a girl of the limberlost-第70章
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You might get that crock of strawberries in the spring house。〃
They prepared and ate supper。 Afterward they sat in
the arbour and talked; or Elnora played until time for
Philip to go。
〃Will you walk to the gate with me?〃 he asked Elnora
as he arose。
〃Not to…night;〃 she answered lightly。 〃Come early in
the morning if you like; and we will go over to Sleepy
Snake Creek and hunt moths and gather dandelions for dinner。〃
Philip leaned toward her。 〃May I tell you to…morrow
why I came?〃 he asked。
〃I think not;〃 replied Elnora。 〃The fact is; I don't
care why you came。 It is enough for me that we are your
very good friends; and that in trouble; you have found us
a refuge。 I fancy we had better live a week or two before
you say anything。 There is a possibility that what you
have to say may change in that length of time。
〃It will not change one iota!〃 cried Philip。
〃Then it will have the grace of that much age to give it
some small touch of flavour;〃 said the girl。 〃Come early
in the morning。〃
She lifted the violin and began to play。
〃Well bless my soul!〃 ejaculated the astounded Mrs。 Comstock。
〃To think I was worrying for fear you couldn't take care
of yourself!〃
Elnora laughed while she played。
〃Shall I tell you what he said?〃
〃Nope! I don't want to hear it!〃 said Elnora。 〃He is
only six hours from Chicago。 I'll give her a week to
find him and fix it up; if he stays that long。 If she doesn't
put in an appearance then; he can tell me what he wants
to say; and I'll take my time to think it over。 Time in
plenty; too! There are three of us in this; and one must
be left with a sore heart for life。 If the decision rests
with me I propose to be very sure that it is the one who
deserves such hard luck。〃
The next morning Philip came early; dressed in the outing
clothing he had worn the previous summer; and aside
from a slight paleness seemed very much the same as when
he left。 Elnora met him on the old footing; and for a
week life went on exactly as it had the previous summer。
Mrs。 Comstock made mental notes and watched in silence。
She could see that Elnora was on a strain; though she
hoped Philip would not。 The girl grew restless as the
week drew to a close。 Once when the gate clicked she
suddenly lost colour and moved nervously。 Billy came down
the walk。
Philip leaned toward Mrs。 Comstock and said: 〃I am
expressly forbidden to speak to Elnora as I would like。
Would you mind telling her for me that I had a letter from
my father this morning saying that Miss Carr is on her way
to Europe for the summer?〃
〃Elnora;〃 said Mrs。 Comstock promptly; 〃I have just
heard that Carr woman is on her way to Europe; and I
wish to my gracious stars she'd stay there!〃
Philip Ammon shouted; but Elnora arose hastily and
went to meet Billy。 They came into the arbour together
and after speaking to Mrs。 Comstock and Philip; Billy
said: 〃Uncle Wesley and I found something funny; and
we thought you'd like to see。〃
〃I don't know what I should do without you and Uncle
Wesley to help me;〃 said Elnora。 〃What have you found now?〃
〃Something I couldn't bring。 You have to come to it。
I tried to get one and I killed it。 They are a kind of
insecty things; and they got a long tail that is three
fine hairs。 They stick those hairs right into the hard
bark of trees; and if you pull; the hairs stay fast and
it kills the bug。〃
〃We will come at once;〃 laughed Elnora。 〃I know
what they are; and I can use some in my work。〃
〃Billy; have you been crying?〃 inquired Mrs。 Comstock。
Billy lifted a chastened face。 〃Yes; ma'am;〃 he replied。
〃This has been the worst day。〃
〃What's the matter with the day?〃
〃The day is all right;〃 admitted Billy。 〃I mean every
single thing has gone wrong with me。〃
〃Now that is too bad!〃 sympathized Mrs。 Comstock。
〃Began early this morning;〃 said Billy。 〃All Snap's
fault; too。〃
〃What has poor Snap been doing?〃 demanded Mrs。
Comstock; her eyes beginning to twinkle。
〃Digging for woodchucks; like he always does。 He gets
up at two o'clock to dig for them。 He was coming
in from the woods all tired and covered thick with dirt。
I was going to the barn with the pail of water for Uncle
Wesley to use in milking。 I had to set down the pail to
shut the gate so the chickens wouldn't get into the flower
beds; and old Snap stuck his dirty nose into the water
and began to lap it down。 I knew Uncle Wesley wouldn't
use that; so I had to go 'way back to the cistern for more;
and it pumps awful hard。 Made me mad; so I threw the
water on Snap。〃
〃Well; what of it?〃
〃Nothing; if he'd stood still。 But it scared him awful;
and when he's afraid he goes a…humping for Aunt Margaret。
When he got right up against her he stiffened
out and gave a big shake。 You oughter seen the nice
blue dress she had put on to go to Onabasha!〃
Mrs。 Comstock and Philip laughed; but Elnora put
her arms around the boy。 〃Oh Billy!〃 she cried。
〃That was too bad!〃
〃She got up early and ironed that dress to wear because
it was cool。 Then; when it was all dirty; she
wouldn't go; and she wanted to real bad。〃 Billy wiped
his eyes。 〃That ain't all; either;〃 he added。
〃We'd like to know about it; Billy;〃 suggested Mrs。
Comstock; struggling with her face。
〃Cos she couldn't go to the city; she's most worked
herself to death。 She's done all the dirty; hard jobs she
could find。 She's fixing her grape juice now。〃
〃Sure!〃 cried Mrs。 Comstock。 〃When a woman is
disappointed she always works like a dog to gain sympathy!〃
〃Well; Uncle Wesley and I are sympathizing all we
know how; without her working so。 I've squeezed until
I almost busted to get the juice out from the seeds
and skins。 That's the hard part。 Now; she has to strain
it through white flannel and seal it in bottles; and it's
good for sick folks。 Most wish I'd get sick myself; so
I could have a glass。 It's so good!〃
Elnora glanced swiftly at her mother。
〃I worked so hard;〃 continued Billy; 〃that she said if
I would throw the leavings in the woods; then I could come
after you to see about the bugs。 Do you want to go?〃
〃We will all go;〃 said Mrs。 Comstock。 〃I am mightily
interested in those bugs myself。〃
From afar commotion could be seen at the Sinton home。
Wesley and Margaret were running around wildly and
peculiar sounds filled the air。
〃What's the trouble?〃 asked Philip; hurrying to Wesley。
〃Cholera!〃 groaned Sinton。 〃My hogs are dying like flies。〃
Margaret was softly crying。 〃Wesley; can't I fix
something hot? Can't we do anything? It means several
hundred dollars and our winter meat。〃
〃I never saw stock taken so suddenly and so hard;〃
said Wesley。 〃I have 'phoned for the veterinary to come
as soon as he can get here。〃
All of them hurried to the feeding pen into which the
pigs seemed to be gathering from the woods。 Among the
common stock were big white beasts of pedigree which
were Wesley's pride at county fairs。 Several of these
rolled on their backs; pawing the air feebly and emitting
little squeaks。 A huge Berkshire sat on his haunches;
slowly shaking his head; the water dropping from his
eyes; until he; too; rolled over with faint grunts。 A pair
crossing the yard on wavering legs collided; and attacked
each other in anger; only to fall; so weak they scarcely
could squeal。 A fine snowy Plymouth Rock rooster; after
several attempts; flew to the fence; balanced with great
effort; wildly flapped his wings and started a guttural crow;
but fell sprawling among the pigs; too helpless to stand。
〃Did you ever see such a dreadful sight?〃 sobbed Margaret。
Billy climbed on the fence; took one long look and
turned an astounded face to Wesley。
〃Why them pigs is drunk!〃 he cried。 〃Th