a girl of the limberlost-第54章

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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。　　She　might　have　been　any　one's　mother　with

pride；　and　she　was　perfectly　at　ease。



Polly　instantly　went　to　her　and　held　up　her　face　to　be　kissed。　

Mrs。　Comstock's　eyes　twinkled　and　she　made　the　greeting　hearty。



The　drink　was　compounded　of　the　juices　of　oranges　and

berries　from　the　garden。　　It　was　cool　enough　to　frost

glasses　and　pitcher　and　delicious　to　dusty　tired　travellers。　

Soon　the　pitcher　was　empty；　and　Elnora　picked　it　up　and

went　to　refill　it。　　While　she　was　gone　Henderson　asked

Philip　about　some　trouble　he　was　having　with　his　car。　

They　went　to　the　woods　and　began　a　minute　examination

to　find　a　defect　which　did　not　exist。　　Polly　and　Levering

were　having　an　animated　conversation　with　Mrs。　Comstock。　

Henderson　saw　Edith　arise；　follow　the　garden　path

next　the　woods　and　stand　waiting　under　the　willow　which

Elnora　would　pass　on　her　return。　　It　was　for　that　meeting

he　had　made　the　trip。　　He　got　down　on　the　ground；　tore

up　the　car；　worked；　asked　for　help；　and　kept　Philip　busy

screwing　bolts　and　applying　the　oil　can。　　All　the　time

Henderson　kept　an　eye　on　Edith　and　Elnora　under　the　willow。　

But　he　took　pains　to　lay　the　work　he　asked　Philip　to　do

where　that　scene　would　be　out　of　his　sight。　　When　Elnora

came　around　the　corner　with　the　pitcher；　she　found　herself

facing　Edith　Carr。



〃I　want　a　minute　with　you；〃　said　Miss　Carr。



〃Very　well；〃　replied　Elnora；　walking　on。



〃Set　the　pitcher　on　the　bench　there；〃　commanded　Edith

Carr；　as　if　speaking　to　a　servant。



〃I　prefer　not　to　offer　my　visitors　a　warm　drink；〃　said　Elnora。　

〃I'll　come　back　if　you　really　wish　to　speak　with　me。〃



〃I　came　solely　for　that；〃　said　Edith　Carr。



〃It　would　be　a　pity　to　travel　so　far　in　this　dust　and　heat

for　nothing。　　I'll　only　be　gone　a　second。〃



Elnora　placed　the　pitcher　before　her　mother。　　〃Please　serve

this；〃　she　said。　　〃Miss　Carr　wishes　to　speak　with　me。〃



〃Don't　you　pay　the　least　attention　to　anything　she

says；〃　cried　Polly。　　〃Tom　and　I　didn't　come　here　because

we　wanted　to。　　We　only　came　to　checkmate　her。　　I　hoped

I'd　get　the　opportunity　to　say　a　word　to　you；　and　now　she

has　given　it　to　me。　　I　just　want　to　tell　you　that　she　threw

Phil　over　in　perfectly　horrid　way。　　She　hasn't　any　right

to　lay　the　ghost　of　a　claim　to　him；　has　she；　Tom？〃



〃Nary　a　claim；〃　said　Tom　Levering　earnestly。　　〃Why；　even

you；　Polly；　couldn't　serve　me　as　she　did　Phil；　and

ever　get　me　back　again。　　If　I　were　you；　Miss　Comstock；

I'd　send　my　mother　to　talk　with　her　and　I'd　stay　here。〃



Tom　had　gauged　Mrs。　Comstock　rightly。　　Polly　put　her

arms　around　Elnora。　　〃Let　me　go　with　you；　dear；〃　she　begged。



〃I　promised　I　would　speak　with　her　alone；〃　said　Elnora；

〃and　she　must　be　considered。　　But　thank　you；　very　much。〃



〃How　I　shall　love　you！〃　exulted　Polly；　giving　Elnora

a　parting　hug。



The　girl　slowly　and　gravely　walked　back　to　the　willow。　

She　could　not　imagine　what　was　coming；　but　she　was　promising

herself　that　she　would　be　very　patient　and　control　her　temper。



〃Will　you　be　seated？〃　she　asked　politely。



Edith　Carr　glanced　at　the　bench；　while　a　shudder　shook　her。



〃No。　　I　prefer　to　stand；〃　she　said。　　〃Did　Mr。　Ammon

give　you　the　ring　you　are　wearing；　and　do　you　consider

yourself　engaged　to　him？〃



〃By　what　right　do　you　ask　such　personal　questions　as

those？〃　inquired　Elnora。



〃By　the　right　of　a　betrothed　wife。　　I　have　been　promised

to　Philip　Ammon　ever　since　I　wore　short　skirts。　　All　our

lives　we　have　expected　to　marry。　　An　agreement　of　years

cannot　be　broken　in　one　insane　moment。　　Always　he　has

loved　me　devotedly。　　Give　me　ten　minutes　with　him　and　he

will　be　mine　for　all　time。〃



〃I　seriously　doubt　that；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃But　I　am

willing　that　you　should　make　the　test。　　I　will　call　him。〃



〃Stop！〃　commanded　Edith　Carr。　　〃I　told　you　that　it　was

you　I　came　to　see。〃



〃I　remember；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Mr。　Ammon　is　m