a girl of the limberlost-第30章

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CHAPTER　XII





WHEREIN　MARGARET　SINTON　REVEALS　A　SECRET；

AND　MRS。　COMSTOCK　POSSESSES　THE　LIMBERLOST





Elnora；　bring　me　the　towel；　quick！〃　cried　Mrs　Comstock。



〃In　a　minute；　mother；〃　mumbled　Elnora。



She　was　standing　before　the　kitchen　mirror；　tying　the

back　part　of　her　hair；　while　the　front　turned　over　her　face。



〃Hurry！　　There's　a　varmint　of　some　kind！〃



Elnora　ran　into　the　sitting…room　and　thrust　the　heavy

kitchen　towel　into　her　mother's　hand。　　Mrs。　Comstock

swung　open　the　screen　door　and　struck　at　some　object；

Elnora　tossed　the　hair　from　her　face　so　that　she　could　see

past　her　mother。　　The　girl　screamed　wildly。



〃Don't！　Mother；　don't！〃



Mrs。　Comstock　struck　again。　　Elnora　caught　her　arm。　

〃It's　the　one　I　want！　　It's　worth　a　lot　of　money！　

Don't！　　Oh；　you　shall　not！〃



〃Shan't；　missy？〃　blazed　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃When　did

you　get　to　bossing　me？〃



The　hand　that　held　the　screen　swept　a　half…circle　and

stopped　at　Elnora's　cheek。　　She　staggered　with　the　blow；

and　across　her　face；　paled　with　excitement；　a　red　mark

arose　rapidly。　　The　screen　slammed　shut；　throwing　the

creature　on　the　floor　before　them。　　Instantly　Mrs。

Comstock　crushed　it　with　her　foot。　　Elnora　stepped　back。　

Excepting　the　red　mark；　her　face　was　very　white。



〃That　was　the　last　moth　I　needed；〃　she　said；　〃to　complete

a　collection　worth　three　hundred　dollars。　　You've　ruined

it　before　my　eyes！〃



〃Moth！〃　cried　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃You　say　that　because

you　are　mad。　　Moths　have　big　wings。　　I　know　a　moth！〃



〃I've　kept　things　from　you；〃　said　Elnora；　〃because　I

didn't　dare　confide　in　you。　　You　had　no　sympathy　with　me。　

But　you　know　I　never　told　you　untruths　in　all　my　life。〃



〃It's　no　moth！〃　reiterated　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃It　is！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃It's　from　a　case　in　the　ground。　

Its　wings　take　two　or　three　hours　to　expand　and　harden。〃



〃If　I　had　known　it　was　a　moth〃　Mrs。　Comstock　wavered。



〃You　did　know！　　I　told　you！　　I　begged　you　to　stop！　

It　meant　just　three　hundred　dollars　to　me。〃



〃Bah！　　Three　hundred　fiddlesticks！〃



〃They　are　what　have　paid　for　books；　tuition；　and　clothes

for　the　past　four　years。　　They　are　what　I　could　have

started　on　to　college。　　You've　ruined　the　very　one　I　needed。　

You　never　made　any　pretence　of　loving　me。　　At　last　I'll

be　equally　frank　with　you。　　I　hate　you！　　You　are　a　selfish；

wicked　woman！　　I　hate　you！〃



Elnora　turned；　went　through　the　kitchen　and　from　the

back　door。　　She　followed　the　garden　path　to　the　gate　and

walked　toward　the　swamp　a　short　distance　when　reaction

overtook　her。　　She　dropped　on　the　ground　and　leaned

against　a　big　log。　　When　a　little　child；　desperate　as　now；

she　had　tried　to　die　by　holding　her　breath。　　She　had

thought　in　that　way　to　make　her　mother　sorry；　but　she　had

learned　that　life　was　a　thing　thrust　upon　her　and　she　could

not　leave　it　at　her　wish。



She　was　so　stunned　over　the　loss　of　that　moth；　which

she　had　childishly　named　the　Yellow　Emperor；　that　she

scarcely　remembered　the　blow。　　She　had　thought　no　luck

in　all　the　world　would　be　so　rare　as　to　complete　her

collection；　now　she　had　been　forced　to　see　a　splendid

Imperialis　destroyed　before　her。　　There　was　a　possibility

that　she　could　find　another；　but　she　was　facing　the

certainty　that　the　one　she　might　have　had　and　with　which　she

undoubtedly　could　have　attracted　others；　was　spoiled　by

her　mother。　　How　long　she　sat　there　Elnora　did　not　know

or　care。　　She　simply　suffered　in　dumb；　abject　misery；　an

occasional　dry　sob　shaking　her。　　Aunt　Margaret　was　right。　

Elnora　felt　that　morning　that　her　mother　never　would　be

any　different。　　The　girl　had　reached　the　place　where　she

realized　that　she　could　endure　it　no　longer。



As　Elnora　left　the　room；　Mrs。　Comstock　took　one　step

after　her。



〃You　little　huzzy！〃　she　gasped。



But　Elnora　was　gone。　　Her　mother　stood　staring。



〃She　never　did　lie　to　me；〃　she　muttered。　　〃I　guess

it　was　a　moth。　　And　the　only　one　she　needed　to　get　three

hundred　dollars；　she　said。　　I　wish　I　hadn't　been　so　fast！　

I　never　saw　anything　like　it。　　I　thought　it　was　some

deadly；　stinging；　biting　thing。　　A　body　does　have　to　be

mighty　careful　here。　　But　likely　I've　spilt　the　milk　now。

Pshaw！　　She　can　find　another！　　There's　no　use　to　be　foolish。　

Maybe　moths　are　like　snakes；　where　there's　one；　there　are　two。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　took　the　broom　and　swept　the　moth　out

of　the　door。　　Then　she　got　down　on　her　knees　and

carefully　examined　the　steps；　logs　and　the　earth　of　the

flower　beds　at　each　side。　　She　found　the　place　where

the　creature　had　emerged　from　the　ground；　and　the　hard；

dark…brown　case　which　had　enclosed　it；　still　wet　inside。　

Then　she　knew　Elnora　had　been　right。　　It　was　a　moth。　

Its　wings　had　been　damp　and　not　expanded。　　Mrs。　Comstock

never　before　had　seen　one　in　that　state；　and　she

did　not　know　how　they　originated。　　She　had　thought　all

of　them　came　from　cases　spun　on　trees　or　against　walls

or　boards。　　She　had　seen　only　enough　to　know　that　there

were　such　things；　as　a　flash　of　white　told　her　that　an　ermine

was　on　her　premises；　or　a　sharp　〃buzzzzz〃　warned　her

of　a　rattler。



So　it　was　from　creatures　like　that　Elnora　had　secured

her　school　money。　　In　one　sickening　sweep　there　rushed

into　the　heart　of　the　woman　a　full　realization　of　the

width　of　the　gulf　that　separated　her　from　her　child。　

Lately　many　things　had　pointed　toward　it；　none　more　plainly

than　when　Elnora；　like　a　reincarnation　of　her　father；　had

stood　fearlessly　before　a　large　city　audience　and　played

with　even　greater　skill　than　he；　on　what　Mrs。　Comstock

felt　very　certain　was　his　violin。　　But　that　little　crawling

creature　of　earth；　crushed　by　her　before　its　splendid　yellow

and　lavender　wings　could　spread　and　carry　it　into　the

mystery　of　night；　had　performed　a　miracle。



〃We　are　nearer　strangers　to　each　other　than　we　are　with

any　of　the　neighbours；〃　she　muttered。



So　one　of　the　Almighty's　most　delicate　and　beautiful

creations　was　sacrificed　without　fulfilling　the　law；　yet

none　of　its　species　ever　served　so　glorious　a　cause；　for

at　last　Mrs。　Comstock's　inner　vision　had　cleared。　　She　went

through　the　cabin　mechanically。　　Every　few　minutes

she　glanced　toward　the　back　walk　to　see　if　Elnora

were　coming。　　She　knew　arrangements　had　been　made　with

Margaret　to　go　to　the　city　some　time　that　day；　so　she

grew　more　nervous　and　uneasy　every　moment。　　She　was

haunted　by　the　fear　that　the　blow　might　discolour

Elnora's　cheek；　that　she　would　tell　Margaret。　　She　went

down　the　back　walk；　looking　intently　in　all　directions；

left　the　garden　and　followed　the　swamp　path。　　Her　step

was　noiseless　on　the　soft；　black　earth；　and　soon　she

came　close　enough　to　see　Elnora。　　Mrs。　Comstock　stood

looking　at　the　girl　in　troubled　uncertainty。　　Not　knowing

what　to　say；　at　last　she　turned　and　went　back　to　the　cabin。



Noon　came　and　she　prepared　dinner；　calling；　as　she

always　did；　when　Elnora　was　in　the　garden；　but　she　got

no　response；　and　the　girl　did　not　come。　　A　little　after

one　o'clock　Margaret　stopped　at　the　gate。



〃Elnora　has　changed　her　mind。　　She　is　not　going；〃

called　Mrs。　Comstock。



She　felt　that　she　hated　Margaret　as　she　hitched　her

horse　and　came　up　the　walk　instead　of　driving　on。



〃You　must　be　mistaken；〃　said　Margaret。　　〃I　was

going　on　purpose　for　her。　　She　asked　me　to　take　her。　

I　had　no　errand。　　Where　is　she？〃



〃I　will　call　her；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。



She　followed　the　path　again；　and　this　time　found　Elnora

sitting　on　the　log。　　Her　face　was　swollen　and　discoloured；

and　her　eyes　red　with　crying。　　She　paid　no　attention

to　her　mother。



〃Mag　Sinton　is　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock　harshly。　

〃I　told　her　you　had　changed　your　mind；　but　she　said

you　asked　her　to　go　with　you；　and　she　had　nothing　to

go　for　herself。〃



Elnora　arose；　recklessly　waded　through　the　deep　swamp

grasses　and　so　reached　the　path　ahead　of　her　mother。　

Mrs。　Comstock　followed　as　far　as　the　garden；　but　she

could　not　enter　the　cabin。　　She　busied　herself　among

the　vegetables；　barely　looking　up　when　the　back…door

screen　slammed　noisily。　　Margaret　Sinton　approached

colourless；　her　eyes　so　angry　that　Mrs。　Comstock　shrank　back。



〃What's　the　matter　with　Elnora's　face？〃　demanded　Margaret。



Mrs。　Comstock　made　no　reply。



〃You　struck　her；　did　you？〃



〃I　thought　you　wasn't　blind！〃



〃I　have　been；　for　twenty　long　years　now；　Kate　Comstock；〃

said　Margaret　Sinton；　〃but　my　eyes　are　open　at　last。　

What　I　see　is　that　I've　done　you　no　good　and　Elnora　a

big　wrong。　　I　had　an　idea　that　it　would　kill　you　to　know；

but　I　guess　you　are　tough　enough　to　stand　anything。　

Kill　or　cure；　you　get　it　now！〃



〃What　are　you　frothing　about？〃　coolly　asked　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃You！〃　cried　Margaret。　　〃You！　　The　woman　who　doesn't

pretend　to　love　her　only　child。　　Who　lets　her　grow　to

a　woman；　as　you　have　let　Elnora；　and　can't　be　satisfied

with　every　sort　of　neglect；　but　must　add　abuse　yet；

and　all　for　a　fool　idea　about　a　man　who　wasn't　worth

his　salt！〃



Mrs。　Comstock　picked　up　a　hoe。



〃Go　right　on！〃　she　said。　　〃Empty　yourself。　　It's　the

last　thing　you'll　ever　do！〃



〃Then　I'll　make　a　tidy　job　of　it；〃　said　Margaret。　

〃You'll　not　touch　me。　　You'll　stand　there　and　hear

the　truth　at　last；　and　because　I　dare　face　you　and　tell

it；　you　will　know　in　your　soul　it　is　truth。　　When　Robert

Comstock　shaved　that　quagmire　out　there　so　close　he

went　in；　he　wanted　to　keep　you　from　knowing　where　he

was　coming　from。　　He'd　been　to　see　Elvira　Carney。　

They　had　plans　to　go　to　a　dance　that　night〃



〃Close　your　lips！〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock　in　a　voice　of

deadly　quiet。



〃You　know　I　wouldn't　dare　open　them　if　I　wasn't

telling　you　the　truth。　　I　can　prove　what　I　say。　　I　was

coming　from　Reeds。　　It　was　hot　in　the　woods　and　I

stopped　at　Carney's　as　I　passed　for　a　drink。　

Elvira's　bedridden　old　mother　heard　me；　and　she　was　so

crazy　for　some　one　to　talk　with；　I　stepped　in　a　minute。　

I　saw　Robert　come　down　the　path。　　Elvira　saw　him；　too；　so

she　ran　out　of　the　house　to　head　him　off。　　It　looked　funny；

and　I　just　deliberately　moved　where　I　could　see　and　hear。

He　brought　her　his　violin；　and　told　her　to　get　ready　and

meet　him　in　the　woods　with　it　that　night；　and　they　would

go　to　a　dance。　　She　took　it　and　hid　it　in　the　loft　to　the

well…house　and　promised　she'd　go。〃



〃Are　you　done？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃No。　　I　am　going　to　tell　you　the　whole　story。　　You　don't

spare　Elnora　anything。　　I　shan't　spare　you。　　I　hadn't

been　here　that　day；　but　I　can　tell　you　just　how　he　was

dressed；　which　way　he　went　and　every　word　they　said；

though　they　thought　I　was　busy　with　her　mother

and　wouldn't　notice　them。　　Put　down　your　hoe；　Kate。　

I　went　to　Elvira；　told　her　what　I　knew　and　made　her　give

me　Comstock's　violin　for　Elnora　over　three　years　ago。　

She's　been　pla