a girl of the limberlost-第51章

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I　can't　wear　anything　that　requires　care。　　The　limbs

take　the　most　dreadful　liberties　with　hair　and　clothing。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　opened　her　lips；　looked　at　Elnora　and

closed　them。　　In　her　heart　she　was　pleased　that　the

girl　was　so　interested　in　her　work　that　she　had　forgotten

Philip　Ammon's　coming。　　But　it　did　seem　to　her　that

such　a　pleasant　young　man　should　have　been　greeted

by　a　girl　in　a　fresh　dress。　　〃If　she　isn't　disposed　to　primp

at　the　coming　of　a　man；　heaven　forbid　that　I　should　be

the　one　to　start　her；〃　thought　Mrs。　Comstock。



Philip　came　whistling　down　the　walk　between　the

cinnamon　pinks；　pansies；　and　strawberries。　　He　carried

several　packages；　while　his　face　flushed　with　more　colour

than　on　the　previous　day。



〃Only　see　what　has　happened　to　me！〃　cried　Elnora；

offering　her　letter。



〃I'll　wager　I　know！〃　answered　Philip。　　〃Isn't　it　great！　

Every　one　in　Onabasha　is　talking　about　it。　　At　last　there

is　something　new　under　the　sun。　　All　of　them　are　pleased。　

They　think　you'll　make　a　big　success。　　This　will　give　an

incentive　to　work。　　In　a　few　days　more　I'll　be　myself

again；　and　we'll　overturn　the　fields　and　woods　around　here。〃



He　went　on　to　congratulate　Mrs。　Comstock。　



〃Aren't　you　proud　of　her；　though？〃　he　asked。　　〃You　should

hear　what　folks　are　saying！　　They　say　she　created　the

necessity　for　the　position；　and　every　one　seems　to　feel

that　it　is　a　necessity。　　Now；　if　she　succeeds；　and　she　will；

all　of　the　other　city　schools　will　have　such　departments；

and　first　thing　you　know　she　will　have　made　the　whole

world　a　little　better。　　Let　me　rest　a　few　seconds；　my　feet

are　acting　up　again。　　Then　we　will　cook　the　moth　compound

and　put　it　to　cool。〃



He　laughed　as　he　sat　breathing　shortly。



〃It　doesn't　seem　possible　that　a　fellow　could　lose　his

strength　like　this。　　My　knees　are　actually　trembling；

but　I'll　be　all　right　in　a　minute。　　Uncle　Doc　said　I

could　come。　　I　told　him　how　you　took　care　of　me；　and　he

said　I　would　be　safe　here。〃



Then　he　began　unwrapping　packages　and　explaining

to　Mrs。　Comstock　how　to　cook　the　compound　to　attract

the　moths。　　He　followed　her　into　the　kitchen；　kindled

the　fire；　and　stirred　the　preparation　as　he　talked。　

While　the　mixture　cooled；　he　and　Elnora　walked　through

the　vegetable　garden　behind　the　cabin　and　strayed　from

there　into　the　woods。



〃What　about　college？〃　he　asked。　　〃Miss　Brownlee　said

you　were　going。〃



〃I　had　hoped　to；〃　replied　Elnora；　〃but　I　had　a　streak

of　dreadful　luck；　so　I'll　have　to　wait　until　next　year。　

If　you　won't　speak　of　it；　I'll　tell　you。〃



Philip　promised；　so　Elnora　recited　the　history　of　the

Yellow　Emperor。　　She　was　so　interested　in　doing　the

Emperor　justice　she　did　not　notice　how　many　personalities

went　into　the　story。　　A　few　pertinent　questions

told　him　the　remainder。　　He　looked　at　the　girl　in　wonder。　

In　face　and　form　she　was　as　lovely　as　any　one　of　her　age

and　type　he　ever　had　seen。　　Her　school　work　far　surpassed

that　of　most　girls　of　her　age　he　knew。　　She　differed　in

other　ways。　　This　vast　store　of　learning　she　had　gathered

from　field　and　forest　was　a　wealth　of　attraction　no　other

girl　possessed。　　Her　frank；　matter…of…fact　manner　was　an

inheritance　from　her　mother；　but　there　was　something　more。　

Once；　as　they　talked　he　thought　〃sympathy〃　was　the　word

to　describe　it　and　again　〃comprehension。〃　　She　seemed　to

possess　a　large　sense　of　brotherhood　for　all　human　and

animate　creatures。　　She　spoke　to　him　as　if　she　had　known

him　all　her　life。　　She　talked　to　the　grosbeak　in　exactly

the　same　manner；　as　she　laid　strawberries　and　potato　bugs

on　the　fence　for　his　family。　　She　did　not　swerve　an　inch

from　her　way　when　a　snake　slid　past　her；　while　the　squirrels

came　down　from　the　trees　and　took　corn　from　her　fingers。　

She　might　as　well　have　been　a　boy；　so　lacking　was　she　in

any　touch　of　feminine　coquetry　toward　him。　　He　studied

her　wonderingly。　　As　they　went　along　the　path　they　reached

a　large　slime…covered　pool　surrounded　by　decaying　stumps

and　logs　thickly　covered　with　water　hyacinths　and　blue　flags。　

Philip　stopped。



〃Is　that　the　place？〃　he　asked。



Elnora　assented。　　〃The　doctor　told　you？〃



〃Yes。　　It　was　tragic。　　Is　that　pool　really　bottomless？〃



〃So　far　as　we　ever　have　been　able　to　discover。〃



Philip　stood　looking　at　the　water；　while　the　long；　sweet

grasses；　thickly　sprinkled　with　blue　flag　bloom；　over　which

wild　bees　clambered；　swayed　around　his　feet。　　Then　he

turned　to　the　girl。　　She　had　worked　hard。　　The　same

lavender　dress　she　had　worn　the　previous　day　clung　to　her

in　limp　condition。　　But　she　was　as　evenly　coloured　and　of

as　fine　grain　as　a　wild　rose　petal；　her　hair　was　really　brown；

but　never　was　such　hair　touched　with　a　redder　glory；　while

her　heavy　arching　brows　added　a　look　of　strength　to　her

big　gray…blue　eyes。



〃And　you　were　born　here？〃



He　had　not　intended　to　voice　that　thought。



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　looking　into　his　eyes。　　〃Just　in　time

to　prevent　my　mother　from　saving　the　life　of　my　father。　

She　came　near　never　forgiving　me。〃



〃Ah；　cruel！〃　cried　Philip。



〃I　find　much　in　life　that　is　cruel；　from　our　standpoints；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃It　takes　the　large　wisdom　of　the　Unfathomable；

the　philosophy　of　the　Almighty；　to　endure　some　of　it。　

But　there　is　always　right　somewhere；　and　at　last　it　seems

to　come。〃



〃Will　it　come　to　you？〃　asked　Philip；　who　found　himself

deeply　affected。



〃It　has　come；〃　said　the　girl　serenely。　　〃It　came　a　week　ago。　

It　came　in　fullest　measure　when　my　mother　ceased　to　regret

that　I　had　been　born。　　Now；　work　that　I　love　has　comethat

should　constitute　happiness。　　A　little　farther　along　is　my

violet　bed。　　I　want　you　to　see　it。〃



As　Philip　Ammon　followed　he　definitely　settled　upon　the

name　of　the　unusual　feature　of　Elnora's　face。　　It　should　be

called　〃experience。〃　　She　had　known　bitter　experiences

early　in　life。　　Suffering　had　been　her　familiar　more　than　joy。　

He　watched　her　earnestly；　his　heart　deeply　moved。　　She　led

him　into　a　swampy　half…open　space　in　the　woods；　stopped

and　stepped　aside。　　He　uttered　a　cry　of　surprised　delight。



A　few　decaying　logs　were　scattered　around；　the　grass

grew　in　tufts　long　and　fine。　　Blue　flags　waved；　clusters　of

cowslips　nodded　gold　heads；　but　the　whole　earth　was　purple

with　a　thick　blanket　of　violets　nodding　from　stems　a　foot

in　length。　　Elnora　knelt　and　slipping　her　fingers　between

the　leaves　and　grasses　to　the　roots；　gathered　a　few　violets

and　gave　them　to　Philip。



〃Can　your　city　greenhouses　surpass　them？〃　she　asked。



He　sat　on　a　log　to　examine　the　blooms。



〃They　are　superb！〃　he　said。　　〃I　never　saw　such

length　of　stem　or　such　rank　leaves；　while　the　flowers　are

the　deepest　blue；　the　truest　violet　I　ever　saw　growing　wild。　

They　are　coloured　exactly　like　the　eyes　of　the　girl　I　am

going　to　marry。〃



Elnora　handed　him　several　others　to　add　to　those　he　held。　

〃She　must　have　wonderful　eyes；〃　she　commented。



〃No　other　blue　eyes　are　quite　so　beautiful；〃　he　said。　

〃In　fact；　she　is　altogether　lovely。〃



〃Is　it　customary　for　a　man　to　think　the　girl　he　is　going

to　marry　lovely？　　I　wonder　if　I　should　find　her　so。〃



〃You　would；〃　said　Philip。　　〃No　one　ever　fails　to。　　She　is

tall　as　you；　very　slender；　but　perfectly　rounded；　you

know　about　her　eyes；　her　hair　is　black　and　wavywhile

her　complexion　is　clear　and　flushed　with　red。〃



〃Why；　she　must　be　the　most　beautiful　girl　in　the　whole

world！〃　she　cried。



〃No；　indeed！〃　he　said。　　〃She　is　not　a　particle　better

looking　in　her　way　than　you　are　in　yours。　　She　is　a　type

of　dark　beauty；　but　you　are　equally　as　perfect。　　She　is

unusual　in　her　combination　of　black　hair　and　violet　eyes；

although　every　one　thinks　them　black　at　a　little　distance。　

You　are　quite　as　unusual　with　your　fair　face；　black　brows；

and　brown　hair；　indeed；　I　know　many　people　who　would

prefer　your　bright　head　to　her　dark　one