a girl of the limberlost-第48章

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kill　yourself　and　never　get　a　fish。　　Did　any　one　tell　you

there　were　trout　in　Sleepy　Snake　Creek？〃



〃Uncle　said　I　could　try。〃



〃Oh；　you　can；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃You　can　try　no　end；

but　you'll　never　get　a　trout。　　This　is　too　far　south　and

too　warm　for　them。　　If　you　sit　on　the　bank　and　use

worms　you　might　catch　some　perch　or　catfish。〃



〃But　that　isn't　exercise。〃



〃Well；　if　you　only　want　exercise；　go　right　on　fishing。

You　will　have　a　creel　full　of　invisible　results　every　night。〃



〃I　object；〃　said　the　man　emphatically。　　He　stopped

work　again　and　studied　Elnora。　　Even　the　watching

mother　could　not　blame　him。　　In　the　shade　of　the　bridge

Elnora's　bright　head　and　her　lavender　dress　made　a

picture　worthy　of　much　contemplation。



〃I　object！〃　repeated　the　man。　　〃When　I　work　I　want

to　see　results。　　I'd　rather　exercise　sawing　wood；　making

one　pile　grow　little　and　the　other　big　than　to　cast　all　day

and　catch　nothing　because　there　is　not　a　fish　to　take。　

Work　for　work's　sake　doesn't　appeal　to　me。〃



He　digged　the　groove　around　the　cocoon　with　skilled　hand。　

〃Now　there　is　some　fun　in　this！〃　he　said。　　It's　going　to

be　a　fair　job　to　cut　it　out；　but　when　it　comes；　it　is

not　only　beautiful；　but　worth　a　price；　it　will　help　you　on

your　way。　　I　think　I'll　put　up　my　rod　and　hunt　moths。　

That　would　be　something　like！　　Don't　you　want　help？〃



Elnora　parried　the　question。　　〃Have　you　ever　hunted

moths；　Mr。　Ammon？



〃Enough　to　know　the　ropes　in　taking　them　and　to

distinguish　the　commonest　ones。　　I　go　wild　on　Catocalae。　

There's　too　many　of　them；　all　too　much　alike　for　Philip；

but　I　know　all　these　fellows。　　One　flew　into　my　room　when

I　was　about　ten　years　old；　and　we　thought　it　a　miracle。　

None　of　us　ever　had　seen　one　so　we　took　it　over　to　the

museum　to　Dr。　Dorsey。　　He　said　they　were　common　enough；

but　we　didn't　see　them　because　they　flew　at　night。　

He　showed　me　the　museum　collection；　and　I　was　so

interested　I　took　mine　back　home　and　started　to　hunt　them。　

Every　year　after　that　we　went　to　our　cottage　a　month

earlier；　so　I　could　find　them；　and　all　my　family　helped。　

I　stuck　to　it　until　I　went　to　college。　　Then；　keeping

the　little　moths　out　of　the　big　ones　was　too　much　for　the

mater；　so　father　advised　that　I　donate　mine　to　the　museum。　

He　bought　a　fine　case　for　them　with　my　name　on　it；

which　constitutes　my　sole　contribution　to　science。　　I　know

enough　to　help　you　all　right。〃



〃Aren't　you　going　north　this　year？〃



〃All　depends　on　how　this　fever　leaves　me。　　Uncle　says

the　nights　are　too　cold　and　the　days　too　hot　there

for　me。　　He　thinks　I　had　better　stay　in　an　even

temperature　until　I　am　strong　again。　　I　am　going　to　stick

pretty　close　to　him　until　I　know　I　am。　　I　wouldn't　admit

it　to　any　one　at　home；　but　I　was　almost　gone。　　I　don't

believe　anything　can　eat　up　nerve　much　faster　than　the

burning　of　a　slow　fever。　　No；　thanks；　I　have　enough。

I　stay　with　Uncle　Doc；　so　if　I　feel　it　coming　again　he　can

do　something　quickly。〃



〃I　don't　blame　you；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　never　have　been

sick；　but　it　must　be　dreadful。　　I　am　afraid　you　are　tiring

yourself　over　that。　　Let　me　take　the　knife　awhile。〃



〃Oh；　it　isn't　so　bad　as　that！　　I　wouldn't　be　wading

creeks　if　it　were。　　I　only　need　a　few　more　days　to　get

steady　on　my　feet　again。　　I'll　soon　have　this　out。〃



〃It　is　kind　of　you　to　get　it；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　should

have　had　to　peel　it；　which　would　spoil　the　cocoon　for　a'

specimen　and　ruin　the　moth。〃



〃You　haven't　said　yet　whether　I　may　help　you　while

I　am　here。〃



Elnora　hesitated。



〃You　better　say　‘yes；'〃　he　persisted。　　〃It　would　be　a

real　kindness。　　It　would　keep　me　outdoors　all　day　and

give　an　incentive　to　work。　　I'm　good　at　it。　　I'll　show　you

if　I　am　not　in　a　week　or　so。　　I　can　‘sugar；'　manipulate

lights；　and　mirrors；　and　all　the　expert　methods。　　I'll　wager；

moths　are　numerous　in　the　old　swamp　over　there。〃



〃They　are；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Most　I　have　I　took　there。　

A　few　nights　ago　my　mother　caught　a　number；　but　we

don't　dare　go　alone。〃



〃All　the　more　reason　why　you　need　me。　　Where　do

you　live？　　I　can't　get　an　answer　from　you；　I'll　go　tell

your　mother　who　I　am　and　ask　her　if　I　may　help　you。　

I　warn　you；　young　lady；　I　have　a　very　effective　way

with　mothers。　　They　almost　never　turn　me　down。〃



〃Then　it's　probable　you　will　have　a　new　experience

when　you　meet　mine；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃She　never　was

known　to　do　what　any　one　expected　she　surely　would。〃



The　cocoon　came　loose。　　Philip　Ammon　stepped　down

the　embankment　turning　to　offer　his　hand　to　Elnora。　

She　ran　down　as　she　would　have　done　alone；　and　taking

the　cocoon　turned　it　end　for　end　to　learn　if　the　imago　it

contained　were　alive。　　Then　Ammon　took　back　the　cocoon

to　smooth　the　edges。　　Mrs。　Comstock　gave　them　one

long　look　as　they　stood　there；　and　returned　to

her　dandelions。　　While　she　worked　she　paused　occasionally；

listening　intently。　　Presently　they　came　down　the　creek；

the　man　carrying　the　cocoon　as　if　it　were　a　jewel；　while

Elnora　made　her　way　along　the　bank；　taking　a　lesson　in　casting。　

Her　face　was　flushed　with　excitement；　her　eyes　shining；

the　bushes　taking　liberties　with　her　hair。　　For　a　picture

of　perfect　loveliness　she　scarcely　could　have　been　surpassed；

and　the　eyes　of　Philip　Ammon　seemed　to　be　in　working　order。



〃Moth…er！〃　called　Elnora。



There　was　an　undulant；　caressing　sweetness　in　the　girl's

voice；　as　she　sung　out　the　call　in　perfect　confidence

that　it　would　bring　a　loving　answer；　that　struck　deep　in

Mrs。　Comstock's　heart。　　She　never　had　heard　that　word

so　pronounced　before　and　a　lump　arose　in　her　throat。



〃Here！〃　she　answered；　still　cleaning　dandelions。



〃Mother；　this　is　Mr。　Philip　Ammon；　of　Chicago；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃He　has　been　ill　and　he　is　staying　with

Dr。　Ammon　in　Onabasha。　　He　came　down　the　creek

fishing　and　cut　this　cocoon　from　under　the　bridge　for　me。　

He　feels　that　it　would　be　better　to　hunt　moths　than　to

fish；　until　he　is　well。　　What　do　you　think　about　it？〃



Philip　Ammon　extended　his　hand。　　〃I　am　glad　to

know　you；〃　he　said。



〃You　may　take　the　hand…shaking　for　granted；〃　replied

Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Dandelions　have　a　way　of　making

fingers　sticky；　and　I　like　to　know　a　man　before　I

take　his　hand；　anyway。　　That　introduction　seems　mighty

comprehensive　on　your　part；　but　it　still　leaves

me　unclassified。　　My　name　is　Comstock。〃



Philip　Ammon　bowed。



〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　you　have　been　sick；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃But　if　people　will　live　where　they　have　such　vile　water　as

they　do　in　Chicago；　I　don't　see　what　else　they　are　to　expect。〃



Philip　studied　her　intently。



〃I　am　sure　I　didn't　have　a　fever　on　purpose；〃　he　said。



〃You　do　seem　a　little　wobbly　on　your　legs；〃　she　observed。　

〃Maybe　you　had　better　sit　and　rest　while　I　finish

these　greens。　　It's　late　for　the　genuine　article；　but

in　the　shade；　among　long　grass　they　are　still　tender。〃



〃May　I　have　a　leaf？〃　he　asked；　reaching　for　one　as　he　sat

on　the　bank；　looking　from　the　little　creek　at　his　feet；　away

through　the　dim　cool　spaces　of　the　June　forest　on　the

opposite　side。　　He　drew　a　deep　breath。　　〃Glory；　but　this

is　good　after　almost　two　months　inside　hospital　walls！〃



He　stretched　on　the　grass　and　lay　gazing　up　at　the

leaves；　occasionally　asking　the　interpretation　of　a　bird　note

or　the　origin　of　an　unfamiliar　forest　voice。　　Elnora　began

helping　with　the　dandelions。



〃Another；　please；〃　said　the　young　man；　holding　out　his　hand。



〃Do　you　suppose　this　is　the　kind　of　grass　Nebuchadnezzar

ate？〃　Elnora　asked；　giving　the　leaf。



〃He　knew　a　good　thing　if　it　is。〃



〃Oh；　you　should　taste　dandelions　boiled　with　bacon　and

served　with　mother's　cornbread。〃



〃Don't！　　My　appetite　is　twice　my　size　now。　　While　it

ishow　far　is　it　to　Onabasha；　shortest　cut？〃



〃Three　miles。〃



The　man　lay　in　perfect　content；　nibbling　leaves。



〃This　surely　is　a　treat；〃　he　said