第 16 节
作者:左思右想      更新:2021-02-20 04:44      字数:9321
  There was salad in the little box; fried chicken in the large
  one; and nut sandwiches in the tray。  You can see the
  crumbs of all of them。  A man set a dog on a child who was
  so starved he was stealing apples。  I talked with him; and
  I thought I could bear hunger better; he was such a little boy;
  so I gave him my lunch; and got the sandwich at the restaurant。〃
  Elnora held out the box。  The girls were laughing by
  that time。  〃You goose;〃 said one; 〃why didn't you give
  him the money; and save your lunch?〃
  〃He was such a little fellow; and he really was hungry;〃
  said Elnora。  〃I often go without anything to eat at noon
  in the fields and woods; and never think of it。〃
  She closed the box and set it beside the lunches of other
  country pupils。  While her back was turned; into the
  room came the girl of her encounter on the first day;
  walked to the rack; and with an exclamation of approval
  took down Elnora's hat。
  〃Just the thing I have been wanting!〃 she said。  〃I never
  saw such beautiful quills in all my life。  They match
  my new broadcloth to perfection。  I've got to have that
  kind of quills for my hat。  I never saw the like!  Whose is
  it; and where did it come from?〃
  No one said a word; for Elnora's question; the reply; and
  her answer; had been repeated。  Every one knew that the
  Limberlost girl had come out ahead and Sadie Reed had
  not been amiable; when the little flourish had been added
  to Elnora's name in the algebra class。  Elnora's swift
  glance was pathetic; but no one helped her。  Sadie Reed
  glanced from the hat to the faces around her and wondered。
  〃Why; this is the Freshman section; whose hat is it?〃
  she asked again; this time impatiently。
  〃That's the tassel of the cornstock;〃 said Elnora with a
  forced laugh。
  The response was genuine。  Every one shouted。  Sadie Reed
  blushed; but she laughed also。
  〃Well; it's beautiful;〃 she said; 〃especially the quills。
  They are exactly what I want。  I know I don't deserve
  any kindness from you; but I do wish you would tell me
  at whose store you found those quills。〃
  〃Gladly!〃 said Elnora。  You can't buy quills like those
  at a store。  They are from a living bird。  Phoebe Simms
  gathers them in her orchard as her peacocks shed them。
  They are wing quills from the males。〃
  Then there was perfect silence。  How was Elnora to
  know that not a girl there would have told that?
  〃I haven't a doubt but I can get you some;〃 she offered。
  〃She gave Aunt Margaret a large bunch; and those are part
  of them。  I am quite sure she has more; and would spare some。〃
  Sadie Reed laughed shortly。  〃You needn't trouble;〃
  she said; 〃I was fooled。  I thought they were expensive quills。
  I wanted them for a twenty…dollar velvet toque to match my
  new suit。  If they are gathered from the ground; really;
  I couldn't use them。〃
  〃Only in spots!〃 said Elnora。  〃They don't just cover
  the earth。  Phoebe Simms's peacocks are the only ones
  within miles of Onabasha; and they moult but once a year。
  If your hat cost only twenty dollars; it's scarcely good
  enough for those quills。  You see; the Almighty made and
  coloured those Himself; and He puts the same kind on
  Phoebe Simms's peacocks that He put on the head of the
  family in the forests of Ceylon; away back in the beginning。
  Any old manufactured quill from New York or Chicago
  will do for your little twenty…dollar hat。  You should have
  something infinitely better than that to be worthy of quills
  that are made by the Creator。〃
  How those girls did laugh!  One of them walked with
  Elnora to the auditorium; sat beside her during exercises;
  and tried to talk whenever she dared; to keep Elnora
  from seeing the curious and admiring looks bent upon her。
  For the brown…eyed boy whistled; and there was pantomime
  of all sorts going on behind Elnora's back that day。
  Happy with her books; no one knew how much she saw;
  and from her absorption in her studies it was evident she
  cared too little to notice。
  After school she went again to the home of the Bird
  Woman; and together they visited the swamp and carried
  away more specimens。  This time Elnora asked the Bird
  Woman to keep the money until noon of the next day;
  when she would call for it and have it added to her
  bank account。  She slowly walked home; for the visit to
  the swamp had brought back full force the experience of
  the morning。  Again and again she examined the crude little
  note; for she did not know what it meant; yet it bred
  vague fear。  The only thing of which Elnora knew herself
  afraid was her mother; when with wild eyes and ears deaf to
  childish pleading; she sometimes lost control of herself in
  the night and visited the pool where her husband had sunk
  before her; calling his name in unearthly tones and begging
  of the swamp to give back its dead。
  CHAPTER VI
  WHEREIN MRS。 COMSTOCK INDULGES IN 〃FRILLS;〃
  AND BILLY REAPPEARS
  It was Wesley Sinton who really wrestled with
  Elnora's problem while he drove about his business。
  He was not forced to ask himself what it meant; he knew。
  The old Corson gang was still holding together。
  Elder members who had escaped the law had been joined by
  a younger brother of Jack's; and they met in the thickest
  of the few remaining fast places of the swamp to drink;
  gamble; and loaf。  Then suddenly; there would be a
  robbery in some country house where a farmer that day had
  sold his wheat or corn and not paid a visit to the bank;
  or in some neighbouring village。
  The home of Mrs。 Comstock and Elnora adjoined the swamp。
  Sinton's land lay next; and not another residence or man
  easy to reach in case of trouble。  Whoever wrote that
  note had some human kindness in his breast; but the fact
  stood revealed that he feared his strength if Elnora were
  delivered into his hands。  Where had he been the previous
  night when he heard that prayer?  Was that the first time
  he had been in such proximity?  Sinton drove fast;
  for he wished to reach the swamp before Elnora and the
  Bird Woman would go there。
  At almost four he came to the case; and dropping on his
  knees studied the ground; every sense alert。  He found
  two or three little heel prints。  Those were made by
  Elnora or the Bird Woman。  What Sinton wanted to learn
  was whether all the remainder were the footprints of
  one man。  It was easily seen; they were not。  There were
  deep; even tracks made by fairly new shoes; and others
  where a well…worn heel cut deeper on the inside of
  the print than at the outer edge。  Undoubtedly some of
  Corson's old gang were watching the case; and the visits
  of the women to it。  There was no danger that any one
  would attack the Bird Woman。  She never went to the
  swamp at night; and on her trips in the daytime; every one
  knew that she carried a revolver; understood how to use it;
  and pursued her work in a fearless manner。
  Elnora; prowling around the swamp and lured into the
  interior by the flight of moths and butterflies; Elnora;
  without father; money; or friends save himself; to defend
  herElnora was a different proposition。  For this to
  happen just when the Limberlost was bringing the very
  desire of her heart to the girl; it was too bad。
  Sinton was afraid for her; yet he did not want to add
  the burden of fear to Katharine Comstock's trouble; or to
  disturb the joy of Elnora in her work。  He stopped at the
  cabin and slowly went up the walk。  Mrs。 Comstock was
  sitting on the front steps with some sewing。  The work
  seemed to Sinton as if she might be engaged in putting a
  tuck in a petticoat。  He thought of how Margaret had
  shortened Elnora's dress to the accepted length for girls of
  her age; and made a mental note of Mrs。 Comstock's occupation。
  She dropped her work on her lap; laid her hands on it
  and looked into his face with a sneer。
  〃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