a girl of the limberlost-第22部分

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thirty…six；　although　she　appeared　fifty。　　But　there

was　an　expression　on　her　usually　cold　face　that　was

attractive　just　then；　and　Billy　was　in　search　of　attractions。



〃Have　I　stayed　too　late；　mother？〃　asked　Elnora　anxiously。　

〃I　truly　intended　to　come　straight　back；　but　I　thought

I　could　rock　Billy　to　sleep　first。　　Everything　is　strange；

and　he's　so　nervous。〃



〃Is　that　your　ma？〃　demanded　Billy。



〃Yes。〃



〃Does　she　love　you？〃



〃Of　course！〃



〃My　mother　didn't　love　me；〃　said　Billy。　　〃She　went

away　and　left　me；　and　never　came　back。　　She　don't　care

what　happens　to　me。　　You　wouldn't　go　away　and　leave

your　little　girl；　would　you？〃　questioned　Billy。



〃No；〃　said　Katharine　Comstock；　〃and　I　wouldn't

leave　a　little　boy；　either。〃



Billy　began　sliding　from　Elnora's　knees。



〃Do　you　like　boys？〃　he　questioned。



〃If　there　is　anything　I　love　it　is　a　boy；〃　said　Mrs。

Comstock　assuringly。　　Billy　was　on　the　floor。



〃Do　you　like　dogs？〃



〃Yes。　　Almost　as　well　as　boys。　　I　am　going　to　buy　a

dog　as　soon　as　I　can　find　a　good　one。〃



Billy　swept　toward　her　with　a　whoop。



〃Do　you　want　a　boy？〃　he　shouted。



Katharine　Comstock　stretched　out　her　arms；　and

gathered　him　in。



〃Of　course；　I　want　a　boy！〃　she　rejoiced。



〃Maybe　you'd　like　to　have　me？〃　offered　Billy。



〃Sure　I　would；〃　triumphed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Any　one

would　like　to　have　you。　　You　are　just　a　real　boy；　Billy。〃



〃Will　you　take　Snap？〃



〃I'd　like　to　have　Snap　almost　as　well　as　you。〃



〃Mother！〃　breathed　Elnora　imploringly。　　〃Don't！　Oh；　don't！　

He　thinks　you　mean　it！〃



〃And　so　I　do　mean　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I'll　take

him　in　a　jiffy。　　I　throw　away　enough　to　feed　a　little

tyke　like　him　every　day。　　His　chatter　would　be　great

company　while　you　are　gone。　　Blood　soon　can　be　purified

with　right　food　and　baths；　and　as　for　Snap；　I　meant　to

buy　a　bulldog；　but　possibly　Snap　will　serve　just　as　well。　

All　I　ask　of　a　dog　is　to　bark　at　the　right　time。　　I'll　do

the　rest。　　Would　you　like　to　come　and　be　my　boy；　Billy？〃



Billy　leaned　against　Mrs。　Comstock；　reached　his　arms

around　her　neck　and　gripped　her　with　all　his　puny　might。　

〃You　can　whip　me　all　you　want　to；〃　he　said。　　〃I　won't

make　a　sound。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　held　him　closely　and　her　hard　face　was

softening；　of　that　there　could　be　no　doubt。



〃Now；　why　would　any　one　whip　a　nice　little　boy　like

you？〃　she　asked　wonderingly。



〃She〃Billy　from　his　refuge　waved　toward　Margaret

〃she　was　going　to　whip　me　'cause　her　cats　fought；

when　I　tied　their　tails　together　and　hung　them　over　the

line　to　dry。　　How　did　I　know　her　old　cats　would　fight？〃



Mrs。　Comstock　began　to　laugh　suddenly；　and　try　as

she　would　she　could　not　stop　so　soon　as　she　desired。　

Billy　studied　her。



〃Have　you　got　turkeys？〃　he　demanded。



〃Yes；　flocks　of　them；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　vainly

struggling　to　suppress　her　mirth；　and　settle　her　face　in

its　accustomed　lines。



〃Are　their　tails　fast？〃　demanded　Billy。



〃Why；　I　think　so；〃　marvelled　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃Hers　ain't！〃　said　Billy　with　the　wave　toward　Margaret

that　was　becoming　familiar。　　〃Her　turkey　pulled；

and　its　tail　comed　right　off。　　She's　going　to　whip　me　if　he

lets　her。　　I　didn't　know　the　turkey　would　pull。　　I　didn't

know　its　tail　would　come　off。　　I　won't　ever　touch　one

again；　will　I？〃



〃Of　course；　you　won't；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃And　what's

more；　I　don't　care　if　you　do！　　I'd　rather　have　a　fine

little　man　like　you　than　all　the　turkeys　in　the　country。　

Let　them　lose　their　old　tails　if　they　want　to；　and　let

the　cats　fight。　　Cats　and　turkeys　don't　compare　with　boys；

who　are　going　to　be　fine　big　men　some　of　these　days。〃



Then　Billy　and　Mrs。　Comstock　hugged　each　other

rapturously；　while　their　audience　stared　in　silent　amazement。



〃You　like　boys！〃　exulted　Billy；　and　his　head　dropped

against　Mrs。　Comstock　in　unspeakable　content。



〃Yes；　and　if　I　don't　have　to　carry　you　the　whole　way

home；　we　must　start　right　now；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃You　are　going　to　be　asleep　before　you　know　it。〃



Billy　opened　his　eyes　and　braced　himself。　　〃I　can

walk；〃　he　said　proudly。



〃All　right；　we　must　start。　　Come；　Elnora！　　Good…night；　folks！〃　

Mrs。　Comstock　set　Billy　on　the　floor；　and　arose　gripping

his　hand。　　〃You　take　the　other　side；　Elnora；　and　we　will

help　him　as　much　as　we　can；〃　she　said。



Elnora　stared　piteously　at　Margaret；　then　at　Wesley；

and　arose　in　white…faced　bewilderment。



〃Billy；　are　you　going　to　leave　without　even　saying　good…

bye　to　me？〃　asked　Wesley；　with　a　gulp。



Billy　held　tight　to　Mrs。　Comstock　and　Elnora。



〃Good…bye！〃　he　said　casually。　　〃I'll　come　and　see　you

some　time。〃



Wesley　Sinton　gave　a　smothered　sob；　and　strode　from

the　room。



Mrs。　Comstock　started　toward　the　door；　dragging　at

Billy　while　Elnora　pulled　back；　but　Mrs。　Sinton　was　before

them；　her　eyes　flashing。



〃Kate　Comstock；　you　think　you　are　mighty　smart；

don't　you？〃　she　cried。



〃I　ain't　in　the　lunatic　asylum；　where　you　belong；

anyway；〃said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I　am　smart　enough　to　tell

a　dandy　boy　when　I　see　him；　and　I'm　good　and　glad　to

get　him。　　I'll　love　to　have　him！〃



〃Well；　you　won't　have　him！〃　exclaimed　Margaret　Sinton。　

〃That　boy　is　Wesley's！　　He　found　him；　and　brought　him　here。　

You　can't　come　in　and　take　him　like　that！　　Let　go　of　him！〃



〃Not　much；　I　won't！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Leave　the

poor　sick　little　soul　here　for　you　to　beat；　because　he

didn't　know　just　how　to　handle　things！　　Of　course；　he'll

make　mistakes。　　He　must　have　a　lot　of　teaching；　but　not

the　kind　he'll　get　from　you！　　Clear　out　of　my　way！〃



〃You　let　go　of　our　boy；〃　ordered　Margaret。



〃Why？　　Do　you　want　to　whip　him；　before　he　can　go

to　sleep？〃　jeered　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃No；　I　don't！〃　said　Margaret。　　〃He's　Wesley's；　and

nobody　shall　touch　him。　　Wesley！〃



Wesley　Sinton　appeared　behind　Margaret　in　the　doorway；

and　she　turned　to　him。　　〃Make　Kate　Comstock　let　go　of

our　boy！〃　she　demanded。



〃Billy；　she　wants　you　now；〃　said　Wesley　Sinton。　　〃She　won't

whip　you；　and　she　won't　let　any　one　else。　　You　can　have

stacks　of　good　things　to　eat；　ride　in　the　carriage；　and　have

a　great　time。　　Won't　you　stay　with　us？〃



Billy　drew　away　from　Mrs。　Comstock　and　Elnora。



He　faced　Margaret；　his　eyes　shrewd　with　unchildish　wisdom。　

Necessity　had　taught　him　to　strike　the　hot　iron；　to

drive　the　hard　bargain。



〃Can　I　have　Snap　to　live　here　always？〃　he　demanded。



〃Yes；　you　can　have　all　the　dogs　you　want；〃　said　Margaret　Sinton。



〃Can　I　sleep　close　enough　so's　I　can　touch　you？〃



〃Yes；　you　can　move　your　lounge　up　so　that　you　can

hold　my　hand；〃　said　Margaret。



〃Do　you　love　me　now？〃　questioned　Billy。



〃I'll　try　to　love　you；　if　you　are　a　good　boy；〃　said　Margaret。



〃Then　I　guess　I'll　stay；〃　said　Billy；　walking　over　to　her。



Out　in　the　night　Elnora　and　her　mother　went　down　the

road　in　the　moonlight；　every　few　rods　Mrs。　Comstock

laughed　aloud。



〃Mother；　I　don't　understand　you；〃　sobbed　Elnora。



〃Well；　maybe　when　you　have　gone　to　high　school　longer

you　will；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Anyway；　you　saw　me

bring　Mag　Sinton　to　her　senses；　didn't　you？〃



〃Yes；　I　did；〃　answered　Elnora；　〃but　I　thought　you

were　in　earnest。　　So　did　Billy；　and　Uncle　Wesley；　and

Aunt　Margaret。〃



〃Well；　wasn't　I？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃But　you　just　said　you　brought　Aunt　Margaret　to！〃



〃Well；　didn't　I？〃



〃I　don't　understand　you。〃



〃That's　the　reason　I　am　recommending　more　schooling！〃



Elnora　took　her　candle　and　went　to　bed。　　Mrs。　Comstock

was　feeling　too　good　to　sleep。　　Twice　of　late　she

really　had　enjoyed　herself　for　the　first　in　sixteen　years；

and　greediness　for　more　of　the　same　feeling　crept　into　her

blood　like　intoxication。　　As　she　sat　brooding　alone　she

knew　the　truth。　　She　would　have　loved　to　have　taken　Billy。　

She　would　not　have　minded　his　mischief；　his　chatter；　or　his　dog。　

He　would　have　meant　a　distraction　from　herself　that　she

greatly　needed；　she　was　even　sincere　about　the　dog。　

She　had　intended　to　tell　Wesley　to　buy　her　one　at　the　very

first　opportunity。　　Her　last　thought　was　of　Billy。　

She　chuckled　softly；　for　she　was　not　saintly；　and　now　she

knew　how　she　could　even　a　long　score　with　Margaret　and　Wesley

in　a　manner　that　would　fill　her　soul　with　grim　satisfaction。









CHAPTER　VIII





WHEREIN　THE　LIMBERLOST　TEMPTS　ELNORA；　AND　BILLY

BURIES　HIS　FATHER





Immediately　after　dinner　on　Sunday　Wesley　Sinton

stopped　at　the　Comstock　gate　to　ask　if　Elnora　wanted

to　go　to　town　with　them。　　Billy　sat　beside　him　and　he

did　not　appear　as　if　he　were　on　his　way　to　a　funeral。　

Elnora　said　she　had　to　study　and　could　not　go；　but　she

suggested　that　her　mother　take　her　place。　　Mrs。　Comstock

put　on　her　hat　and　went　at　once；　which　surprised　Elnora。　

She　did　not　know　that　her　mother　was　anxious　for　an

opportunity　to　speak　with　Sinton　alone。　　Elnora　knew

why　she　was　repeatedly　cautioned　not　to　leave　their　land；

if　she　went　specimen　hunting。



She　studied　two　hours　and　was　several　lessons　ahead　of

her　classes。　　There　was　no　use　to　go　further。　　She　would

take　a　walk　and　see　if　she　could　gather　any　caterpillars　or

find　any　freshly　spun　cocoons。　　She　searched　the　bushes

and　low　trees　behind　the　garden　and　all　around　the　edge　of

the　woods　on　their　land；　and　having　little　success；　at

last　came　to　the　road。　　Almost　the　first　thorn　bush　she

examined　yielded　a　Polyphemus　cocoon。　　Elnora　lifted

her　head　with　the　instinct　of　a　hunter　on　the　chase；　and

began　work。　　She　reached　the　swamp　before　she　knew　it；

carrying　five　fine　cocoons　of　different　species　as　her　reward。

She　pushed　back　her　hair　and　gazed　around　longingly。　　A　few

rods　inside　she　thought　she　saw　cocoons　on　a　bush；　to

which　she　went；　and　found　several。　　Sense　of　caution　was

rapidly　vanishin