a girl of the limberlost-第55章

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you　I　came　to　see。〃



〃I　remember；〃　said　Elnora。



〃Mr。　Ammon　is　my　betrothed；〃　continued　Edith　Carr。　

〃I　expect　to　take　him　back　to　Chicago　with　me。〃



〃You　expect　considerable；〃　murmured　Elnora。　　〃I　will

raise　no　objection　to　your　taking　him；　if　you　canbut；　I

tell　you　frankly；　I　don't　think　it　possible。〃



〃You　are　so　sure　of　yourself　as　that；〃　scoffed　Edith　Carr。　

〃One　hour　in　my　presence　will　bring　back　the　old　spell；

full　force。　　We　belong　to　each　other。　　I　will　not　give　him　up。〃



〃Then　it　is　untrue　that　you　twice　rejected　his　ring；

repeatedly　insulted　him；　and　publicly　renounced　him？〃



〃That　was　through　you！〃　cried　Edith　Carr。　　〃Phil　and

I　never　had　been　so　near　and　so　happy　as　we　were　on

that　night。　　It　was　your　clinging　to　him　for　things　that

caused　him　to　desert　me　among　his　guests；　while　he　tried

to　make　me　await　your　pleasure。　　I　realize　the　spell　of

this　place；　for　a　summer　season。　　I　understand　what　you

and　your　mother　have　done　to　inveigle　him。　　I　know　that

your　hold　on　him　is　quite　real。　　I　can　see　just　how　you

have　worked　to　ensnare　him！〃



〃Men　would　call　that　lying；〃　said　Elnora　calmly。　

〃The　second　time　I　met　Philip　Ammon　he　told　me　of

his　engagement　to　you；　and　I　respected　it。　　I　did　by　you

as　I　would　want　you　to　do　by　me。　　He　was　here　parts

of　each　day；　almost　daily　last　summer。　　The　Almighty

is　my　witness　that　never　once；　by　word　or　look；　did　I　ever

make　the　slightest　attempt　to　interest　him　in　my　person

or　personality。　　He　wrote　you　frequently　in　my　presence。　

He　forgot　the　violets　for　which　he　asked　to　send　you。　

I　gathered　them　and　carried　them　to　him。　　I　sent　him　back

to　you　in　unswerving　devotion；　and　the　Almighty　is　also

my　witness　that　I　could　have　changed　his　heart　last　summer；

if　I　had　tried。　　I　wisely　left　that　work　for　you。　　All　my

life　I　shall　be　glad　that　I　lived　and　worked　on　the　square。　

That　he　ever　would　come　back　to　me　free；　by　your　act；

I　never　dreamed。　　When　he　left　me　I　did　not　hope　or　expect

to　see　him　again；〃　Elnora's　voice　fell　soft　and　low；〃

and；　behold！　　You　sent　himand　free！〃



〃You　exult　in　that！〃　cried　Edith　Carr。　　〃Let　me　tell

you　he　is　not　free！　　We　have　belonged　for　years。　

We　always　shall。　　If　you　cling　to　him；　and　hold　him　to　rash

things　he　has　said　and　done；　because　he　thought　me　still

angry　and　unforgiving　with　him；　you　will　ruin　all　our　lives。　

If　he　married　you；　before　a　month　you　would　read　heart…hunger

for　me　in　his　eyes。　　He　could　not　love　me　as　he　has　done；

and　give　me　up　for　a　little　scene　like　that！〃



〃There　is　a　great　poem；〃　said　Elnora；　〃one　line　of　which

reads；　‘For　each　man　kills　the　thing　he　loves。'　　Let　me

tell　you　that　a　woman　can　do　that　also。　　He　did　love　you

that　I　concede。　　But　you　killed　his　love　everlastingly；

when　you　disgraced　him　in　public。　　Killed　it　so　completely

he　does　not　even　feel　resentment　toward　you。　　To…day；

he　would　do　you　a　favour；　if　he　could；　but　love　you；　no！　

That　is　over！〃



Edith　Carr　stood　truly　regal　and　filled　with　scorn。　

〃You　are　mistaken！　　Nothing　on　earth　could　kill　that！〃

she　cried；　and　Elnora　saw　that　the　girl　really　believed

what　she　said。



〃You　are　very　sure　of　yourself！〃　said　Elnora。



〃I　have　reason　to　be　sure；〃　answered　Edith　Carr。



〃We　have　lived　and　loved　too　long。　　I　have　had　years

with　him　to　match　against　your　days。　　He　is　mine！　

His　work；　his　ambitions；　his　friends；　his　place　in

society　are　with　me。　　You　may　have　a　summer　charm　for　a

sick　man　in　the　country；　if　he　tried　placing　you　in

society；　he　soon　would　see　you　as　others　will。　　It　takes

birth　to　position；　schooling；　and　endless　practice　to　meet

social　demands　gracefully。　　You　would　put　him　to　shame　in

a　week。〃



〃I　scarcely　think　I　should　follow　your　example　so　far；〃

said　Elnora　dryly。　　〃I　have　a　feeling　for　Philip　that

would　prevent　my　hurting　him　purposely；　either　in　public

or　private。　　As　for　managing　a　social　career　for　him　he

never　mentioned　that　he　desired　such　a　thing。　　What　he

asked　of　me　was　that　I　should　be　his　wife。　　I　understood

that　to　mean　that　he　desired　me　to　keep　him　a　clean　house；

serve　him　digestible　food；　mother　his　children；　and　give

him　loving　sympathy　and　tenderness。〃



〃Shameless！〃　cried　Edith　Carr。



〃To　which　of　us　do　you　intend　that　adjective　to　apply？〃

inquired　Elnora。　　〃I　never　was　less　ashamed　in　all　my　life。　

Please　remember　I　am　in　my　own　home；　and　your　presence　here

is　not　on　my　invitation。〃



Miss　Carr　lifted　her　head　and　struggled　with　her　veil。　

She　was　very　pale　and　trembling　violently；　while　Elnora

stood　serene；　a　faint　smile　on　her　lips。



〃Such　vulgarity！〃　panted　Edith　Carr。　　〃How　can　a

man　like　Philip　endure　it？〃



〃Why　don't　you　ask　him？〃　inquired　Elnora。　　〃I　can

call　him　with　one　breath；　but；　if　he　judged　us　as　we　stand；

I　should　not　be　the　one　to　tremble　at　his　decision。　

Miss　Carr；　you　have　been　quite　plain。　　You　have　told　me

in　carefully　selected　words　what　you　think　of　me。　

You　insult　my　birth；　education；　appearance；　and　home。　

I　assure　you　I　am　legitimate。　　I　will　pass　a　test　examination

with　you　on　any　high　school　or　supplementary　branch；

or　French　or　German。　　I　will　take　a　physical　examination

beside　you。　　I　will　face　any　social　emergency　you　can

mention　with　you。　　I　am　acquainted　with　a　whole　world

in　which　Philip　Ammon　is　keenly　interested；　that　you

scarcely　know　exists。　　I　am　not　afraid　to　face　any

audience　you　can　get　together　anywhere　with　my　violin。　

I　am　not　repulsive　to　look　at；　and　I　have　a　wholesome　regard

for　the　proprieties　and　civilities　of　life。　　Philip　Ammon

never　asked　anything　more　of　me；　why　should　you？〃



〃It　is　plain　to　see；〃　cried　Edith　Carr；　〃that　you　took

him　when　he　was　hurt　and　angry　and　kept　his　wound　wide　open。　

Oh；　what　have　you　not　done　against　me？〃



〃I　did　not　promise　to　marry　him　when　an　hour　ago　he

asked　me；　and　offered　me　this　ring；　because　there　was　so

much　feeling　in　my　heart　for　you；　that　I　knew　I　never

could　be　happy；　if　I　felt　that　in　any　way　I　had　failed　in

doing　justice　to　your　interests。　　I　did　slip　on　this　ring；

which　he　had　just　brought；　because　I　never　owned　one；

and　it　is　very　beautiful；　but　I　made　him　no　promise；　nor

shall　I　make　any；　until　I　am　quite；　quite　sure；　that　you

fully　realize　he　never　would　marry　you　if　I　sent　him　away

this　hour。〃



〃You　know　perfectly　that　if　your　puny　hold　on　him

were　broken；　if　he　were　back　in　his　home；　among　his

friends；　and　where　he　was　meeting　me；　in　one　short　week

he　would　be　mine　again；　as　he　always　has　been。　　In　your

heart　you　don't　believe　what　you　say。　　You　don't　dare

trust　him　in　my　presence。　　You　are　afraid　to　allow　him

out　of　your　sight；　because　you　know　what　the　results

would　be。　　Right　or　wrong；　you　have　made　up　your　mind

to　ruin　him　and　me；　and　you　are　going　to　be　selfish　enough

to　do　it。　　But〃



〃That　will　do！〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Spare　me　the　enumeration

of　how　I　will　regret　it。　　I　shall　regret　nothing。　

I　shall　not　act　until　I　know　there　will　be　nothing　to　regret。　

I　have　decided　on　my　course。　　You　may　return　to　your　friends。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　demanded　Edith　Carr。



〃That　is　my　affair；〃　replied　Elnora。　　〃Only　this！　

When　your　opportunity　comes；　seize　it！　　Any　time　you

are　in　Philip　Ammon's　presence；　exert　the　charms　of　which

you　boast；　and　take　him。　　I　grant　you　are　justified　in

doing　it　if　you　can。　　I　want　nothing　more　than　I　want　to

see　you　marry　Philip　if　he　wants　you。　　He　is　just　across

the　fence　under　that　automobile。　　Go　spread　your　meshes

and　exert　your　wiles。　　I　won't　stir　to　stop　you。　　Take　him

to　Onabasha；　and　to　Chicago　with　you。　　Use　every　art　you　possess。　

If　the　old　charm　can　be　revived　I　will　be　the　first　to　wish

both　of　you　well。　　Now；　I　must　return　to　my　visitors。　

Kindly　excuse　me。〃



Elnora　turned　and　went　back　to　the　arbour。　　Edith　Carr

followed　the　fence　and　passed　through　the　gate　into

the　west　woods　where　she　asked　Henderson　about　the　car。　

As　she　stood　near　him　she　whispered：　　〃Take　Phil　back

to　Onabasha　with　us。〃



〃I　say；　Ammon；　can't　you　go　to　the　city　with　us　and

help　me　find　a　shop　where　I　can　get　this　pinion　fixed？〃

asked　Henderson。　　〃We　want　to　lunch　and　start　back　by　five。　

That　will　get　us　home　about　midnight。　　Why　don't　you

bring　your　automobile　here？〃



〃I　am　a　working　man；〃　said　Philip。　　〃I　have　no　time　to

be　out　motoring。　　I　can't　see　anything　the　matter　with

your　car；　myself；　but；　of　course　you　don't　want　to　break

down　in　the　night；　on　strange　roads；　with　women　on　your　hands。　

I'll　see。〃



Philip　went　into　the　arbour；　where　Polly　took　possession　of

his　lap；　fingered　his　hair；　and　kissed　his　forehead　and　lips。



〃When　are　you　coming　to　the　cottage；　Phil？〃　she　asked。　

〃Come　soon；　and　bring　Miss　Comstock　for　a　visit。　　All　of

us　will　be　so　glad　to　have　her。〃



Philip　beamed　on　Polly。　　〃I'll　see　about　that；〃　he　said。　

〃Sounds　pretty　good。　　Elnora；　Henderson　is　in　trouble

with　his　automobile。　　He　wants　me　to　go　to　Onabasha

with　him　to　show　him　where　the　doctor　lives；　and　make

repairs　so　he　can　start　back　this　evening。　　It　will　take

about　two　hours。　　May　I　go？〃



〃Of　course；　you　must　go；〃　she　said；　laughing　lightly。　

〃You　can't　leave　your　sister。　　Why　don't　you　return　to

Chicago　with　them？　　There　is　plenty　of　room；　and　you

could　have　a　fine　visit。〃



〃I'll　be　back　in　just　two　hours；〃　said　Philip。　　〃While　I

am　gone；　you　be　thinking　over　what　we　were　talking　of

when　the　folks　came。〃



〃Miss　Comstock　can　go　with　us　as　well　as　not；〃　said　Polly。　

〃That　back　seat　was　made　for　three；　and　I　can　sit　on　your　lap。〃



〃Come　on！　　Do　come！〃　urged　Philip　instantly；　and

Tom　Levering　joined　him；　but　Henderson　and　Edith

silently　waited　at　the　gate。



〃No；　thank　you；〃　laughed　Elnora。　　〃That　would　crowd　you；

and　it's　warm　and　dusty。　　We　will　say　good…bye　here。〃



She　offered　her　hand　to　all　of　them；　and　when　she　came

to　Philip　she　gave　him　one　long　steady　look　in　the　eyes；

then　shook　hands　with　him　also。









CHAPTER　XXIII





WHEREIN　ELNORA　REACHES　A　DECISION；

AND　FRECKLES　AND　THE　ANGEL　APPEAR





Well；　she　came；　didn't　she？〃　remarked　Mrs。　Comstock

to　Elnora　as　they　watched　the　automobile　speed　down

the　road。　　As　it　turned　the　Limberlost　corner；　Philip

arose　and　waved　to　them。



〃She　hasn't　got　him　yet；　anyway；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock；

taking　heart。　　〃What's　that　on　your　finger；　and　what　did

she　say　to　you？〃



Elnora　explained　about　the　ring　as　she　drew　it　off。



〃I　have　several　letters　to　write；　then　I　am　going　to

change　my　dress　and　walk　down　toward　Aunt　Margaret's

for　a　little　exercise。　　I　may　meet　some　of　them；　and　I　don't

want　them　to　see　this　ring。　　You　keep　it　until　Philip

comes；〃　said　Elnora。　　〃As　for　what　Miss　Carr　said　to　me；

many　things；　two　of　importance：　one；　that　I　lacked　every

social　requirement　nece