a girl of the limberlost- 第53部分

Being　in　a　circle　of　her　best　friends；　which　to　her　meant

her　keenest　rivals　and　harshest　critics；　she　grew　rigid

with　anger。　　Her　breath　hurt　her　paining　chest。　　No　one

thought　to　speak　to　the　musicians；　and　seeing　the　floor

filled；　they　began　the　waltz。　　Only　part　of　the　guests

could　see　what　had　happened；　and　at　once　the　others

formed　and　commenced　to　dance。　　Gay　couples　came

whirling　past　her。



Edith　Carr　grew　very　white　as　she　stood　alone。　　Her　lips

turned　pale；　while　her　dark　eyes　flamed　with　anger。　

She　stood　perfectly　still　where　Philip　had　left　her；　and

the　approaching　men　guided　their　partners　around　her；

while　the　girls；　looking　back；　could　be　seen　making

exclamations　of　surprise。



The　idolized　only　daughter　of　the　Carr　family　hoped　that

she　would　drop　dead　from　mortification；　but　nothing　happened。　

She　was　too　perverse　to　step　aside　and　say　that　she　was

waiting　for　Philip。　　Then　came　Tom　Levering　dancing　with

Polly　Ammon。　　Being　in　the　scales　with　the　Ammon　family；

Tom　scented　trouble　from　afar；　so　he　whispered　to　Polly：　

〃Edith　is　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　and　she's

awful　mad　about　something。〃



〃That　won't　hurt　her；〃　laughed　Polly。　　〃It's　an　old

pose　of　hers。　　She　knows　she　looks　superb　when　she　is

angry；　so　she　keeps　herself　furious　half　the　time　on　purpose。〃



〃She　looks　like　the　mischief！〃　answered　Tom。　　〃Hadn't　we

better　steer　over　and　wait　with　her？　　She's　the　ugliest

sight　I　ever　saw！〃



〃Why；　Tom！〃　cried　Polly。　　〃Stop；　quickly！〃



They　hurried　to　Edith。



〃Come　dear；〃　said　Polly。　　〃We　are　going　to　wait

with　you　until　Phil　returns。　　Let's　go　after　a　drink。　

I　am　so　thirsty！〃



〃Yes；　do！〃　begged　Tom；　offering　his　arm。　　〃Let's　get

out　of　here　until　Phil　comes。〃



There　was　the　opportunity　to　laugh　and　walk　away；　but

Edith　Carr　would　not　accept　it。



〃My　betrothed　left　me　here；〃　she　said。　　〃Here　I　shall

remain　until　he　returns　for　me；　and　thenhe　will　be　my

betrothed　no　longer！〃



Polly　grasped　Edith's　arm。



〃Oh；　Edith！〃　she　implored。　　〃Don't　make　a　scene　here；

and　to…night。　　Edith；　this　has　been　the　loveliest

dance　ever　given　at　the　club　house。　　Every　one　is　saying　so。　

Edith！　　Darling；　do　come！　　Phil　will　be　back　in　a　second。　

He　can　explain！　　It's　only　a　breath　since　I　saw　him　go　out。　

I　thought　he　had　returned。〃



As　Polly　panted　these　disjointed　ejaculations；　Tom

Levering　began　to　grow　angry　on　her　account。



〃He　has　been　gone　just　long　enough　to　show　every

one　of　his　guests　that　he　will　leave　me　standing　alone；

like　a　neglected　fool；　for　any　passing　whim　of　his。　

Explain！　　His　explanation　would　sound　well！　　Do　you　know

for　whom　he　caught　that　moth？　　It　is　being　sent　to　a　girl

he　flirted　with　all　last　summer。　　It　has　just　occurred　to　me

that　the　dress　I　am　wearing　is　her　suggestion。　　Let　him

try　to　explain！〃



Speech　unloosed　the　fountain。　　She　stripped　off　her

gloves　to　free　her　hands。　　At　that　instant　the　dancers

parted　to　admit　Philip。　　Instinctively　they　stopped　as

they　approached　and　with　wondering　faces　walled　in

Edith　and　Philip；　Polly　and　Tom。



〃Mighty　good　of　you　to　wait！〃　cried　Philip；　his　face

showing　his　delight　over　his　success　in　capturing　the

Yellow　Emperor。　　〃I　thought　when　I　heard　the　music

you　were　going　on。〃



〃How　did　you　think　I　was　going　on？〃　demanded　Edith

Carr　in　frigid　tones。



〃I　thought　you　would　step　aside　and　wait　a　few　seconds

for　me；　or　dance　with　Henderson。　　It　was　most　important

to　have　that　moth。　　It　completes　a　valuable　collection　for

a　person　who　needs　the　money。　　Come！〃



He　held　out　his　arms。



〃I　‘step　aside'　for　no　one！〃　stormed　Edith　Carr。　

〃I　await　no　other　girl's　pleasure！　　You　may　‘complete

the　collection'　with　that！〃



She　drew　her　engagement　ring　from　her　finger　and

reached　to　place　it　on　one　of　Philip's　outstretched　hands。　

He　saw　and　drew　back。　　Instantly　Edith　dropped　the　ring。　

As　it　fell；　almost　instinctively　Philip　caught　it　in　air。　

With　amazed　face　he　looked　closely　at　Edith　Carr。　

Her　distorted　features　were　scarcely　recognizable。　

He　held　the　ring　toward　her。



〃Edith；　for　the　love　of　mercy；　wait　until　I　can　explain；〃

he　begged。　　〃Put　on　your　ring　and　let　me　tell　you　how　it　is。〃



〃I　know　perfectly　‘how　it　is；'〃　she　answered。　　〃I　never

shall　wear　that　ring　again。〃



〃You　won't　even　hear　what　I　have　to　say？　　You　won't

take　back　your　ring？〃　he　cried。



〃Never！　　Your　conduct　is　infamous！〃



〃Come　to　think　of　it；〃　said　Philip　deliberately；　〃it　is

‘infamous'　to　cut　a　girl；　who　has　danced　all　her　life；　out　of

a　few　measures　of　a　waltz。　　As　for　asking　forgiveness　for　so

black　a　sin　as　picking　up　a　moth；　and　starting　it　to　a　friend

who　lives　by　collecting　them；　I　don't　see　how　I　could！　

I　have　not　been　gone　three　minutes　by　the　clock；　Edith。　

Put　on　your　ring　and　finish　the　dance　like　a　dear　girl。〃



He　thrust　the　glittering　ruby　into　her　fingers　and　again

held　out　his　arms。　　She　dropped　the　ring；　and　it　rolled　some

distance　from　them。　　Hart　Henderson　followed　its　shining

course；　and　caught　it　before　it　was　lost。



〃You　really　mean　it？〃　demanded　Philip　in　a　voice　as

cold　as　hers　ever　had　been。



〃You　know　I　mean　it！〃　cried　Edith　Carr。



〃I　accept　your　decision　in　the　presence　of　these

witnesses；〃　said　Philip　Ammon。　　〃Where　is　my　father？〃　

The　elder　Ammon　with　a　distressed　face　hurried　to　him。　

〃Father；　take　my　place；〃　said　Philip。　　〃Excuse　me　to

my　guests。　　Ask　all　my　friends　to　forgive　me。　　I　am

going　away　for　awhile。〃



He　turned　and　walked　from　the　pavilion。　　As　he　went

Hart　Henderson　rushed　to　Edith　Carr　and　forced　the　ring

into　her　fingers。　　〃Edith；　quick。　　Come；　quick！〃　he　implored。　

〃There's　just　time　to　catch　him。　　If　you　let　him　go　that　way；

he　never　will　return　in　this　world。　　Remember　what　I　told　you。〃



〃Great　prophet！　aren't　you；　Hart？〃　she　sneered。　

〃Who　wants　him　to　return？　　If　that　ring　is　thrust　upon

me　again　I　shall　fling　it　into　the　lake。　　Signal　the

musicians　to　begin；　and　dance　with　me。〃



Henderson　put　the　ring　into　his　pocket；　and　began　the　dance。　

He　could　feel　the　muscular　spasms　of　the　girl　in　his　arms；

her　face　was　cold　and　hard；　but　her　breath　burned　with

the　scorch　of　fever。　　She　finished　the　dance　and　all

others；　taking　Phil's　numbers　with　Henderson；　who　had

arrived　too　late　to　arrange　a　programme。　　She　left　with

the　others；　merely　inclining　her　head　as　she　passed

Ammon's　father　taking　his　place；　and　entered　the　big　touring

car　for　which　Henderson　had　telephoned。　　She　sank　limply

into　a　seat　and　moaned　softly。



〃Shall　I　drive　awhile　in　the　night　air？〃　asked　Henderson。



She　nodded。　　He　instructed　the　chauffeur。



She　raised　her　head　in　a　few　seconds。　　〃Hart；　I'm　going

to　pieces；〃　she　said。　　〃Won't　you　put　your　arm　around　me

a　little　while？〃



Henderson　gathered　her　into　his　arms　and　her　head　fell

on　his　shoulder。　　〃Closer！〃　she　cried。



Henderson　held　her　until　his　arms　were　numb；　but　he

did　not　know　it。　　The　tricks　of　fate　are　cruel　enough；　but

there　scarcely　could　have　been　a　worse　one　than　that：　

To　care　for　a　woman　as　he　loved　Edith　Carr　and　have　her

given　into　his　arms　because　she　was　so　numb　with　misery

over　her　trouble　with　another　man　that　she　did　not　know　or

care　what　she　did。　　Dawn　was　streaking　the　east　when　he

spoke　to　her。



〃Edith；　it　is　growing　light。〃



〃Take　me　home；〃　she　said。



Henderson　helped　her　up　the　steps　and　rang　the　bell。



〃Miss　Carr　is　ill；〃　he　said　to　the　footman。　　〃Arouse　her

maid　instantly；　and　have　her　prepare　something　hot　as

quickly　as　possible。〃



〃Edith；〃　he　cried；　〃just　a　word。　　I　have　been　thinking。　

It　isn't　too　late　yet。　　Take　your　ring　and　put　it　on。

I　will　go　find　Phil　at　once　and　tell　him　you　have；　that

you　are　expecting　him；　and　he　will　come。〃



〃Think　what　he　said！〃　she　cried。　　〃He　accepted　my　decision

as　final；　‘in　the　presence　of　witnesses；'　as　if　it　were　court。　　

He　can　return　it　to　me；　if　I　ever　wear　it　again。〃



〃You　think　that　now；　but　in　a　few　days　you　will　find

that　you　feel　very　differently。　　Living　a　life　of　heartache

is　no　joke；　and　no　job　for　a　woman。　　Put　on　your　ring　and

send　me　to　tell　him　to　come。〃



〃No。〃



〃Edith；　there　was　not　a　soul　who　saw　that；　but　sympathized

with　Phil。　　It　was　ridiculous　for　you　to　get　so　angry　over

a　thing　which　was　never　intended　for　the　slightest　offence；

and　by　no　logical　reasoning　could　have　been　so　considered。〃



〃Do　you　think　that？〃　she　demanded。



〃I　do！〃　said　Henderson。　　〃If　you　had　laughed　and　stepped

aside　an　instant；　or　laughed　and　stayed　where　you　were；

Phil　would　have　been　back；　or；　if　he　needed　punishment

in　your　eyes；　to　have　found　me　having　one　of　his　dances

would　have　been　enough。　　I　was　waiting。　　You　could　have

called　me　with　one　look。　　But　to　publicly　do　and　say

what　you　did；　my　ladyI　know　Phil；　and　I　know　you

went　too　far。　　Put　on　that　ring；　and　send　him　word

you　are　sorry；　before　it　is　too　late。〃



〃I　will　not！　　He　shall　come　to　me。〃



〃Then　God　help　you！〃　said　Henderson；　〃for　you　are

plunging　into　misery　whose　depth　you　do　not　dream。　

Edith；　I　beg　of　you〃



She　swayed　where　she　stood。　　Her　maid　opened　the　door

and　caught　her。　　Henderson　went　down　the　hall　and　out

to　his　car。









CHAPTER　XX





WHEREIN　THE　ELDER　AMMON　OFFERS　ADVICE；

AND　EDITH　CARR　EXPERIENCES　REGRETS





Philip　Ammon　walked　from　among　his　friends　a

humiliated　and　a　wounded　man。　　Never　before　had

Edith　Carr　appeared　quite　so　beautiful。　　All　evening

she　had　treated　him　with　unusual　consideration。　

Never　had　he　loved　her　so　deeply。　　Then　in　a　few　seconds

everything　was　different。　　Seeing　the　change　in　her　face；

and　hearing　her　meaningless　accusations；　killed　something

in　his　heart。　　Warmth　went　out　and　a　cold　weight　took

its　place。　　But　even　after　that；　he　had