贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > a girl of the limberlost >

第70章

a girl of the limberlost-第70章

小说: a girl of the limberlost 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




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

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的