a girl of the limberlost-第78章

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the　aristocratic　little　nose。



〃The　supply　of　freckles　holds　out　in　my　family；　you　see！〃

she　said。　　〃Both　of　the　girls　will　have　them；　and　the

second　boy　a　few。〃



She　stood　an　instant　longer；　then　bending；　ran　her　hand

caressingly　down　a　rosy　bare　leg；　while　she　kissed　the

babyish　red　mouth。　　There　had　been　some　reason　for

touching　all　of　them；　the　kiss　fell　on　the　lips　which　were

like　Freckles's。



To　Elnora　she　said　a　tender　good…night；　whispering

brave　words　of　encouragement　and　making　plans　to　fill

the　days　to　come。　　Then　she　went　away。　　An　hour　later

there　was　a　light　tap　on　the　girl's　door。



〃Come！〃　she　called　as　she　lay　staring　into　the　dark。



The　Angel　felt　her　way　to　the　bedside；　sat　down　and

took　Elnora's　hands。



〃I　just　had　to　come　back　to　you；〃　she　said。　　〃I　have

been　telling　Freckles；　and　he　is　almost　hurting　himself

with　laughing。　　I　didn't　think　it　was　funny；　but　he　does。　

He　thinks　it's　the　funniest　thing　that　ever　happened。　

He　says　that　to　run　away　from　Mr。　Ammon；　when　you

had　made　him　no　promise　at　all；　when　he　wasn't　sure　of

you；　won't　send　him　home　to　her；　it　will　set　him　hunting　you！　

He　says　if　you　had　combined　the　wisdom　of　Solomon；

Socrates；　and　all　the　remainder　of　the　wise　men；　you

couldn't　have　chosen　any　course　that　would　have　sealed

him　to　you　so　surely。　　He　feels　that　now　Mr。　Ammon　will

perfectly　hate　her　for　coming　down　there　and　driving

you　away。　　And　you　went　to　give　her　the　chance　she　wanted。　

Oh；　Elnora！　　It　is　becoming　funny！　　I　see　it；　too！〃



The　Angel　rocked　on　the　bedside。　　Elnora　faced　the

dark　in　silence。



〃Forgive　me；〃　gulped　the　Angel。　　〃I　didn't　mean　to　laugh。　

I　didn't　think　it　was　funny；　until　all　at　once　it

came　to　me。　　Oh；　dear！　　Elnora；　it　　funny！　　I've　got

to　laugh！〃



〃Maybe　it　is；〃　admitted　Elnora　〃to　others；　but　it

isn't　very　funny　to　me。　　And　it　won't　be　to　Philip；　or

to　mother。〃



That　was　very　true。　　Mrs。　Comstock　had　been　slightly

prepared　for　stringent　action　of　some　kind；　by　what　Elnora

had　said。　　The　mother　instantly　had　guessed　where　the

girl　would　go；　but　nothing　was　said　to　Philip。　　That　would

have　been　to　invalidate　Elnora's　test　in　the　beginning；　and

Mrs。　Comstock　knew　her　child　well　enough　to　know　that

she　never　would　marry　Philip　unless　she　felt　it　right　that

she　should。　　The　only　way　was　to　find　out；　and　Elnora

had　gone　to　seek　the　information。　　There　was　nothing　to

do　but　wait　until　she　came　back；　and　her　mother　was　not

in　the　least　uneasy　but　that　the　girl　would　return　brave　and

self…reliant；　as　always。



Philip　Ammon　hurried　back　to　the　Limberlost；　strong

in　the　hope　that　now　he　might　take　Elnora　into　his　arms

and　receive　her　promise　to　become　his　wife。　　His　first

shock　of　disappointment　came　when　he　found　her　gone。　

In　talking　with　Mrs。　Comstock　he　learned　that　Edith　Carr

had　made　an　opportunity　to　speak　with　Elnora　alone。　

He　hastened　down　the　road　to　meet　her；　coming　back　alone；

an　agitated　man。　　Then　search　revealed　the　notes。　　His　read：



DEAR　PHILIP：



I　find　that　I　am　never　going　to　be　able　to　answer　your　question　of

this　afternoon　fairly　to　all　of　us；　when　you　are　with　me。　　So　I　am　going

away　a　few　weeks　to　think　over　matters　alone。　　I　shall　not　tell　you；

or　even　mother；　where　I　am　going；　but　I　shall　be　safe；　well　cared　for；

and　happy。　　Please　go　back　home　and　live　among　your　friends；　just

as　you　always　have　done；　and　on　or　before　the　first　of　September；　I

will　write　you　where　I　am；　and　what　I　have　decided。　　Please　do　not

blame　Edith　Carr　for　this；　and　do　not　avoid　her。　　I　hope　you　will　call

on　her　and　be　friends。　　I　think　she　is　very　sorry；　and　covets　your

friendship　at　least。　　Until　September；　then；　as　ever；



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　ELNORA。





Mrs。　Comstock's　note　was　much　the　same。　　Philip　was

ill　with　disappointment。　　In　the　arbour　he　laid　his　head　on

the　table；　among　the　implements　of　Elnora's　loved　work；　and

gulped　down　dry　sobs　he　could　not　restrain。　　Mrs。　Comstock

never　had　liked　him　so　well。　　Her　hand　involuntarily　crept

toward　his　dark　head；　then　she　drew　back。　　Elnora　would　not

want　her　to　do　anything　whatever　to　influence　him。



〃What　am　I　going　to　do　to　convince　Edith　Carr　that　I

do　not　love　her；　and　Elnora　that　I　am　hers？〃　he　demanded。



〃I　guess　you　have　to　figure　that　out　yourself；〃　said

Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I'd　be　glad　to　help　you　if　I　could；

but　it　seems　to　be　up　to　you。〃



Philip　sat　a　long　time　in　silence。　　〃Well；　I　have　decided！〃

he　said　abruptly。　　〃Are　you　perfectly　sure　Elnora　had

plenty　of　money　and　a　safe　place　to　go？〃



〃Absolutely！〃　answered　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃She　has

been　taking　care　of　herself　ever　since　she　was　born；　and　she

always　has　come　out　all　right；　so　far；　I'll　stake　all　I'm

worth　on　it；　that　she　always　will。　　I　don't　know　where　she

is；　but　I'm　not　going　to　worry　about　her　safety。〃



〃I　can't　help　worrying！〃　cried　Philip。　　〃I　can　think　of

fifty　things　that　may　happen　to　her　when　she　thinks　she

is　safe。　　This　is　distracting！　　First；　I　am　going　to　run

up　to　see　my　father。　　Then；　I'll　let　you　know　what　we

have　decided。　　Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you？〃



〃Nothing！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。



But　the　desire　to　do　something　for　him　was　so　strong

with　her　she　scarcely　could　keep　her　lips　closed　or　her

hands　quiet。　　She　longed　to　tell　him　what　Edith　Carr　had

said；　how　it　had　affected　Elnora；　and　to　comfort　him　as　she

felt　she　could。　　But　loyalty　to　the　girl　held　her。　　If　Elnora

truly　felt　that　she　could　not　decide　until　Edith　Carr　was

convinced；　then　Edith　Carr　would　have　to　yield　or　triumph。　

It　rested　with　Philip。　　So　Mrs。　Comstock　kept　silent；　while

Philip　took　the　night　limited；　a　bitterly　disappointed　man。



By　noon　the　next　day　he　was　in　his　father's　offices。　　They　had

a　long　conference；　but　did　not　arrive　at　much　until　the　elder

Ammon　suggested　sending　for　Polly。　　Anything　that　might　have

happened　could　be　explained　after　Polly　had　told　of　the

private　conference　between　Edith　and　Elnora。



〃Talk　about　lovely　woman！〃　cried　Philip　Ammon。　　〃One　would

think　that　after　such　a　dose　as　Edith　gave　me；　she　would

be　satisfied　to　let　me　go　my　way；　but　no！　　Not　caring　for

me　enough　herself　to　save　me　from　public　disgrace；　she　must

now　pursue　me　to　keep　any　other　woman　from　loving　me。　

I　call　that　too　much！　　I　am　going　to　see　her；　and　I　want

you　to　go　with　me；　father。〃



〃Very　well；〃　said　Mr。　Ammon；　〃I　will　go。〃



When　Edith　Carr　came　into　her　reception…room　that

afternoon；　gowned　for　conquest；　she　expected　only　Philip；

and　him　penitent。　　She　came　hurrying　toward　him；　smiling；

radiant；　ready　to　use　every　allurement　she　possessed；　and

paused　in　dismay　when　she　saw　his　cold　face　and　his　father。　

〃Why；　Phil！〃　she　cried。　　〃When　did　you　come　home？〃



〃I　am　not　at　home；〃　answered　Philip。　　〃I　merely　ran　up

to　see　my　father　on　business；　and　to　inquire　of　you　what

it　was　you　said　to　Miss　Comstock　yesterday　that　caused

her　to　disappear　before　I　could　return　to　the　Limberlost。〃



〃Miss　Comstock　disappear！　　Impossible！〃　cried　Edith　Carr。　

〃Where　could　she　go？〃



〃I　thought　perhaps　you　could　answer　that；　since　it　was

through　you　that　she　went。〃



〃Phil；　I　haven't　the　faintest　idea　where　she　is；〃　said　the

girl　gently。



〃But　you　know　perfectly　why　she　went！　　Kindly　tell　me　that。〃



〃Let　me　see　you　alone；　and　I　will。〃



〃Here　and　now；　or　not　at　all。〃



〃Phil！〃



〃What　did　you　say　to　the　girl　I　love？〃



Then　Edith　Carr　stretched　out　her　arms。



〃Phil；　I　am　the　girl　you　love！〃　she　cried。　　〃All　your

life　you　have　loved　me。　　Surely　it　cannot　be　all　gone　in

a　few　weeks　of　misunderstanding。　　I　was　jealous　of　her！　

I　did　not　want　you　to　leave　me　an　instant　that　night　for　any

other　girl　living。　　That　was　the　moth　I　was　representing。　

Every　one　knew　it！　　I　wanted　you　to　bring　it　to　me。　

When　you　did　not；　I　knew　instantly　it