a girl of the limberlost-第38部分

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swamp　so　he　couldn't　be　seen　from　the　garden。　　You　know；

the　whole　path　straight　to　the　pool　where　he　sank　can　be

seen　from　our　back　door。　　It's　firm　on　our　side。　

The　danger　is　on　the　north　and　east。　　If　he　didn't　want

mother　to　know；　he　might　have　tried　to　pass　on　either　of

those　sides　and　gone　too　close。　　Was　he　in　a　hurry？〃



〃Yes；　he　was；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃He　had　been　away

longer　than　he　expected；　and　he　almost　ran　when　he

started　home。〃



〃And　he'd　left　his　violin　somewhere　that　you　knew；　and

you　went　and　got　it。　　I'll　wager　he　was　going　to　play；

and　didn't　want　mother　to　find　it　out！〃



〃It　wouldn't　make　any　difference　to　you　if　you　knew

every　little　thing；　so　quit　thinking　about　it；　and　just　be

glad　you　are　to　have　what　he　loved　best　of　anything。〃

〃That's　true。　　Now　I　must　hurry　home。　　I　am　dreadfully　late。〃



Elnora　sprang　up　and　ran　down　the　road；　but　when

she　approached　the　cabin　she　climbed　the　fence；　crossed

the　open　woods　pasture　diagonally　and　entered　at　the

back　garden　gate。　　As　she　often　came　that　way　when　she

had　been　looking　for　cocoons　her　mother　asked　no　questions。



Elnora　lived　by　the　minute　until　Saturday；　when；

contrary　to　his　usual　custom；　Wesley　went　to　town　in

the　forenoon；　taking　her　along　to　buy　some　groceries。　

Wesley　drove　straight　to　the　music　store；　and　asked　for

the　violin　he　had　left　to　be　mended。



In　its　new　coat　of　varnish；　with　new　keys　and　strings；

it　seemed　much　like　any　other　violin　to　Sinton；　but　to

Elnora　it　was　the　most　beautiful　instrument　ever　made；

and　a　priceless　treasure。　　She　held　it　in　her　arms；　touched

the　strings　softly　and　then　she　drew　the　bow　across　them

in　whispering　measure。　　She　had　no　time　to　think　what

a　remarkably　good　bow　it　was　for　sixteen　years'　disuse。　

The　tan　leather　case　might　have　impressed　her　as　being

in　fine　condition　also；　had　she　been　in　a　state　to

question　anything。　　She　did　remember　to　ask　for　the　bill

and　she　was　gravely　presented　with　a　slip　calling　for

four　strings；　one　key；　and　a　coat　of　varnish；　total；　one

dollar　fifty。　　It　seemed　to　Elnora　she　never　could　put　the

precious　instrument　in　the　case　and　start　home。　　Wesley　left

her　in　the　music　store　where　the　proprietor　showed　her　all

he　could　about　tuning；　and　gave　her　several　beginners'

sheets　of　notes　and　scales。　　She　carried　the　violin　in　her

arms　as　far　as　the　crossroads　at　the　corner　of　their　land；

then　reluctantly　put　it　under　the　carriage　seat。



As　soon　as　her　work　was　done　she　ran　down　to　Sintons'

and　began　to　play；　and　on　Monday　the　violin　went　to

school　with　her。　　She　made　arrangements　with　the　superintendent

to　leave　it　in　his　office　and　scarcely　took　time　for　her　food

at　noon；　she　was　so　eager　to　practise。　　Often　one　of　the

girls　asked　her　to　stay　in　town　all　night　for　some　lecture

or　entertainment。　　She　could　take　the　violin　with　her；

practise；　and　secure　help。　　Her　skill　was　so　great　that

the　leader　of　the　orchestra　offered　to　give　her　lessons

if　she　would　play　to　pay　for　them；　so　her　progress　was

rapid　in　technical　work。　　But　from　the　first　day　the

instrument　became　hers；　with　perfect　faith　that　she　could

play　as　her　father　did；　she　spent　half　her　practice　time　in

imitating　the　sounds　of　all　outdoors　and　improvising　the

songs　her　happy　heart　sang　in　those　days。



So　the　first　year　went；　and　the　second　and　third　were

a　repetition；　but　the　fourth　was　different；　for　that　was　the

close　of　the　course；　ending　with　graduation　and　all　its

attendant　ceremonies　and　expenses。　　To　Elnora　these

appeared　mountain　high。　　She　had　hoarded　every　cent；

thinking　twice　before　she　parted　with　a　penny；　but　teaching

natural　history　in　the　grades　had　taken　time　from　her　studies

in　school　which　must　be　made　up　outside。　　She　was　a

conscientious　student；　ranking　first　in　most　of　her　classes；

and　standing　high　in　all　branches。　　Her　interest　in

her　violin　had　grown　with　the　years。　　She　went　to　school

early　and　practised　half　an　hour　in　the　little　room　adjoining

the　stage；　while　the　orchestra　gathered。　　She　put　in　a

full　hour　at　noon；　and　remained　another　half　hour　at　night。　

She　carried　the　violin　to　Sintons'　on　Saturday　and　practised

all　the　time　she　could　there；　while　Margaret　watched　the

road　to　see　that　Mrs。　Comstock　was　not　coming。　　She　had

become　so　skilful　that　it　was　a　delight　to　hear　her　play

music　of　any　composer；　but　when　she　played　her　own；　that

was　joy　inexpressible；　for　then　the　wind　blew；　the　water

rippled；　the　Limberlost　sang　her　songs　of　sunshine；　shadow；

black　storm；　and　white　night。



Since　her　dream　Elnora　had　regarded　her　mother　with

peculiar　tenderness。　　The　girl　realized；　in　a　measure；　what

had　happened。　　She　avoided　anything　that　possibly　could

stir　bitter　memories　or　draw　deeper　a　line　on　the　hard；

white　face。　　This　cost　many　sacrifices；　much　work；　and

sometimes　delayed　progress；　but　the　horror　of　that　awful

dream　remained　with　Elnora。　　She　worked　her　way　cheerfully；

doing　all　she　could　to　interest　her　mother　in　things

that　happened　in　school；　in　the　city；　and　by　carrying　books

that　were　entertaining　from　the　public　library。



Three　years　had　changed　Elnora　from　the　girl　of　sixteen

to　the　very　verge　of　womanhood。　　She　had　grown　tall；

round；　and　her　face　had　the　loveliness　of　perfect

complexion；　beautiful　eyes　and　hair　and　an　added　touch

from　within　that　might　have　been　called　comprehension。　

It　was　a　compound　of　self…reliance；　hard　knocks；　heart

hunger；　unceasing　work；　and　generosity。　　There　was　no

form　of　suffering　with　which　the　girl　could　not　sympathize；

no　work　she　was　afraid　to　attempt；　no　subject　she　had

investigated　she　did　not　understand。　　These　things　combined

to　produce　a　breadth　and　depth　of　character　altogether　unusual。　

She　was　so　absorbed　in　her　classes　and　her　music　that　she

had　not　been　able　to　gather　many　specimens。　　When　she

realized　this　and　hunted　assiduously；　she　soon　found

that　changing　natural　conditions　had　affected　such　work。　

Men　all　around　were　clearing　available　land。　　The　trees

fell　wherever　corn　would　grow。　　The　swamp　was　broken　by

several　gravel　roads；　dotted　in　places　around　the　edge

with　little　frame　houses；　and　the　machinery　of　oil　wells；

one　especially　low　place　around　the　region　of　Freckles's

room　was　nearly　all　that　remained　of　the　original。　

Wherever　the　trees　fell　the　moisture　dried；　the　creeks

ceased　to　flow；　the　river　ran　low；　and　at　times　the

bed　was　dry。　　With　unbroken　sweep　the　winds　of　the

west　came；　gathering　force　with　every　mile　and　howled　and

raved；　threatening　to　tear　the　shingles　from　the　roof；

blowing　the　surface　from　the　soil　in　clouds　of　fine　dust　and

rapidly　changing　everything。　　From　coming　in　with　two　or

three　dozen　rare　moths　in　a　day；　in　three　years'　time　Elnora

had　grown　to　be　delighted　with　finding　two　or　three。　

Big　pursy　caterpillars　could　not　be　picked　from　their　favourite

bushes；　when　there　were　no　bushes。　　Dragonflies　would

not　hover　over