a girl of the limberlost- 第5部分

when　they　were　little；　but　they　had　yellow　hair；　dark　eyes

and　pink　cheeks；　and　everybody　thought　they　were　lovely。　

If　they　had　lived；　they'd　been　near　your　age　now；　and　I'd

want　them　to　look　like　you。〃



There　was　sympathy　on　every　girl　face。



〃Why　thank　you！〃　said　one　of　them。　　〃We　are　very

sorry　for　you。〃



〃Of　course　you　are；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃Everybody　always

has　been。　　And　because　I　can't　ever　have　the　joy　of

a　mother　in　thinking　for　my　girls　and　buying　pretty　things

for　them；　there　is　nothing　left　for　me；　but　to　do　what　I　can

for　some　one　who　has　no　mother　to　care　for　her。　　I　know

a　girl；　who　would　be　just　as　pretty　as　any　of　you；　if　she　had

the　clothes；　but　her　mother　does　not　think　about　her；　so　I

mother　her　some　myself。〃



〃She　must　be　a　lucky　girl；〃　said　another。



〃Oh；　she　loves　me；〃　said　Margaret；　〃and　I　love　her。　

I　want　her　to　look　just　like　you　do。　　Please　tell　me

about　your　clothes。　　Are　these　the　dresses　and　hats　you

wear　to　school？　　What　kind　of　goods　are　they；　and　where

do　you　buy　them？〃



The　girls　began　to　laugh　and　cluster　around　Margaret。　

Wesley　strode　down　the　store　with　his　head　high　through

pride　in　her；　but　his　heart　was　sore　over　the　memory　of　two

little　faces　under　Brushwood　sod。　　He　inquired　his　way　to

the　shoe　department。



〃Why；　every　one　of　us　have　on　gingham　or　linen

dresses；〃　they　said；　〃and　they　are　our　school　clothes。〃



For　a　few　moments　there　was　a　babel　of　laughing　voices

explaining　to　the　delighted　Margaret　that　school　dresses

should　be　bright　and　pretty；　but　simple　and　plain；　and

until　cold　weather　they　should　wash。



〃I'll　tell　you；〃　said　Ellen　Brownlee；　〃my　father　owns

this　store；　I　know　all　the　clerks。　　I'll　take　you　to　Miss

Hartley。　　You　tell　her　just　how　much　you　want　to　spend；

and　what　you　want　to　buy；　and　she　will　know　how　to　get

the　most　for　your　money。　　I've　heard　papa　say　she　was

the　best　clerk　in　the　store　for　people　who　didn't　know

precisely　what　they　wanted。〃



〃That's　the　very　thing；〃　agreed　Margaret。　　〃But　before

you　go；　tell　me　about　your　hair。　　Elnora's　hair　is

bright　and　wavy；　but　yours　is　silky　as　hackled　flax。　

How　do　you　do　it？〃



〃Elnora？〃　asked　four　girls　in　concert。



〃Yes；　Elnora　is　the　name　of　the　girl　I　want　these　things　for。〃



〃Did　she　come　to　the　high　school　to…day？〃　questioned

one　of　them。



〃Was　she　in　your　classes？〃　demanded　Margaret　without　reply。



Four　girls　stood　silent　and　thought　fast。　　Had　there

been　a　strange　girl　among　them；　and　had　she　been　overlooked

and　passed　by　with　indifference；　because　she　was　so

very　shabby？　　If　she　had　appeared　as　much　better　than

they；　as　she　had　looked　worse；　would　her　reception　have

been　the　same？



〃There　was　a　strange　girl　from　the　country　in　the　Freshman

class　to…day；〃　said　Ellen　Brownlee；　〃and　her　name　was　Elnora。〃



〃That　was　the　girl；〃　said　Margaret。



〃Are　her　people　so　very　poor？〃　questioned　Ellen。



〃No；　not　poor　at　all；　come　to　think　of　it；〃　answered　Margaret。　

〃It's　a　peculiar　case。　　Mrs。　Comstock　had　a　great　trouble

and　she　let　it　change　her　whole　life　and　make　a　different

woman　of　her。　　She　used　to　be　lovely；　now　she　is　forever

saving　and　scared　to　death　for　fear　they　will　go　to　the

poorhouse；　but　there　is　a　big　farm；　covered　with　lots

of　good　timber。　　The　taxes　are　high　for　women　who　can't

manage　to　clear　and　work　the　land。　　There　ought　to　be

enough　to　keep　two　of　them　in　good　shape　all　their　lives；

if　they　only　knew　how　to　do　it。　　But　no　one　ever　told

Kate　Comstock　anything；　and　never　will；　for　she　won't　listen。　

All　she　does　is　droop　all　day；　and　walk　the　edge　of　the

swamp　half　the　night；　and　neglect　Elnora。　　If　you　girls

would　make　life　just　a　little　easier　for　her　it　would

be　the　finest　thing　you　ever　did。〃



All　of　them　promised　they　would。



〃Now　tell　me　about　your　hair；〃　persisted　Margaret　Sinton。



So　they　took　her　to　a　toilet　counter；　and　she　bought　the

proper　hair　soap；　also　a　nail　file；　and　cold　cream；　for　use

after　windy　days。　　Then　they　left　her　with　the　experienced

clerk；　and　when　at　last　Wesley　found　her　she　was　loaded　with

bundles　and　the　light　of　other　days　was　in　her　beautiful　eyes。　

Wesley　also　carried　some　packages。



〃Did　you　get　any　stockings？〃　he　whispered。



〃No；　I　didn't；〃　she　said。　　〃I　was　so　interested　in　dresses

and　hair　ribbons　and　aa　hat〃　she　hesitated　and

glanced　at　Wesley。　　〃Of　course；　a　hat！〃　prompted

Wesley。　　〃That　I　forgot　all　about　those　horrible　shoes。　

She's　got　to　have　decent　shoes；　Wesley。〃



〃Sure！〃　said　Wesley。　　〃She's　got　decent　shoes。　　But

the　man　said　some　brown　stockings　ought　to　go　with　them。　

Take　a　peep；　will　you！〃



Wesley　opened　a　box　and　displayed　a　pair　of　thick…

soled；　beautifully　shaped　brown　walking　shoes　of　low

cut。　　Margaret　cried　out　with　pleasure。



〃But　do　you　suppose　they　are　the　right　size；　Wesley？

What　did　you　get？〃



〃I　just　said　for　a　girl　of　sixteen　with　a　slender　foot。〃



〃Well；　that's　about　as　near　as　I　could　come。　　If　they

don't　fit　when　she　tries　them；　we　will　drive　straight　in

and　change　them。　　Come　on　now；　let's　get　home。〃



All　the　way　they　discussed　how　they　should　give　Elnora

their　purchases　and　what　Mrs。　Comstock　would　say。



〃I　am　afraid　she　will　be　awful　mad；〃　said　Margaret。



〃She'll　just　rip！〃　replied　Wesley　graphically。　　〃But　if

she　wants　to　leave　the　raising　of　her　girl　to　the　neighbours；

she　needn't　get　fractious　if　they　take　some　pride　in　doing

a　good　job。　　From　now　on　I　calculate　Elnora　shall　go

to　school；　and　she　shall　have　all　the　clothes　and　books

she　needs；　if　I　go　around　on　the　back　of　Kate　Comstock's

land　and　cut　a　tree；　or　drive　off　a　calf　to　pay　for　them。　

Why　I　know　one　tree　she　owns　that　would　put　Elnora　in

heaven　for　a　year。　　Just　think　of　it；　Margaret！　　It's　not

fair。　　One…third　of　what　is　there　belongs　to　Elnora　by

law；　and　if　Kate　Comstock　raises　a　row　I'll　tell　her　so；

and　see　that　the　girl　gets　it。　　You　go　to　see　Kate　in　the

morning；　and　I'll　go　with　you。　　Tell　her　you　want　Elnora's

pattern；　that　you　are　going　to　make　her　a　dress；　for

helping　us。　　And　sort　of　hint　at　a　few　more　things。　

If　Kate　balks；　I'll　take　a　hand　and　settle　her。　　I'll　go

to　law　for　Elnora's　share　of　that　land　and　sell　enough　to

educate　her。〃



〃Why；　Wesley　Sinton；　you're　perfectly　wild。〃



〃I'm　not！　　Did　you　ever　stop　to　think　that　such　cases　are

so　frequent　there　have　been　laws　made　to　provide　for　them？　

I　can　bring　it　up　in　court　and　force　Kate　to　educate

Elnora；　and　board　and　clothe　her　till　she's　of　age；

and　then　she　can　take　her　share。〃



〃Wesley；　Kate　would　go　crazy！〃



〃She's　crazy　now。　　The　idea　of　any　mother　living　with　as

sweet　a　girl　as　Elnora。　and　letting　her　suffer　till　I　find

her　crying　like　a　funeral。　　It　makes　me　fighting　mad。　

All　uncalled　for。　　Not　a　grain　of　sense　in　it。　　I've　offered

and　offered　to　oversee　clearing　her　land　and　working

her　fields。　　Let　her　sell　a　good　tree；　or　a　few　acres。　

Something　is　going　to　be　done；　right　now。　　Elnora's　been

fairly　happy　up　to　this；　but　to　spoil　the　school　life　she's

planned；　is　to　ruin　all　her　life。　　I　won't　have　it！　If　Elnora

won't　take　these　things；　so　help　me；　I'll　tell　her

what　she　is　worth；　and　loan　her　the　money　and　she　can

pay　me　back　when　she　comes　of　age。　　I　am　going　to　have

it　out　with　Kate　Comstock　in　the　morning。　　Here　we　are！　

You　open　up　what　you　got　while　I　put　away　the　horses；

and　then　I'll　show　you。〃



When　Wesley　came　from　the　barn　Margaret　had　four

pieces　of　crisp　gingham；　a　pale　blue；　a　pink；　a　gray　with

green　stripes　and　a　rich　brown　and　blue　plaid。　　On　each

of　them　lay　a　yard　and　a　half　of　wide　ribbon　to　match。　

There　were　handkerchiefs　and　a　brown　leather　belt。　　In　her

hands　she　held　a　wide…brimmed　tan　straw　hat；　having　a

high　crown　banded　with　velvet　strips　each　of　which　fastened

with　a　tiny　gold　buckle。



〃It　looks　kind　of　bare　now；〃　she　explained。　　〃It　had

three　quills　on　it　here。〃



〃Did　you　have　them　taken　off？〃　asked　Wesley。



〃Yes；　I　did。　　The　price　was　two　and　a　half　for　the

hat；　and　those　things　were　a　dollar　and　a　half　apiece。　

I　couldn't　pay　that。〃



〃It　does　seem　considerable；〃　admitted　Wesley；　〃but

will　it　look　right　without　them？〃



〃No；　it　won't！〃　said　Margaret。　　〃It's　going　to　have

quills　on　it。　　Do　you　remember　those　beautiful　peacock

wing　feathers　that　Phoebe　Simms　gave　me？　　Three　of

them　go　on　just　where　those　came　off；　and　nobody　will

ever　know　the　difference。　　They　match　the　hat　to　a

moral；　and　they　are　just　a　little　longer　and　richer　than

the　ones　that　I　had　taken　off。　　I　was　wondering　whether

I　better　sew　them　on　to…night　while　I　remember　how　they

set；　or　wait　till　morning。〃



〃Don't　risk　it！〃　exclaimed　Wesley　anxiously。　　〃Don't　you

risk　it！　　Sew　them　on　right　now！〃



〃Open　your　bundles；　while　I　get　the　thread；〃　said　Margaret。



Wesley　unwrapped　the　shoes。　　Margaret　took　them　up

and　pinched　the　leather　and　stroked　them。



〃My；　but　they　are　fine！〃　she　cried。



Wesley　picked　up　one　and　slowly　turned　it　in　his　big　hands。　

He　glanced　at　his　foot　and　back　to　the　shoe。



〃It's　a　little　bit　of　a　thing；　Margaret；〃　he　said　softly。　

〃Like　as　not　I'll　have　to　take　it　back。　　It　seems　as　if　it

couldn't　fit。〃



〃It　seems　as　if　it　didn't　dare　do　anything　else；〃　said　Margaret。　

〃That's　a　happy　little　shoe　to　get　the　chance　to　carry　as

fine　a　girl　as　Elnora　to　high　school。　　Now　what's　in　the

other　box？〃



Wesley　looked　at　Margaret　doubtfully。



〃Why；〃　he　said；　〃you　know　there's　going　to　be　rainy

days；　and　those　things　she　has　now　ain't　fit　for　anything

but　to　drive　up　the　cows〃



〃Wesley；　did　you　get　high　shoes；　too？〃



〃Well；　she　ought　to　have　them！　　The　man　said　he

would　make　them　cheaper　if　I　took　both　pairs　at　once。〃



Margaret　laughed　aloud。　　〃Those　will　do　her　past

Christmas；〃　she　e