a girl of the limberlost- 第26部分

in　despair。



〃Aw　go　on！〃　he　said　gruffly；　but　his　chin　was　jumping；

for　Wesley　was　his　idol。



〃Can't　do　it；〃　said　Wesley。　　〃It　would　choke　me。〃



Billy　turned　to　Margaret。　　〃You　make　him；〃　he　appealed。



〃He　can't；　Billy；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃I　know　how　he　feels。　

You　see；　I　can't　myself。〃



Then　Billy　slid　from　his　chair；　ran　to　the　couch；　buried　his

face　in　the　pillow　and　cried　heart…brokenly。　　Wesley　hurried

to　the　barn；　and　Margaret　to　the　kitchen。　　When　the　dishes

were　washed　Billy　slipped　from　the　back　door。



Wesley　piling　hay　into　the　mangers　heard　a　sound　behind　him

and　inquired；　〃That　you；　Billy？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　Billy；　〃and　it's　all　so　dark　you　can't

see　me　now；　isn't　it？〃



〃Well；　mighty　near；〃　answered　Wesley。



〃Then　you　stoop　down　and　open　your　mouth。〃



Sinton　had　shared　bites　of　apple　and　nuts　for　weeks；　for

Billy　had　not　learned　how　to　eat　anything　without　dividing

with　Jimmy　and　Belle。　　Since　he　had　been　separated

from　them；　he　shared　with　Wesley　and　Margaret。　　So　he

bent　over　the　boy　and　received　an　instalment　of　cooky

that　almost　choked　him。



〃Now　you　can　eat　it！〃　shouted　Billy　in　delight。　

〃It's　all　dark！　　I　can't　see　what　you're　doing　at　all！〃



Wesley　picked　up　the　small　figure　and　set　the　boy　on　the

back　of　a　horse　to　bring　his　face　level　so　that　they　could

talk　as　men。　　He　never　towered　from　his　height　above

Billy；　but　always　lifted　the　little　soul　when　important

matters　were　to　be　discussed。



〃Now　what　a　dandy　scheme；〃　he　commented。　　〃Did　you

and　Aunt　Margaret　fix　it　up？〃



〃No。　　She　ain't　had　hers　yet。　　But　I　got　one　for　her。　

Ist　as　soon　as　you　eat　yours；　I　am　going　to　take　hers；　and

feed　her　first　time　I　find　her　in　the　dark。〃



〃But　Billy；　where　did　you　get　the　cookies？　　You　know

Aunt　Margaret　said　you　were　not　to　have　any。〃



〃I　ist　took　them；〃　said　Billy；　〃I　didn't　take　them　for　me。　

I　ist　took　them　for　you　and　her。〃



Wesley　thought　fast。　　In　the　warm　darkness　of　the　barn

the　horses　crunched　their　corn；　a　rat　gnawed　at　a　corner　of

the　granary；　and　among　the　rafters　the　white　pigeon　cooed

a　soft　sleepy　note　to　his　dusky　mate。



〃DiddidI　steal？〃　wavered　Billy。



Wesley's　big　hands　closed　until　he　almost　hurt　the　boy。



〃No！〃　he　said　vehemently。　　〃That　is　too　big　a　word。　

You　made　a　mistake。　　You　were　trying　to　be　a　fine

little　man；　but　you　went　at　it　the　wrong　way。　　You　only

made　a　mistake。　　All　of　us　do　that；　Billy。　　The　world

grows　that　way。　　When　we　make　mistakes　we　can　see　them；

that　teaches　us　to　be　more　careful　the　next　time；　and

so　we　learn。〃



〃How　wouldn't　it　be　a　mistake？〃



〃If　you　had　told　Aunt　Margaret　what　you　wanted　to　do；　and

asked　her　for　the　cookies　she　would　have　given　them　to　you。〃



〃But　I　was　'fraid　she　wouldn't；　and　you　ist　had　to　have　it。〃



〃Not　if　it　was　wrong　for　me　to　have　it；　Billy。　　I　don't

want　it　that　much。〃



〃Must　I　take　it　back？〃



〃You　think　hard；　and　decide　yourself。〃



〃Lift　me　down；〃　said　Billy；　after　a　silence；　〃I　got

to　put　this　in　the　jar；　and　tell　her。〃



Wesley　set　the　boy　on　the　floor；　but　as　he　did　so　he

paused　one　second　and　strained　him　close　to　his　breast。



Margaret　sat　in　her　chair　sewing；　Billy　slipped　in　and

crept　beside　her。　　The　little　face　was　lined　with　tragedy。



〃Why　Billy；　whatever　is　the　matter？〃　she　cried　as　she

dropped　her　sewing　and　held　out　her　arms。　　Billy　stood　back。　

He　gripped　his　little　fists　tight　and　squared　his　shoulders。　

〃I　got　to　be　shut　up　in　the　closet；〃　he　said。



〃Oh　Billy！　　What　an　unlucky　day！　　What　have　you

done　now？〃



〃I　stold！〃　gulped　Billy。　　〃He　said　it　was　ist　a　mistake；

but　it　was　worser　'an　that。　　I　took　something　you　told

me　I　wasn't　to　have。〃



〃Stole！〃　Margaret　was　in　despair。　　〃What；　Billy？〃



〃Cookies！〃　answered　Billy　in　equal　trouble。



〃Billy！〃　wailed　Margaret。　　〃How　could　you？〃



〃It　was　for　him　and　you；〃　sobbed　Billy。　　〃He　said

he　couldn't　eat　it　'fore　me；　but　out　in　the　barn　it's　all

dark　and　I　couldn't　see。　　I　thought　maybe　he　could　there。　

Then　we　might　put　out　the　light　and　you　could　have　yours。　

He　said　I　only　made　it　worse；　cos　I　mustn't　take　things；

so　I　got　to　go　in　the　closet。　　Will　you　hold　me　tight　a

little　bit　first？　　He　did。〃



Margaret　opened　her　arms　and　Billy　rushed　in　and　clung

to　her　a　few　seconds；　with　all　the　force　of　his　being；

then　he　slipped　to　the　floor　and　marched　to　the　closet。　

Margaret　opened　the　door。　　Billy　gave　one　glance　at

the　light；　clinched　his　fists　and；　walking　inside；　climbed

on　a　box。　　Margaret　closed　the　door。



Then　she　sat　and　listened。　　Was　the　air　pure　enough？　

Possibly　he　might　smother。　　She　had　read　something　once。　

Was　it　very　dark？　　What　if　there　should　be　a　mouse　in

the　closet　and　it　should　run　across　his　foot　and

frighten　him　into　spasms。　　Somewhere　she　had　heard

Margaret　leaned　forward　with　tense　face　and　listened。　

Something　dreadful　might　happen。　　She　could　bear　it

no　longer。　　She　arose　hurriedly　and　opened　the　door。　

Billy　was　drawn　up　on　the　box　in　a　little　heap；　and　he

lifted　a　disapproving　face　to　her。



〃Shut　that　door！〃　he　said。　　〃I　ain't　been　in　here　near

long　enough　yet！〃









CHAPTER　X





WHEREIN　ELNORA　HAS　MORE　FINANCIAL　TROUBLES；

AND　MRS。　COMSTOCK　AGAIN　HEARS　THE　SONG　OF　THE　LIMBERLOST





The　following　night　Elnora　hurried　to　Sintons'。

She　threw　open　the　back　door　and　with　anxious

eyes　searched　Margaret's　face。



〃You　got　it！〃　panted　Elnora。　　〃You　got　it！　　I　can

see　by　your　face　that　you　did。　　Oh；　give　it　to　me！〃



〃Yes；　I　got　it；　honey；　I　got　it　all　right；　but　don't　be

so　fast。　　It　had　been　kept　in　such　a　damp　place　it　needed

glueing；　it　had　to　have　strings；　and　a　key　was　gone。　

I　knew　how　much　you　wanted　it；　so　I　sent　Wesley　right

to　town　with　it。　　They　said　they　could　fix　it　good　as

new；　but　it　should　be　varnished；　and　that　it　would　take

several　days　for　the　glue　to　set。　　You　can　have　it　Saturday。〃



〃You　found　it　where　you　thought　it　was？　　You　know

it's　his？〃



〃Yes；　it　was　just　where　I　thought；　and　it's　the　same

violin　I've　seen　him　play　hundreds　of　times。　　It's　all

right；　only　laying　so　long　it　needs　fixing。〃



〃Oh　Aunt　Margaret！　　Can　I　ever　wait？〃



〃It　does　seem　a　long　time；　but　how　could　I　help　it？　

You　couldn't　do　anything　with　it　as　it　was。　　You　see；

it　had　been　hidden　away　in　a　garret；　and　it　needed　cleaning

and　drying　to　make　it　fit　to　play　again。　　You　can

have　it　Saturday　sure。　　But　Elnora；　you've　got　to　promise

me　that　you　will　leave　it　here；　or　in　town；　and　not　let

your　mother　get　a　hint　of　it。　　I　don't　know　what　she'd　do。〃



〃Uncle　Wesley　can　bring　it　here　until　Monday。　　Then　I　will

take　it　to　school　so　that　I　can　practise　at　noon。　　Oh；　I

don't　know　how　to　thank　you。　　And　there's　more　than　the

violin　for　which　to　be　thankful。　　You've　given　me　my　father。　

Last　night　I　saw　him　plainly　as　life。〃



〃Elnora　you　were　dreaming！〃



〃I　know　I　was　dreaming；　but　I　saw　him。　　I　saw　him　so

closely　that　a　tiny　white　scar　at　the　corner　of　his

eyebrow　showed。　　I　was　just　reaching　out　to　touch　him

when　he　disappeared。〃



〃Who　told　you　there　was　a　scar　on　his　forehead？〃



〃No　one　ever　did　in　all　my　life。　　I　saw　it　last　night

as　he　went　down。　　And　oh；　Aunt　Margaret！　　I　saw　what

she　did；　and　I　heard　his　cries！　　No　matter　what　she　does；

I　don't　believe　I　ever　can　be　angry　with　her　again。　　Her　heart

is　broken；　and　she　can't　help　it。　　Oh；　it　was　terrible；

but　I　am　glad　I　saw　it。　　Now；　I　will　always　understand。〃



〃I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　that；〃　said　Margaret。　

I　don't　believe　in　such　stuff　at　all；　but　you　couldn't　make

it　up；　for　you　didn't　know。〃



〃I　only　know　that　I　played　the　violin　last　night；　as

he　played　it；　and　while　I　played　he　came　through　the

woods　from　the　direction　of　Carneys'。　　It　was　summer

and　all　the　flowers　were　in　bloom。　　He　wore　gray

trousers　and　a　blue　shirt；　his　head　was　bare；　and　his

face　was　beautiful。　　I　could　almost　touch　him　when　he　sank。〃



Margaret　stood　perplexed。　　〃I　don't　know　what　to

think　of　that！〃　she　ejaculated。　　〃I　was　next　to　the　last

person　who　saw　him　before　he　was　drowned。　　It　was　late

on　a　June　afternoon；　and　he　was　dressed　as　you　describe。　

He　was　bareheaded　because　he　had　found　a　quail's　nest

before　the　bird　began　to　brood；　and　he　gathered　the　eggs

in　his　hat　and　left　it　in　a　fence　corner　to　get　on　his　way

home；　they　found　it　afterward。〃



〃Was　he　coming　from　Carneys'？〃



〃He　was　on　that　side　of　the　quagmire。　　Why　he　ever　skirted

it　so　close　as　to　get　caught　is　a　mystery　you　will　have　to

dream　out。　　I　never　could　understand　it。〃



〃Was　he　doing　something　he　didn't　want　my　mother　to　know？〃



〃Why？〃



〃Because　if　he　had　been；　he　might　have　cut　close　the

swamp　so　he　couldn't　be　seen　from　the　garden。　　You　know；

the　whole　path　straight　to　the　pool　where　he　sank　can　be

seen　from　our　back　door。　　It's　firm　on　our　side。　

The　danger　is　on　the　north　and　east。　　If　he　didn't　want

mother　to　know；　he　might　have　tried　to　pass　on　either　of

those　sides　and　gone　too　close。　　Was　he　in　a　hurry？〃



〃Yes；　he　was；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃He　had　been　away

longer　than　he　expected；　and　he　almost　ran　when　he

started　home。〃



〃And　he'd　left　his　violin　somewhere　that　you　knew；　and

you　went　and　got　it。　　I'll　wager　he　was　going　to　play；

and　didn't　want　mother　to　find　it　out！〃



〃It　wouldn't　make　any　difference　to　you　if　you　knew

every　little　thing；　so　quit　thinking　about　it；　and　just　be

glad　you　are　to　have　what　he　loved　best　of　anything。〃

〃That's　true。　　Now　I　must　hurry　home。　　I　am　dreadfully　late。〃



Elnora　sprang　up　and　ran　down　the　road；　but　when

she　approached　the　cabin　she　climbed　the　fence；　crossed

the　open　woods　pasture　diagonally　and　entered　at　the

back　garden　gate。　　As　she　often　came　that　way　when　she

had　been　looking　for　coc