a girl of the limberlost-第52部分

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up　to　start　with。　　I　haven't　time　to　talk。　　Suppose　that

had　been　yellow！　　I'd　have　killed　that　man；　sure！



The　Limberlost　isn't　safe　to…night；　and　the　sooner　those

whelps　find　it　out；　the　better　it　will　be　for　them。〃



Pete　stopped　laughing　to　look　at　her。　　He　saw　that

she　was　speaking　the　truth。　　She　was　quite　past　reason；

sense；　or　fear。　　The　soft　night　air　stirred　the　wet　hair

around　her　temples；　the　flickering　lanterns　made　her　face

a　ghastly　green。　　She　would　stop　at　nothing；　that　was　evident。　

Pete　suddenly　began　catching　moths　with　exemplary　industry。　

In　putting　one　into　the　bag；　another　escaped。



〃We　must　not　try　that　again；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃Now；　what　will　we　do？〃



〃We　are　close　to　the　old　case；〃　said　Pete。　　〃I　think

I　can　get　into　it。　　Maybe　we　could　slip　the　rest　in　there。〃



〃That's　a　fine　idea！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃They'll　have

so　much　room　there　they　won't　be　likely　to　hurt

themselves；　and　the　books　say　they　don't　fly　in　daytime

unless　they　are　disturbed；　so　they　will　settle　when　it's

light；　and　I　can　come　with　Elnora　to　get　them。〃



They　captured　two　more；　and　then　Pete　carried　them

to　the　case。



〃Here　comes　a　big　one！〃　he　cried　as　he　returned。



Mrs。　Comstock　looked　up　and　stepped　out　with　a　prayer

on　her　lips。　　She　could　not　tell　the　colour　at　that

distance；　but　the　moth　appeared　different　from　the　others。　

On　it　came；　dropping　lower　and　darting　from　light　to　light。　

As　it　swept　near　her；　〃O　Heavenly　Father！〃　exulted　Mrs。

Comstock；　〃it's　yellow！　　Careful　Pete！　　Your　hat；　maybe！〃



Pete　made　a　long　sweep。　　The　moth　wavered　above

the　hat　and　sailed　away。　　Mrs。　Comstock　leaned　against

a　tree　and　covered　her　face　with　her　shaking　hands。



〃That　is　my　punishment！〃　she　cried。　　〃Oh；　Lord；　if

you　will　give　a　moth　like　that　into　my　possession；　I'll

always　be　a　better　woman！〃



The　Emperor　again　came　in　sight。　　Pete　stood　tense

and　ready。　　Mrs。　Comstock　stepped　into　the　light　and

watched　the　moth's　course。　　Then　a　second　appeared

in　pursuit　of　the　first。　　The　larger　one　wavered　into

the　radius　of　light　once　more。　　The　perspiration　rolled

down　the　man's　face。　　He　half　lifted　the　hat。



〃Pray；　woman！　　Pray　now！〃　he　panted。



〃I　guess　I　best　get　over　by　that　lard　oil　light　and　go

to　work；〃　breathed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃The　Lord　knows

this　is　all　in　prayer；　but　it's　no　time　for　words　just　now。　

Ready；　Pete！　　You　are　going　to　get　a　chance　first！〃



Pete　made　another　long；　steady　sweep；　but　the　moth

darted　beneath　the　hat。　　In　its　flight　it　came　straight

toward　Mrs。　Comstock。　　She　snatched　off　the　remnant

of　apron　she　had　tucked　into　her　petticoat　band　and

held　the　calico　before　her。　　The　moth　struck　full　against

it　and　clung　to　the　goods。　　Pete　crept　up　stealthily。　

The　second　moth　followed　the　first；　and　the　spray

showered　the　apron。



〃Wait！〃　gasped　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I　think　they　have　settled。　

The　books　say　they　won't　leave　now。〃



The　big　pale　yellow　creature　clung　firmly；　lowering

and　raising　its　wings。　　The　other　came　nearer。　　Mrs。

Comstock　held　the　cloth　with　rigid　hands；　while　Pete

could　hear　her　breathing　in　short　gusts。



〃Shall　I　try　now？〃　he　implored。



〃Wait！〃　whispered　the　woman。　　〃Something　seems　to

say　wait！〃



The　night　breeze　stiffened　and　gently　waved　the　apron。　

Locusts　rasped；　mosquitoes　hummed　and　frogs　sang　uninterruptedly。　

A　musky　odour　slowly　filled　the　air。



〃Now　shall　I？〃　questioned　Pete。



〃No。　　Leave　them　alone。　　They　are　safe　now。　　They　are　mine。　

They　are　my　salvation。　　God　and　the　Limberlost　gave　them

to　me！　　They　won't　move　for　hours。　　The　books　all　say　so。　

O　Heavenly　Father；　I　am　thankful　to　You；　and　you；　too；

Pete　Corson！　　You　are　a　good　man　to　help　me。　　Now；　I　can

go　home　and　face　my　girl。〃



Instead；　Mrs。　Comstock　dropped　suddenly。　　She　spread

the　apron　across　her　knees。　　The　moths　remained　undisturbed。　

Then　her　tired　white　head　dropped；　the　tears　she　had　thought

forever　dried　gushed　forth；　and　she　sobbed　for　pure　joy。



〃Oh；　I　wouldn't　do　that　now；　you　know！〃　comforted　Pete。　

〃Think　of　getting　two！　　That's　more　than　you　ever　could

have　expected。　　A　body　would　think　you　would　cry；　if　you

hadn't　got　any。　　Come　on；　now。　　It's　almost　morning。　

Let　me　help　you　home。〃



Pete　took　the　bag　and　the　two　old　lanterns。　　Mrs。　Comstock

carried　her　moths　and　the　best　lantern　and　went　ahead　to

light　the　way。



Elnora　had　sat　beside　her　window　far　into　the　night。　

At　last　she　undressed　and　went　to　bed；　but　sleep　would

not　come。　　She　had　gone　to　the　city　to　talk　with　members　of

the　School　Board　about　a　room　in　the　grades。　　There　was

a　possibility　that　she　might　secure　the　moth；　and　so　be　able

to　start　to　college　that　fall；　but　if　she　did　not；　then　she

wanted　the　school。　　She　had　been　given　some　encouragement；

but　she　was　so　unhappy　that　nothing　mattered。　　She　could

not　see　the　way　open　to　anything　in　life；　save　a　long

series　of　disappointments；　while　she　remained　with

her　mother。　　Yet　Margaret　Sinton　had　advised　her　to　go

home　and　try　once　more。　　Margaret　had　seemed　so　sure

there　would　be　a　change　for　the　better；　that　Elnora　had

consented；　although　she　had　no　hope　herself。　　So　strong　is

the　bond　of　blood；　she　could　not　make　up　her　mind　to　seek

a　home　elsewhere；　even　after　the　day　that　had　passed。　

Unable　to　sleep　she　arose　at　last；　and　the　room　being　warm；

she　sat　on　the　floor　close　the　window。　　The　lights　in　the

swamp　caught　her　eye。　　She　was　very　uneasy；　for　quite　a

hundred　of　her　best　moths　were　in　the　case。　　However；　there

was　no　money；　and　no　one　ever　had　touched　a　book　or　any

of　her　apparatus。　　Watching　the　lights　set　her　thinking；

and　before　she　realized　it；　she　was　in　a　panic　of　fear。



She　hurried　down　the　stairway　softly　calling　her　mother。　

There　was　no　answer。　　She　lightly　stepped　across　the

sitting…room　and　looked　in　at　the　open　door。　　There　was

no　one；　and　the　bed　had　not　been　used。　　Her　first　thought

was　that　her　mother　had　gone　to　the　pool；　and　the　Limberlost

was　alive　with　signals。　　Pity　and　fear　mingled　in　the

heart　of　the　girl。　　She　opened　the　kitchen　door；　crossed　the

garden　and　ran　back　to　the　swamp。　　As　she　neared　it　she

listened；　but　she　could　hear　only　the　usual　voices　of　night。



〃Mother！〃　she　called　softly。　　Then　louder；　〃Mother！〃



There　was　not　a　sound。　　Chilled　with　fright　she　hurried

back　to　the　cabin。　　She　did　not　know　what　to　do。　

She　understood　what　the　lights　in　the　Limberlost　meant。　

Where　was　her　mother？　　She　was　afraid　to　enter；　while

she　was　growing　very　cold　and　still　more　fearful　about

remaining　outside。　　At　last　she　went　to　her　mother's　room；

picked　up　the　gun；　carried　it　into　the　kitchen；　and　crowding

in　a　little　corner　behind　the　stove；　she　waited　in　trembling

anxiety。　　The　time　was　dreadfully　long　before　she　heard

her　mother's　voice。　　Then　she　decided　some　one　had　been

ill　and　sent　for　her；　so　she　took　courage；　and　stepp