a girl of the limberlost-第75部分

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He　rushed　toward　the　moth；　made　a　quick　sweep　and　held　it

up　between　his　fingers。　　〃All　right！〃　he　called。　　〃Thanks；

every　one！　　Excuse　me　a　minute。〃



He　ran　to　the　office。



〃An　ounce　of　gasolene；　quick！〃　he　ordered。　　〃A　cigar

box；　a　cork；　and　the　glue　bottle。〃



He　poured　some　glue　into　the　bottom　of　the　box；　set　the

cork　in　it　firmly；　dashed　the　gasolene　over　the　moth

repeatedly；　pinned　it　to　the　cork；　poured　the　remainder

of　the　liquid　over　it；　closed　the　box；　and　fastened　it。　

Then　he　laid　a　bill　on　the　counter。



〃Pack　that　box　with　cork　around　it；　in　one　twice　its

size；　tie　securely　and　express　to　this　address　at　once。〃



He　scribbled　on　a　sheet　of　paper　and　shoved　it　over。



〃On　your　honour；　will　you　do　that　faithfully　as　I　say？〃

he　asked　the　clerk。



〃Certainly；〃　was　the　reply。



〃Then　keep　the　change；〃　called　Philip　as　he　ran　back

to　the　pavilion。



Edith　Carr　stood　where　he　left　her；　thinking　rapidly。　

She　heard　the　murmur　that　arose　when　Philip　started

to　capture　the　exquisite　golden　creature　she

was　impersonating。　　She　saw　the　flash　of　surprise　that

went　over　unrestrained　faces　when　he　ran　from　the　room；

without　even　showing　it　to　her。　　〃The　last　one　Elnora

needs；〃　rang　in　her　ears。　　He　had　told　her　that　he

helped　collect　moths　the　previous　summer；　but　she　had

understood　that　the　Bird　Woman；　with　whose　work　Miss

Carr　was　familiar；　wanted　them　to　put　in　a　book。



He　had　spoken　of　a　country　girl　he　had　met　who　played

the　violin　wonderfully；　and　at　times；　he　had　shown　a

disposition　to　exalt　her　as　a　standard　of　womanhood。　

Miss　Carr　had　ignored　what　he　said；　and　talked　of

something　else。　　But　that　girl's　name　had　been　Elnora。　

It　was　she　who　was　collecting　moths！　　No　doubt　she　was

the　competent　judge　who　was　responsible　for　the　yellow

costume　Philip　had　devised。　　Had　Edith　Carr　been　in

her　room；　she　would　have　torn　off　the　dress　at　the　thought。



Being　in　a　circle　of　her　best　friends；　which　to　her　meant

her　keenest　rivals　and　harshest　critics；　she　grew　rigid

with　anger。　　Her　breath　hurt　her　paining　chest。　　No　one

thought　to　speak　to　the　musicians；　and　seeing　the　floor

filled；　they　began　the　waltz。　　Only　part　of　the　guests

could　see　what　had　happened；　and　at　once　the　others

formed　and　commenced　to　dance。　　Gay　couples　came

whirling　past　her。



Edith　Carr　grew　very　white　as　she　stood　alone。　　Her　lips

turned　pale；　while　her　dark　eyes　flamed　with　anger。　

She　stood　perfectly　still　where　Philip　had　left　her；　and

the　approaching　men　guided　their　partners　around　her；

while　the　girls；　looking　back；　could　be　seen　making

exclamations　of　surprise。



The　idolized　only　daughter　of　the　Carr　family　hoped　that

she　would　drop　dead　from　mortification；　but　nothing　happened。　

She　was　too　perverse　to　step　aside　and　say　that　she　was

waiting　for　Philip。　　Then　came　Tom　Levering　dancing　with

Polly　Ammon。　　Being　in　the　scales　with　the　Ammon　family；

Tom　scented　trouble　from　afar；　so　he　whispered　to　Polly：　

〃Edith　is　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　and　she's

awful　mad　about　something。〃



〃That　won't　hurt　her；〃　laughed　Polly。　　〃It's　an　old

pose　of　hers。　　She　knows　she　looks　superb　when　she　is

angry；　so　she　keeps　herself　furious　half　the　time　on　purpose。〃



〃She　looks　like　the　mischief！〃　answered　Tom。　　〃Hadn't　we

better　steer　over　and　wait　with　her？　　She's　the　ugliest

sight　I　ever　saw！〃



〃Why；　Tom！〃　cried　Polly。　　〃Stop；　quickly！〃



They　hurried　to　Edith。



〃Come　dear；〃　said　Polly。　　〃We　are　going　to　wait

with　you　until　Phil　returns。　　Let's　go　after　a　drink。　

I　am　so　thirsty！〃



〃Yes；　do！〃　begged　Tom；　offering　his　arm。　　〃Let's　get

out　of　here　until　Phil　comes。〃



There　was　the　opportunity　to　laugh　and　walk　away；　but

Edith　Carr　would　not　accept　it。



〃My　betrothed　left　me　here；〃　she　said。　　〃Here　I　shall

remain　until　he　returns　for　me；　and　thenhe　will　be　my

betrothed　no　longer！〃



Polly　grasped　Edith's　arm。



〃Oh；　Edith！〃　she　implored。　　〃Don't　make　a　scene　here；

and　to…night。　　Edith；　this　has　been　the　loveliest

dance　ever　given　at　the　club　house。　　Every　one　is　saying　so。　

Edith！　　Darling；　do　come！　　Phil　will　be　back　in　a　second。　

He　can　explain！　　It's　only　a　breath　since　I　saw　him　go　out。　

I　thought　he　had　returned。〃



As　Polly　panted　these　disjointed　ejaculations；　Tom

Levering　began　to　grow　angry　on　her　account。



〃He　has　been　gone　just　long　enough　to　show　every

one　of　his　guests　that　he　will　leave　me　standing　alone；

like　a　neglected　fool；　for　any　passing　whim　of　his。　

Explain！　　His　explanation　would　sound　well！　　Do　you　know

for　whom　he　caught　that　moth？　　It　is　being　sent　to　a　girl

he　flirted　with　all　last　summer。　　It　has　just　occurred　to　me

that　the　dress　I　am　wearing　is　her　suggestion。　　Let　him

try　to　explain！〃



Speech　unloosed　the　fountain。　　She　stripped　off　her

gloves　to　free　her　hands。　　At　that　instant　the　dancers

parted　to　admit　Philip。　　Instinctively　they　stopped　as

they　approached　and　with　wondering　faces　walled　in

Edith　and　Philip；　Polly　and　Tom。



〃Mighty　good　of　you　to　wait！〃　cried　Philip；　his　face

showing　his　delight　over　his　success　in　capturing　the

Yellow　Emperor。　　〃I　thought　when　I　heard　the　music

you　were　going　on。〃



〃How　did　you　think　I　was　going　on？〃　demanded　Edith

Carr　in　frigid　tones。



〃I　thought　you　would　step　aside　and　wait　a　few　seconds

for　me；　or　dance　with　Henderson。　　It　was　most　important

to　have　that　moth。　　It　completes　a　valuable　collection　for

a　person　who　needs　the　money。　　Come！〃



He　held　out　his　arms。



〃I　‘step　aside'　for　no　one！〃　stormed　Edith　Carr。　

〃I　await　no　other　girl's　pleasure！　　You　may　‘complete

the　collection'　with　that！〃



She　drew　her　engagement　ring　from　her　finger　and

reached　to　place　it　on　one　of　Philip's　outstretched　hands。　

He　saw　and　drew　back。　　Instantly　Edith　dropped　the　ring。　

As　it　fell；　almost　instinctively　Philip　caught　it　in　air。　

With　amazed　face　he　looked　closely　at　Edith　Carr。　

Her　distorted　features　were　scarcely　recognizable。　

He　held　the　ring　toward　her。



〃Edith；　for　the　love　of　mercy；　wait　until　I　can　explain；〃

he　begged。　　〃Put　on　your　ring　and　let　me　tell　you　how　it　is。〃



〃I　know　perfectly　‘how　it　is；'〃　she　answered。　　〃I　never

shall　wear　that　ring　again。〃



〃You　won't　even　hear　what　I　have　to　say？　　You　won't

take　back　your　ring？〃　he　cried。



〃Never！　　Your　conduct　is　infamous！〃



〃Come　to　think　of　it；〃　said　Philip　deliberately；　〃it　is

‘infamous'　to　cut　a　girl；　who　has　danced　all　her　life；　out　of

a　few　measures　of　a　waltz。　　As　for　asking　forgiveness　for　so

black　a　sin　as　picking　up　a　moth；　and　starting　it　to　a　friend

who　lives　by　collecting　them；　I　don't　see　how　I　could！　

I　have　not　been　gone　three　minutes　by　the　clock；　Edith。　

Put　on　your　ring　and　finish　the　dance　like　a　dear　girl。〃



He　thrust　the　glittering　ruby　into　her　fingers　and　again

held　out　his　arms。　　She　dropped　the　ring；　and　it　rolled　some