a girl of the limberlost-第73章

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Elnora　smiled。



〃I　won't！　　Not　all　those　venturesome　things　at　once；

but；　Phil；　I'm　ashamed　to　confess　that　ring　simply

fascinates　me。　　It　is　the　most　beautiful　one　I　ever　saw；

and　do　you　know　that　I　never　owned　a　ring　of　any　kind

in　my　life？　　Would　you　think　me　unwomanly　if　I　slip

it　on　for　a　second；　before　I　can　say　for　sure？　　Phil；　you

know　I　care！　　I　care　very　much！　　You　know　I　will　tell

you　the　instant　I　feel　right　about　it。〃



〃Certainly　you　will；〃　agreed　Philip　promptly。　　〃It　is

your　right　to　take　all　the　time　you　choose。　　I　can't

put　that　ring　on　you　until　it　means　a　bond　between　us。　

I'll　shut　my　eyes　and　you　try　it　on；　so　we　can　see　if

it　fits。〃　Philip　turned　his　face　toward　the　west　woods

and　tightly　closed　his　eyes。　　It　was　a　boyish　thing　to　do；

and　it　caught　the　hesitating　girl　in　the　depths　of　her

heart　as　the　boy　element　in　a　man　ever　appeals　to　a

motherly　woman。　　Before　she　quite　realized　what　she

was　doing；　the　ring　slid　on　her　finger。　　With　both　arms

she　caught　Philip　and　drew　him　to　her　breast；　holding

him　closely。　　Her　head　drooped　over　his；　her　lips　were

on　his　hair。　　So　an　instant；　then　her　arms　dropped。　

He　lifted　a　convulsed；　white　face。



〃Dear　Lord！〃　he　whispered。　　〃Youyou　didn't　mean　that；

Elnora！　　You　　What　made　you　do　it？〃



〃Youyou　looked　so　boyish！〃　panted　Elnora。　　〃I　didn't

mean　it！　　II　forgot　that　you　were　older　than　Billy。　

Looklook　at　the　ring！〃



〃‘The　Queen　can　do　no　wrong；'〃　quoted　Philip　between　his

set　teeth。　　〃But　don't　you　do　that　again；　Elnora；　unless

you　do　mean　it。　　Kings　are　not　so　good　as　queens；　and

there　is　a　limit　with　all　men。　　As　you　say；　we　will

look　at　your　ring。　　It　seems　very　lovely　to　me。　　Suppose　you

leave　it　on　until　time　for　me　to　go。　　Please　do！　　I　have

heard　of　mute　appeals；　perhaps　it　will　plead　for　me。　

I　am　wild　for　your　lips　this　afternoon。　　I　am　going　to

take　your　hands。〃



He　caught　both　of　them　and　covered　them　with　kisses。



〃Elnora；〃　he　said；　〃Will　you　be　my　wife？〃



〃I　must　have　a　little　more　time；〃　she　whispered。　　〃I　must

be　absolutely　certain；　for　when　I　say　yes；　and　give

myself　to　you；　only　death　shall　part　us。　　I　would　not

give　you　up。　　So　I　want　a　little　more　timebut；　I　think

I　will。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Philip。　　〃If　at　any　time　you　feel　that

you　have　reached　a　decision；　will　you　tell　me？　　Will　you

promise　me　to　tell　me　instantly；　or　shall　I　keep　asking

you　until　the　time　comes？〃



〃You　make　it　difficult；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃But　I　will

promise　you　that。　　Whenever　the　last　doubt　vanishes；　I

will　let　you　know　instantlyif　I　can。〃



〃Would　it　be　difficult　for　you？〃　whispered　Ammon。



〃II　don't　know；〃　faltered　Elnora。



〃It　seems　as　if　I　can't　be　man　enough　to　put　this

thought　aside　and　give　up　this　afternoon；〃　said　Philip。　

〃I　am　ashamed　of　myself；　but　I　can't　help　it。　　I　am　going

to　ask　God　to　make　that　last　doubt　vanish　before　I　go

this　night。　　I　am　going　to　believe　that　ring　will　plead

for　me。　　I　am　going　to　hope　that　doubt　will　disappear　suddenly。　

I　will　be　watching。　　Every　second　I　will　be　watching。　

If　it　happens　and　you　can't　speak；　give　me　your　hand。　

Just　the　least　movement　toward　me；　I　will　understand。　

Would　it　help　you　to　talk　this　over　with　your　mother？　

Shall　I　call　her？　　Shall　I？〃



Honk！　　Honk！　　Honk！　　Hart　Henderson　set　the　horn

of　the　big　automobile　going　as　it　shot　from　behind　the

trees　lining　the　Brushwood　road。　　The　picture　of　a　vine…

covered　cabin；　a　large　drooping　tree；　a　green…clad　girl

and　a　man　bending　over　her　very　closely　flashed　into　view。　

Edith　Carr　caught　her　breath　with　a　snap。　　Polly　Ammon

gave　Tom　Levering　a　quick　touch　and　wickedly　winked

at　him。



Several　days　before；　Edith　had　returned　from　Europe　suddenly。　

She　and　Henderson　had　called　at　the　Ammon　residence　saying

that　they　were　going　to　motor　down　to　the　Limberlost　to　see

Philip　a　few　hours；　and　urged　that　Polly　and　Tom　accompany　them。　

Mrs。　Ammon　knew　that　her　husband　would　disapprove　of　the　trip；

but　it　was　easy　to　see　that　Edith　Carr　had　determined　on　going。　

So　the　mother　thought　it　better　to　have　Polly　along　to　support

Philip　than　to　allow　him　to　confront　Edith　unexpectedly　and　alone。　

Polly　was　full　of　spirit。　　She　did　not　relish　the　thought　of

Edith　as　a　sister。　　Always　they　had　been　in　the　same　set；

always　Edith；　because　of　greater　beauty　and　wealth；

had　patronized　Polly。　　Although　it　had　rankled；　she　had　borne

it　sweetly。　　But　two　days　before；　her　father　had　extracted

a　promise　of　secrecy；　given　her　Philip's　address　and　told　her

to　send　him　the　finest　emerald　ring　she　could　select。　

Polly　knew　how　that　ring　would　be　used。　　What　she　did　not　know

was　that　the　girl　who　accompanied　her　went　back　to　the　store

afterward；　made　an　excuse　to　the　clerk　that　she　had　been　sent

to　be　absolutely　sure　that　the　address　was　right；　and　so　secured

it　for　Edith　Carr。



Two　days　later　Edith　had　induced　Hart　Henderson　to　take

her　to　Onabasha。　　By　the　aid　of　maps　they　located　the

Comstock　land　and　passed　it；　merely　to　see　the　place。　

Henderson　hated　that　trip；　and　implored　Edith　not　to　take

it；　but　she　made　no　effort　to　conceal　from　him　what　she

suffered；　and　it　was　more　than　he　could　endure。　　He　pointed

out　that　Philip　had　gone　away　without　leaving　an　address；

because　he　did　not　wish　to　see　her；　or　any　of　them。　

But　Edith　was　so　sure　of　her　power；　she　felt　certain　Philip

needed　only　to　see　her　to　succumb　to　her　beauty　as　he　always

had　done；　while　now　she　was　ready　to　plead　for　forgiveness。　

So　they　came　down　the　Brushwood　road；　and　Henderson　had　just

said　to　Edith　beside　him：　　〃This　should　be　the　Comstock　land

on　our　left。〃



A　minute　later　the　wood　ended；　while　the　sunlight；

as　always　pitiless；　etched　with　distinctness　the　scene　at

the　west　end　of　the　cabin。　　Instinctively；　to　save　Edith；

Henderson　set　the　horn　blowing。　　He　had　thought　to　drive　to

the　city；　but　Polly　Ammon　arose　crying：　　〃Phil！　　Phil！〃

Tom　Levering　was　on　his　feet　shouting　and　waving；　while

Edith　in　her　most　imperial　manner　ordered　him　to　turn

into　the　lane　leading　through　the　woods　beside　the　cabin。



〃Find　some　way　for　me　to　have　a　minute　alone　with　her；〃

she　commanded　as　he　stopped　the　car。



〃That　is　my　sister　Polly；　her　fiance　Tom　Levering；　a

friend　of　mine　named　Henderson；　and〃　began　Philip；



〃and　Edith　Carr；〃　volunteered　Elnora。



〃And　Edith　Carr；〃　repeated　Philip　Ammon。　　〃Elnora；　be

brave；　for　my　sake。　　Their　coming　can　make　no　difference

in　any　way。　　I　won't　let　them　stay　but　a　few　minutes。　

Come　with　me！〃



〃Do　I　seem　scared？〃　inquired　Elnora　serenely。　　〃This　is

why　you　haven't　had　your　answer。　　I　have　been　waiting

just　six　weeks　for　that　motor。　　You　may　bring　them　to　me

at　the　arbour。〃



Philip　glanced　at　her　and　broke　into　a　laugh。　　She　had

not　lost　colour。　　Her　self…possession　was　perfect。　

She　deliberately　turned　and　walked　toward　the　grape　arbour；

while　he　sprang　over　the　west　fence　and　ran　to　the　car。



Elnora　standing　in　the　arbour　entrance　made　a　perfect

picture；　framed　in　green　leaves　and　tendrils。　　No　matter

how　her　heart　ached；　it　was　good　to　her；　for　it　pumped

steadily；　and　kept　her　cheeks　and　lips　suffused　with　colour。　

She　saw　Philip　reach　the　car　and　gather　his　sister　into

his　arms。　　Past　her　he　reached　a　hand　to　Levering；

then　to　Edith　Carr　and　Henderson。　　He　lifted　his　sister

to　the　ground；　and　assisted　Edith　to　alight。　　Instantly；　she

stepped　beside　him；　and　Elnora's　heart　played　its　first　trick。



She　could　see　that　Miss　Carr　was　splendidly　beautiful；

while　she　moved　with　the　hauteur　and　grace　supposed　to

be　the　prerogatives　of　royalty。　　And　she　had　instantly

taken　possession　of　Philip。　　But　he　also　had　a　brain　which

was　working　with　rapidity。　　He　knew　Elnora　was　watching；

so　he　turned　to　the　others。



〃Give　her　up；　Tom！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　didn't　know　I　wanted

to　see　the　little　nuisance　so　badly；　but　I　do