a girl of the limberlost-第21部分

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AND　BILLY　REAPPEARS





It　was　Wesley　Sinton　who　really　wrestled　with

Elnora's　problem　while　he　drove　about　his　business。　

He　was　not　forced　to　ask　himself　what　it　meant；　he　knew。　

The　old　Corson　gang　was　still　holding　together。　

Elder　members　who　had　escaped　the　law　had　been　joined　by

a　younger　brother　of　Jack's；　and　they　met　in　the　thickest

of　the　few　remaining　fast　places　of　the　swamp　to　drink；

gamble；　and　loaf。　　Then　suddenly；　there　would　be　a

robbery　in　some　country　house　where　a　farmer　that　day　had

sold　his　wheat　or　corn　and　not　paid　a　visit　to　the　bank；

or　in　some　neighbouring　village。



The　home　of　Mrs。　Comstock　and　Elnora　adjoined　the　swamp。　

Sinton's　land　lay　next；　and　not　another　residence　or　man

easy　to　reach　in　case　of　trouble。　　Whoever　wrote　that

note　had　some　human　kindness　in　his　breast；　but　the　fact

stood　revealed　that　he　feared　his　strength　if　Elnora　were

delivered　into　his　hands。　　Where　had　he　been　the　previous

night　when　he　heard　that　prayer？　　Was　that　the　first　time

he　had　been　in　such　proximity？　　Sinton　drove　fast；

for　he　wished　to　reach　the　swamp　before　Elnora　and　the

Bird　Woman　would　go　there。



At　almost　four　he　came　to　the　case；　and　dropping　on　his

knees　studied　the　ground；　every　sense　alert。　　He　found

two　or　three　little　heel　prints。　　Those　were　made　by

Elnora　or　the　Bird　Woman。　　What　Sinton　wanted　to　learn

was　whether　all　the　remainder　were　the　footprints　of

one　man。　　It　was　easily　seen；　they　were　not。　　There　were

deep；　even　tracks　made　by　fairly　new　shoes；　and　others

where　a　well…worn　heel　cut　deeper　on　the　inside　of

the　print　than　at　the　outer　edge。　　Undoubtedly　some　of

Corson's　old　gang　were　watching　the　case；　and　the　visits

of　the　women　to　it。　　There　was　no　danger　that　any　one

would　attack　the　Bird　Woman。　　She　never　went　to　the

swamp　at　night；　and　on　her　trips　in　the　daytime；　every　one

knew　that　she　carried　a　revolver；　understood　how　to　use　it；

and　pursued　her　work　in　a　fearless　manner。



Elnora；　prowling　around　the　swamp　and　lured　into　the

interior　by　the　flight　of　moths　and　butterflies；　Elnora；

without　father；　money；　or　friends　save　himself；　to　defend

herElnora　was　a　different　proposition。　　For　this　to

happen　just　when　the　Limberlost　was　bringing　the　very

desire　of　her　heart　to　the　girl；　it　was　too　bad。



Sinton　was　afraid　for　her；　yet　he　did　not　want　to　add

the　burden　of　fear　to　Katharine　Comstock's　trouble；　or　to

disturb　the　joy　of　Elnora　in　her　work。　　He　stopped　at　the

cabin　and　slowly　went　up　the　walk。　　Mrs。　Comstock　was

sitting　on　the　front　steps　with　some　sewing。　　The　work

seemed　to　Sinton　as　if　she　might　be　engaged　in　putting　a

tuck　in　a　petticoat。　　He　thought　of　how　Margaret　had

shortened　Elnora's　dress　to　the　accepted　length　for　girls　of

her　age；　and　made　a　mental　note　of　Mrs。　Comstock's　occupation。



She　dropped　her　work　on　her　lap；　laid　her　hands　on　it

and　looked　into　his　face　with　a　sneer。



〃You　didn't　let　any　grass　grow　under　your　feet；〃　she　said。



Sinton　saw　her　white；　drawn　face　and　comprehended。



〃I　went　to　pay　a　debt　and　see　about　this　opening　of　the

ditch；　Kate。〃



〃You　said　you　were　going　to　prosecute　me。〃



〃Good　gracious；　Kate！〃　cried　Sinton。　　〃Is　that　what

you　have　been　thinking　all　day？　　I　told　you　before　I　left

yesterday　that　I　would　not　need　do　that。　　And　I　won't！　

We　can't　afford　to　quarrel　over　Elnora。　　She's　all　we've　got。　

Now　that　she　has　proved　that　if　you　don't　do　just

what　I　think　you　ought　by　way　of　clothes　and　schooling；

she　can　take　care　of　herself；　I　put　that　out　of　my　head。　

What　I　came　to　see　you　about　is　a　kind　of　scare　I've

had　to…day。　　I　want　to　ask　you　if　you　ever　see　anything

about　the　swamp　that　makes　you　think　the　old　Corson　gang

is　still　at　work？〃



〃Can't　say　that　I　do；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃There's　kind

of　dancing　lights　there　sometimes；　but　I　supposed　it

was　just　people　passing　along　the　road　with　lanterns。　

Folks　hereabout　are　none　too　fond　of　the　swamp。　　I　hate

it　like　death。　　I've　never　stayed　here　a　night　in　my

life　without　Robert's　revolver；　clean　and　loaded；　under

my　pillow；　and　the　shotgun；　same　condition；　by　the　bed。　

I　can't　say　that　I'm　afraid　here　at　home。　　I'm　not。　　I　can

take　care　of　myself。　　But　none　of　the　swamp　for　me！〃



〃Well；　I'm　glad　you　are　not　afraid；　Kate；　because　I

must　tell　you　something。　　Elnora　stopped　at　the　case

this　morning；　and　somebody　had　been　into　it　in　the　night。〃



〃Broke　the　lock？〃



〃No。　　Used　a　duplicate　key。　　To…day　I　heard　there　was

a　man　here　last　night。　　I　want　to　nose　around　a　little。〃



Sinton　went　to　the　east　end　of　the　cabin　and　looked

up　at　the　window。　　There　was　no　way　any　one　could

have　reached　it　without　a　ladder；　for　the　logs　were　hewed

and　mortar　filled　the　cracks　even。　　Then　he　went　to　the

west　end；　the　willow　faced　him　as　he　turned　the　corner。　

He　examined　the　trunk　carefully。　　There　was　no　mistake

about　small　particles　of　black　swamp　muck　adhering　to

the　sides　of　the　tree。　　He　reached　the　low　branches　and

climbed　the　willow。　　There　was　earth　on　the　large　limb

crossing　Elnora's　window。　　He　stood　on　it；　holding　the

branch　as　had　been　done　the　night　before；　and　looked　into

the　room。　　He　could　see　very　little；　but　he　knew　that　if

it　had　been　dark　outside　and　sufficiently　light　for　Elnora

to　study　inside　he　could　have　seen　vividly。　　He　brought

his　face　close　to　the　netting；　and　he　could　see　the　bed　with

its　head　to　the　east；　at　its　foot　the　table　with　the　candles

and　the　chair　before　it；　and　then　he　knew　where　the　man

had　been　who　had　heard　Elnora's　prayer。



Mrs。　Comstock　had　followed　around　the　corner　and　stood

watching　him。　　〃Do　you　think　some　slinking　hulk　was　up

there　peekin'　in　at　Elnora？〃　she　demanded　indignantly。



〃There　is　muck　on　the　trunk；　and　plenty　on　the　limb；〃

said　Sinton。　　〃Hadn't　you　better　get　a　saw　and　let　me

take　this　branch　off？〃



〃No；　I　hadn't；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃First　place；

Elnora's　climbed　from　that　window　on　that　limb　all　her

life；　and　it's　hers。　　Second　place；　no　one　gets　ahead　of　me

after　I've　had　warning。　　Any　crow　that　perches　on　that

roost　again　will　get　its　feathers　somewhat　scattered。　

Look　along　the　fence；　there；　and　see　if　you　can　find

where　he　came　in。〃



The　place　was　easy　to　find　as　was　a　trail　leading　for

some　distance　west　of　the　cabin。



〃You　just　go　home；　and　don't　fret　yourself；〃　said

Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I'll　take　care　of　this。　　If　you　should

hear　the　dinner　bell　at　any　time　in　the　night　you　come　down。　

But　I　wouldn't　say　anything　to　Elnora。　　She　better

keep　her　mind　on　her　studies；　if　she's　going　to　school。〃



When　the　work　was　finished　that　night　Elnora　took

her　books　and　went　to　her　room　to　prepare　some　lessons；

but　every　few　minutes　she　looked　toward　the　swamp　to

see　if　there　were　lights　near　the　case。　　Mrs。　Comstock

raked　together　the　coals　in　the　cooking　stove；　got　out

the　lunch　box；　and　sitting　down　she　studied　it　grim