a girl of the limberlost-第14章

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〃You　didn't　let　any　grass　grow　under　your　feet；〃　she　said。



Sinton　saw　her　white；　drawn　face　and　comprehended。



〃I　went　to　pay　a　debt　and　see　about　this　opening　of　the

ditch；　Kate。〃



〃You　said　you　were　going　to　prosecute　me。〃



〃Good　gracious；　Kate！〃　cried　Sinton。　　〃Is　that　what

you　have　been　thinking　all　day？　　I　told　you　before　I　left

yesterday　that　I　would　not　need　do　that。　　And　I　won't！　

We　can't　afford　to　quarrel　over　Elnora。　　She's　all　we've　got。　

Now　that　she　has　proved　that　if　you　don't　do　just

what　I　think　you　ought　by　way　of　clothes　and　schooling；

she　can　take　care　of　herself；　I　put　that　out　of　my　head。　

What　I　came　to　see　you　about　is　a　kind　of　scare　I've

had　to…day。　　I　want　to　ask　you　if　you　ever　see　anything

about　the　swamp　that　makes　you　think　the　old　Corson　gang

is　still　at　work？〃



〃Can't　say　that　I　do；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃There's　kind

of　dancing　lights　there　sometimes；　but　I　supposed　it

was　just　people　passing　along　the　road　with　lanterns。　

Folks　hereabout　are　none　too　fond　of　the　swamp。　　I　hate

it　like　death。　　I've　never　stayed　here　a　night　in　my

life　without　Robert's　revolver；　clean　and　loaded；　under

my　pillow；　and　the　shotgun；　same　condition；　by　the　bed。　

I　can't　say　that　I'm　afraid　here　at　home。　　I'm　not。　　I　can

take　care　of　myself。　　But　none　of　the　swamp　for　me！〃



〃Well；　I'm　glad　you　are　not　afraid；　Kate；　because　I

must　tell　you　something。　　Elnora　stopped　at　the　case

this　morning；　and　somebody　had　been　into　it　in　the　night。〃



〃Broke　the　lock？〃



〃No。　　Used　a　duplicate　key。　　To…day　I　heard　there　was

a　man　here　last　night。　　I　want　to　nose　around　a　little。〃



Sinton　went　to　the　east　end　of　the　cabin　and　looked

up　at　the　window。　　There　was　no　way　any　one　could

have　reached　it　without　a　ladder；　for　the　logs　were　hewed

and　mortar　filled　the　cracks　even。　　Then　he　went　to　the

west　end；　the　willow　faced　him　as　he　turned　the　corner。　

He　examined　the　trunk　carefully。　　There　was　no　mistake

about　small　particles　of　black　swamp　muck　adhering　to

the　sides　of　the　tree。　　He　reached　the　low　branches　and

climbed　the　willow。　　There　was　earth　on　the　large　limb

crossing　Elnora's　window。　　He　stood　on　it；　holding　the

branch　as　had　been　done　the　night　before；　and　looked　into

the　room。　　He　could　see　very　little；　but　he　knew　that　if

it　had　been　dark　outside　and　sufficiently　light　for　Elnora

to　study　inside　he　could　have　seen　vividly。　　He　brought

his　face　close　to　the　netting；　and　he　could　see　the　bed　with

its　head　to　the　east；　at　its　foot　the　table　with　the　candles

and　the　chair　before　it；　and　then　he　knew　where　the　man

had　been　who　had　heard　Elnora's　prayer。



Mrs。　Comstock　had　followed　around　the　corner　and　stood

watching　him。　　〃Do　you　think　some　slinking　hulk　was　up

there　peekin'　in　at　Elnora？〃　she　demanded　indignantly。



〃There　is　muck　on　the　trunk；　and　plenty　on　the　limb；〃

said　Sinton。　　〃Hadn't　you　better　get　a　saw　and　let　me

take　this　branch　off？〃



〃No；　I　hadn't；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃First　place；

Elnora's　climbed　from　that　window　on　that　limb　all　her

life；　and　it's　hers。　　Second　place；　no　one　gets　ahead　of　me

after　I've　had　warning。　　Any　crow　that　perches　on　that

roost　again　will　get　its　feathers　somewhat　scattered。　

Look　along　the　fence；　there；　and　see　if　you　can　find

where　he　came　in。〃



The　place　was　easy　to　find　as　was　a　trail　leading　for

some　distance　west　of　the　cabin。



〃You　just　go　home；　and　don't　fret　yourself；〃　said

Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃I'll　take　care　of　this。　　If　you　should

hear　the　dinner　bell　at　any　time　in　the　night　you　come　down。　

But　I　wouldn't　say　anything　to　Elnora。　　She　better

keep　her　mind　on　her　studies；　if　she's　going　to　school。〃



When　the　work　was　finished　that　night　Elnora　took

her　books　and　went　to　her　room　to　prepare　some　lessons；

but　every　few　minutes　she　looked　toward　the　swamp　to

see　if　there　were　lights　near　the　case。　　Mrs。　Comstock

raked　together　the　coals　in　the　cooking　stove；　got　out

the　lunch　box；　and　sitting　down　she　studied　it　grimly。　

At　last　she　arose。



〃Wonder　how　it　would　do　to　show　Mag　Sinton　a　frill

or　two；〃　she　murmured。



She　went　to　her　room；　knelt　before　a　big　black…walnut

chest　and　hunted　through　its　contents　until　she　found

an　old…fashioned　cook　book。　　She　tended　the　fire　as　she

read　and　presently　was　in　action。　　She　first　sawed　an

end　from　a　fragrant；　juicy；　sugar…cured　ham　and　put

it　to　cook。　　Then　she　set　a　couple　of　eggs　boiling；　and

after　long　hesitation　began　creaming　butter　and　sugar

in　a　crock。　　An　hour　later　the　odour　of　the　ham；　mingled

with　some　of　the　richest　spices　of　〃happy　Araby；〃　in　a

combination　that　could　mean　nothing　save　spice　cake；

crept　up　to　Elnora　so　strongly　that　she　lifted　her　head

and　sniffed　amazedly。　　She　would　have　given　all　her

precious　money　to　have　gone　down　and　thrown　her　arms

around　her　mother's　neck；　but　she　did　not　dare　move。



Mrs。　Comstock　was　up　early；　and　without　a　word

handed　Elnora　the　case　as　she　left　the　next　morning。



〃Thank　you；　mother；〃　said　Elnora；　and　went　on　her　way。



She　walked　down　the　road　looking　straight　ahead　until

she　came　to　the　corner；　where　she　usually　entered

the　swamp。　　She　paused；　glanced　that　way　and　smiled。　

Then　she　turned　and　looked　back。　　There　was　no　one

coming　in　any　direction。　　She　followed　the　road　until

well　around　the　corner；　then　she　stopped　and　sat　on　a

grassy　spot；　laid　her　books　beside　her　and　opened　the

lunch　box。　　Last　night's　odours　had　in　a　measure　prepared

her　for　what　she　would　see；　but　not　quite。　　She　scarcely

could　believe　her　senses。　　Half　the　bread　compartment

was　filled　with　dainty　sandwiches　of　bread　and　butter

sprinkled　with　the　yolk　of　egg　and　the　remainder　with　three

large　slices　of　the　most　fragrant　spice　cake　imaginable。　

The　meat　dish　contained　shaved　cold　ham；　of　which　she

knew　the　quality；　the　salad　was　tomatoes　and　celery；

and　the　cup　held　preserved　pear；　clear　as　amber。　

There　was　milk　in　the　bottle；　two　tissue…wrapped　cucumber

pickles　in　the　folding　drinking…cup；　and　a　fresh　napkin　in

the　ring。　　No　lunch　was　ever　daintier　or　more　palatable；

of　that　Elnora　was　perfectly　sure。　　And　her　mother　had

prepared　it　for　her！　　〃She　does　love　me！〃　cried　the　happy　girl。　

〃Sure　as　you're　born　she　loves　me；　only　she　hasn't　found

it　out　yet！〃



She　touched　the　papers　daintily；　and　smiled　at　the

box　as　if　it　were　a　living　thing。　　As　she　began　closing

it　a　breath　of　air　swept　by；　lifting　the　covering　of

the　cake。　　It　was　like　an　invitation；　and　breakfast　was

several　hours　away。　　Elnora　picked　up　a　piece　and　ate　it。　

That　cake　tasted　even　better　than　it　looked。　　Then　she

tried　a　sandwich。　　How　did　her　mother　come　to　think　of

making　them　that　way。　　They　never　had　any　at　home。　

She　slipped　out　the　fork；　sampled　the　salad；　and　one…quarter

of　pear。　　Then　she　closed　the　box　and　started　down　the

road　nibbling　one　of　the　pickles　and　trying　to　decide

exactly　how　happy　she　was；　but　she　could　find　no　standard

high　enough　for　a　measure。



She　was　to　go　to　the　Bird　Woman's　after　school　for

the　last　load　from　the　case。　　Saturday　she　would　take

the　arrow　points　and　specimens　to　the　bank。　　That　would

exhaust　her　present　supplies　and　give　her　enough　money

ahead　to　pay　for　books；　tuition；　and　clothes　for　at

least　two　years。　　She　would　work　early　and　late

gathering　nuts。　　In　October　she　would　sell　all　the　ferns

she　could　find。　　She　must　collect　specimens　of　all　tree

leaves　before　they　fell；　gather　nests　and　cocoons　later；

and　keep　her　eyes　wide　open　for　anything　the　grades　could　use。　

She　would　see　the　superintendent　that　night　about　selling

specimens　to　the　ward　buildings。　　She　must　be　ahead　of

any　one　else　if　she　wanted　to　furnish　these　things。　　So　she

approached　the　bridge。



That　it　was　occupied　could　be　seen　from　a　distance。　

As　she　came　up　she　found　the　small　boy　of　yesterday

awaiting　her　with　a　confident　smile。



〃We　brought　you　something！〃　he　announced　without　greeting。　

〃This　is　Jimmy　and　Belleand　we　brought　you　a　present。〃



He　offered　a　parcel　wrapped　in　brown　paper。



〃Why；　how　lovely　of　you！〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　supposed

you　had　forgotten　me　when　you　ran　away　so　fast　yesterday。〃



〃Naw；　I　didn't　forget　you；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃I　wouldn't

forget　you；　not　ever！　　Why；　I　was　ist　a…hurrying　to　take

them　things　to　Jimmy　and　Belle。　　My　they　was　glad！〃



Elnora　glanced　at　the　children。　　They　sat　on　the　edge

of　the　bridge；　obviously　clad　in　a　garment　each；　very　dirty

and　unkept；　a　little　boy　and　a　girl　of　about　seven　and　nine。　

Elnora's　heart　began　to　ache。



〃Say；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃Ain't　you　going　to　look　what

we　have　gave　you？〃



〃I　thought　it　wasn't　polite　to　look　before　people；〃

answered　Elnora。　　〃Of　course；　I　will；　if　you　would　like

to　have　me。〃



Elnora　opened　the　package。　　She　had　been　presented

with　a　quarter　of　a　stale　loaf　of　baker's　bread；　and　a

big　piece　of　ancient　bologna。



〃But　don't　you　want　this　yourselves？〃　she　asked　in　surprise。



〃Gosh；　no！　　I　mean　ist　no；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃We　always

have　it。　　We　got　stacks　this　morning。　　Pa's　come　out

of　it　now；　and　he's　so　sorry　he　got　more　'an　ever　we

can　eat。　　Have　you　had　any　before？〃



〃No；〃　said　Elnora；　〃I　never　did！〃



The　boy's　eyes　brightened　and　the　girl　moved　restlessly。



〃We　thought　maybe　you　hadn't；〃　said　the　boy。　　〃First　you

ever　have；　you　like　it　real　well；　but　when　you　don't

have　anything　else　for　a　long　time；　years　an'　years；　you

git　so　tired。〃　　He　hitched　at　the　string　which　held　his

trousers　and　watched　Elnora　speculatively。



〃I　don't　s'pose　you'd　trade　what　you　got　in　that　box

for　ist　old　bread　and　bologna　now；　would　you？　　Mebby　you'd

like　it！　　And　I　know；　I　ist　know；　what　you　got　would

taste　like　heaven　to　Jimmy　and　Belle。　　They　never　had

nothing　like　that！　　Not　even　Belle；　and　she's　most　ten！　

No；　sir…ee；　they　never　tasted　things　like　you　got！〃



It　was　in　Elnora's　heart　to　be　thankful　for　even　a　taste

in　time；　as　she　knelt　on　the　bridge；　opened　the　box　and

divided　her　lunch　into　three　equal　parts；　the　smaller　boy

getting　most　of　the　milk。　　Then　she　told　them　it　was

school　time　and　she　must　go。



〃Why　don't　you　put　your　bread　and　bologna　in　the　nice　box？〃

asked　the　boy。



〃Of　course；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃I　didn't　think。〃



When　the　box　was　arranged　to　the　children's　satisfaction

all　of　them　accompanied　Elnora　to　the　corner　where　she

turned　toward　the　high　school。



〃Billy；〃　said　Elnora；　〃I　would　like　you　much　better　if

you　were　cleaner。　　Surely；　you　have　water！　　Can't　you

children　get　some　soap　and　wash　yourselves？　　Gentlemen　are

never　dirty。　　You　want　to　be　a　gentleman；　don't　you？〃



〃Is　being　clean　all　you　have　to　do　to　be　a　gentleman？〃



〃No；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃You　must　not　say　bad　words；　and

you　must　be　kind　and　polite　to　your　sister。〃



〃Must　Belle　be　kind　and