden；　so　he　continued　hastily。　　〃You　see　Elnora　has

been　helping　us　at　harvest　time；　butchering；　and　with

unexpected　visitors　for　years。　　We've　made　out　that

she's　saved　us　a　considerable　sum；　and　as　she　wouldn't

ever　touch　any　pay　for　anything；　we　just　went　to　town

and　got　a　few　clothes　we　thought　would　fix　her　up　a　little

for　the　high　school。　　We　want　to　get　a　dress　done　to…day

mighty　bad；　but　Margaret　is　slow　about　sewing；　and　she

never　can　finish　alone；　so　I　came　after　you。〃



〃And　it's　such　a　simple　little　matter；　so　dead　easy；

and　all　so　between　old　friends　like；　that　you　can't　look

above　your　boots　while　you　explain　it；〃　sneered　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃Wesley　Sinton；　what　put　the　idea　into　your　head　that

Elnora　would　take　things　bought　with　money；　when　she

wouldn't　take　the　money？



Then　Sinton's　eyes　came　up　straightly。



〃Finding　her　on　the　trail　last　night　sobbing　as　hard　as

I　ever　saw　any　one　at　a　funeral。　　She　wasn't　complaining

at　all；　but　she's　come　to　me　all　her　life　with　her　little　hurts；

and　she　couldn't　hide　how　she'd　been　laughed　at；　twitted；

and　run　face　to　face　against　the　fact　that　there　were　books

and　tuition；　unexpected；　and　nothing　will　ever　make　me

believe　you　didn't　know　that；　Kate　Comstock。〃



〃If　any　doubts　are　troubling　you　on　that　subject；　sure

I　knew　it！　　She　was　so　anxious　to　try　the　world；　I　thought

I'd　just　let　her　take　a　few　knocks　and　see　how　she　liked　them。〃



〃As　if　she'd　ever　taken　anything　but　knocks　all　her　life！〃

cried　Wesley　Sinton。　　〃Kate　Comstock；　you　are　a　heartless；

selfish　woman。　　You've　never　shown　Elnora　any　real　love　in

her　life。　　If　ever　she　finds　out　that　thing　you'll　lose　her；

and　it　will　serve　you　right。〃



〃She　knows　it　now；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock　icily；　〃and

she'll　be　home　to…night　just　as　usual。〃



〃Well；　you　are　a　brave　woman　if　you　dared　put　a　girl　of

Elnora's　make　through　what　she　suffered　yesterday；　and　will

suffer　again　to…day；　and　let　her　know　you　did　it　on　purpose。　

I　admire　your　nerve。　　But　I've　watched　this　since　Elnora

was　born；　and　I　got　enough。　　Things　have　come　to　a　pass

where　they　go　better　for　her；　or　I　interfere。〃



〃As　if　you'd　ever　done　anything　but　interfere　all　her　life！　

Think　I　haven't　watched　you？　　Think　I；　with　my　heart　raw

in　my　breast；　and　too　numb　to　resent　it　openly；

haven't　seen　you　and　Mag　Sinton　trying　to　turn　Elnora

against　me　day　after　day？　　When　did　you　ever　tell　her

what　her　father　meant　to　me？　　When　did　you　ever　try　to

make　her　see　the　wreck　of　my　life；　and　what　I've　suffered？　

No　indeed！　　Always　it's　been　poor　little　abused　Elnora；

and　cakes；　kissing；　extra　clothes；　and　encouraging　her

to　run　to　you　with　a　pitiful　mouth　every　time　I　tried　to

make　a　woman　of　her。〃



〃Kate　Comstock；　that's　unjust；〃　cried　Sinton。　　〃Only　last

night　I　tried　to　show　her　the　picture　I　saw　the　day　she

was　born。　　I　begged　her　to　come　to　you　and　tell　you

pleasant　what　she　needed；　and　ask　you　for　what　I　happen

to　know　you　can　well　afford　to　give　her。〃



〃I　can't！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You　know　I　can't！〃



〃Then　get　so　you　can！〃　said　Wesley　Sinton。　　〃Any　day

you　say　the　word　you　can　sell　six　thousand　worth　of

rare　timber　off　this　place　easy。　　I'll　see　to　clearing　and

working　the　fields　cheap　as　dirt；　for　Elnora's　sake。　

I'll　buy　you　more　cattle　to　fatten。　　All　you've　got　to　do

is　sign　a　lease；　to　pull　thousands　from　the　ground　in　oil；

as　the　rest　of　us　are　doing　all　around　you！〃



〃Cut　down　Robert's　trees！〃　shrieked　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃Tear　up　his　land！　　Cover　everything　with　horrid；

greasy　oil！　　I'll　die　first。〃



〃You　mean　you'll　let　Elnora　go　like　a　beggar；　and　hurt

and　mortify　her　past　bearing。　　I've　got　to　the　place　where

I　tell　you　plain　what　I　am　going　to　do。　　Maggie　and　I

went　to　town　last　night；　and　we　bought　what　things　Elnora

needs　most　urgent　to　make　her　look　a　little　like　the　rest　of

the　high　school　girls。　　Now　here　it　is　in　plain　English。　

You　can　help　get　these　things　ready；　and　let　us　give　them　to

her　as　we　want〃



〃She　won't　touch　them！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃Then　you　can　pay　us；　and　she　can　take　them　as　her　right〃



〃I　won't！〃



〃Then　I　will　tell　Elnora　just　what　you　are　worth；　what

you　can　afford；　and　how　much　of　this　she　owns。　　I'll　loan

her　the　money　to　buy　books　and　decent　clothes；　and

when　she　is　of　age　she　can　sell　her　share　and　pay　me。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　gripped　a　chair…back　and　opened　her

lips；　but　no　words　came。



〃And；〃　Sinton　continued；　〃if　she　is　so　much　like　you

that　she　won't　do　that；　I'll　go　to　the　county　seat　and　lay

complaint　against　you　as　her　guardian　before　the　judge。　

I'll　swear　to　what　you　are　worth；　and　how　you　are　raising

her；　and　have　you　discharged；　or　have　the　judge　appoint

some　man　who　will　see　that　she　is　comfortable；　educated；

and　decent　looking！〃



〃Youyou　wouldn't！〃　gasped　Kate　Comstock。



〃I　won't　need　to；　Kate！〃　said　Sinton；　his　heart　softening

the　instant　the　hard　words　were　said。　　〃You　won't

show　it；　but　you　do　love　Elnora！　　You　can't　help　it！　

You　must　see　how　she　needs　things；　come　help　us　fix　them；

and　be　friends。　　Maggie　and　I　couldn't　live　without　her；

and　you　couldn't　either。　　You've　got　to　love　such　a　fine

girl　as　she　is；　let　it　show　a　little！〃



〃You　can　hardly　expect　me　to　love　her；〃　said　Mrs。

Comstock　coldly。　　〃But　for　her　a　man　would　stand　back

of　me　now；　who　would　beat　the　breath　out　of　your　sneaking

body　for　the　cowardly　thing　with　which　you　threaten　me。　

After　all　I've　suffered　you'd　drag　me　to　court　and

compel　me　to　tear　up　Robert's　property。　　If　I　ever　go　they

carry　me。　　If　they　touch　one　tree；　or　put　down　one　greasy

old　oil　well；　it　will　be　over　all　I　can　shoot；　before　they

begin。　　Now；　see　how　quick　you　can　clear　out　of　here！〃



〃You　won't　come　and　help　Maggie　with　the　dre