a girl of the limberlost-第70部分

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not　hurry　to　her　with　what　she　would　have　to　tell。　

She　went　out　and　wandered　around　the　garden。　　Then　she

stepped　into　the　path　and　started　along　the　way　leading　to

the　woods；　past　the　pool　now　framed　in　a　thick　setting　of

yellow　lilies。　　Then　she　saw；　and　stopped；　gasping　for　breath。　

Her　hands　flew　up　and　her　lined　face　grew　ghastly。　

She　stared　at　the　sky　and　then　at　the　prostrate　girl　figure。　

Over　and　over　she　tried　to　speak；　but　only　a　dry　breath　came。　

She　turned　and　fled　back　to　the　garden。



In　the　familiar　enclosure　she　gazed　around　her　like　a

caged　animal　seeking　escape。　　The　sun　beat　down　on　her

bare　head　mercilessly；　and　mechanically　she　moved　to　the

shade　of　a　half…grown　hickory　tree　that　voluntarily　had

sprouted　beside　the　milk　house。　　At　her　feet　lay　an　axe

with　which　she　made　kindlings　for　fires。　　She　stooped　and

picked　it　up。　　The　memory　of　that　prone　figure　sobbing　in

the　grass　caught　her　with　a　renewed　spasm。　　She　shut　her

eyes　as　if　to　close　it　out。　　That　made　hearing　so　acute　she

felt　certain　she　heard　Elnora　moaning　beside　the　path。　

The　eyes　flew　open。　　They　looked　straight　at　a　few

spindling　tomato　plants　set　too　near　the　tree　and　stunted

by　its　shade。　　Mrs。　Comstock　whirled　on　the　hickory　and

swung　the　axe。　　Her　hair　shook　down；　her　clothing　became

disarranged；　in　the　heat　the　perspiration　streamed；　but

stroke　fell　on　stroke　until　the　tree　crashed　over；　grazing

a　corner　of　the　milk　house　and　smashing　the　garden　fence

on　the　east。



At　the　sound　Elnora　sprang　to　her　feet　and　came　running

down　the　garden　walk。　　〃Mother！〃　she　cried。　　〃Mother！　

What　in　the　world　are　you　doing？〃



Mrs。　Comstock　wiped　her　ghastly　face　on　her　apron。　

〃I've　laid　out　to　cut　that　tree　for　years；〃　she　said。　

〃It　shades　the　beets　in　the　morning；　and　the　tomatoes

in　the　afternoon！〃



Elnora　uttered　one　wild　little　cry　and　fled　into　her

mother's　arms。　　〃Oh　mother！〃　she　sobbed。　　〃Will　you

ever　forgive　me？〃



Mrs。　Comstock's　arms　swept　together　in　a　tight　grip

around　Elnora。



〃There　isn't　a　thing　on　God's　footstool　from　a　to　izzard

I　won't　forgive　you；　my　precious　girl！〃　she　said。　　〃Tell　mother

what　it　is！〃



Elnora　lifted　her　wet　face。　　〃He　told　me；〃　she　panted；

〃just　as　soon　as　he　decently　couldthat　second　day　he

told　me。　　Almost　all　his　life　he's　been　engaged　to　a　girl

at　home。　　He　never　cared　anything　about　me。　　He　was　only

interested　in　the　moths　and　growing　strong。〃



Mrs。　Comstock's　arms　tightened。　　With　a　shaking　hand

she　stroked　the　bright　hair。



〃Tell　me；　honey；〃　she　said。　　〃Is　he　to　blame　for　a

single　one　of　these　tears？〃



〃Not　one！〃　sobbed　Elnora。　　〃Oh　mother；　I　won't　forgive　you

if　you　don't　believe　that。　　Not　one！　　He　never　said；

or　looked；　or　did　anything　all　the　world　might　not

have　known。　　He　likes　me　very　much　as　a　friend。　

He　hated　to　go　dreadfully！〃



〃Elnora！〃　the　mother's　head　bent　until　the　white　hair

mingled　with　the　brown。　　〃Elnora；　why　didn't　you　tell　me

at　first？〃



Elnora　caught　her　breath　in　a　sharp　snatch。　　〃I　know

I　should！〃　she　sobbed。　　〃I　will　bear　any　punishment　for

not；　but　I　didn't　feel　as　if　I　possibly　could。　　I　was　afraid。〃



〃Afraid　of　what？〃　the　shaking　hand　was　on　the　hair　again。



〃Afraid　you　wouldn't　let　him　come！〃　panted　Elnora。　

〃And　oh；　mother；　I　wanted　him　so！〃









CHAPTER　XVIII





WHEREIN　MRS。　COMSTOCK　EXPERIMENTS　WITH　REJUVENATION；

AND　ELNORA　TEACHES　NATURAL　HISTORY





For　the　following　week　Mrs。　Comstock　and　Elnora

worked　so　hard　there　was　no　time　to　talk；　and　they

were　compelled　to　sleep　from　physical　exhaustion。　

Neither　of　them　made　any　pretence　of　eating；　for　they

could　not　swallow　without　an　effort；　so　they　drank　milk

and　worked。　　Elnora　kept　on　setting　bait　for　Catacolae

and　Sphinginae；　which；　unlike　the　big　moths　of　June；　live

several　months。　　She　took　all　the　dragonflies　and

butterflies　she　could；　and　when　she　went　over　the　list

for　the　man　of　India；　she　found；　to　her　amazement；

that　with　Philip's　help　she　once　more　had　it　complete

save　a　pair　of　Yellow　Emperors。



This　circumstance　was　so　surprising　she　had　a　fleeting

thought　of　writing　Philip　and　asking　him　to　see　if　he　could

not　secure　her　a　pair。　　She　did　tell　the　Bird　Woman；　who

from　every　source　at　her　command　tried　to　complete　the

series　with　these　moths；　but　could　not　find　any　for　sale。



〃I　think　the　mills　of　the　Gods　are　grinding　this　grist；〃

said　Elnora；　〃and　we　might　as　well　wait　patiently　until

they　choose　to　send　a　Yellow　Emperor。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　invented　work。　　When　she　had　nothing　more

to　do；　she　hoed　in　the　garden　although　the　earth　was　hard

and　dry　and　there　were　no　plants　that　really　needed　attention。　

Then　came　a　notification　that　Elnora　would　be　compelled

to　attend　a　week's　session　of　the　Teachers'　Institute

held　at　the　county　seat　twenty　miles　north　of　Onabasha

the　following　week。　　That　gave　them　something　of　which

to　think　and　real　work　to　do。　　Elnora　was　requested　to　bring

her　violin。　　As　she　was　on　the　programme　of　one　of　the　most

important　sessions　for　a　talk　on　nature　work　in　grade　schools；

she　was　driven　to　prepare　her　speech；　also　to　select　and

practise　some　music。　　Her　mother　turned　her　attention　to　clothing。



They　went　to　Onabasha　together　and　purchased　a　simple

and　appropriate　fall　suit　and　hat；　goods　for　a　dainty　little

coloured　frock；　and　a　dress　skirt　and　several　fancy　waists。　

Margaret　Sinton　came　down　and　the　sewing　began。　　When　everything

was　finished　and　packed；　Elnora　kissed　her　mother　good…bye

at　the　depot；　and　entered　the　train。　　Mrs。　Comstock　went　into

the　waiting…room　and　dropped　into　a　seat　to　rest。　　Her　heart

was　so　sore　her　whole　left　side　felt　tender。　　She　was　half

starved　for　the　food　she　had　no　appetite　to　take。　　She　had

worked　in　dogged　determination　until　she　was　exhausted。　

For　a　time　she　simply　sat　and　rested。　　Then　she　began　to　think。　

She　was　glad　Elnora　had　gone　where　she　would　be　compelled　to

fix　her　mind　on　other　matters　for　a　few　days。　　She　remembered

the　girl　had　said　she　wanted　to　go。



School　would　begin　the　following　week。　　She　thought

over　what　Elnora　would　have　to　do　to　accomplish　her

work　successfully。　　She　would　be　compelled　to　arise　at

six　o'clock；　walk　three　miles　through　varying　weather；　lead

the　high　school　orchestra；　and　then　put　in　the　remainder　of

the　day　travelling　from　building　to　building　over　the　city；

teaching　a　specified　length　of　time　every　week　in　each　room。　

She　must　have　her　object　lessons　ready；　and　she　must　do　a

certain　amount　of　practising　with　the　orchestra。　　Then　a

cold　lunch　at　noon；　and　a　three…mile　walk　at　night。



〃Humph！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃to　get　through　that

the　girl　would　have　to　be　made　of　cast…iron。　　I　wonder

how　I　can　help　her　best？〃



She　thought　deeply。



〃The　less　she　sees　of　what　she's　been　having　all　summer；

the　sooner　she'll　feel　better　about　it；〃　she　muttered。



She