a girl of the limberlost-第17章

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For　a　time　his　replies　to　her　questions　were　indistinct；　but

at　last　he　became　quieter　and　she　could　understand。



He　was　a　mite　of　a　boy；　nothing　but　skin…covered　bones；

his　burned；　freckled　face　in　a　mortar　of　tears　and　dust；　his

clothing　unspeakably　dirty；　one　great　toe　in　a　festering

mass　from　a　broken　nail；　and　sores　all　over　the　visible

portions　of　the　small　body。



〃You　won't　let　the　mean　old　thing　make　his　dog　get　me！〃　he　wailed。



〃Indeed　no；〃　said　Elnora；　holding　him　closely。



〃You　wouldn't　set　a　dog　on　a　boy　for　just　taking　a　few

old　apples　when　you　fed　'em　to　pigs　with　a　shovel　every

day；　would　you？〃



〃No；　I　would　not；〃　said　Elnora　hotly。



〃You'd　give　a　boy　all　the　apples　he　wanted；　if　he　hadn't

any　breakfast；　and　was　so　hungry　he　was　all　twisty　inside；

wouldn't　you？〃



〃Yes；　I　would；〃　said　Elnora。



〃If　you　had　anything　to　eat　you　would　give　me　something

right　now；　wouldn't　you？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃There's　nothing　but　just　stones　in

the　package。　　But　my　dinner　is　in　that　case。　　I'll　gladly　divide。〃



She　opened　the　box。　　The　famished　child　gave　a　little

cry　and　reached　both　hands。　　Elnora　caught　them　back。



〃Did　you　have　any　supper？〃



〃No。〃



〃Any　dinner　yesterday？〃



〃An　apple　and　some　grapes　I　stole。〃



〃Whose　boy　are　you？〃



〃Old　Tom　Billings's。〃



〃Why　doesn't　your　father　get　you　something　to　eat？〃



〃He　does　most　days；　but　he's　drunk　now。〃



〃Hush；　you　must　not！〃　said　Elnora。　　〃He's　your　father！〃



〃He's　spent　all　the　money　to　get　drunk；　too；〃　said　the

boy；　〃and　Jimmy　and　Belle　are　both　crying　for　breakfast。　

I'd　a　got　out　all　right　with　an　apple　for　myself；　but　I　tried

to　get　some　for　them　and　the　dog　got　too　close。　　Say；　you

can　throw；　can't　you？〃



〃Yes；〃　admitted　Elnora。　　She　poured　half　the　milk

into　the　cup。　　〃Drink　this；〃　she　said；　holding　it　to　him。



The　boy　gulped　the　milk　and　swore　joyously；　gripping

the　cup　with　shaking　fingers。



〃Hush！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃That's　dreadful！〃



〃What's　dreadful？〃



〃To　say　such　awful　words。〃



〃Huh！　pa　says　worser　'an　that　every　breath　he　draws。〃



Elnora　saw　that　the　child　was　older　than　she　had　thought。　

He　might　have　been　forty　judging　by　his　hard；　unchildish　expression。



〃Do　you　want　to　be　like　your　father？〃



〃No；　I　want　to　be　like　you。　　Couldn't　a　angel　be

prettier　'an　you。　　Can　I　have　more　milk？〃



Elnora　emptied　the　flask。　　The　boy　drained　the　cup。　

He　drew　a　breath　of　satisfaction　as　he　gazed　into　her　face。



〃You　wouldn't　go　off　and　leave　your　little　boy；　would

you？〃　he　asked。



〃Did　some　one　go　away　and　leave　you？〃



〃Yes；　my　mother　went　off　and　left　me；　and　left　Jimmy

and　Belle；　too；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃You　wouldn't　leave

your　little　boy；　would　you？〃



〃No。〃



The　boy　looked　eagerly　at　the　box。　　Elnora　lifted　a

sandwich　and　uncovered　the　fried　chicken。　　The　boy

gasped　with　delight。



〃Say；　I　could　eat　the　stuff　in　the　glass　and　the　other

box　and　carry　the　bread　and　the　chicken　to　Jimmy　and

Belle；〃　he　offered。



Elnora　silently　uncovered　the　custard　with　preserved

cherries　on　top　and　handed　it　and　the　spoon　to　the　child。　

Never　did　food　disappear　faster。　　The　salad　went　next；

and　a　sandwich　and　half　a　chicken　breast　followed。



〃I　better　leave　the　rest　for　Jimmy　and　Belle；〃　he

said；　〃they're　'ist　fightin'　hungry。〃



Elnora　gave　him　the　remainder　of　the　carefully　prepared　lunch。　

The　boy　clutched　it　and　ran　with　a　sidewise　hop　like　a

wild　thing。　　She　covered　the　dishes　and　cup；　polished　the

spoon；　replaced　it；　and　closed　the　case。　　She　caught　her

breath　in　a　tremulous　laugh。



〃If　Aunt　Margaret　knew　that；　she'd　never　forgive　me；〃

she　said。　　〃It　seems　as　if　secrecy　is　literally　forced　upon

me；　and　I　hate　it。　　What　shall　I　do　for　lunch？　　I'll　have　to

sell　my　arrows　and　keep　enough　money　for　a　restaurant　sandwich。〃



So　she　walked　hurriedly　into　town；　sold　her　points　at　a

good　price；　deposited　her　funds；　and　went　away　with　a

neat　little　bank　book　and　the　note　from　the　Limberlost

carefully　folded　inside。　　Elnora　passed　down　the　hall　that

morning；　and　no　one　paid　the　slightest　attention　to　her。　

The　truth　was　she　looked　so　like　every　one　else　that　she

was　perfectly　inconspicuous。　　But　in　the　coat　room　there

were　members　of　her　class。　　Surely　no　one　intended　it；

but　the　whisper　was　too　loud。



〃Look　at　the　girl　from　the　Limberlost　in　the　clothes　that

woman　gave　her！〃



Elnora　turned　on　them。　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　she　said

unsteadily；　〃I　couldn't　help　hearing　that！　　No　one　gave

me　these　clothes。　　I　paid　for　them　myself。〃



Some　one　muttered；　〃Pardon　me；〃　but　incredulous　faces

greeted　her。



Elnora　felt　driven。　　〃Aunt　Margaret　selected　them；　and　she

meant　to　give　them　to　me；〃　she　explained；　〃but　I　wouldn't

take　them。　　I　paid　for　them　myself。〃　　There　was　silence。



〃Don't　you　believe　me？〃　panted　Elnora。



〃Really；　it　is　none　of　our　affair；〃　said　another　girl。　

〃Come　on；　let's　go。〃



Elnora　stepped　before　the　girl　who　had　spoken。　　〃You　have

made　this　your　affair；〃　she　said；　〃because　you　told　a

thing　which　was　not　true。　　No　one　gave　me　what　I　am　wearing。　

I　paid　for　my　clothes　myself　with　money　I　earned　selling

moths　to　the　Bird　Woman。　　I　just　came　from　the　bank　where

I　deposited　what　I　did　not　use。　　Here　is　my　credit。〃　

Elnora　drew　out　and　offered　the　little　red　book。　

〃Surely　you　will　believe　that；〃　she　said。



〃Why　of　course；〃　said　the　girl　who　first　had　spoken。　

〃We　met　such　a　lovely　woman　in　Brownlee's　store；　and　she

said　she　wanted　our　help　to　buy　some　things　for　a　girl；

and　that's　how　we　came　to　know。〃



〃Dear　Aunt　Margaret；〃　said　Elnora；　〃it　was　like　her　to

ask　you。　　Isn't　she　splendid？〃



〃She　is　indeed；〃　chorused　the　girls。　　Elnora　set　down　her

lunch　box　and　books；　unpinned　her　hat；　hanging　it　beside

the　others；　and　taking　up　the　books　she　reached　to　set　the

box　in　its　place　and　dropped　it。　　With　a　little　cry　she

snatched　at　it　and　caught　the　strap　on　top。　　That　pulled

from　the　fastening；　the　cover　unrolled；　the　box　fell　away

as　far　as　it　could；　two　porcelain　lids　rattled　on　the　floor；

and　the　one　sandwich　rolled　like　a　cartwheel　across　the　room。　

Elnora　lifted　a　ghastly　face。　　For　once　no　one　laughed。　

She　stood　an　instant　staring。



〃It　seems　to　be　my　luck　to　be　crucified　at　every　point　of

the　compass；〃　she　said　at　last。　　〃First　two　days　you

thought　I　was　a　pauper；　now　you　will　think　I'm　a　fraud。　

All　of　you　will　believe　I　bought　an　expensive　box；　and　then

was　too　poor　to　put　anything　but　a　restaurant　sandwich　in　it。　

You　must　stop　till　I　prove　to　you　that　I'm　not。〃



Elnora　gathered　up　the　lids；　and　kicked　the　sandwich

into　a　corner。



〃I　had　milk　in　that　bottle；　see！　　And　custard　in　the　cup。　

There　was　salad　in　the　little　box；　fried　chicken　in　the　large

one；　and　nut　sandwiches　in　the　tray。　　You　can　see　the

crumbs　of　all　of　them。　　A　man　set　a　dog　on　a　child　who　was

so　starved　he　was　stealing　apples。　　I　talked　with　him；　and

I　thought　I　could　bear　hunger　better；　he　was　such　a　little　boy；

so　I　gave　him　my　lunch；　and　got　the　sandwich　at　the　restaurant。〃



Elnora　held　out　the　box。　　The　girls　were　laughing　by

that　time。　　〃You　goose；〃　said　one；　〃why　didn't　you　give

him　the　money；　and　save　your　lunch？〃



〃He　was　such　a　little　fellow；　and　he　really　was　hungry；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃I　often　go　without　anything　to　eat　at　noon

in　the　fields　and　woods；　and　never　think　of　it。〃



She　closed　the　box　and　set　it　beside　the　lunches　of　other

country　pupils。　　While　her　back　was　turned；　into　the

room　came　the　girl　of　her　encounter　on　the　first　day；

walked　to　the　rack；　and　with　an　exclamation　of　approval

took　down　Elnora's　hat。



〃Just　the　thing　I　have　been　wanting！〃　she　said。　　〃I　never

saw　such　beautiful　quills　in　all　my　life。　　They　match

my　new　broadcloth　to　perfection。　　I've　got　to　have　that

kind　of　quills　for