a girl of the limberlost-第64章

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did　wonderful　things　to　the　hearts　of　the　country…bred　women。　

A　restlessness　began　on　bright　February　days；　calmed　during

March　storms　and　attacked　full　force　in　April。　　When　neither

could　bear　it　any　longer　they　were　forced　to　discuss　the　matter

and　admit　they　were　growing　ill　with　pure　homesickness。　

They　decided　to　keep　the　city　house　during　the　summer；

but　to　return　to　the　farm　to　live　as　soon　as　school　closed。



So　Mrs。　Comstock　would　prepare　breakfast　and　lunch

and　then　slip　away　to　the　farm　to　make　up　beds　in　her

ploughed　garden；　plant　seeds；　trim　and　tend　her　flowers；

and　prepare　the　cabin　for　occupancy。　　Then　she　would　go

home　and　make　the　evening　as　cheerful　as　possible　for

Elnora；　in　these　days　she　lived　only　for　the　girl。



Both　of　them　were　glad　when　the　last　of　May　came　and　the

schools　closed。　　They　packed　the　books　and　clothing　they

wished　to　take　into　a　wagon　and　walked　across　the　fields

to　the　old　cabin。　　As　they　approached　it；　Mrs。　Comstock

said　to　Elnora：　　〃You　are　sure　you　won't　be　lonely　here？〃



Elnora　knew　what　she　really　meant。



〃Quite　sure；〃　she　said。　　〃For　a　time　last　fall　I　was

glad　to　be　away；　but　that　all　wore　out　with　the　winter。　

Spring　made　me　homesick　as　I　could　be。　　I　can　scarcely　wait

until　we　get　back　again。〃



So　they　began　that　summer　as　they　had　begun　all　others

with　work。　　But　both　of　them　took　a　new　joy　in　everything；

and　the　violin　sang　by　the　hour　in　the　twilight。









CHAPTER　XIX





WHEREIN　PHILIP　AMMON　GIVES　A　BALL　IN　HONOUR　OF　EDITH　CARR；

AND　HART　HENDERSON　APPEARS　ON　THE　SCENE





Edith　Carr　stood　in　a　vine…enclosed　side　veranda

of　the　Lake　Shore　Club　House　waiting　while　Philip

Ammon　gave　some　important　orders。　　In　a　few　days

she　would　sail　for　Paris　to　select　a　wonderful　trousseau

she　had　planned　for　her　marriage　in　October。　　To…night

Philip　was　giving　a　club　dance　in　her　honour。　　He　had

spent　days　in　devising　new　and　exquisite　effects　in

decorations；　entertainment；　and　supper。　　Weeks　before　the

favoured　guests　had　been　notified。　　Days　before　they　had

received　the　invitations　asking　them　to　participate　in　this

entertainment　by　Philip　Ammon　in　honour　of　Miss　Carr。　

They　spoke　of　it　as　〃Phil's　dance　for　Edith！〃



She　could　hear　the　rumble　of　carriages　and　the　panting

of　automobiles　as　in　a　steady　stream　they　rolled　to　the

front　entrance。　　She　could　catch　glimpses　of　floating

draperies　of　gauze　and　lace；　the　flash　of　jewels；　and　the

passing　of　exquisite　colour。　　Every　one　was　newly　arrayed

in　her　honour　in　the　loveliest　clothing；　and　the　most

expensive　jewels　they　could　command。　　As　she　thought　of　it

she　lifted　her　head　a　trifle　higher　and　her　eyes　flashed　proudly。



She　was　robed　in　a　French　creation　suggested　and　designed

by　Philip。　　He　had　said　to　her：　　〃I　know　a　competent

judge　who　says　the　distinctive　feature　of　June　is　her

exquisite　big　night　moths。　　I　want　you　to　be　the　very

essence　of　June　that　night；　as　you　will　be　the　embodiment

of　love。　　Be　a　moth。　　The　most　beautiful　of　them　is　either

the　pale…green　Luna　or　the　Yellow　Imperialis。　　Be　my

moon　lady；　or　my　gold　Empress。〃



He　took　her　to　the　museum　and　showed　her　the　moths。　

She　instantly　decided　on　the　yellow。　　Because　she　knew

the　shades　would　make　her　more　startlingly　beautiful　than

any　other　colour。　　To　him　she　said：　　〃A　moon　lady　seems

so　far　away　and　cold。　　I　would　be　of　earth　and　very　near

on　that　night。　　I　choose　the　Empress。〃



So　she　matched　the　colours　exactly；　wrote　out　the　idea

and　forwarded　the　order　to　Paquin。　　To…night　when

Philip　Ammon　came　for　her；　he　stood　speechless　a　minute

and　then　silently　kissed　her　hands。



For　she　stood　tall；　lithe；　of　grace　inborn；　her　dark　waving

hair　high　piled　and　crossed　by　gold　bands　studded　with

amethyst　and　at　one　side　an　enamelled　lavender　orchid

rimmed　with　diamonds；　which　flashed　and　sparkled。　　The　soft

yellow　robe　of　lightest　weight　velvet　fitted　her　form

perfectly；　while　from　each　shoulder　fell　a　great　velvet　wing

lined　with　lavender；　and　flecked　with　embroidery　of　that

colour　in　imitation　of　the　moth。　　Around　her　throat　was　a

wonderful　necklace　and　on　her　arms　were　bracelets　of　gold

set　with　amethyst　and　rimmed　with　diamonds。　　Philip　had　said

that　her　gloves；　fan；　and　slippers　must　be　lavender；　because

the　feet　of　the　moth　were　that　colour。　　These　accessories

had　been　made　to　order　and　embroidered　with　gold。　　It　had

been　arranged　that　her　mother；　Philip's；　and　a　few　best

friends　should　receive　his　guests。　　She　was　to　appear　when

she　led　the　grand　march　with　Philip　Ammon。　　Miss　Carr　was

positive　that　she　would　be　the　most　beautiful；　and　most

exquisitely　gowned　woman　present。　　In　her　heart　she　thought

of　herself　as　〃Imperialis　Regalis；〃　as　the　Yellow　Empress。　

In　a　few　moments　she　would　stun　her　world　into　feeling　it　as

Philip　Ammon　had　done；　for　she　had　taken　pains　that　the

history　of　her　costume　should　be　whispered　to　a　few　who

would　give　it　circulation。　　She　lifted　her　head　proudly　and

waited；　for　was　not　Philip　planning　something　unusual　and

unsurpassed　in　her　honour？　　Then　she　smiled。



But　of　all　the　fragmentary　thoughts　crossing　her　brain　the

one　that　never　came　was　that　of　Philip　Ammon　as　the　Emperor。　

Philip　the　king　of　her　heart；　at　least　her　equal　in　all　things。　

She　was　the　Empressyes；　Philip　was　but　a　mere　man；　to

devise　entertainments；　to　provide　luxuries；　to　humour　whims；

to　kiss　hands！



〃Ah；　my　luck！〃　cried　a　voice　behind　her。



Edith　Carr　turned　and　smiled。



〃I　thought　you　were　on　the　ocean；〃　she　said。



〃I　only　reached　the　dock；〃　replied　the　man；　〃when　I　had

a　letter　that　recalled　me　by　the　first　limited。〃



〃Oh！　　Important　business？〃



〃The　only　business　of　any　importance　in　all　the　world

to　me。　　I'm　triumphant　that　I　came。　　Edith；　you　are　the

most　superb　woman　in　every　respect　that　I　have　ever　seen。　

One　glimpse　is　worth　the　whole　journey。〃



〃You　like　my　dress？〃　　She　moved　toward　him　and　turned；

lifting　her　arms。　　〃Do　you　know　what　it　is　intended

to　represent？〃



〃Yes；　Polly　Ammon　told　me。　　I　knew　when　I　heard

about　it　how　you　would　look；　so　I　started　a　sleuth　hunt；

to　get　the　first　peep。　　Edith；　I　can　become　intoxicated

merely　with　looking　at　you　to…night。〃



He　half…closed　his　eyes　and　smilingly　stared　straight　at　her。　

He　was　taller　than　she；　a　lean　man；　with　close…cropped　light

hair；　steel…gray　eyes；　a　square　chin　and　〃man　of　the　world〃

written　all　over　him。



Edith　Carr　flushed。　　〃I　thought　you　realized　when　you

went　away　that　you　were　to　stop　that；　Hart　Henderson；〃

she　cried。



〃I　did；　but　this　letter　of　which　I　tell　you　called　me　back

to　start　it　all　over　again。〃



She　came　a　step　closer。　　〃Who　wrote　that　letter；　and

what　did　it　contain　concerning　me？〃　she　demanded。



〃One　of　your　most　intimate　chums　wrote　it。　　It　contained

the　hazard　that　possibly　I　had　given　up　too　soon。　　It　said

that　in　a　fit　of　petulance　you　had　broken　your　engagement

with　Ammon　twice　this　winter；　and　he　had　come　back　because

he　knew　you　did　not　really　mean　it。　　I　thought　deeply　there

on　the　dock　when　I　read　that；　and　my　boat　sailed　without　me。　

I　argued　that　anything　so　weak　as　an　engagement　twice　broken

and　patched　up　again　was　a　mighty　frail　affair　indeed；　and

likely　to　smash　completely　at　any　time；　so　I　came　on　the　run。　

I　said　once　I　would　not　see　you　marry　any　other　man。　

Because　I　could　not　bear　it；　I　planned　to　go　into　exile　of

any　sort　to　escape　that。　　I　have　changed　my　mind。　　I　have

come　back　to　haunt　you　until　the　ceremony　is　over。　　Then　I　go；

not　before。　　I　was　insane！〃



The　girl　laughed　merrily。　　〃Not　half　so　insane　as　you

are　now；　Hart！〃　she　cried　gaily。　　〃You　know　that　Philip

Ammon　has　been　devoted　to　me　all　my　life。　　Now　I'll　tell

you　something　else；　because　this　looks　serious　for　you。　

I　love　him　with　all　my　heart。　　Not　while　he　lives　shall　he

know　it；　and　I　wi