a girl of the limberlost- 第59部分

Philip　a　few　hours；　and　urged　that　Polly　and　Tom　accompany　them。　

Mrs。　Ammon　knew　that　her　husband　would　disapprove　of　the　trip；

but　it　was　easy　to　see　that　Edith　Carr　had　determined　on　going。　

So　the　mother　thought　it　better　to　have　Polly　along　to　support

Philip　than　to　allow　him　to　confront　Edith　unexpectedly　and　alone。　

Polly　was　full　of　spirit。　　She　did　not　relish　the　thought　of

Edith　as　a　sister。　　Always　they　had　been　in　the　same　set；

always　Edith；　because　of　greater　beauty　and　wealth；

had　patronized　Polly。　　Although　it　had　rankled；　she　had　borne

it　sweetly。　　But　two　days　before；　her　father　had　extracted

a　promise　of　secrecy；　given　her　Philip's　address　and　told　her

to　send　him　the　finest　emerald　ring　she　could　select。　

Polly　knew　how　that　ring　would　be　used。　　What　she　did　not　know

was　that　the　girl　who　accompanied　her　went　back　to　the　store

afterward；　made　an　excuse　to　the　clerk　that　she　had　been　sent

to　be　absolutely　sure　that　the　address　was　right；　and　so　secured

it　for　Edith　Carr。



Two　days　later　Edith　had　induced　Hart　Henderson　to　take

her　to　Onabasha。　　By　the　aid　of　maps　they　located　the

Comstock　land　and　passed　it；　merely　to　see　the　place。　

Henderson　hated　that　trip；　and　implored　Edith　not　to　take

it；　but　she　made　no　effort　to　conceal　from　him　what　she

suffered；　and　it　was　more　than　he　could　endure。　　He　pointed

out　that　Philip　had　gone　away　without　leaving　an　address；

because　he　did　not　wish　to　see　her；　or　any　of　them。　

But　Edith　was　so　sure　of　her　power；　she　felt　certain　Philip

needed　only　to　see　her　to　succumb　to　her　beauty　as　he　always

had　done；　while　now　she　was　ready　to　plead　for　forgiveness。　

So　they　came　down　the　Brushwood　road；　and　Henderson　had　just

said　to　Edith　beside　him：　　〃This　should　be　the　Comstock　land

on　our　left。〃



A　minute　later　the　wood　ended；　while　the　sunlight；

as　always　pitiless；　etched　with　distinctness　the　scene　at

the　west　end　of　the　cabin。　　Instinctively；　to　save　Edith；

Henderson　set　the　horn　blowing。　　He　had　thought　to　drive　to

the　city；　but　Polly　Ammon　arose　crying：　　〃Phil！　　Phil！〃

Tom　Levering　was　on　his　feet　shouting　and　waving；　while

Edith　in　her　most　imperial　manner　ordered　him　to　turn

into　the　lane　leading　through　the　woods　beside　the　cabin。



〃Find　some　way　for　me　to　have　a　minute　alone　with　her；〃

she　commanded　as　he　stopped　the　car。



〃That　is　my　sister　Polly；　her　fiance　Tom　Levering；　a

friend　of　mine　named　Henderson；　and〃　began　Philip；



〃and　Edith　Carr；〃　volunteered　Elnora。



〃And　Edith　Carr；〃　repeated　Philip　Ammon。　　〃Elnora；　be

brave；　for　my　sake。　　Their　coming　can　make　no　difference

in　any　way。　　I　won't　let　them　stay　but　a　few　minutes。　

Come　with　me！〃



〃Do　I　seem　scared？〃　inquired　Elnora　serenely。　　〃This　is

why　you　haven't　had　your　answer。　　I　have　been　waiting

just　six　weeks　for　that　motor。　　You　may　bring　them　to　me

at　the　arbour。〃



Philip　glanced　at　her　and　broke　into　a　laugh。　　She　had

not　lost　colour。　　Her　self…possession　was　perfect。　

She　deliberately　turned　and　walked　toward　the　grape　arbour；

while　he　sprang　over　the　west　fence　and　ran　to　the　car。



Elnora　standing　in　the　arbour　entrance　made　a　perfect

picture；　framed　in　green　leaves　and　tendrils。　　No　matter

how　her　heart　ached；　it　was　good　to　her；　for　it　pumped

steadily；　and　kept　her　cheeks　and　lips　suffused　with　colour。　

She　saw　Philip　reach　the　car　and　gather　his　sister　into

his　arms。　　Past　her　he　reached　a　hand　to　Levering；

then　to　Edith　Carr　and　Henderson。　　He　lifted　his　sister

to　the　ground；　and　assisted　Edith　to　alight。　　Instantly；　she

stepped　beside　him；　and　Elnora's　heart　played　its　first　trick。



She　could　see　that　Miss　Carr　was　splendidly　beautiful；

while　she　moved　with　the　hauteur　and　grace　supposed　to

be　the　prerogatives　of　royalty。　　And　she　had　instantly

taken　possession　of　Philip。　　But　he　also　had　a　brain　which

was　working　with　rapidity。　　He　knew　Elnora　was　watching；

so　he　turned　to　the　others。



〃Give　her　up；　Tom！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　didn't　know　I　wanted

to　see　the　little　nuisance　so　badly；　but　I　do。　　How　are

father　and　mother？　　Polly；　didn't　the　mater　send　me　something？〃



〃She　did！〃　said　Polly　Ammon；　stopping　on　the　path　and

lifting　her　chin　as　a　little　child；　while　she　drew　away

her　veil。



Philip　caught　her　in　his　arms　and　stooped　for　his

mother's　kiss。



〃Be　good　to　Elnora！〃　he　whispered。



〃Umhu！〃　assented　Polly。　　And　aloud〃Look　at　that　ripping

green　and　gold　symphony！　　I　never　saw　such　a　beauty！　

Thomas　Asquith　Levering；　you　come　straight　here　and　take

my　hand！〃



Edith's　move　to　compel　Philip　to　approach　Elnora　beside　her

had　been　easy　to　see；　also　its　failure。　　Henderson　stepped

into　Philip's　place　as　he　turned　to　his　sister。　　Instead　of

taking　Polly's　hand　Levering　ran　to　open　the　gate。　

Edith　passed　through　first；　but　Polly　darted　in　front

of　her　on　the　run；　with　Phil　holding　her　arm；　and　swept　up

to　Elnora。　　Polly　looked　for　the　ring　and　saw　it。　　That　settled

matters　with　her。



〃You　lovely；　lovely；　darling　girl！〃　she　cried；　throwing

her　arms　around　Elnora　and　kissing　her。　　With　her　lips　close

Elnora's　ear；　Polly　whispered；　〃Sister！　　Dear；　dear　sister！〃



Elnora　drew　back；　staring　at　Polly　in　confused　amazement。　

She　was　a　beautiful　girl；　her　eyes　were　sparkling　and

dancing；　and　as　she　turned　to　make　way　for　the　others；

she　kept　one　of　Elnora's　hands　in　hers。　　Polly　would　have

dropped　dead　in　that　instant　if　Edith　Carr　could　have

killed　with　a　look；　for　not　until　then　did　she　realize　that

Polly　would　even　many　a　slight；　and　that　it　had　been　a

great　mistake　to　bring　her。



Edith　bowed　low；　muttered　something　and　touched

Elnora's　fingers。　　Tom　took　his　cue　from　Polly。



〃I　always　follow　a　good　example；〃　he　said；　and　before

any　one　could　divine　his　intention　he　kissed　Elnora　as　he


gripped　her　hand　and　cried：　　〃Mighty　glad　to　meet　you！　

Like　to　meet　you　a　dozen　times　a　day；　you　know！〃



Elnora　laughed　and　her　heart　pumped　smoothly。　　They　had

accomplished　their　purpose。　　They　had　let　her　know　they

were　there　through　compulsion；　but　on　her　side。　　In　that

instant　only　pity　was　in　Elnora's　breast　for　the　flashing

dark　beauty；　standing　with　smiling　face　while　her　heart

must　have　been　filled　with　exceeding　bitterness。　

Elnora　stepped　back　from　the　entrance。



〃Come　into　the　shade；〃　she　urged。　　〃You　must　have

found　it　warm　on　these　country　roads。　　Won't　you　lay

aside　your　dust…coats　and　have　a　cool　drink？　　Philip；　would

you　ask　mother　to　come；　and　bring　that　pitcher　from　the

spring　house？〃



They　entered　the　arbour　exclaiming　at　the　dim；　green　coolness。　

There　was　plenty　of　room　and　wide　seats　around　the　sides；

a　table　in　the　centre；　on　which　lay　a　piece　of　embroidery；

magazines；　books；　the　moth　apparatus；　and　the　cyanide　jar

containing　several　specimens。　　Polly　rejoiced　in　the

cooling　shade；　slipped　off　her　duster；　removed　her　hat；

rumpled　her　pretty　hair　and　seated　herself　to　indulge　in

the　delightful　occupation　of　paying　off　old　scores。　

Tom　Levering　followed　her　example。　　Edith　took　a　seat

but　refused　to　remove　her　hat　and　coat；　while　Henderson

stood　in　the　entrance。



〃There　goes　something　with　wings！　　Should　you　have

that？〃　cried　Levering。



He　seized　a　net　from　the　table　and　raced　across　the　garden

after　a　butterfly。　　He　caught　it　and　came　back　mightily

pleased　with　himself。　　As　the　creature　struggled　in　the　net；

Elnora　noted　a　repulsed　look　on　Edith　Carr's　face。　

Levering　helped　the　situation　beautifully。



〃Now　what　have　I　got？〃　he　demanded。　　〃Is　it　just　a

common　one　that　every　one　knows　and　you　don't　keep；　or

is　it　the　rarest　bird　off　the　perch？〃



〃You　must　have　had　practice；　you　took　that　so　perfectly；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃I　am　sorry；　but　it　is　quite　common　and　not

of　a　kind　I　keep。　　Suppose　all　of　you　see　how　beautiful

it　is　and　then　it　may　go　nectar　hunting　again。〃



She　held　the　butterfly　where　all　of　them　could　see；

showed　its　upper　and　under　wing　colours；　answered　Polly's

questions　as　to　what　it　ate；　how　long　it　lived；　and　how

it　died。　　Then　she　put　it　into　Polly's　hand　saying：　　〃Stand

there　in　the　light　and　loosen　your　hold　slowly　and　easily。〃



Elnora　caught　a　brush　from　the　table　and　began　softly

stroking　the　creature's　sides　and　wings。　　Delighted　with

the　sensation　the　butterfly　opened　and　closed　its　wings；

clinging　to　Polly's　soft　little　fingers；　while　every　one　cried

out　in　surprise。　　Elnora　laid　aside　the　brush；　and　the

butterfly　sailed　away。



〃Why；　you　are　a　wizard！　　You　charm　them！〃　marvelled　Levering。



〃I　learned　that　from　the　Bird　Woman；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃She　takes　soft　brushes　and　coaxes　butterflies　and　moths

into　the　positions　she　wants　for　the　illustrations　of　a　book

she　is　writing。　　I　have　helped　her　often。　　Most　of　the　rare

ones　I　find　go　to　her。〃



〃Then　you　don't　keep　all　you　take？〃　questioned　Levering。



〃Oh；　dear；　no！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃Not　a　tenth！　　For　myself；

a　pair　of　each　kind　to　use　in　illustrating　the　lectures　I

give　in　the　city　schools　in　the　winter；　and　one　pair　for　each

collection　I　make。　　One　might　as　well　keep　the　big　night

moths　of　June；　for　they　only　live　four　or　five　days　anyway。　

For　the　Bird　Woman；　I　only　save　rare　ones　she　has　not　yet　secured。　

Sometimes　I　think　it　is　cruel　to　take　such　creatures　from

freedom；　even　for　an　hour；　but　it　is　the　only　way　to　teach

the　masses　of　people　how　to　distinguish　the　pests　they

should　destroy；　from　the　harmless　ones　of　great　beauty。　

Here　comes　mother　with　something　cool　to　drink。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　came　deliberately；　talking　to　Philip　as

she　approached。　　Elnora　gave　her　one　searching　look；　but

could　discover　only　an　extreme　brightness　of　eye　to　denote

any　unusual　feeling。　　She　wore　one　of　her　lavender　dresses；

while　her　snowy　hair　was　high　piled。　　She　had　taken　care


of　her　complexion；　and　her　face　had　grown　fuller　during

the　winter。　　Sh