a girl of the limberlost-第12部分

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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　dress？〃



For　answer　Mrs。　Comstock　looked　around　swiftly　for

some　object　on　which　to　lay　her　hands。　　Knowing　her

temper；　Wesley　Sinton　left　with　all　the　haste　consistent

with　dignity。　　But　he　did　not　go　home。　　He　crossed　a

field；　and　in　an　hour　brought　another　neighbour　who　was

skilful　with　her　needle。　　With　sinking　heart　Margaret　saw

them　coming。



〃Kate　is　too　busy　to　help　to…day；　she　can't　sew　before

to…morrow；〃　said　Wesley　cheerfully　as　they　entered。



That　quieted　Margaret's　apprehension　a　little；　though

she　had　some　doubts。　　Wesley　prepared　the　lunch；　and

by　four　o'clock　the　dress　was　finished　as　far　as　it　possibly

could　be　until　it　was　fitted　on　Elnora。　　If　that　did　not

entail　too　much　work；　it　could　be　completed　in　two　hours。



Then　Margaret　packed　their　purchases　into　the　big

market　basket。　　Wesley　took　the　hat；　umbrella；　and　raincoat；

and　they　went　to　Mrs。　Comstock's。　　As　they　reached

the　step；　Margaret　spoke　pleasantly　to　Mrs。　Comstock；

who　sat　reading　just　inside　the　door；　but　she　did　not

answer　and　deliberately　turned　a　leaf　without　looking　up。



Wesley　Sinton　opened　the　door　and　went　in　followed　by　Margaret。



〃Kate；〃　he　said；　〃you　needn't　take　out　your　mad　over

our　little　racket　on　Maggie。　　I　ain't　told　her　a　word　I　said

to　you；　or　you　said　to　me。　　She's　not　so　very　strong；　and

she's　sewed　since　four　o'clock　this　morning　to　get　this　dress

ready　for　to…morrow。　　It's　done　and　we　came　down　to　try

it　on　Elnora。〃



〃Is　that　the　truth；　Mag　Sinton？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃You　heard　Wesley　say　so；〃　proudly　affirmed　Mrs。　Sinton。



〃I　want　to　make　you　a　proposition；〃　said　Wesley。　

〃Wait　till　Elnora　comes。　　Then　we'll　show　her　the　things

and　see　what　she　says。〃



〃How　would　it　do　to　see　what　she　says　without　bribing

her；〃　sneered　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃If　she　can　stand　what　she　did　yesterday；　and　will　to…

day；　she　can　bear　'most　anything；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Put　away

the　clothes　if　you　want　to；　till　we　tell　her。〃



〃Well；　you　don't　take　this　waist　I'm　working　on；〃

said　Margaret；　〃for　I　have　to　baste　in　the　sleeves　and　set

the　collar。　　Put　the　rest　out　of　sight　if　you　like。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　picked　up　the　basket　and　bundles；

placed　them　inside　her　room　and　closed　the　door。



Margaret　threaded　her　needle　and　began　to　sew。　

Mrs。　Comstock　returned　to　her　book；　while　Wesley　fidgeted

and　raged　inwardly。　　He　could　see　that　Margaret　was

nervous　and　almost　in　tears；　but　the　lines　in　Mrs。

Comstock's　impassive　face　were　set　and　cold。　　So　they

sat　while　the　clock　ticked　off　the　timeone　hour；　two；

dusk；　and　no　Elnora。　　Just　when　Margaret　and　Wesley　were

discussing　whether　he　had　not　better　go　to　town　to　meet

Elnora；　they　heard　her　coming　up　the　walk。　　Wesley　dropped

his　tilted　chair　and　squared　himself。　　Margaret　gripped

her　sewing；　and　turned　pleading　eyes　toward　the　door。　

Mrs。　Comstock　closed　her　book　and　griml