a girl of the limberlost-第8章

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anything　from　a　dictionary　to　a　pen。



〃Yes；〃　gasped　Elnora；　〃Oh；　yes！　　But　I　cannot　pay　for

them　just　now。　　Please　let　me　take　them；　and　I　will　pay

for　them　on　Friday；　or　return　them　as　perfect　as　they　are。　

Please　trust　me　for　them　a　few　days。〃



〃I'll　ask　the　proprietor；〃　he　said。　　When　he　came　back

Elnora　knew　the　answer　before　he　spoke。



〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　said；　〃but　Mr。　Hann　doesn't　recognize

your　name。　　You　are　not　a　customer　of　ours；　and　he　feels

that　he　can't　take　the　risk。〃



Elnora　clumped　out　of　the　store；　the　thump　of　her　heavy；

shoes　beating　as　a　hammer　on　her　brain。　　She　tried　two

other　dealers　with　the　same　result；　and　then　in　sick　despair

came　into　the　street。　　What　could　she　　do？　　She　was　too

frightened　to　think。　　Should　she　stay　from　school　that

day　and　canvass　the　homes　appearing　to　belong　to　the

wealthy；　and　try　to　sell　beds　of　wild　ferns；　as　she　had

suggested　to　Wesley　Sinton？　　What　would　she　dare　ask　for

bringing　in　and　planting　a　clump　of　ferns？　　How　could　she

carry　them？　　Would　people　buy　them？　　She　slowly　moved

past　the　hotel　and　then　glanced　around　to　see　if　there

were　a　clock　anywhere；　for　she　felt　sure　the　young　people

passing　her　constantly　were　on　their　way　to　school。



There　it　stood　in　a　bank　window　in　big　black　letters

staring　straight　at　her：





WANTED：　　CATERPILLARS；　COCOONS；　CHRYSALIDES；

PUPAE　CASES；　BUTTERFLIES；　MOTHS；　INDIAN　RELICS

OF　ALL　KINDS。　　HIGHEST　SCALE　OF　PRICES　PAID　IN　CASH





Elnora　caught　the　wicket　at　the　cashier's　desk　with　both

hands　to　brace　herself　against　disappointment。



〃Who　is　it　wants　to　buy　cocoons；　butterflies；　and

moths？〃　she　panted。



〃The　Bird　Woman；〃　answered　the　cashier。　　〃Have　you

some　for　sale？〃



〃I　have　some；　I　do　not　know　if　they　are　what　she　would　want。〃



〃Well；　you　had　better　see　her；〃　said　the　cashier。　　〃Do　you

know　where　she　lives？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Would　you　tell　me　the　time？〃



〃Twenty…one　after　eight；〃　was　the　answer。



She　had　nine　minutes　to　reach　the　auditorium　or　be　late。　

Should　she　go　to　school；　or　to　the　Bird　Woman？　　Several　girls

passed　her　walking　swiftly　and　she　remembered　their　faces。　

They　were　hurrying　to　school。　　Elnora　caught　the　infection。　

She　would　see　the　Bird　Woman　at　noon。　　Algebra　came　first；

and　that　professor　was　kind。　　Perhaps　she　could　slip　to　the

superintendent　and　ask　him　for　a　book　for　the　next　lesson；

and　at　noon〃Oh；　dear　Lord　make　it　come　true；〃　prayed　Elnora；

at　noon　possibly　she　could　sell　some　of　those　wonderful

shining…winged　things　she　had　been　collecting　all　her　life

around　the　outskirts　of　the　Limberlost。



As　she　went　down　the　long　hall　she　noticed　the　professor

of　mathematics　standing　in　the　door　of　his　recitation　room。　

When　she　passed　him　he　smiled　and　spoke　to　her。



〃I　have　been　watching　for　you；〃　he　said；　and　Elnora

stopped　bewildered。



〃For　me？〃　she　questioned。



〃Yes；〃　said　Professor　Henley。　　〃Step　inside。〃



Elnora　followed　him　into　the　room　and　closed　the　door

behind　them。



〃At　teachers'　meeting　last　evening；　one　of　the　professors

mentioned　that　a　pupil　had　betrayed　in　class　that　she　had

expected　her　books　to　be　furnished　by　the　city。　　I　thought

possibly　it　was　you。　　Was　it？〃



〃Yes；〃　breathed　Elnora。



〃That　being　the　case；〃　said　Professor　Henley；　〃it　just

occurred　to　me　as　you　had　expected　that；　you　might　require

a　little　time　to　secure　them；　and　you　are　too　fine　a

mathematician　to　fall　behind　for　want　of　supplies。　　So　I

telephoned　one　of　our　Sophomores　to　bring　her　last　year's

books　this　morning。　　I　am　sorry　to　say　they　are　somewhat

abused；　but　the　text　is　all　here。　　You　can　have　them　for

two　dollars；　and　pay　when　you　are　ready。　　Would　you

care　to　take　them？〃



Elnora　sat　suddenly；　because　she　could　not　stand　another　instant。　

She　reached　both　hands　for　the　books；　and　said　never　a　word。　

The　professor　was　silent　also。　　At　last　Eleanor　arose；

hugging　those　books　to　her　heart　as　a　mother　clasps　a　baby。



〃One　thing　more；〃　said　the　professor。　　〃You　may　pay

your　tuition　quarterly。　　You　need　not　bother　about　the

first　instalment　this　month。　　Any　time　in　October　will　do。〃



It　seemed　as　if　Elnora's　gasp　of　relief　must　have　reached

the　soles　of　her　brogans。



〃Did　any　one　ever　tell　you　how　beautiful　you　are！〃　she　cried。



As　the　professor　was　lank；　tow…haired　and　so　near…

sighted；　that　he　peered　at　his　pupils　through　spectacles；

no　one　ever　had。



〃No；〃　said　Professor　Henley；　〃I've　waited　some　time

for　that；　for　which　reason　I　shall　appreciate　it　all　the　more。　

Come　now；　or　we　shall　be　late　for　opening　exercises。〃



So　Elnora　entered　the　auditorium　a　second　time。　　Her　face　was

like　the　brightest　dawn　that　ever　broke　over　the　Limberlost。　

No　matter　about　the　lumbering　shoes　and　skimpy　dress。　

No　matter　about　anything；　she　had　the　books。　　She　could

take　them　home。　　In　her　garret　she　could　commit　them　to

memory；　if　need　be。　　She　could　prove　that　clothes　were

not　all。　　If　the　Bird　Woman　did　not　want　any　of　the　many

different　kinds　of　specimens　she　had　collected；　she　was

quite　sure　now　she　could　sell　ferns；　nuts；　and　a　great

many　things。　　Then；　too；　a　girl　made　a　place　for　her

that　morning；　and　several　smiled　and　bowed。　　Elnora　forgot

everything　save　her　books；　and　that　she　was　where　she

could　use　them　intelligentlyeverything　except　one

little　thing　away　back　in　her　head。　　Her　mother　had

known　about　the　books　and　the　tuition；　and　had　not　told

her　when　she　agreed　to　her　coming。



At　noon　Elnora　took　her　little　parcel　of　lunch　and　started

to　the　home　of　the　Bird　Woman。　　She　must　know　about

the　specimens　first　and　then　she　would　walk　to　the　suburbs

somewhere　and　eat　a　few　bites。　　She　dropped　the　heavy

iron　knocker　on　the　door　of　a　big　red　log　cabin；　and

her　heart　thumped　at　the　resounding　stroke。



〃Is　the　Bird　Woman　at　home？〃　she　asked　of　the　maid。



〃She　is　at　lunch；〃　was　the　answer。



〃Please　ask　her　if　she　will　see　a　girl　from　the　Limberlost

about　some　moths？〃　inquired　Elnora。



〃I　never　need　ask；　if　it's　moths；〃　laughed　the　girl。　

〃Orders　are　to　bring　any　one　with　specimens　right　in。　

Come　this　way。〃



Elnora　followed　down　the　hall　and　entered　a　long　room　with

high　panelled　wainscoting；　old　English　fireplace　with　an

overmantel　and　closets　of　peculiar　china　filling　the　corners。　

At　a　bare　table　of　oak；　yellow　as　gold；　sat　a　woman　Elnora

often　had　watched　and　followed　covertly　around　the　Limberlost。　

The　Bird　Woman　was　holding　out　a　hand　of　welcome。



I　heard！〃　she　laughed。　　〃A　little　pasteboard　box；　or

just　the　mere　word　‘specimen；'　passes　you　at　my　door。　

If　it　is　moths　I　hope　you　have　hundreds。　　I've　been　very

busy　all　summer　and　unable　to　collect；　and　I　need　so　many。　

Sit　down　and　lunch　with　me；　while　we　talk　it　over。　

From　the　Limberlost；　did　you　say？〃



〃I　live　near　the　swamp；〃　replied　Elnora。　　〃Since　it's

so　cleared　I　dare　go　around　the　edge　in　daytime；　though

we　are　all　afraid　at　night。〃



〃What　have　you　collected？〃　asked　the　Bird　Woman；

as　she　helped　Elnora　to　sandwiches　unlike　any　she　ever

before　had　tasted；　salad　that　seemed　to　be　made　of　many

familiar　things；　and　a　cup　of　hot　chocolate　that　would　have

delighted　any　hungry　schoolgirl。



〃I　am　afraid　I　am　bothering　you　for　nothing；　and　imposing

on　you；〃　she　said。　　〃That　'collected'　frightens　me。　

I've　only　gathered。　　I　always　loved　everything　outdoors；

so　I　made　friends　and　playmates　of　them。　　When　I　learned

that　the　moths　die　so　soon；　I　saved　them　especially；

because　there　seemed　no　wickedness　in　it。〃



〃I　have　thought　the　same　thing；〃　said　the　Bird

Woman　encouragingly。　　Then　because　the　girl　could

not　eat　until　she　learned　about　the　moths；　the　Bird

Woman　asked　Elnora　if　she　knew　what　kinds　she　had。



〃Not　all　of　them；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃Before　Mr。

Duncan　moved　away　he　often　saw　me　near　the　edge　of

the　swamp　and　he　sh