a girl of the limberlost-第71章

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Billy　climbed　on　the　fence；　took　one　long　look　and

turned　an　astounded　face　to　Wesley。



〃Why　them　pigs　is　drunk！〃　he　cried。　　〃They　act　just

like　my　pa！〃



Wesley　turned　to　Margaret。



〃Where　did　you　put　the　leavings　from　that　grape　juice？〃

he　demanded。



〃I　sent　Billy　to　throw　it　in　the　woods。〃



〃Billy〃　began　Wesley。



〃Threw　it　just　where　she　told　me　to；〃　cried　Billy。　

But　some　of　the　pigs　came　by　there　coming　into　the

pen；　and　some　were　close　in　the　fence　corners。〃



〃Did　they　eat　it？〃　demanded　Wesley。



〃They　just　chanked　into　it；〃　replied　Billy　graphically。　

〃They　pushed；　and　squealed；　and　fought　over　it。　

You　couldn't　blame　'em！　　It　was　the　best　stuff　I　ever　tasted！〃



〃Margaret；〃　said　Wesley；　〃run　'phone　that　doctor　he

won't　be　needed。　　Billy；　take　Elnora　and　Mr。　Ammon　to

see　the　bugs。　　Katharine；　suppose　you　help　me　a　minute。〃



Wesley　took　the　clothes　basket　from　the　back　porch　and

started　in　the　direction　of　the　cellar。　　Margaret　returned

from　the　telephone。



〃I　just　caught　him；〃　she　said。　　〃There's　that　much　saved。　

Why　Wesley；　what　are　you　going　to　do？〃



〃You　go　sit　on　the　front　porch　a　little　while；〃　said　Wesley。　

〃You　will　feel　better　if　you　don't　see　this。〃



〃Wesley；〃　cried　Margaret　aghast。　　〃Some　of　that　wine

is　ten　years　old。　　There　are　days　and　days　of　hard　work

in　it；　and　I　couldn't　say　how　much　sugar。　　Dr。　Ammon

keeps　people　alive　with　it　when　nothing　else　will　stay　on

their　stomachs。〃



〃Let　'em　die；　then！〃　said　Wesley。　　〃You　heard　the　boy；

didn't　you？〃



〃It's　a　cold　process。　　There's　not　a　particle　of　fermentation

about　it。〃



〃Not　a　particle　of　fermentation！　　Great　day；　Margaret！　　Look　at

those　pigs！〃



Margaret　took　a　long　look。　　〃Leave　me　a　few　bottles

for　mince…meat；〃　she　wavered。



〃Not　a　smell　for　any　use　on　this　earth！　　You　heard

the　boy！　　He　shan't　say；　when　he　grows　to　manhood；　that

he　learned　to　like　it　here！〃



Wesley　threw　away　the　wine；　Mrs。　Comstock　cheerfully　assisting。　

Then　they　walked　to　the　woods　to　see　and　learn　about　the

wonderful　insects。　　The　day　ended　with　a　big　supper　at

Sintons'；　and　then　they　went　to　the　Comstock　cabin　for

a　concert。　　Elnora　played　beautifully　that　night。　　When　the

Sintons　left　she　kissed　Billy　with　particular　tenderness。　

She　was　so　moved　that　she　was　kinder　to　Philip　than　she　had

intended　to　be；　and　Elnora　as　an　antidote　to　a　disappointed

lover　was　a　decided　success　in　any　mood。



However　strong　the　attractions　of　Edith　Carr　had

been；　once　the　bond　was　finally　broken；　Philip　Ammon

could　not　help　realizing　that　Elnora　was　the　superior

woman；　and　that　he　was　fortunate　to　have　escaped；　when

he　regarded　his　ties　strongest。　　Every　day；　while　working

with　Elnora；　he　saw　more　to　admire。　　He　grew　very

thankful　that　he　was　free　to　try　to　win　her；　and　impatient

to　justify　himself　to　her。



Elnora　did　not　evince　the　slightest　haste　to　hear　what

he　had　to　say；　but　waited　the　week　she　had　set；　in　spite

of　Philip's　hourly　manifest　impatience。　　When　she　did

consent　to　listen；　Philip　felt　before　he　had　talked　five

minutes；　that　she　was　putting　herself　in　Edith　Carr's

place；　and　judging　him　from　what　the　other　girl's

standpoint　would　be。　　That　was　so　disconcerting；　he　did

not　plead　his　cause　nearly　so　well　as　he　had　hoped；　for

when　he　ceased　Elnora　sat　in　silence。



〃You　are　my　judge；〃　he　said　at　last。　　〃What　is　your　verdict？〃



〃If　I　could　hear　her　speak　from　her　heart　as　I　just　have

heard　you；　then　I　could　decide；〃　answered　Elnora。



〃She　is　on　the　ocean；〃　said　Philip。　　〃She　went　because

she　knew　she　was　wholly　in　the　wrong。　　She　had　nothing

to　say；　or　she　would　have　remained。〃



〃That　sounds　plausible；〃　reasoned　Elnora；　〃but　it　is

pretty　difficult　to　find　a　woman　in　an　affair　that　involves

her　heart　with　nothing　at　all　to　say。　　I　fancy　if　I　could

meet　her；　she　would　say　several　things。　　I　should　love　to

hear　them。　　If　I　could　talk　with　her　three　minutes；　I

could　tell　what　answer　to　make　you。〃



〃Don't　you　believe　me；　Elnora？〃



〃Unquestioningly；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃But　I　would

believe　her　also。　　If　only　I　could　meet　her　I　soon

would　know。〃



〃I　don't　see　how　that　is　to　be　accomplished；〃　said

Philip；　〃but　I　am　perfectly　willing。　　There　is　no　reason

why　you　should　not　meet　her；　except　that　she　probably

would　lose　her　temper　and　insult　you。〃



〃Not　to　any　extent；〃　said　Elnora　calmly。　　〃I　have

a　tongue　of　my　own；　while　I　am　not　without　some　small

sense　of　personal　values。〃



Philip　glanced　at　her　and　began　to　laugh。　　Very　different

of　facial　formation　and　colouring；　Elnora　at　times　closely

resembled　her　mother。　　She　joined　in　his　laugh　ruefully。



〃The　point　is　this；〃　she　said。　　〃Some　one　is　going　to

be　hurt；　most　dreadfully。　　If　the　decision　as　to　whom　it

shall　be　rests　with　me；　I　must　know　it　is　the　right　one。　

Of　course；　no　one　ever　hinted　it　to　you；　but　you　are　a

very　attractive　man；　Philip。　　You　are　mighty　good　to

look　at；　and　you　have　a　trained；　refined　mind；　that　makes

you　most　interesting。　　For　years　Edith　Carr　has　felt　that

you　were　hers。　　Now；　how　is　she　going　to　change？　　I　have

been　thinkingthinking　deep　and　long；　Phil。　　If　I　were

in　her　place；　I　simply　could　not　give　you　up；　unless

you　had　made　yourself　unworthy　of　love。　　Undoubtedly；　you

never　seemed　so　desirable　to　her　as　just　now；　when　she　is

told　she　can't　have　you。　　What　I　think　is　that　she　will

come　to　claim　you　yet。〃



〃You　overlook　the　fact　that　it　is　not　in　a　woman's　power

to　throw　away　a　man　and　pick　him　up　at　pleasure；〃　said

Philip　with　some　warmth。　　〃She　publicly　and　repeatedly

cast　me　off。　　I　accepted　her　decision　as　publicly　as

it　was　made。　　You　have　done　all　your　thinking　from

a　wrong　viewpoint。　　You　seem　to　have　an　idea　that　it

lies　with　you　to　decide　what　I　shall　do；　that　if　you　say　the

word；　I　shall　return　to　Edith。　　Put　that　thought　out　of

your　head！　　Now；　and　for　all　time　to　come；　she　is　a　matter

of　indifference　to　me。　　She　killed　all　feeling　in　my　heart

for　her　so　completely　that　I　do　not　even　dread　meeting　her。



〃If　I　hated　her；　or　was　angry　with　her；　I　could　not　be

sure　the　feeling　would　not　die。　　As　it　is；　she　has　deadened

me　into　a　creature　of　indifference。　　So　you　just　revise

your　viewpoint　a　little；　Elnora。　　Cease　thinking　it　is　for

you　to　decide　what　I　shall　do；　and　that　I　will　obey　you。　

I　make　my　own　decisions　in　reference　to　any　woman；　save　you。　

The　question　you　are　to　decide　is　whether　I　may　remain　here；

associating　with　you　as　I　did　last　summer；　but　with　the

difference　that　it　is　understood　that　I　am　free；　that　it

is　my　intention　to　care　for　you　all　I　please；　to　make　you

return　my　feeling　for　you　if　I　can。　　There　is　just　one

question　for　you　to　decide；　and　it　is　not　triangular。　

It　is　between　us。　　May　I　remain？　　May　I　love　you？　

Will　you　give　me　the　chance　to　prove　what　I　think　of　you？〃



〃You　speak　very　plainly；〃　said　Elnora。



〃This　is　the　time　to　speak　plainly；〃　said　Philip　Ammon。　

〃There　is　no　use　in　allowing　you　to　go　on　threshing　out

a　problem　which　does　not　exist。　　If　you　do　not　want

me　here；　say　so　and　I　will　go。　　Of　course；　I　warn　you

before　I　start；　that　I　will　come　back。　　I　won't　yield

without　the　stiffest　fight　it　is　in　me　to　make。　　But　drop

thinking　it　lies　in　your　power　to　send　me　back　to　Edith　Carr。　

If　she　were　the　last　woman　in　the　world；　and　I　the　last　man；

I'd　jump　off　the　planet　before　I　would　give　her　further

opportunity　to　exercise　her　temper　on　me。　　Narrow　this　to

us；　Elnora。　　Will　you　take　the　place　she　vacated？　

Will　you　take　the　heart　she　threw　away？　　I'd　give　my

right　hand　and　not　flinch；　if　I　could　offer　you　my

life；　free　from　any　contact　with　hers；　but　that　is

not　possible。　　I　can't　undo　things　which　are　done。　

I　can　only　profit　by　experience　and　build　better　in

the　future。〃



〃I　don't　see　how　you　can　be　sure　of　yourself；〃　said　Elnora。