a girl of the limberlost- 第17部分

about　any　nature　question　that　comes　up；　and　she　is　going

to　lead　all　of　them　in　mathematics；　and　make　them　work

in　any　branch。〃



When　Elnora　entered　the　coat　room　after　having　had

luncheon　with　Ellen　Brownlee　there　was　such　a　difference

in　the　atmosphere　that　she　could　feel　it。



〃I　am　almost　sorry　I　have　these　clothes；〃　she　said　to　Ellen。



〃In　the　name　of　sense；　why？〃　cried　the　astonished　girl。



〃Every　one　is　so　nice　to　me　in　them；　it　sets　me　to

wondering　if　in　time　I　could　have　made　them　be　equally

friendly　in　the　others。〃



Ellen　looked　at　her　introspectively。　　〃I　believe　you

could；〃　she　announced　at　last。　　〃But　it　would　have　taken

time　and　heartache；　and　your　mind　would　have　been　less

free　to　work　on　your　studies。　　No　one　is　happy　without

friends；　and　I　just　simply　can't　study　when　I　am　unhappy。〃



That　night　the　Bird　Woman　made　the　last　trip　to　the　swamp。　

Every　specimen　she　possibly　could　use　had　been　purchased

at　a　fair　price；　and　three　additions　had　been　made　to　the

bank　book；　carrying　the　total　a　little　past　two　hundred　dollars。　

There　remained　the　Indian　relics　to　sell　on　Saturday；

and　Elnora　had　secured　the　order　to　furnish　material　for

nature　work　for　the　grades。　　Life　suddenly　grew　very　full。　

There　was　the　most　excitingly　interesting　work　for　every　hour；

and　that　work　was　to　pay　high　school　expenses　and　start　the

college　fund。　　There　was　one　little　rift　in　her　joy。　

All　of　it　would　have　been　so　much　better　if　she　could　have

told　her　mother；　and　given　the　money　into　her　keeping；

but　the　struggle　to　get　a　start　had　been　so　terrible；

Elnora　was　afraid　to　take　the　risk。　　When　she　reached　home；

she　only　told　her　mother　that　the　last　of　the　things　had

been　sold　that　evening。



〃I　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；　〃that　we　will　ask　Wesley

to　move　that　box　over　here　back　of　the　garden　for　you。　

There　you　are　apt　to　get　tolled　farther　into　the　swamp

than　you　intend　to　go；　and　you　might　mire　or　something。　

There　ought　to　be　just　the　same　things　in　our　woods；

and　along　our　swampy　places；　as　there　are　in　the　Limberlost。　

Can't　you　hunt　your　stuff　here？〃



〃I　can　try；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　don't　know　what　I　can

find　until　I　do。　　Our　woods　are　undisturbed；　and　there

is　a　possibility　they　might　be　even　better　hunting　than

the　swamp。　　But　I　wouldn't　have　Freckles's　case　moved　for

the　world。　　He　might　come　back　some　day；　and　not　like　it。　

I've　tried　to　keep　his　room　the　best　I　could；　and　taking　out

the　box　would　make　a　big　hole　in　one　side　of　it。　　Store　boxes

don't　cost　much。　　I　will　have　Uncle　Wesley　buy　me　one；

and　set　it　up　wherever　hunting　looks　the　best；　early　in

the　spring。　　I　would　feel　safer　at　home。〃



〃Shall　we　do　the　work　or　have　supper　first？〃



〃Let's　do　the　work；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　can't　say　that

I'm　hungry　now。　　Doesn't　seem　as　if　I　ever　could　be

hungry　again　with　such　a　lunch。　　I　am　quite　sure　no　one

carried　more　delicious　things　to　eat　than　I。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　was　pleased。　　〃I　put　in　a　pretty　good

hunk　of　cake。　　Did　you　divide　it　with　any　one？〃



〃Why；　yes；　I　did；〃　admitted　Elnora。



〃Who？〃



This　was　becoming　uncomfortable。　　〃I　ate　the　biggest

piece　myself；〃　said　Elnora；　〃and　gave　the　rest　to　a　couple

of　boys　named　Jimmy　and　Billy　and　a　girl　named　Belle。　

They　said　it　was　the　very　best　cake　they　ever　tasted　in　all

their　lives。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　sat　straight。　　〃I　used　to　be　a　master

hand　at　spice　cake；〃　she　boasted。　　〃But　I'm　a　little　out

of　practice。　　I　must　get　to　work　again。　　With　the　very

weeds　growing　higher　than　our　heads；　we　should　raise

plenty　of　good　stuff　to　eat　on　this　land；　if　we　can't　afford

anything　else　but　taxes。〃



Elnora　laughed　and　hurried　up　stairs　to　change　her　dress。　

Margaret　Sinton　came　that　night　bringing　a　beautiful　blue

one　in　its　place；　and　carried　away　the　other　to　launder。



〃Do　you　mean　to　say　those　dresses　are　to　be　washed

every　two　days？〃　questioned　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃They　have　to　be；　to　look　fresh；〃　replied　Margaret。　

〃We　want　our　girl　sweet　as　a　rose。〃



〃Well；　of　all　things！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Every　two　days！　

Any　girl　who　can't　keep　a　dress　clean　longer　than　that　is　a

dirty　girl。　　You'll　wear　the　goods　out　and　fade　the　colours

with　so　much　washing。〃



〃We'll　have　a　clean　girl；　anyway。〃



〃Well；　if　you　like　the　job　you　can　have　it；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃I　don't　mind　the　washing；　but　I'm　so　inconvenient　with　an　iron。〃



Elnora　sat　late　that　night　working　over　her　lessons。　

The　next　morning　she　put　on　her　blue　dress　and　ribbon

and　in　those　she　was　a　picture。　　Mrs。　Comstock　caught

her　breath　with　a　queer　stirring　around　her　heart；　and

looked　twice　to　be　sure　of　what　she　saw。　　As　Elnora

gathered　her　books　her　mother　silently　gave　her　the　lunch　box。



〃Feels　heavy；〃　said　Elnora　gaily。　　〃And　smelly！　　Like　as　not

I'll　be　called　upon　to　divide　again。〃



〃Then　you　divide！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Eating　is

the　one　thing　we　don't　have　to　economize　on；　Elnora。　

Spite　of　all　I　can　do　food　goes　to　waste　in　this　soil

every　day。　　If　you　can　give　some　of　those　city　children

a　taste　of　the　real　thing；　why；　don't　be　selfish。〃



Elnora　went　down　the　road　thinking　of　the　city　children

with　whom　she　probably　would　divide。　　Of　course；

the　bridge　would　be　occupied　again。　　So　she　stopped　and

opened　the　box。



〃I　don't　want　to　be　selfish；〃　murmured　Elnora；　〃but

it　really　seems　as　if　I　can't　give　away　this　lunch。　

If　mother　did　not　put　love　into　it；　she's　substituted

something　that's　likely　to　fool　me。〃



She　almost　felt　her　steps　lagging　as　she　approached

the　bridge。　　A　very　hungry　dog　had　been　added　to　the　trio

of　children。　　Elnora　loved　all　dogs；　and　as　usual；　this　one

came　to　her　in　friendliness。　　The　children　said　〃Good　morning！〃

with　alacrity；　and　another　paper　parcel　layconspicuous。



〃How　are　you　this　morning？〃　inquired　Elnora。



〃All　right！〃　cried　the　three；　while　the　dog　sniffed　ravenously

at　the　lunch　box；　and　beat　a　perfect　tattoo　with　his　tail。



〃How　did　you　like　the　bologna？〃　questioned　Billy　eagerly。



〃One　of　the　girls　took　me　to　lunch　at　her　home　yesterday；〃

answered　Elnora。



Dawn　broke　beautifully　over　Billy's　streaked　face。　

He　caught　the　package　and　thrust　it　toward　Elnora。



〃Then　maybe　you'd　like　to　try　the　bologna　to…day！〃



The　dog　leaped　in　glad　apprehension　of　something；　and

Belle　scrambled　to　her　feet　and　took　a　step　forward。　

The　look　of　famished　greed　in　her　eyes　was　more　than　Elnora

could　endure。　　It　was　not　that　she　cared　for　the　food

so　much。　　Good　things　to　eat　had　been　in　abundance　all

her　life。　　She　wanted　with　this　lunch　to　try　to　absorb

what　she　felt　must　be　an　expression　of　some　sort　from　her

mother；　and　if　it　were　not　a　manifestation　of　love；　she

did　not　know　what　to　think　it。　　But　it　was　her　mother

who　had　said　〃be　generous。〃　　She　knelt　on　the　bridge。　

〃Keep　back　the　dog！〃　she　warned　the　elder　boy。



She　opened　the　box　and　divided　the　milk　between　Billy

and　the　girl。　　She　gave　each　a　piece　of　cake　leaving

one　and　a　sandwich。　　Billy　pressed　forward　eagerly；　bitter

disappointment　on　his　face；　and　the　elder　boy　forgot　his　charge。



〃Aw；　I　thought　they'd　be　meat！〃　lamented　Billy。



Elnora　could　not　endure　that。



〃There　is！〃　she　said　gladly。　　〃There　is　a　little　pigeon　bird。　

I　want　a　teeny　piece　of　the　breast；　for　a　sort　of　keepsake；

just　one　bite；　and　you　can　have　the　rest　among　you〃。



Elnora　drew　the　knife　from　its　holder　and　cut　off

the　wishbone。　　Then　she　held　the　bird　toward　the　girl。



〃You　can　divide　it；〃　she　said。　　The　dog　made　a　bound

and　seizing　the　squab　sprang　from　the　bridge　and　ran

for　life。　　The　girl　and　boy　hurried　after　him。　　With　awful

eyes　Billy　stared　and　swore　tempestuously。　　Elnora　caught

him　and　clapped　her　hand　over　the　little　mouth。　

A　delivery　wagon　came　tearing　down　the　street；　the　horse

running　full　speed；　passed　the　fleeing　dog　with　the　girl

and　boy　in　pursuit；　and　stopped　at　the　bridge。　　High　school

girls　began　to　roll　from　all　sides　of　it。



〃A　rescue！　　A　rescue！〃　they　shouted。



It　was　Ellen　Brownlee　and　her　crowd；　and　every　girl

of　them　carried　a　big　parcel。　　They　took　in　the　scene

as　they　approached。　　The　fleeing　dog　with　something

in　its　mouth；　the　half…naked　girl　and　boy　chasing　it　told

the　story。　　Those　girls　screamed　with　laughter　as　they

watched　the　pursuit。



〃Thank　goodness；　I　saved　the　wishbone！〃　said　Elnora。　

〃As　usual；　I　can　prove　that　there　was　a　bird。〃　

She　turned　toward　the　box。　　Billy　had　improved　the　time。　

He　had　the　last　piece　of　cake　in　one　hand；　and　the　last

bite　of　salad　disappeared　in　one　great　gulp。　　Then　the

girls　shouted　again。



〃Let's　have　a　sample　ourselves；〃　suggested　one。　　She　caught

up　the　box　and　handed　out　the　remaining　sandwich。　　Another　girl

divided　it　into　bites　each　little　over　an　inch　square；　and

then　she　lifted　the　cup　lid　and　deposited　a　preserved

strawberry　on　each　bite。　　〃One；　two；　three；　altogether　now！〃

she　cried。



〃You　old　mean　things！〃　screamed　Billy。



In　an　instant　he　was　down　in　the　road　and　handfuls　of　dust

began　to　fly　among　them。　　The　girls　scattered　before　him。



〃Billy！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃Billy！　　I'll　never　give　you

another　bite；　if　you　throw　dust　on　any　one！〃



Then　Billy　dropped　the　dust；　bored　both　fists　into　his

eyes；　and　fled　sobbing　into　Elnora's　new　blue　skirt。　

She　stooped　to　meet　him　and　consolation　began。　　Those　girls

laughed　on。　　They　screamed　and　shouted　until　the　little

bridge　shook。



〃To…morrow　might　as　well　be　a　clear　day；〃　said　Ellen；

passing　around　and　feeding　the　remaining　berries　to　the

girls　as　they　could　compose　themselves　enough　to　take　them。　

〃Billy；　I　admire　your　taste　more　than　your　temper。〃



Elnora　looked　up。　　〃The　little　soul　is　nothing　but　skin

and　bones；〃　she　said。　　〃I　never　was　really　hungry　myself；

were　any　of　you？〃



〃Wel