a girl of the limberlost-第69章

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Phil　had　started　to　Siam　or　Patagonia；　he　didn't　know

which；　and　left　no　address。　　He　said〃



Distinctly　Henderson　heard　her　fall。　　He　set　the　buzzer

ringing；　and　in　a　few　seconds　heard　voices；　so　he　knew　she

had　been　found。　　Then　he　crept　into　a　private　den　and

shook　with　a　hard；　nervous　chill。



The　next　day　Edith　Carr　started　on　her　trip　to　Europe。　

Henderson　felt　certain　she　hoped　to　meet　Philip　there。　

He　was　sure　she　would　be　disappointed；　though　he　had　no

idea　where　Ammon　could　have　gone。　　But　after　much

thought　he　decided　he　would　see　Edith　soonest　by

remaining　at　home；　so　he　spent　the　summer　in　Chicago。









CHAPTER　　XXI





WHEREIN　PHILIP　AMMON　RETURNS　TO　THE　LIMBERLOST；

AND　ELNORA　STUDIES　THE　SITUATION





We　must　be　thinking　about　supper；　mother；〃　said　Elnora；

while　she　set　the　wings　of　a　Cecropia　with　much　care。　

〃It　seems　as　if　I　can't　get　enough　to　eat；　or　enough

of　being　at　home。　　I　enjoyed　that　city　house。　　I　don't

believe　I　could　have　done　my　work　if　I　had　been

compelled　to　walk　back　and　forth。　　I　thought　at　first

I　never　wanted　to　come　here　again。　　Now；　I　feel　as　if

I　could　not　live　anywhere　else。〃



〃Elnora；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃there's　some　one

coming　down　the　road。〃



〃Coming　here；　do　you　think？〃



〃Yes；　coming　here；　I　suspect。〃



Elnora　glanced　quickly　at　her　mother　and　then　turned

to　the　road　as　Philip　Ammon　reached　the　gate。



〃Careful；　mother！〃　the　girl　instantly　warned。　　〃If　you

change　your　treatment　of　him　a　hair's　breadth；　he

will　suspect。　　Come　with　me　to　meet　him。〃



She　dropped　her　work　and　sprang　up。



〃Well；　of　all　the　delightful　surprises！〃　she　cried。



She　was　a　trifle　thinner　than　during　the　previous　summer。　

On　her　face　there　was　a　more　mature；　patient　look；　but

the　sun　struck　her　bare　head　with　the　same　ray　of　red　gold。　

She　wore　one　of　the　old　blue　gingham　dresses；　open

at　the　throat　and　rolled　to　the　elbows。　　Mrs。　Comstock

did　not　appear　at　all　the　same　woman；　but　Philip　saw　only

Elnora；　heard　only　her　greeting。　　He　caught　both　hands

where　she　offered　but　one。



〃Elnora；〃　he　cried；　〃if　you　were　engaged　to　me；　and　we

were　at　a　ball；　among　hundreds；　where　I　offended　you　very

much；　and　didn't　even　know　I　had　done　anything；　and　if　I

asked　you　before　all　of　them　to　allow　me　to　explain；

to　forgive　me；　to　wait；　would　your　face　grow　distorted

and　unfamiliar　with　anger？　　Would　you　drop　my　ring　on　the

floor　and　insult　me　repeatedly？　　Oh　Elnora；　would　you？〃



Elnora's　big　eyes　seemed　to　leap；　while　her　face　grew

very　white。　　She　drew　away　her　hands。



〃Hush；　Phil！　　Hush！〃　she　protested。　　〃That　fever　has

you　again！　　You　are　dreadfully　ill。　　You　don't　know

what　you　are　saying。〃



〃I　am　sleepless　and　exhausted；　I'm　heartsick；　but　I　am

well　as　I　ever　was。　　Answer　me；　Elnora；　would　you？〃



〃Answer　nothing！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Answer　nothing！　

Hang　your　coat　there　on　your　nail；　Phil；　and　come　split

some　kindling。　　Elnora；　clean　away　that　stuff；　and　set

the　table。　　Can't　you　see　the　boy　is　starved　and　tired？　

He's　come　home　to　rest　and　eat　a　decent　meal。　　Come　on；　Phil！〃



Mrs。　Comstock　marched　away；　and　Philip　hung　his　coat

in　its　old　place　and　followed。　　Out　of　sight　and　hearing

she　turned　on　him。



〃Do　you　call　yourself　a　man　or　a　hound？〃　she　flared。　



〃I　beg　your　pardon〃　stammered　Philip　Ammon。



〃I　should　think　you　would！〃　she　ejaculated。　　〃I'll　admit

you　did　the　square　thing　and　was　a　man　last　summer；

though　I'd　liked　it　better　if　you'd　faced　up　and　told

me　you　were　promised；　but　to　come　back　here　babying；

and　take　hold　of　Elnora　like　that；　and　talk　that　way

because　you　have　had　a　fuss　with　your　girl；　I　don't　tolerate。　

Split　that　kindling　and　I'll　get　your　supper；　and　then　you

better　go。　　I　won't　have　you　working　on　Elnora's　big

heart；　because　you　have　quarrelled　with　some　one　else。　

You'll　have　it　patched　up　in　a　week　and　be　gone　again；　so

you　can　go　right　away。〃



〃Mrs。　Comstock；　I　came　to　ask　Elnora　to　marry　me。〃



〃The　more　fool　you；　then！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃This　time　yesterday　you　were　engaged　to　another　woman；

no　doubt。　　Now；　for　some　little　flare…up　you　come　racing

here　to　use　Elnora　as　a　tool　to　spite　the　other　girl。　

A　week　of　sane　living；　and　you　will　be　sorry　and　ready　to

go　back　to　Chicago；　or；　if　you　really　are　man　enough　to　be

sure　of　yourself；　she　will　come　to　claim　you。　　She　has

her　rights。　　An　engagement　of　years　is　a　serious　matter；　and

not　broken　for　a　whim。　　If　you　don't　go；　she'll　come。　

Then；　when　you　patch　up　your　affairs　and　go　sailing　away

together；　where　does　my　girl　come　in？〃



〃I　am　a　lawyer；　Mrs。　Comstock；〃　said　Philip。　　〃It　appeals

to　me　as　beneath　your　ordinary　sense　of　justice　to　decide

a　case　without　hearing　the　evidence。　　It　is　due　me　that

you　hear　me　first。〃



〃Hear　your　side！〃　flashed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I'd　a

heap　sight　rather　hear　the　girl！〃



〃I　wish　to　my　soul　that　you　had　heard　and　seen　her　last

night；　Mrs。　Comstock；〃　said　Ammon。　　〃Then；　my　way

would　be　clear。　　I　never　even　thought　of　coming

here　to…day。　　I'll　admit　I　would　have　come　in　time；

but　not　for　many　months。　　My　father　sent　me。〃



〃Your　father　sent　you！　　Why？〃



〃Father；　mother；　and　Polly　were　present　last　night。　

They；　and　all　my　friends；　saw　me　insulted　and　disgraced

in　the　worst　exhibition　of　uncontrolled　temper　any　of　us

ever　witnessed。　　All　of　them　knew　it　was　the　end。　

Father　liked　what　I　had　told　him　of　Elnora；　and　he

advised　me　to　come　here；　so　I　came。　　If　she　does　not

want　me；　I　can　leave　instantly；　but；　oh　I　hoped　she

would　understand！〃



〃You　people　are　not　splitting　wood；〃　called　Elnora。



〃Oh　yes　we　are！〃　answered　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You　set

out　the　things　for　biscuit；　and　lay　the　table。〃　　She　turned

again　to　Philip。　　〃I　know　considerable　about　your　father；〃

she　said。　　〃I　have　met　your　Uncle's　family　frequently

this　winter。　　I've　heard　your　Aunt　Anna　say　that　she

didn't　at　all　like　Miss　Carr；　and　that　she　and　all　your

family　secretly　hoped　that　something　would　happen　to

prevent　your　marrying　her。　　That　chimes　right　in　with

your　saying　that　your　father　sent　you　here。　　I　guess　you

better　speak　your　piece。〃



Philip　gave　his　version　of　the　previous　night。



〃Do　you　believe　me？〃　he　finished。



〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃May　I　stay？〃



〃Oh；　it　looks　all　right　for　you；　but　what　about　her？〃



〃Nothing；　so　far　as　I　am　concerned。　　Her　plans　were　all

made　to　start　to　Europe　to…day。　　I　suspect　she　is　on　the

way　by　this　time。　　Elnora　is　very　sensible；　Mrs。　Comstock。　

Hadn't　you　better　let　her　decide　this？〃



〃The　final　decision　rests　with　her；　of　course；〃　admitted

Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃But　look　you　one　thing！　　She's　all　I　have。　

As　Solomon　says；　‘she　is　the　one　child；　the　only　child

of　her　mother。'　　I've　suffered　enough　in　this　world

that　I　fight　against　any　suffering　which　threatens　her。　

So　far　as　I　know　you've　always　been　a　man；　and　you

may　stay。　　But　if　you　bring　tears　and　heartache　to　her；

don't　have　the　assurance　to　think　I'll　bear　it　tamely。　

I'll　get　right　up　and　fight　like　a　catamount；　if　things

go　wrong　for　Elnora！〃



〃I　have　no　doubt　but　you　will；〃　replied　Philip；　〃and　I

don't　blame　you　in　the　least　if　you　do。　　I　have　the　utmost

devotion　to　offer　Elnora；　a　good　home；　fair　social　position；

and　my　family　will　love　her　dearly。　　Think　it　over。　　I　know

it　is　sudden；　but　my　father　advised　it。〃



〃Yes；　I　reckon　he　did！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock　dryly。　　〃I　guess

instead　of　me　being　the　catamount；　you　had　the　genuine

article　up　in　Chicago；　masquerading　in　peacock　feathers；

and　posing　as　a　fine　lady；　until　her　time　came　to　scratch。　

Human　nature　seems　to　be　the　same　the　world　over。　　But　I'd

give　a　pretty　to　know　that　secret　thing　you　say　you　don't；

that　set　her　raving　over　your　just　catching　a　moth　for　Elnora。　

You　might　get　that　crock　of　strawberries　in　the　spring　hous