a girl of the limberlost-第13章

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〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　thought；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　was

planning　on　the　way　home。　　These　coats　are　fine　because

they　keep　you　dry。　　I　thought　I　would　get　one；　and　a

warm　sweater　to　wear　under　it　cold　days。　　Then　I　always

would　be　dry；　and　warm。　　The　sweater　only　costs　three

dollars；　so　I　could　get　it　and　the　raincoat　both　for　half

the　price　of　a　heavy　cloth　coat。〃



〃You　are　right　about　that；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃You　can　change　more　with　the　weather；　too。　　Keep　the

raincoat；　Elnora。〃



〃Wear　it　until　you　try　the　hat；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃It　will

have　to　do　until　the　dress　is　finished。〃



Elnora　picked　up　the　hat　dubiously。　　〃Mother；　may

I　wear　my　hair　as　it　is　now？〃　she　asked。



〃Let　me　take　a　good　look；〃　said　Katharine　Comstock。



Heaven　only　knows　what　she　saw。　　To　Wesley　and

to　Margaret　the　bright　young　face　of　Elnora；　with　its

pink　tints；　its　heavy　dark　brows；　its　bright　blue…gray

eyes；　and　its　frame　of　curling　reddish…brown　hair　was

the　sweetest　sight　on　earth；　and　at　that　instant　Elnora

was　radiant。



〃So　long　as　it's　your　own　hair；　and　combed　back　as　plain

as　it　will　go；　I　don't　suppose　it　cuts　much　ice　whether

it's　tied　a　little　tighter　or　looser；〃　conceded　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃If　you　stop　right　there；　you　may　let　it　go　at　that。〃



Elnora　set　the　hat　on　her　head。　　It　was　only　a　wide

tan　straw　with　three　exquisite　peacock　quills　at　one　side。　

Margaret　Sinton　cried　out；　Wesley　slapped　his　knee　and

sighed　deeply　while　Mrs。　Comstock　stood　speechless

for　a　second。



〃I　wish　you　had　asked　the　price　before　you　put　that

on；〃　she　said　impatiently。　　〃We　never　can　afford　it。〃



〃It's　not　so　much　as　you　think；〃　said　Margaret。　

〃Don't　you　see　what　I　did？　　I　had　them　take　off　the

quills；　and　put　on　some　of　those　Phoebe　Simms　gave　me

from　her　peacocks。　　The　hat　will　only　cost　you　a　dollar

and　a　half。〃



She　avoided　Wesley's　eyes；　and　looked　straight　at

Mrs。　Comstock。　　Elnora　removed　the　hat　to　examine　it。



〃Why；　they　are　those　reddish…tan　quills　of　yours！〃

she　cried。　　〃Mother；　look　how　beautifully　they　are

set　on！　　I'd　much　rather　have　them　than　those　from

the　store。〃



〃So　would　I；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃If　Margaret

wants　to　spare　them；　that　will　make　you　a　beautiful

hat；　dirt　cheap；　too！　　You　must　go　past　Mrs。　Simms

and　show　her。　　She　would　be　pleased　to　see　them。〃



Elnora　sank　into　a　chair　and　contemplated　her　toe。

〃Landy；　ain't　I　a　queen？〃　she　murmured。　　〃What　else

have　I　got？〃



〃Just　a　belt；　some　handkerchiefs；　and　a　pair　of　top

shoes　for　rainy　days　and　colder　weather；〃　said　Margaret。



〃About　those　high　shoes；　that　was　my　idea；〃　said　Wesley。　

〃Soon　as　it　rains；　low　shoes　won't　do；　and　by　taking

two　pairs　at　once　I　could　get　them　some　cheaper。　　The　low

ones　are　two　and　the　high　ones　two　fifty；　together　three

seventy…five。　　Ain't　that　cheap？〃



〃That's　a　real　bargain；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃if　they

are　good　shoes；　and　they　look　it。〃



〃This〃　said　Wesley；　producing　the　last　package；　〃is

your　Christmas　present　from　your　Aunt　Maggie。　　I　got

mine；　too；　but　it's　at　the　house。　　I'll　bring　it　up　in

the　morning。〃



He　handed　Margaret　the　umbrella；　and　she　passed　it

over　to　Elnora　who　opened　it　and　sat　laughing　under

its　shelter。　　Then　she　kissed　both　of　them。　　She　brought　a

pencil　and　a　slip　of　paper　to　set　down　the　prices　they　gave

her　of　everything　they　had　brought　except　the　umbrella；

added　the　sum；　and　said　laughingly：　　〃Will　you　please　wait

till　to…morrow　for　the　money？　　I　will　have　it　then；　sure。〃



〃Elnora；〃　said　Wesley　Sinton。　　〃Wouldn't　you〃



〃Elnora；　hustle　here　a　minute！〃　called　Mrs。　Comstock

from　the　kitchen。　　〃I　need　you！〃



〃One　second；　mother；〃　answered　Elnora；　throwing　off

the　coat　and　hat；　and　closing　the　umbrella　as　she　ran。　

There　were　several　errands　to　do　in　a　hurry；　and　then　supper。　

Elnora　chattered　incessantly；　Wesley　and　Margaret　talked

all　they　could；　while　Mrs。　Comstock　said　a　word　now　and　then；

which　was　all　she　ever　did。　　But　Wesley　Sinton　was　watching

her；　and　time　and　again　he　saw　a　peculiar　little　twist

around　her　mouth。　　He　knew　that　for　the　first　time　in

sixteen　years　she　really　was　laughing　over　something。　

She　had　all　she　could　do　to　preserve　her　usually　sober　face。　

Wesley　knew　what　she　was　thinking。



After　supper　the　dress　was　finished；　the　pattern　for

the　next　one　discussed；　and　then　the　Sintons　went　home。　

Elnora　gathered　her　treasures。　　When　she　started　upstairs

she　stopped。　　〃May　I　kiss　you　good…night；　mother？〃

she　asked　lightly。



〃Never　mind　any　slobbering；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃I　should　think　you'd　lived　with　me　long　enough　to　know

that　I　don't　care　for　it。〃



〃Well；　I'd　love　to　show　you　in　some　way　how　happy　I

am；　and　how　I　thank　you。〃



〃I　wonder　what　for？〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Mag　Sinton

chose　that　stuff　and　brought　it　here　and　you　pay　for　it。〃



〃Yes；　but　you　seemed　willing　for　me　to　have　it；　and

you　said　you　would　help　me　if　I　couldn't　pay　all。〃



〃Maybe　I　did；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Maybe　I　did。　

I　meant　to　get　you　some　heavy　dress　skirts　about

Thanksgiving；　and　I　still　can　get　them。　　Go　to　bed；

and　for　any　sake　don't　begin　mooning　before　a　mirror；

and　make　a　dunce　of　yourself。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　picked　up　several　papers　and　blew　out

the　kitchen　light。　　She　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　sitting…

room　floor　for　a　time　and　then　went　into　her　room　and

closed　the　door。　　Sitting　on　the　edge　of　the　bed　she　thought

for　a　few　minutes　and　then　suddenly　buried　her　face　in　the

pillow　and　again　heaved　with　laughter。



Down　the　road　plodded　Margaret　and　Wesley　Sinton。　

Neither　of　them　had　words　to　utter　their　united　thought。



〃Done！〃　hissed　Wesley　at　last。　　〃Done　brown！　　Did　you

ever　feel　like　a　bloomin'；　confounded　donkey？　　How　did

the　woman　do　it？〃



〃She　didn't　do　it！〃　gulped　Margaret　through　her　tears。　

〃She　didn't　do　anything。　　She　trusted　to　Elnora's　great

big　soul　to　bring　her　out　right；　and　really　she　was　right；

and　so　it　had　to　bring　her。　　She's　a　darling；　Wesley！　

But　she's　got　a　time　before　her。　　Did　you　see　Kate　Comstock

grab　that　money？　　Before　six　months　she'll　be　out　combing

the　Limberlost　for　bugs　and　arrow　points　to　help　pay　the　tax。　

I　know　her。〃



〃Well；　I　don't！〃　exclaimed　Sinton；　〃she's　too　many　for　me。　

But　there　is　a　laugh　left　in　her　yet！　　I　didn't　s'pose

there　was。　　Bet　you　a　dollar；　if　we　could　see　her　this

minute；　she'd　be　chuckling　over　the　way　we　got　left。〃



Both　of　them　stopped　in　the　road　and　looked　back。



〃There's　Elnora's　light　in　her　room；〃　said　Margaret。　

〃The　poor　child　will　feel　those　clothes；　and　pore　over

her　books　till　morning；　but　she'll　look　decent　to　go　to

school；　anyway。　　Nothing　is　too　big　a　price　to　pay　for　that。〃



〃Yes；　if　Kate　lets　her　wear　them。　　Ten　to　one；　she

makes　her　finish　the　week　with　that　old　stuff！〃



〃No；　she　won't；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃She'll　hardly　dare。　

Kate　made　some　concessions；　all　right；　big　ones　for　her

if　she　did　get　her　way　in　the　main。　　She　bent　some；　and

if　Elnora　proves　that　she　can　walk　out　barehanded　in　the

morning　and　come　back　with　that　much　money　in　her

pocket；　an　armful　of　books；　and　buy　a　turnout　like　that；

she　proves　that　she　is　of　some　consideration；　and　Kate's

smart　enough。　　She'll　think　twice　before　she'll　do　that。　

Elnora　won't　wear　a　calico　dress　to　high　school　again。　

You　watch　and　see　if　she　does。　　She　may　have　the　best

clothes　she'll　get　for　a　time；　for　the　least　money；　but　she

won't　know　it　until　she　tries　to　buy　goods　herself　at　the

same　rates。　　Wesley；　what　about　those　prices？　　Didn't　they

shrink　considerable？〃



〃You　began　it；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Those　prices　were　all　right。　

We　didn't　say　what　the　goods　cost　us；　we　said　what　they

would　cost　her。　　Surely；　she's　mistaken　about　being　able

to　pay　all　that。　　Can　she　pick　up　stuff　of　that　value

around　the　Limberlost？　　Didn't　the　Bird　Woman　see　her

trouble