a girl of the limberlost-第32章

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him　to　you　she　wouldn't　have　let　you　come　here。　

She　made　me　swear　it。〃



〃But　why？　　Why？　　Was　he　a　shame？　　Was　he　disgraced？〃



〃Maybe　it　was　that　unjust　feeling　that　took　possession

of　her　when　she　couldn't　help　him　from　the　swamp。　　She　had

to　blame　some　one；　or　go　crazy；　so　she　took　it　out　on　you。　

At　times；　those　first　ten　years；　if　I　had　talked　to　you；

and　you　had　repeated　anything　to　her；　she　might　have

struck　you　too　hard。　　She　was　not　master　of　herself。　

You　must　be　patient　with　her；　Elnora。　　God　only　knows

what　she　has　gone　through；　but　I　think　she　is　a　little

better；　lately。〃



〃So　do　I；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃She　seems　more　interested　in

my　clothes；　and　she　fixes　me　such　delicious　lunches　that　the

girls　bring　fine　candies　and　cake　and　beg　to　trade。　　I　gave

half　my　lunch　for　a　box　of　candy　one　day；　brought　it

home　to　her；　and　told　her。　　Since；　she　has　wanted　me　to

carry　a　market　basket　and　treat　the　crowd　every　day；　she

was　so　pleased。　　Life　has　been　too　monotonous　for　her。　

I　think　she　enjoys　even　the　little　change　made　by　my　going

and　coming。　　She　sits　up　half　the　night　to　read　the　library

books　I　bring；　but　she　is　so　stubborn　she　won't　even　admit

that　she　touches　them。　　Tell　me　more　about　my　father。〃



〃Wait　until　I　see　if　I　can　find　the　violin。〃



So　Elnora　went　home　in　suspense；　and　that　night　she

added　to　her　prayers：　　〃Dear　Lord；　be　merciful　to　my

father；　and　oh；　do　help　Aunt　Margaret　to　get　his　violin。〃



Wesley　and　Billy　came　in　to　supper　tired　and　hungry。　

Billy　ate　heartily；　but　his　eyes　often　rested　on　a　plate　of

tempting　cookies；　and　when　Wesley　offered　them　to　the

boy　he　reached　for　one。　　Margaret　was　compelled　to　explain

that　cookies　were　forbidden　that　night。



〃What！〃　said　Wesley。　　〃Wrong　words　been　coming　again。　

Oh　Billy；　I　do　wish　you　could　remember！　　I　can't　sit

and　eat　cookies　before　a　little　boy　who　has　none。　

I'll　have　to　put　mine　back；　too。〃　　Billy's　face　twisted

in　despair。



〃Aw　go　on！〃　he　said　gruffly；　but　his　chin　was　jumping；

for　Wesley　was　his　idol。



〃Can't　do　it；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃It　would　choke　me。〃



Billy　turned　to　Margaret。　　〃You　make　him；〃　he　appealed。



〃He　can't；　Billy；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃I　know　how　he　feels。　

You　see；　I　can't　myself。〃



Then　Billy　slid　from　his　chair；　ran　to　the　couch；　buried　his

face　in　the　pillow　and　cried　heart…brokenly。　　Wesley　hurried

to　the　barn；　and　Margaret　to　the　kitchen。　　When　the　dishes

were　washed　Billy　slipped　from　the　back　door。



Wesley　piling　hay　into　the　mangers　heard　a　sound　behind　him

and　inquired；　〃That　you；　Billy？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Billy；　〃and　it's　all　so　dark　you　can't

see　me　now；　isn't　it？〃



〃Well；　mighty　near；〃　answered　Wesley。



〃Then　you　stoop　down　and　open　your　mouth。〃



Sinton　had　shared　bites　of　apple　and　nuts　for　weeks；　for

Billy　had　not　learned　how　to　eat　anything　without　dividing

with　Jimmy　and　Belle。　　Since　he　had　been　separated

from　them；　he　shared　with　Wesley　and　Margaret。　　So　he

bent　over　the　boy　and　received　an　instalment　of　cooky

that　almost　choked　him。



〃Now　you　can　eat　it！〃　shouted　Billy　in　delight。　

〃It's　all　dark！　　I　can't　see　what　you're　doing　at　all！〃



Wesley　picked　up　the　small　figure　and　set　the　boy　on　the

back　of　a　horse　to　bring　his　face　level　so　that　they　could

talk　as　men。　　He　never　towered　from　his　height　above

Billy；　but　always　lifted　the　little　soul　when　important

matters　were　to　be　discussed。



〃Now　what　a　dandy　scheme；〃　he　commented。　　〃Did　you

and　Aunt　Margaret　fix　it　up？〃



〃No。　　She　ain't　had　hers　yet。　　But　I　got　one　for　her。　

Ist　as　soon　as　you　eat　yours；　I　am　going　to　take　hers；　and

feed　her　first　time　I　find　her　in　the　dark。〃



〃But　Billy；　where　did　you　get　the　cookies？　　You　know

Aunt　Margaret　said　you　were　not　to　have　any。〃



〃I　ist　took　them；〃　said　Billy；　〃I　didn't　take　them　for　me。　

I　ist　took　them　for　you　and　her。〃



Wesley　thought　fast。　　In　the　warm　darkness　of　the　barn

the　horses　crunched　their　corn；　a　rat　gnawed　at　a　corner　of

the　granary；　and　among　the　rafters　the　white　pigeon　cooed

a　soft　sleepy　note　to　his　dusky　mate。



〃DiddidI　steal？〃　wavered　Billy。



Wesley's　big　hands　closed　until　he　almost　hurt　the　boy。



〃No！〃　he　said　vehemently。　　〃That　is　too　big　a　word。　

You　made　a　mistake。　　You　were　trying　to　be　a　fine

little　man；　but　you　went　at　it　the　wrong　way。　　You　only

made　a　mistake。　　All　of　us　do　that；　Billy。　　The　world

grows　that　way。　　When　we　make　mistakes　we　can　see　them；

that　teaches　us　to　be　more　careful　the　next　time；　and

so　we　learn。〃



〃How　wouldn't　it　be　a　mistake？〃



〃If　you　had　told　Aunt　Margaret　what　you　wanted　to　do；　and

asked　her　for　the　cookies　she　would　have　given　them　to　you。〃



〃But　I　was　'fraid　she　wouldn't；　and　you　ist　had　to　have　it。〃



〃Not　if　it　was　wrong　for　me　to　have　it；　Billy。　　I　don't

want　it　that　much。〃



〃Must　I　take　it　back？〃



〃You　think　hard；　and　decide　yourself。〃



〃Lift　me　down；〃　said　Billy；　after　a　silence；　〃I　got

to　put　this　in　the　jar；　and　tell　her。〃



Wesley　set　the　boy　on　the　floor；　but　as　he　did　so　he

paused　one　second　and　strained　him　close　to　his　breast。



Margaret　sat　in　her　chair　sewing；　Billy　slipped　in　and

crept　beside　her。　　The　little　face　was　lined　with　tragedy。



〃Why　Billy；　whatever　is　the　matter？〃　she　cried　as　she

dropped　her　sewing　and　held　out　her　arms。　　Billy　stood　back。　

He　gripped　his　little　fists　tight　and　squared　his　shoulders。　

〃I　got　to　be　shut　up　in　the　closet；〃　he　said。



〃Oh　Billy！　　What　an　unlucky　day！　　What　have　you

done　now？〃



〃I　stold！〃　gulped　Billy。　　〃He　said　it　was　ist　a　mistake；

but　it　was　worser　'an　that。　　I　took　something　you　told

me　I　wasn't　to　have。〃



〃Stole！〃　Margaret　was　in　despair。　　〃What；　Billy？〃



〃Cookies！〃　answered　Billy　in　equal　trouble。



〃Billy！〃　wailed　Margaret。　　〃How　could　you？〃



〃It　was　for　him　and　you；〃　sobbed　Billy。　　〃He　said

he　couldn't　eat　it　'fore　me；　but　out　in　the　barn　it's　all

dark　and　I　couldn't　see。　　I　thought　maybe　he　could　there。　

Then　we　might　put　out　the　light　and　you　could　have　yours。　

He　said　I　only　made　it　worse；　cos　I　mustn't　take　things；

so　I　got　to　go　in　the　closet。　　Will　you　hold　me　tight　a

little　bit　first？　　He　did。〃



Margaret　opened　her　arms　and　Billy　rushed　in　and　clung

to　her　a　few　seconds；　with　all　the　force　of　his　being；

then　he　slipped　to　the　floor　and　marched　to　the　closet。　

Margaret　opened　the　door。　　Billy　gave　one　glance　at

the　light；　clinched　his　fists　and；　walking　inside；　climbed

on　a　box。　　Margaret　closed　the　door。



Then　she　sat　and　listened。　　Was　the　air　pure　enough？　

Possibly　he　might　smother。　　She　had　read　something　once。　

Was　it　very　dark？　　What　if　there　should　be　a　mouse　in

the　closet　and　it　should　run　across　his　foot　and

frighten　him　into　spasms。　　Somewhere　she　had　heard

Margaret　leaned　forward　with　tense　face　and　listened。　

Something　dreadful　might　happen。　　She　could　bear　it

no　longer。　　She　arose　hurriedly　and　opened　the　door。　

Billy　was　drawn　up　on　the　box　in　a　little　heap；　and　he

lifted　a　disapproving　face　to　her。



〃Shut　that　door！〃　he　said。　　〃I　ain't　been　in　here　near

long　enough　yet！〃









CHAPTER　X





WHEREIN　ELNORA　HAS　MORE　FINANCIAL　TROUBLES；

AND　MRS。　COMSTOCK　AGAIN　HEARS　THE　SONG　OF　THE　LIMBERLOST





The　following　night　Elnora　hurried　to　Sintons'。

She　threw　open　the　back　door　and　with　anxious

eyes　searched　Margaret's　face。



〃You　got　it！〃　panted　Elnora。　　〃You　got　it！　　I　can

see　by　your　face　that　you　did。　　Oh；　give　it　to　me！〃



〃Yes；　I　got　it；　honey；　I　got　it　all　right；　but　don't　be

so　fast。　　It　had　been　kept　in　such　a　damp　place　it　needed

glueing；　it　had　to　have　strings；　and　a　key　was　gone。　

I　knew　how　much　you　wanted　it；　so　I　sent　Wesley　right

to　town　with　it。　　They　said　they　could　fix　it　good　as

new；　but　it　should　be　varnished；　and　that　it　would　take

several　days　for　the　glue　to　set。　　You　can　have