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a girl of the limberlost-第11部分
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until she remembered how hungry she was; so she ate the
food; drank the hot chocolate and began to feel better。
Then the Bird Woman came back and showed Elnora a
long printed slip giving a list of graduated prices for
moths; butterflies; and dragonflies。
〃Oh; do you want them!〃 exulted Elnora。 〃I have
a few and I can get more by the thousand; with every
colour in the world on their wings。〃
〃Yes;〃 said the Bird Woman; 〃I will buy them; also the
big moth caterpillars that are creeping everywhere now;
and the cocoons that they will spin just about this time。
I have a sneaking impression that the mystery; wonder;
and the urge of their pure beauty; are going to force me
to picture and paint our moths and put them into a book
for all the world to see and know。 We Limberlost people
must not be selfish with the wonders God has given to us。
We must share with those poor cooped…up city people the
best we can。 To send them a beautiful book; that is the
way; is it not; little new friend of mine?〃
〃Yes; oh yes!〃 cried Elnora。 〃And please God they
find a way to earn the money to buy the books; as I have
those I need so badly。〃
〃I will pay good prices for all the moths you can find;〃
said the Bird Woman; 〃because you see I exchange them
with foreign collectors。 I want a complete series of the
moths of America to trade with a German scientist;
another with a man in India; and another in Brazil。
Others I can exchange with home collectors for those of
California and Canada; so you see I can use all you can
raise; or find。 The banker will buy stone axes; arrow
points; and Indian pipes。 There was a teacher from the
city grade schools here to…day for specimens。 There is
a fund to supply the ward buildings。 I'll help you get
in touch with that。 They want leaves of different trees;
flowers; grasses; moths; insects; birds' nests and anything
about birds。〃
Elnora's eyes were blazing。 〃Had I better go back to
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
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