a girl of the limberlost-第85部分

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it　is　and　then　it　may　go　nectar　hunting　again。〃



She　held　the　butterfly　where　all　of　them　could　see；

showed　its　upper　and　under　wing　colours；　answered　Polly's

questions　as　to　what　it　ate；　how　long　it　lived；　and　how

it　died。　　Then　she　put　it　into　Polly's　hand　saying：　　〃Stand

there　in　the　light　and　loosen　your　hold　slowly　and　easily。〃



Elnora　caught　a　brush　from　the　table　and　began　softly

stroking　the　creature's　sides　and　wings。　　Delighted　with

the　sensation　the　butterfly　opened　and　closed　its　wings；

clinging　to　Polly's　soft　little　fingers；　while　every　one　cried

out　in　surprise。　　Elnora　laid　aside　the　brush；　and　the

butterfly　sailed　away。



〃Why；　you　are　a　wizard！　　You　charm　them！〃　marvelled　Levering。



〃I　learned　that　from　the　Bird　Woman；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃She　takes　soft　brushes　and　coaxes　butterflies　and　moths

into　the　positions　she　wants　for　the　illustrations　of　a　book

she　is　writing。　　I　have　helped　her　often。　　Most　of　the　rare

ones　I　find　go　to　her。〃



〃Then　you　don't　keep　all　you　take？〃　questioned　Levering。



〃Oh；　dear；　no！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃Not　a　tenth！　　For　myself；

a　pair　of　each　kind　to　use　in　illustrating　the　lectures　I

give　in　the　city　schools　in　the　winter；　and　one　pair　for　each

collection　I　make。　　One　might　as　well　keep　the　big　night

moths　of　June；　for　they　only　live　four　or　five　days　anyway。　

For　the　Bird　Woman；　I　only　save　rare　ones　she　has　not　yet　secured。　

Sometimes　I　think　it　is　cruel　to　take　such　creatures　from

freedom；　even　for　an　hour；　but　it　is　the　only　way　to　teach

the　masses　of　people　how　to　distinguish　the　pests　they

should　destroy；　from　the　harmless　ones　of　great　beauty。　

Here　comes　mother　with　something　cool　to　drink。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　came　deliberately；　talking　to　Philip　as

she　approached。　　Elnora　gave　her　one　searching　look；　but

could　discover　only　an　extreme　brightness　of　eye　to　denote

any　unusual　feeling。　　She　wore　one　of　her　lavender　dresses；

while　her　snowy　hair　was　high　piled。　　She　had　taken　care


of　her　complexion；　and　her　face　had　grown　fuller　during

the　winter。　　She　might　have　been　any　one's　mother　with

pride；　and　she　was　perfectly　at　ease。



Polly　instantly　went　to　her　and　held　up　her　face　to　be　kissed。　

Mrs。　Comstock's　eyes　twinkled　and　she　made　the　greeting　hearty。



The　drink　was　compounded　of　the　juices　of　oranges　and

berries　from　the　garden。　　It　was　cool　enough　to　frost

glasses　and　pitcher　and　delicious　to　dusty　tired　travellers。　

Soon　the　pitcher　was　empty；　and　Elnora　picked　it　up　and

went　to　refill　it。　　While　she　was　gone　Henderson　asked

Philip　about　some　trouble　he　was　having　with　his　car。　

They　went　to　the　woods　and　began　a　minute　examination

to　find　a　defect　which　did　not　exist。　　Polly　and　Levering

were　having　an　animated　conversation　with　Mrs。　Comstock。　

Henderson　saw　Edith　arise；　follow　the　garden　path

next　the　woods　and　stand　waiting　under　the　willow　which

Elnora　would　pass　on　her　return。　　It　was　for　that　meeting

he　had　made　the　trip。　　He　got　down　on　the　ground；　tore

up　the　car；　worked；　asked　for　help；　and　kept　Philip　busy

screwing　bolts　and　applying　the　oil　can。　　All　the　time

Henderson　kept　an　eye　on　Edith　and　Elnora　under　the　willow。　

But　he　took　pains　to　lay　the　work　he　asked　Philip　to　do

where　that　scene　would　be　out　of　his　sight。　　When　Elnora

came　around　the　corner　with　the　pitcher；　she　found　herself

facing　Edith　Carr。



〃I　want　a　minute　with　you；〃　said　Miss　Carr。



〃Very　well；〃　replied　Elnora；　walking　on。



〃Set　the　pitcher　on　the　bench　there；〃　commanded　Edith

Carr；　as　if　speaking　to　a　servant。



〃I　prefer　not　to　offer　my　visitors　a　warm　drink；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃I'll　come　back　if　you　really　wish　to　speak　with　me。〃



〃I　came　solely　for　that；〃　said　Edith　Carr。



〃It　would　be　a　pity　to　travel　so　far　in　this　dust　and　heat

for　nothing。　　I'll　only　be　gone　a　second。〃



Elnora　placed　the　pitcher　before　her　mother。　　〃Please　serve

this；〃　she　said。　　〃Miss　Carr　wishes　to　speak　with　me。〃



〃Don't　you　pay　the　least　attention　to　anything　she

says；〃　cried　Polly。　　〃Tom　and　I　didn't　come　here　because

we　wanted　to。　　We　only　came　to　checkmate　her。　　I　hoped

I'd　get　the　opportunity　to　say　a　word　to　you；　and　now　she

has　given　it　to　me。　　I　just　want　to　tell　you　that　she　threw

Phil　over　in　perfectly　horrid　way。　　She　hasn't　any　right

to　lay　the　ghost　of　a　claim　to　him；　has　she；　Tom？〃



〃Nary　a　claim；〃　said　Tom　Levering　earnestly。　　〃Why；　even

you；　Polly；　couldn't　serve　me　as　she　did　Phil；　and

ever　get　me　back　again。　　If　I　were　you；　Miss　Comstock；

I'd　send　my　mother　to　talk　with　her　and　I'd　stay　here。〃



Tom　had　gauged　Mrs。　Comstock　rightly。　　Polly　put　her

arms　around　Elnora。　　〃Let　me　go　with　you；　dear；〃　she　begged。



〃I　promised　I　would　speak　with　her　alone；〃　said　Elnora；

〃and　she　must　be　considered。　　But　thank　you；　very　much。〃



〃How　I　shall　love　you！〃　exulted　Polly；　giving　Elnora

a　parting　hug。



The　girl　slowly　and　gravely　walked　back　to　the　willow。　

She　could　not　imagine　what　was　coming；　but　she　was　promising

herself　that　she　would　be　very　patient　and　control　her　temper。



〃Will　you　be　seated？〃　she　asked　politely。



Edith　Carr　glanced　at　the　bench；　while　a　shudder　shook　her。



〃No。　　I　prefer　to　stand；〃　she　said。　　〃Did　Mr。　Ammon

give　you　the　ring　you　are　wearing；　and　do　you　consider

yourself　engaged　to　him？〃



〃By　what　right　do　you　ask　such　personal　questions　as

those？〃　inquired　Elnora。



〃By　the　right　of　a　betrothed　wife。　　I　have　been　promised

to　Philip　Ammon　ever　since　I　wore　short　skirts。　　All　our

lives　we　have　expected　to　marry。　　An　agreement　of　years

cannot　be　broken　in　one　insane　moment。　　Always　he　has

loved　me　devotedly。　　Give　me　ten　minutes　with　him　and　he

will　be　mine　for　all　time。〃



〃I　seriously　doubt　that；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃But　I　am

willing　that　you　should　make　the　test。　　I　will　call　him。〃



〃Stop！〃　commanded　Edith　Carr。　　〃I　told　you　that　it　was

you　I　came　to　see。〃



〃I　remember；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Mr。　Ammon　is　my　betrothed；〃　continued　Edith　Carr。　

〃I　expect　to　take　him　back　to　Chicago　with　me。〃



〃You　expect　considerable；〃　murmured　Elnora。　　〃I　will

raise　no　objection　to　your　taking　him；　if　you　canbut；　I

tell　you　frankly；　I　don't　think　it　possible。〃



〃You　are　so　sure　of　yourself　as　that；〃　scoffed　Edith　Carr。　

〃One　hour　in　my　presence　will　bring　back　the　old　spell；

full　force。　　We　belong　to　each　other。　　I　will　not　give　him　up。〃



〃Then　it　is　untrue　that　you　twice　rejected　his　ring；

repeatedly　insulted　him；　and　publicly　renounced　him？〃



〃That　was　through　you！〃　cried　Edith　Carr。　　〃Phil　and

I　never　had　been　so　near　and　so　happy　as　we　were　on

that　night。　　It　was　your　clinging　to　him　for　things　that

caused　him　to　desert　me　among　his　guests；　while　he　tried

to　make　me　await　your　pleasure。　　I　realize　the　spell　of

this　place；　for　a　summer　season。　　I　understand　what　you

and　your　mother　have　done　to　inveigle　him。　　I　know　that

your　hold　on　him　is　quite　real。　　I　can