a girl of the limberlost-第37章

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this；　of　course。　　The　work　will　be　a　delight。　　I'd　love

it　most　of　anything　in　teaching。　　You　must　help　me。　

We　must　find　nests；　eggs；　leaves；　queer　formations　in

plants　and　rare　flowers。　　I　must　have　flower　boxes　made

for　each　of　the　rooms　and　filled　with　wild　things。　

I　should　begin　to　gather　specimens　this　very　day。〃



Elnora's　face　was　flushed　and　her　eyes　bright。



〃Oh；　what　great　work　that　will　be！〃　she　cried。　　〃You　must

go　with　me　so　you　can　see　the　little　faces　when　I　tell

them　how　the　goldfinch　builds　its　nest；　and　how　the

bees　make　honey。〃



So　Elnora　and　her　mother　went　into　the　woods　behind

the　cabin　to　study　nature。



〃I　think；〃　said　Elnora；　〃the　idea　is　to　begin　with　fall

things　in　the　fall；　keeping　to　the　seasons　throughout　the　year。〃



〃What　are　fall　things？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Comstock。



〃Oh；　fringed　gentians；　asters；　ironwort；　every　fall

flower；　leaves　from　every　tree　and　vine；　what　makes　them

change　colour；　abandoned　bird　nests；　winter　quarters

of　caterpillars　and　insects；　what　becomes　of　the

butterflies　and　grasshoppersmyriads　of　stuff。　　I　shall

have　to　be　very　wise　to　select　the　things　it　will　be　most

beneficial　for　the　children　to　learn。〃



〃Can　I　really　help　you？〃　Mrs。　Comstock's　strong　face

was　pathetic。



〃Indeed；　yes！〃　cried　Elnora。　　〃I　never　can　get　through

it　alone。　　There　will　be　an　immense　amount　of　work

connected　with　securing　and　preparing　specimens。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　lifted　her　head　proudly　and　began

doing　business　at　once。　　Her　sharp　eyes　ranged　from

earth　to　heaven。　　She　investigated　everything；　asking

innumerable　questions。　　At　noon　Mrs。　Comstock　took

the　specimens　they　had　collected；　and　went　to　prepare

dinner；　while　Elnora　followed　the　woods　down　to　the

Sintons'　to　show　her　letter。



She　had　to　explain　what　became　of　her　moths；　and　why

college　would　have　to　be　abandoned　for　that　year；　but

Margaret　and　Wesley　vowed　not　to　tell。　　Wesley　waved

the　letter　excitedly；　explaining　it　to　Margaret　as　if　it

were　a　personal　possession。　　Margaret　was　deeply　impressed；

while　Billy　volunteered　first　aid　in　gathering　material。



〃Now　anything　you　want　in　the　ground；　Snap　can　dig

it　out；〃　he　said。　　〃Uncle　Wesley　and　I　found　a　hole

three　times　as　big　as　Snap；　that　he　dug　at　the　roots　of

a　tree。〃



〃We　will　train　him　to　hunt　pupae　cases；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Are　you　going　to　the　woods　this　afternoon？〃　asked　Billy。



〃Yes；〃　answered　Elnora。　　〃Dr。　Ammon's　nephew

from　Chicago　is　visiting　in　Onabasha。　　He　is　going　to

show　me　how　men　put　some　sort　of　compound　on　a　tree；

hang　a　light　beside　it；　and　take　moths　that　way。　　It　will

be　interesting　to　watch　and　learn。〃



〃May　I　come？〃　asked　Billy。



〃Of　course　you　may　come！〃　answered　Elnora。



〃Is　this　nephew　of　Dr。　Ammon　a　young　man？〃　inquired　Margaret。



〃About　twenty…six；　I　should　think；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃He　said　he　had　been　out　of　college　and　at　work　in　his

father's　law　office　three　years。〃



〃Does　he　seem　nice？〃　asked　Margaret；　and　Wesley　smiled。



〃Finest　kind　of　a　person；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃He　can

teach　me　so　much。　　It　is　very　interesting　to　hear

him　talk。　　He　knows　considerable　about　moths　that　will

be　a　help　to　me。　　He　had　a　fever　and　he　has　to　stay

outdoors　until　he　grows　strong　again。〃



〃Billy；　I　guess　you　better　help　me　this　afternoon；〃

said　Margaret。　　〃Maybe　Elnora　had　rather　not　bother

with　you。〃



〃There's　no　reason　on　earth　why　Billy　should　not

come！〃　cried　Elnora；　and　Wesley　smiled　again。



〃I　must　hurry　home　or　I　won't　be　ready；〃　she　added。



Hastening　down　the　road　she　entered　the　cabin；　her

face　glowing。



〃I　thought　you　never　would　come；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　

〃If　you　don't　hurry　Mr。　Ammon　will　be　here　before　you

are　dressed。〃



〃I　forgot　about　him　until　just　now；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃I　am　not　going　to　dress。　　He's　not　coming　to　visit。　

We　are　only　going　to　the　woods　for　more　specimens。　

I　can't　wear　anything　that　requires　care。　　The　limbs

take　the　most　dreadful　liberties　with　hair　and　clothing。〃



Mrs。　Comstock　opened　her　lips；　looked　at　Elnora　and

closed　them。　　In　her　heart　she　was　pleased　that　the

girl　was　so　interested　in　her　work　that　she　had　forgotten

Philip　Ammon's　coming。　　But　it　did　seem　to　her　that

such　a　pleasant　young　man　should　have　been　greeted

by　a　girl　in　a　fresh　dress。　　〃If　she　isn't　disposed　to　primp

at　the　coming　of　a　man；　heaven　forbid　that　I　should　be

the　one　to　start　her；〃　thought　Mrs。　Comstock。



Philip　came　whistling　down　the　walk　between　the

cinnamon　pinks；　pansies；　and　strawberries。　　He　carried

several　packages；　while　his　face　flushed　with　more　colour

than　on　the　previous　day。



〃Only　see　what　has　happened　to　me！〃　cried　Elnora；

offering　her　letter。



〃I'll　wager　I　know！〃　answered　Philip。　　〃Isn't　it　great！　

Every　one　in　Onabasha　is　talking　about　it。　　At　last　there

is　something　new　under　the　sun。　　All　of　them　are　pleased。　

They　think　you'll　make　a　big　success。　　This　will　give　an

incentive　to　work。　　In　a　few　days　more　I'll　be　myself

again；　and　we'll　overturn　the　fields　and　woods　around　here。〃



He　went　on　to　congratulate　Mrs。　Comstock。　



〃Aren't　you　proud　of　her；　though？〃　he　asked。　　〃You　should

hear　what　folks　are　saying！　　They　say　she　created　the

necessity　for　the　position；　and　every　one　seems　to　feel

that　it　is　a　necessity。　　Now；　if　she　succeeds；　and　she　will；

all　of　the　other　city　schools　will　have　such　departments；

and　first　thing　you　know　she　will　have　made　the　whole

world　a　little　better。　　Let　me　rest　a　few　seconds；　my　feet

are　acting　up　again。　　Then　we　will　cook　the　moth　compound

and　put　it　to　cool。〃



He　laughed　as　he　sat　breathing　shortly。



〃It　doesn't　seem　possible　that　a　fellow　could　lose　his

strength　like　this。　　My　knees　are　actually　trembling；

but　I'll　be　all　right　in　a　minute。　　Uncle　Doc　said　I

could　come。　　I　told　him　how　you　took　care　of　me；　and　he

said　I　would　be　safe　here。〃



Then　he　began　unwrapping　packages　and　explaining

to　Mrs。　Comstock　how　to　cook　the　compound　to　attract

the　moths。　　He　followed　her　into　the　kitchen；　kindled

the　fire；　and　stirred　the　preparation　as　he　talked。　

While　the　mixture　cooled；　he　and　Elnora　walked　through

the　vegetable　garden　behind　the　cabin　and　strayed　from

there　into　the　woods。



〃What　about　college？〃　he　asked。　　〃Miss　Brownlee　said

you　were　going。〃



〃I　had　hoped　to；〃　replied　Elnora；　〃but　I　had　a　streak

of　dreadful　luck；　so　I'll　have　to　wait　until　next　year。　

If　you　won't　speak　of　it；　I'll　tell　you。〃



Philip　promised；　so　Elnora　recited　the　history　of　the

Yellow　Emperor。　　She　was　so　interested　in　doing　the

Emperor　justice　she　did　not　notice　how　many　personalities

went　into　the　story。　　A　few　pertinent　questions

told　him　the　remainder。　　He　looked　at　the　girl　in　wonder。　

In　face　and　form　she　was　as　lovely　as　any　one　of　her　age

and　type　he　ever　had　seen。　　Her　school　work　far　surpassed

that　of　most　girls　of　her　age　he　knew。　　She　differed　in

other　ways。　　This　vast　store　of　learning　she　had　gathered

from　field　and　forest　was　a　wealth　of　attraction　no　other

girl　possessed。　　Her　frank；　matter…of…fact　manner　was　an

inheritance　from　her　mother；　but　there　was　something　more。　

Once；　as　they　talked　he　thought　〃sympathy〃　was　the　word

to　describe　it　and　again　〃comprehension。〃　　She　seemed　to

possess　a　large　sense　of　brotherhood　for　all　human　and

animate　creatures。　　She　spoke　to　him　as　if　she　had　known

him　all　her　life。　　She　talked　to　the　grosbeak　in　exactly

the　same　manner；　as　she　laid　strawberries　and　potato　bugs

on　the　fence　for　his　family。　　She　did　not　swerve　an　inch

from　her　way　when　a　snake　slid　past　her；　while　the　squirrels

came　down　from　the　trees　and　took　corn　from　her　fingers。　

She　might　as　well　have　been　a　boy；　so　lacking　was　she　in

any　touch　of　feminine　coquetry　toward　him。　　He　studied

her　wonderingly。　　As　they　went　along　the　path　they　reached

a　large　slime…covered　pool　surrounded　by　decaying　stumps

and　logs　thickly　covered　with　water　hyacinths　and　blue　flags。　

Philip　stopped。



〃Is　that　the　place？〃　he　asked。



Elnora　assented。　　〃The　doctor　told　you？〃



〃Yes。　　It　was　tragic。　　Is　that　pool　really　bottomless？〃



〃So　far　as　we　ever　have　been　able　to　discover。〃



Philip　stood　looking　at　the　water；　while　the　long；　sweet

grasses；　thickly　sprinkled　with　blue　flag　bloom；　over　which

wild　bees　clambered；　swayed　around　his　feet。　　Then　he

turned　to　the　girl。　　She　had　worked　hard。　　The　same

lavender　dress　she　had　worn　the　previous　day　clung　to　her

in　limp　condition。　　But　she　was　as　evenly　coloured　and　of

as　fine　grain　as　a　wild　rose　petal；　her　hair　was　really　brown；

but　never　was　such　hair　touched　with　a　redder　glory；　while

her　heavy　arching　brows　added　a　look　of　strength　to　her

big　gray…blue　eyes。



〃And　you　were　born　here？〃



He　had　not　intended　to　voice　that　thought。



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　looking　into　his　eyes。　　〃Just　in　time

to　prevent　my　mother　from　saving　the　life　of　my　father。　

She　came　near　never　forgiving　me。〃



〃Ah；　cruel！〃　cried　Philip。



〃I　find　much　in　life　that　is　cruel；　from　our　standpoints；〃

said　Elnora。　　〃It　takes　the　large　wisdom　of　the　Unfathomable；

the　philosophy　of　the　Almighty；　to　endure　some　of　it。　

But　there　is　always　right　somewhere；　and　at　last　it　seems

to　come。〃



〃Will　it　come　to　you？〃　asked　Philip；　who　found　himself

deeply　affected。



〃It　has　come；〃　said　the　girl　serenely。　　〃It　came　a　week　ago。　

It　came　in　fullest　measure　when　my　mother　ceased　to　regret

that　I　had　been　born。　　Now；　work　that　I　love　has　comethat

should　constitute　happiness。　　A　little　farther　along　is　my

violet　bed。　　I　want　you　to　see　it。〃



As　Philip　Ammon　followed　he　definitely　settled　upon　the

name　of　the　unusual　feature　of　Elnora's　face。　　It　should　be

called　〃experience。〃　　She　had　known　bitter　experiences

early　in　life。　　Suffering　had　been　her　familiar　more　than　joy。　

He　watched　her　earnestly；　his　heart　deeply　moved。　　She　led

him　into　a　swampy　half…open　space　in　the　woods；　stopped

and　stepped　aside。　　He　uttered　a　cry　of　surprised　delight。



A　few　decaying　logs　were　scattered　around；　the　grass

grew　in　tufts　long　and　fine。　　Blue　flags　waved；　clusters　of

cowslips　nodded　gold　heads；　but　the　whole　earth　was　purple

with　a　thick　blanket　of　violets　nodding　from　stems　a　foot

in　length。　　Elnora　knelt　and　slipping　her　fingers　between

the　leaves　and　grasses　to　the　roots；　gathered　a　few　violets

and　gave　them　to　Philip。



〃Can　your　city　greenhouses　surpass　them？〃　she　asked。



He　sat　on　a　log　to　examine　the　blooms。



〃They　are　superb！〃　he　said。　　〃I　never　saw　such

length　of　stem　or　such　rank　leaves；　while　the　flowers　are

the　deepest　blue；　the　truest　violet　I　ever　saw　growing　wild。　

They　are　coloured　exactly　like　the　eyes　of　the　girl　I　am

going　to　marry。〃



Elnora　handed　him　several　others　to　add　to　those　he　held。　

〃She　must　have