a girl of the limberlost-第11部分

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all　they　could；　while　Mrs。　Comstock　said　a　word　now　and　then；

which　was　all　she　ever　did。　　But　Wesley　Sinton　was　watching

her；　and　time　and　again　he　saw　a　peculiar　little　twist

around　her　mouth。　　He　knew　that　for　the　first　time　in

sixteen　years　she　really　was　laughing　over　something。　

She　had　all　she　could　do　to　preserve　her　usually　sober　face。　

Wesley　knew　what　she　was　thinking。



After　supper　the　dress　was　finished；　the　pattern　for

the　next　one　discussed；　and　then　the　Sintons　went　home。　

Elnora　gathered　her　treasures。　　When　she　started　upstairs

she　stopped。　　〃May　I　kiss　you　good…night；　mother？〃

she　asked　lightly。



〃Never　mind　any　slobbering；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃I　should　think　you'd　lived　with　me　long　enough　to　know

that　I　don't　care　for　it。〃



〃Well；　I'd　love　to　show　you　in　some　way　how　happy　I

am；　and　how　I　thank　you。〃



〃I　wonder　what　for？〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Mag　Sinton

chose　that　stuff　and　brought　it　here　and　you　pay　for　it。〃



〃Yes；　but　you　seemed　willing　for　me　to　have　it；　and

you　said　you　would　help　me　if　I　couldn't　pay　all。〃



〃Maybe　I　did；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Maybe　I　did。　

I　meant　to　get　you　some　heavy　dress　skirts　about

Thanksgiving；　and　I　still　can　get　them。　　Go　to　bed；

and　for　any　sake　don't　begin　mooning　before　a　mirror；

and　make　a　dunce　of　yourself。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　picked　up　several　papers　and　blew　out

the　kitchen　light。　　She　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　sitting…

room　floor　for　a　time　and　then　went　into　her　room　and

closed　the　door。　　Sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　she　thought

for　a　few　minutes　and　then　suddenly　buried　her　face　in　the

pillow　and　again　heaved　with　laughter。



Down　the　road　plodded　Margaret　and　Wesley　Sinton。　

Neither　of　them　had　words　to　utter　their　united　thought。



〃Done！〃　hissed　Wesley　at　last。　　〃Done　brown！　　Did　you

ever　feel　like　a　bloomin'；　confounded　donkey？　　How　did

the　woman　do　it？〃



〃She　didn't　do　it！〃　gulped　Margaret　through　her　tears。　

〃She　didn't　do　anything。　　She　trusted　to　Elnora's　great

big　soul　to　bring　her　out　right；　and　really　she　was　right；

and　so　it　had　to　bring　her。　　She's　a　darling；　Wesley！　

But　she's　got　a　time　before　her。　　Did　you　see　Kate　Comstock

grab　that　money？　　Before　six　months　she'll　be　out　combing

the　Limberlost　for　bugs　and　arrow　points　to　help　pay　the　tax。　

I　know　her。〃



〃Well；　I　don't！〃　exclaimed　Sinton；　〃she's　too　many　for　me。　

But　there　is　a　laugh　left　in　her　yet！　　I　didn't　s'pose

there　was。　　Bet　you　a　dollar；　if　we　could　see　her　this

minute；　she'd　be　chuckling　over　the　way　we　got　left。〃



Both　of　them　stopped　in　the　road　and　looked　back。



〃There's　Elnora's　light　in　her　room；〃　said　Margaret。　

〃The　poor　child　will　feel　those　clothes；　and　pore　over

her　books　till　morning；　but　she'll　look　decent　to　go　to

school；　anyway。　　Nothing　is　too　big　a　price　to　pay　for　that。〃



〃Yes；　if　Kate　lets　her　wear　them。　　Ten　to　one；　she

makes　her　finish　the　week　with　that　old　stuff！〃



〃No；　she　won't；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃She'll　hardly　dare。　

Kate　made　some　concessions；　all　right；　big　ones　for　her

if　she　did　get　her　way　in　the　main。　　She　bent　some；　and

if　Elnora　proves　that　she　can　walk　out　barehanded　in　the

morning　and　come　back　with　that　much　money　in　her

pocket；　an　armful　of　books；　and　buy　a　turnout　like　that；

she　proves　that　she　is　of　some　consideration；　and　Kate's

smart　enough。　　She'll　think　twice　before　she'll　do　that。　

Elnora　won't　wear　a　calico　dress　to　high　school　again。　

You　watch　and　see　if　she　does。　　She　may　have　the　best

clothes　she'll　get　for　a　time；　for　the　least　money；　but　she

won't　know　it　until　she　tries　to　buy　goods　herself　at　the

same　rates。　　Wesley；　what　about　those　prices？　　Didn't　they

shrink　considerable？〃



〃You　began　it；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Those　prices　were　all　right。　

We　didn't　say　what　the　goods　cost　us；　we　said　what　they

would　cost　her。　　Surely；　she's　mistaken　about　being　able

to　pay　all　that。　　Can　she　pick　up　stuff　of　that　value

around　the　Limberlost？　　Didn't　the　Bird　Woman　see　her

trouble；　and　just　give　her　the　money？〃



〃I　don't　think　so；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Seems　to　me

I've　heard　of　her　paying；　or　offering　to　pay　those　who

would　take　the　money；　for　bugs　and　butterflies；　and　I've

known　people　who　sold　that　banker　Indian　stuff。　　Once　I

heard　that　his　pipe　collection　beat　that　of　the　Government

at　the　Philadelphia　Centennial。　　Those　things　have　come

to　have　a　value。〃



〃Well；　there's　about　a　bushel　of　that　kind　of　valuables

piled　up　in　the　woodshed；　that　belongs　to　Elnora。　　At　least；

I　picked　them　up　because　she　said　she　wanted　them。　

Ain't　it　queer　that　she'd　take　to　stones；　bugs；　and

butterflies；　and　save　them。　　Now　they　are　going　to　bring　her

the　very　thing　she　wants　the　worst。　　Lord；　but　this　is　a　funny

world　when　you　get　to　studying！　　Looks　like　things　didn't

all　come　by　accident。　　Looks　as　if　there　was　a　plan　back

of　it；　and　somebody　driving　that　knows　the　road；　and　how

to　handle　the　lines。　　Anyhow；　Elnora's　in　the　wagon；　and

when　I　get　out　in　the　night　and　the　dark　closes　around　me；

and　I　see　the　stars；　I　don't　feel　so　cheap。　　Maggie；　how　the

nation　did　Kate　Comstock　do　that？〃



〃You　will　keep　on　harping；　Wesley。　　I　told　you　she

didn't　do　it。　　Elnora　did　it！　　She　walked　in　and　took

things　right　out　of　our　hands。　　All　Kate　had　to　do　was　to

enjoy　having　it　go　her　way；　and　she　was　cute　enough　to

put　in　a　few　questions　that　sort　of　guided　Elnora。　　But　I

don't　know；　Wesley。　　This　thing　makes　me　think；　too。　

S'pose　we'd　taken　Elnora　when　she　was　a　baby；　and　we'd

heaped　on　her　all　the　love　we　can't　on　our　own；　and　we'd

coddled；　petted；　and　shielded　her；　would　she　have　made

the　woman　that　living　alone；　learning　to　think　for　herself；

and　taking　all　the　knocks　Kate　Comstock　could　give；　have

made　of　her？〃



〃You　bet　your　life！〃　cried　Wesley；　warmly。　　〃Loving　anybody

don't　hurt　them。　　We　wouldn't　have　done　anything　but　love　her。　

You　can't　hurt　a　child　loving　it。　　She'd　have　learned　to　work；

to　study；　and　grown　into　a　woman　with　us；　without　suffering

like　a　poor　homeless　dog。〃



〃But　you　don't　see　the　point；　Wesley。　　She　would　have

grown　into　a　fine　woman　with　us；　but　as　we　would　have

raised　her；　would　her　heart　ever　have　known　the　world　as　it

does　now？　　Where's　the　anguish；　Wesley；　that　child　can't

comprehend？　　Seeing　what　she's　seen　of　her　mother　hasn't

hardened　her。　　She　can　understand　any　mother's　sorrow。　

Living　life　from　the　rough　side　has　only　broadened　her。　

Where's　the　girl　or　boy　burning　with　shame；　or　struggling

to　find　a　way；　that　will　cross　Elnora's　path　and　not　get

a　lift　from　her？　　She's　had　the　knocks；　but　there'll　never

be　any　of　the　thing　you　call　‘false　pride'　in　her。　　I　guess

we　better　keep　out。　　Maybe　Kate　Comstock　knows　what　she's　doing。　

Sure　as　you　live；　Elnora　has　grown　bigger　on　knocks　than　she

would　on　love。〃



〃I　don't　s'pose　there　ever　was　a　very　fine　point　to

anything　but　I　missed　it；〃　said　Wesley；　〃because　I　am

blunt；　rough；　and　have　no　book　learning　to　speak　of。　

Since　you　put　it　into　words　I　see　what　you　mean；　but　it's

dinged　hard　on　Elnora；　just　the　same。　　And　I　don't　keep　out。　

I　keep　watching　closer　than　ever。　　I　got　my　slap　in　the

face；　but　if　I　don't　miss　my　guess；　Kate　Comstock　learned

her　lesson；　same　as　I　did。　　She　learned　that　I　was　in

earnest；　that　I　would　haul　her　to　court　if　she　didn't

loosen　up　a　bit；　and　she'll　loosen。　　You　see　if　she　doesn't。　

It　may　come　hard；　and　the　hinges　creak；　but　she'll　fix

Elnora　decent　after　this；　if　Elnora　doesn't　prove　that　she

can　fix　herself。　　As　for　me；　I　found　out　that　what　I　was

doing　was　as　much　for　myself　as　for　Elnora。　　I　wanted　her

to　take　those　things　from　us；　and　love　us　for　giving　them。　

It　didn't　work；　and　but　for　you；　I'd　messed　the　whole

thing　and　stuck　like　a　pig　in　crossing　a　bridge。　　But　you

helped　me　out；　Elnora's　got　the　clothes；　and　by　morning；

maybe　I　won't　grudge　Kate　the　only　laugh　she's　had　in

sixteen　years。　　You　been　showing　me　the　way　quite　a

spell　now；　ain't　you；　Maggie？〃



In　her　attic　Elnora　lighted　two　candles；　set　them　on　her

little　table；　stacked　the　books；　and　put　away　the

precious　clothes。　　How　lovingly　she　hung　the　hat　and　umbrella；

folded　the　raincoat；　and　spread　the　new　dress　over　a　chair。　

She　fingered　the　ribbons；　and　tried　to　smooth　the　creases

from　them。　　She　put　away　the　hose　neatly　folded；　touched

the　handkerchiefs；　and　tried　the　belt。　　Then　she　slipped

into　her　white　nightdress；　shook　down　her　hair　that　it

might　become　thoroughly　dry；　set　a　chair　before　the　table；

and　reverently　opened　one　of　the　books。　　A　stiff　draught

swept　the　attic；　for　it　stretched　the　length　of　the　cabin；

and　had　a　window　in　each　end。　　Elnora　arose　and　going　to　the

east　window　closed　it。　　She　stood　for　a　minute　looking　at

the　stars；　the　sky；　and　the　dark　outline　of　the　straggling

trees　of　the　rapidly　dismantling　Limberlost。　　In　the　region

of　her　case　a　tiny　point　of　light　flashed　and　disappeared。　

Elnora　straightened　and　wondered。　　Was　it　wise　to　leave

her　precious　money　there？　　The　light　flashed　once　more；

wavered　a　few　seconds；　and　died　out。　　The　girl　waited。　

She　did　not　see　it　again；　so　she　turned　to　her　books。



In　the　Limberlost　the　hulking　figure　of　a　man　sneaked

down　the　trail。



〃The　Bird　Woman　was　at　Freckles's　room　this　evening；〃

he　muttered。　　〃Wonder　what　for？〃



He　left　the　trail；　entered　the　enclosure　still　distinctly

outlined；　and　approached　the　case。　　The　first　point　of　light

flashed　from　the　tiny　electric　lamp　on　his　vest。　　He　took

a　duplicate　key　from　his　pocket；　felt　for　the　padlock　and

opened　it。　　The　door　swung　wide。　　The　light　flashed　the

second　time。　　Swiftly　his　glance　swept　the　interior。



〃'Bout　a　fourth　of　her　moths　gone。　　Elnora　must

have　been　with　the　Bird　Woman　and　given　them　to　her。〃

Then　he　stood　tense。　　His　keen　eyes　discovered　the

roll　of　bills　hastily　thrust