a girl of the limberlost-第14章

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

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

trouble；　and　just　give　her　the　money？〃



〃I　don't　think　so；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Seems　to　me

I've　heard　of　her　paying；　or　offering　to　pay　those　who

would　take　the　money；　for　bugs　and　butterflies；　and　I've

known　people　who　sold　that　banker　Indian　stuff。　　Once　I

heard　that　his　pipe　collection　beat　that　of　the　Government

at　the　Philadelphia　Centennial。　　Those　things　have　come

to　have　a　value。〃



〃Well；　there's　about　a　bushel　of　that　kind　of　valuables

piled　up　in　the　woodshed；　that　belongs　to　Elnora。　　At　least；

I　picked　them　up　because　she　said　she　wanted　them。　

Ain't　it　queer　that　she'd　take　to　stones；　bugs；　and

butterflies；　and　save　them。　　Now　they　are　going　to　bring　her

the　very　thing　she　wants　the　worst。　　Lord；　but　this　is　a　funny

world　when　you　get　to　studying！　　Looks　like　things　didn't

all　come　by　accident。　　Looks　as　if　there　was　a　plan　back

of　it；　and　somebody　driving　that　knows　the　road；　and　how

to　handle　the　lines。　　Anyhow；　Elnora's　in　the　wagon；　and

when　I　get　out　in　the　night　and　the　dark　closes　around　me；

and　I　see　the　stars；　I　don't　feel　so　cheap。　　Maggie；　how　the

nation　did　Kate　Comstock　do　that？〃



〃You　will　keep　on　harping；　Wesley。　　I　told　you　she

didn't　do　it。　　Elnora　did　it！　　She　walked　in　and　took

things　right　out　of　our　hands。　　All　Kate　had　to　do　was　to

enjoy　having　it　go　her　way；　and　she　was　cute　enough　to

put　in　a　few　questions　that　sort　of　guided　Elnora。　　But　I

don't　know；　Wesley。　　This　thing　makes　me　think；　too。　

S'pose　we'd　taken　Elnora　when　she　was　a　baby；　and　we'd

heaped　on　her　all　the　love　we　can't　on　our　own；　and　we'd

coddled；　petted；　and　shielded　her；　would　she　have　made

the　woman　that　living　alone；　learning　to　think　for　herself；

and　taking　all　the　knocks　Kate　Comstock　could　give；　have

made　of　her？〃



〃You　bet　your　life！〃　cried　Wesley；　warmly。　　〃Loving　anybody

don't　hurt　them。　　We　wouldn't　have　done　anything　but　love　her。　

You　can't　hurt　a　child　loving　it。　　She'd　have　learned　to　work；

to　study；　and　grown　into　a　woman　with　us；　without　suffering

like　a　poor　homeless　dog。〃



〃But　you　don't　see　the　point；　Wesley。　　She　would　have

grown　into　a　fine　woman　with　us；　but　as　we　would　have

raised　her；　would　her　heart　ever　have　known　the　world　as　it

does　now？　　Where's　the　anguish；　Wesley；　that　child　can't

comprehend？　　Seeing　what　she's　seen　of　her　mother　hasn't

hardened　her。　　She　can　understand　any　mother's　sorrow。　

Living　life　from　the　rough　side　has　only　broadened　her。　

Where's　the　girl　or　boy　burning　with　shame；　or　struggling

to　find　a　way；　that　will　cross　Elnora's　path　and　not　get

a　lift　from　her？　　She's　had　the　knocks；　but　there'll　never

be　any　of　the　thing　you　call　‘false　pride'　in　her。　　I　guess

we　better　keep　out。　　Maybe　Kate　Comstock　knows　what　she's　doing。　

Sure　as　you　live；　Elnora　has　grown　bigger　on　knocks　than　she

would　on　love。〃



〃I　don't　s'pose　there　ever　was　a　very　fine　point　to

anything　but　I　missed　it；〃　said　Wesley；　〃because　I　am

blunt；　rough；　and　have　no　book　learning　to　speak　of。　

Since　you　put　it　into　words　I　see　what　you　mean；　but　it's

dinged　hard　on　Elnora；　just　the　same。　　And　I　don't　keep　out。　

I　keep　watching　closer　than　ever。　　I　got　my　slap　in　the

face；　but　if　I　don't　miss　my　guess；　Kate　Comstock　learned

her　lesson；　same　as　I　did。　　She　learned　that　I　was　in

earnest；　that　I　would　haul　her　to　court　if　she　didn't

loosen　up　a　bit；　and　she'll　loosen。　　You　see　if　she　doesn't。　

It　may　come　hard；　and　the　hinges　creak；　but　she'll　fix

Elnora　decent　after　this；　if　Elnora　doesn't　prove　that　she

can　fix　herself。　　As　for　me；　I　found　out　that　what　I　was

doing　was　as　much　for　myself　as　for　Elnora。　　I　wanted　her

to　take　those　things　from　us；　and　love　us　for　giving　them。　

It　didn't　work；　and　but　for　you；　I'd　messed　the　whole

thing　and　stuck　like　a　pig　in　crossing　a　bridge。　　But　you

helped　me　out；　Elnora's　got　the　clothes；　and　by　morning；

maybe　I　won't　grudge　Kate　the　only　laugh　she's　had　in

sixteen　years。　　You　been　showing　me　the　way　quite　a

spell　now；　ain't　you；　Maggie？〃



In　her　attic　Elnora　lighted　two　candles；　set　them　on　her

little　table；　stacked　the　books；　and　put　away　the

precious　clothes。　　How　lovingly　she　hung　the　hat　and　umbrella；

folded　the　raincoat；　and　spread　the　new　dress　over　a　chair。　

She　fingered　the　ribbons；　and　tried　to　smooth　the　creases

from　them。　　She　put　away　the　hose　neatly　folded；　touched

the　handkerchiefs；　and　tried　the　belt。　　Then　she　slipped

into　her　white　nightdress；　shook　down　her　hair　that　it

might　become　thoroughly　dry；　set　a　chair　before　the　table；

and　reverently　opened　one　of　the　books。　　A　stiff　draught

swept　the　attic；　for　it　stretched　the　length　of　the　cabin；

and　had　a　window　in　each　end。　　Elnora　arose　and　going　to　the

east　window　closed　it。　　She　stood　for　a　minute　looking　at

the　stars；　the　sky；　and　the　dark　outline　of　the　straggling

trees　of　the　rapidly　dismantling　Limberlost。　　In　the　region

of　her　case　a　tiny　point　of　light　flashed　and　disappeared。　

Elnora　straightened　and　wondered。　　Was　it　wise　to　leave

her　precious　money　there？　　The　light　flashed　once　more；

wavered　a　few　seconds；　and　died　out。　　The　girl　waited。　

She　did　not　see　it　again；　so　she　turned　to　her　books。



In　the　Limberlost　the　hulking　figure　of　a　man　sneaked

down　the　trail。



〃The　Bird　Woman　was　at　Freckles's　room　this　evening；〃

he　muttered。　　〃Wonder　what　for？〃



He　left　the　trail；　entered　the　enclosure　still　distinctly

outlined；　and　approached　the　case。　　The　first　point　of　light

flashed　from　the　tiny　electric　lamp　on　his　vest。　　He　took

a　duplicate　key　from　his　pocket；　felt　for　the　padlock　and

opened　it。　　The　door　swung　wide。　　The　light　flashed　the

second　time。　　Swiftly　his　glance　swept　the　interior。



〃'Bout　a　fourth　of　her　moths　gone。　　Elnora　must

have　been　with　the　Bird　Woman　and　given　them　to　her。〃

Then　he　stood　tense。　　His　keen　eyes　discovered　the

roll　of　bills　hastily　thrust　back　in　the　bottom　of　the　case。　

He　snatched　them　up；　shut　off　the　light；　relocked　the

case　by　touch；　and　swiftly　went　down　the　trail。　　Every　few

seconds　he　paused　and　listened　intently。　　Just　as　he

reached　the　road；　a　second　figure　approached　him。



〃Is　it　you；　Pete？〃　came　the　whispered　question。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　first　man。



〃I　was　coming　down　to　take　a　peep；　when　I　saw　your

flash；〃　he　said。　　〃I　heard　the　Bird　Woman　had　been　at

the　case　to…day。　　Anything　doing？〃



〃Not　a　thing；〃　said　Pete。　　〃She　just　took　away　about

a　fourth　of　the　moths。　　Probably　had　the　Comstock　girl

getting　them　for　her。　　Heard　they　were　together。　

Likely　she'll　get　the　rest　to…morrow。　　Ain't　picking

gettin'　bare　these　days？〃



〃Well；　I　should　say　so；〃　said　the　second　man；　turning

back　in　disgust。　　〃Coming　home；　now？〃



〃No；　I　am　going　down　this　way；〃　answered　Pete；

for　his　eyes　caught　the　gleam　from　the　window　of　the

Comstock　cabin；　and　he　had　a　desire　to　learn　why　Elnora's

attic　was　lighted　at　that　hour。



He　slouched　down　the　road；　occasionally　feeling　the

size　of　the　roll　he　had　not　taken　time　to　count。



The　attic　was　too　long；　the　light　too　near　the　other

end；　and　the　cabin　stood　much　too　far　back　from　the　road。　

He　could　see　nothing　although　he　climbed　the　fence

and　walked　back　opposite　the　window。　　He　knew

Mrs。　Comstock　was　probably　awake；　and　that　she

sometimes　went　to　the　swamp　behind　her　home　at　night。　

At　times　a　cry　went　up　from　that　locality　that　paralyzed

any　one　near；　or　sent　them　fleeing　as　if　for　life。　　He　did

not　care　to　cross　behind　the　cabin。　　He　returned　to　the

road；　passed；　and　again　climbed　the　fence。　　Opposite　the

west　window　he　could　see　Elnora。　　She　sat　before

a　small　table　reading　from　a　book　between　two　candles。　

Her　hair　fell　in　a　bright　sheen　around　her；　and　with　one

hand　she　lightly　shook；　and　tossed　it　as　she　studied。　

The　man　stood　out　in　the　night　and　watched。