a girl of the limberlost-第40章

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wink　at　me；　after　she　gets　her　speech　off　her　mind。　

She　kissed　me；　too！　　She's　a　perfect　lady；　Elnora　is。　

I'm　going　to　marry　her　when　I　am　big　enough。〃



〃Why　isn't　that　splendid！〃　laughed　the　Bird　Woman

as　she　hurried　upstairs。



〃Dear！〃　she　called。　　〃Here　is　another　gift　for　you。〃



Elnora　was　half　disrobed　as　she　took　the　package　and；

sitting　on　a　couch；　opened　it。　　The　Bird　Woman　bent　over

her　and　tested　the　fabric　with　her　fingers。



〃Why；　bless　my　soul！〃　she　cried。　　〃Hand…woven；　hand…

embroidered　linen；　fine　as　silk。　　It's　priceless'　I　haven't

seen　such　things　in　years。　　My　mother　had　garments　like

those　when　I　was　a　child；　but　my　sisters　had　them　cut　up

for　collars；　belts；　and　fancy　waists　while　I　was　small。　

Look　at　the　exquisite　work！〃



〃Where　could　it　have　come　from？〃　cried　Elnora。



She　shook　out　a　petticoat；　with　a　hand…wrought　ruffle

a　foot　deep；　then　an　old…fashioned　chemise　the　neck　and

sleeve　work　of　which　was　elaborate　and　perfectly　wrought。　

On　the　breast　was　pinned　a　note　that　she　hastily　opened。



〃I　was　married　in　these；〃　it　read；　〃and　I　had　intended

to　be　buried　in　them；　but　perhaps　it　would　be　more　sensible

for　you　to　graduate　and　get　married　in　them　yourself；　if

you　like。　　Your　mother。〃



〃From　my　mother！〃　　Wide…eyed；　Elnora　looked　at

the　Bird　Woman。　　〃I　never　in　my　life　saw　the　like。　

Mother　does　things　I　think　I　never　can　forgive；　and　when

I　feel　hardest；　she　turns　around　and　does　something　that

makes　me　think　she　just　must　love　me　a　little　bit；　after　all。　

Any　of　the　girls　would　give　almost　anything　to　graduate

in　hand…embroidered　linen　like　that。　　Money　can't　buy

such　things。　　And　they　came　when　I　was　thinking　she

didn't　care　what　became　of　me。　　Do　you　suppose　she　can

be　insane？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Bird　Woman。　　〃Wildly　insane；　if　she

does　not　love　you　and　care　what　becomes　of　you。〃



Elnora　arose　and　held　the　petticoat　to　her。　　〃Will　you

look　at　it？〃　she　cried。　　〃Only　imagine　her　not　getting　my

dress　ready；　and　then　sending　me　such　a　petticoat　as　this！　

Ellen　would　pay　fifty　dollars　for　it　and　never　blink。　

I　suppose　mother　has　had　it　all　my　life；　and　I　never　saw

it　before。〃



〃Go　take　your　bath　and　put　on　those　things；〃　said　the

Bird　Woman。　　〃Forget　everything　and　be　happy。　　She　is

not　insane。　　She　is　embittered。　　She　did　not　understand

how　things　would　be。　　When　she　saw；　she　came　at　once　to

provide　you　a　dress。　　This　is　her　way　of　saying　she　is

sorry　she　did　not　get　the　other。　　You　notice　she　has　not

spent　any　money；　so　perhaps　she　is　quite　honest　in　saying

she　has　none。〃



〃Oh；　she　is　honest！〃　said　Elnora。　　〃She　wouldn't　care

enough　to　tell　an　untruth。　　She'd　say　just　how　things　were；

no　matter　what　happened。〃



Soon　Elnora　was　ready　for　her　dress。　　She　never　had

looked　so　well　as　when　she　again　headed　the　processional

across　the　flower　and　palm　decked　stage　of　the　high

school　auditorium。　　As　she　sat　there　she　could　have

reached　over　and　dropped　a　rose　she　carried　into　the

seat　she　had　occupied　that　September　morning　when　she

entered　the　high　school。　　She　spoke　the　few　words　she

had　to　say　in　behalf　of　the　class　beautifully；　had　the

tiny　wink　ready　for　Billy；　and　the　smile　and　nod　of

recognition　for　Wesley　and　Margaret。　　When　at　last　she

looked　into　the　eyes　of　a　white…faced　woman　next　them；

she　slipped　a　hand　to　her　side　and　raised　her　skirt　the

fraction　of　an　inch；　just　enough　to　let　the　embroidered

edge　of　a　petticoat　show　a　trifle。　　When　she　saw　the　look

of　relief　which　flooded　her　mother's　face；　Elnora　knew

that　forgiveness　was　in　her　heart；　and　that　she　would

go　home　in　the　morning。



It　was　late　afternoon　before　she　arrived；　and　a　dray

followed　with　a　load　of　packages。　　Mrs。　Comstock　was

overwhelmed。　　She　sat　half　dazed　and　made　Elnora　show

her　each　costly　and　beautiful　or　simple　and　useful　gift；

tell　her　carefully　what　it　was　and　from　where　it　came。　

She　studied　the　faces　of　Elnora's　particular　friends。　

The　gifts　from　them　had　to　be　set　in　a　group。　　Several　times

she　started　to　speak　and　then　stopped。　　At　last；　between

her　dry　lips；　came　a　harsh　whisper。



〃Elnora；　what　did　you　give　back　for　these　things？〃



〃I'll　show　you；〃　said　Elnora　cheerfully。　　〃I　made　the

same　gifts　for　the　Bird　Woman；　Aunt　Margaret　and　you

if　you　care　for　it。　　But　I　have　to　run　upstairs　to　get　it。〃



When　she　returned　she　handed　her　mother　an　oblong　frame；

hand　carved；　enclosing　Elnora's　picture；　taken　by　a

schoolmate's　camera。　　She　wore　her　storm…coat　and　carried

a　dripping　umbrella。　　From　under　it　looked　her　bright　face；

her　books　and　lunchbox　were　on　her　arm；　and　across　the

bottom　of　the　frame　was　carved；　〃Your　Country　Classmate。〃



Then　she　offered　another　frame。



〃I　am　strong　on　frames；〃　she　said。　　〃They　seemed　to

be　the　best　I　could　do　without　money。　　I　located　the

maple　and　the　black　walnut　myself；　in　a　little　corner　that

had　been　overlooked　between　the　river　and　the　ditch。　

They　didn't　seem　to　belong　to　any　one　so　I　just　took　them。　

Uncle　Wesley　said　it　was　all　right；　and　he　cut　and　hauled

them　for　me。　　I　gave　the　mill　half　of　each　tree　for　sawing

and　curing　the　remainder。　　Then　I　gave　the　wood…carver

half　of　that　for　making　my　frames。　　A　photographer　gave

me　a　lot　of　spoiled　plates；　and　I　boiled　off　the　emulsion；　and

took　the　specimens　I　framed　from　my　stuff。　　The　man

said　the　white　frames　were　worth　three　and　a　half；　and　the

black　ones　five。　　I　exchanged　those　little　framed　pictures

for　the　photographs　of　the　others。　　For　presents；　I　gave

each　one　of　my　crowd　one　like　this；　only　a　different　moth。　

The　Bird　Woman　gave　me　the　birch　bark。　　She　got　it　up

north　last　summer。〃



Elnora　handed　her　mother　a　handsome　black…walnut

frame　a　foot　and　a　half　wide　by　two　long。　　It　finished　a

small；　shallow　glass…covered　box　of　birch　bark；　to　the

bottom　of　which　clung　a　big　night　moth　with　delicate　pale

green　wings　and　long　exquisite　trailers。



〃So　you　see　I　did　not　have　to　be　ashamed　of　my　gifts；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃I　made　them　myself　and　raised　and

mounted　the　moths。〃



〃Moth；　you　call　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I've　seen　a

few　of　the　things　before。〃



〃They　are　numerous　around　us　every　June　night；　or　at

least　they　used　to　be；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I've　sold　hundreds

of　them；　with　butterflies；　dragonflies；　and　other　specimens。　

Now；　I　must　put　away　these　and　get　to　work；　for　it　is

almost　June　and　there　are　a　few　more　I　want　dreadfully。　

If　I　find　them　I　will　be　paid　some　money　for　which　I　have

been　working。〃



She　was　afraid　to　say　college　at　that　time。　　She　thought　it

would　be　better　to　wait　a　few　days　and　see　if　an　opportunity

would　not　come　when　it　would　work　in　more　naturally。　

Besides；　unless　she　could　secure　the　Yellow　Emperor　she

needed　to　complete　her　collection；　she　could　not　talk

college　until　she　was　of　age；　for　she　would　have　no　money。









CHAPTER　XII





WHEREIN　MARGARET　SINTON　REVEALS　A　SECRET；

AND　MRS。　COMSTOCK　POSSESSES　THE　LIMBERLOST





Elnora；　bring　me　the　towel；　quick！〃　cried　Mrs　Comstock。



〃In　a　minute；　mother；〃　mumbled　Elnora。



She　was　standing　before　the　kitchen　mirror；　tying　the

back　part　of　her　hair；　while　the　front　turned　over　her　face。



〃Hurry！　　There's　a　varmint　of　some　kind！〃



Elnora　ran　into　the　sitting…room　and　thrust　the　heavy

kitchen　towel　into　her　mother's　hand。　　Mrs。　Comstock

swung　open　the　screen　door　and　struck　at　some　object；

Elnora　tossed　the　hair　from　her　face　so　that　she　could　see

past　her　mother。　　The　girl　screamed　wildly。



〃Don't！　Mother；　don't！〃



Mrs。　Comstock　struck　again。　　Elnora　caught　her　arm。　

〃It's　the　one　I　want！　　It's　worth　a　lot　of　money！　

Don't！　　Oh；　you　shall　not！〃



〃Shan't；　missy？〃　blazed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃When　did

you　get　to　bossing　me？〃



The　hand　that　held　the　screen　swept　a　half…circle　and

stopped　at　Elnora's　cheek。　　She　staggered　with　the　bl