Wesley　Sinton　appeared　behind　Margaret　in　the　doorway；
  and　she　turned　to　him。　　〃Make　Kate　Comstock　let　go　of
  our　boy！〃　she　demanded。
  〃Billy；　she　wants　you　now；〃　said　Wesley　Sinton。　　〃She　won't
  whip　you；　and　she　won't　let　any　one　else。　　You　can　have
  stacks　of　good　things　to　eat；　ride　in　the　carriage；　and　have
  a　great　time。　　Won't　you　stay　with　us？〃
  Billy　drew　away　from　Mrs。　Comstock　and　Elnora。
  He　faced　Margaret；　his　eyes　shrewd　with　unchildish　wisdom。
  Necessity　had　taught　him　to　strike　the　hot　iron；　to
  drive　the　hard　bargain。
  〃Can　I　have　Snap　to　live　here　always？〃　he　demanded。
  〃Yes；　you　can　have　all　the　dogs　you　want；〃　said　Margaret　Sinton。
  〃Can　I　sleep　close　enough　so's　I　can　touch　you？〃
  〃Yes；　you　can　move　your　lounge　up　so　that　you　can
  hold　my　hand；〃　said　Margaret。
  〃Do　you　love　me　now？〃　questioned　Billy。
  〃I'll　try　to　love　you；　if　you　are　a　good　boy；〃　said　Margaret。
  〃Then　I　guess　I'll　stay；〃　said　Billy；　walking　over　to　her。
  Out　in　the　night　Elnora　and　her　mother　went　down　the
  road　in　the　moonlight；　every　few　rods　Mrs。　Comstock
  laughed　aloud。
  〃Mother；　I　don't　understand　you；〃　sobbed　Elnora。
  〃Well；　maybe　when　you　have　gone　to　high　school　longer
  you　will；〃　said　Mrs。　Comstock。　　〃Anyway；　you　saw　me
  bring　Mag　Sinton　to　her　senses；　didn't　you？〃
  〃Yes；　I　did；〃　answered　Elnora；　〃but　I　thought　you
  were　in　earnest。　　So　did　Billy；　and　Uncle　Wesley；　and
  Aunt　Margaret。〃
  〃Well；　wasn't　I？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Comstock。
  〃But　you　just　said　you　brought　Aunt　Margaret　to！〃
  〃Well；　didn't　I？〃
  〃I　don't　understand　you。〃
  〃That's　the　reason　I　am　recommending　more　schooling！〃
  Elnora　took　her　candle　and　went　to　bed。　　Mrs。　Comstock
  was　feeling　too　good　to　sleep。　　Twice　of　late　she
  really　had　enjoyed　herself　for　the　first　in　sixteen　years；
  and　greediness　for　more　of　the　same　feeling　crept　into　her
  blood　like　intoxication。　　As　she　sat　brooding　alone　she
  knew　the　truth。　　She　would　have　loved　to　have　taken　Billy。
  She　would　not　have　minded　his　mischief；　his　chatter；　or　his　dog。
  He　would　have　meant　a　distraction　from　herself　that　she
  greatly　needed；　she　was　even　sincere　about　the　dog。
  She　had　intended　to　tell　Wesley　to　buy　her　one　at　the　very
  first　opportunity。　　Her　last　thought　was　of　Billy。
  She　chuckled　softly；　for　she　was　not　saintly；　and　now　she
  knew　how　she　could　even　a　long　score　with　Margaret　and　Wesley
  in　a　manner　that　would　fill　her　soul　with　grim　satisfaction。
  CHAPTER　VIII
  WHEREIN　THE　LIMBERLOST　TEMPTS　ELNORA；　AND　BILLY
  BURIES　HIS　FATHER
  Immediately　after　dinner　on　Sunday　Wesley　Sinton
  stopped　at　the　Comstock　gate　to　ask　if　Elnora　wanted
  to　go　to　town　with　them。　　Billy　sat　beside　him　and　he
  did　not　appear　as　if　he　were　on　his　way　to　a　funeral。
  Elnora　said　she　had　to　study　and　could　not　go；　but　she
  suggested　that　her　mother　take　her　place。　　Mrs。　Comstock
  put　on　her　hat　and　went　at　once；　which　surprised　Elnora。
  She　did　not　know　that　her　mother　was　anxious　for　an
  opportunity　to　speak　with　Sinton　alone。　　Elnora　knew
  why　she　was　repeatedly　cautioned　not　to　leave　their　land；
  if　she　went　specimen　hunting。
  She　studied　two　hours　and　was　several　lessons　ahead　of
  her　classes。　　There　was　no　use　to　go　further。　　She　would
  take　a　walk　and　see　if　she　could　gather　any　caterpillars　or
  find　any　freshly　spun　cocoons。　　She　searched　the　bushes
  and　low　trees　behind　the　garden　and　all　around　the　edge　of
  the　woods　on　their　land；　and　having　little　success；　at
  last　came　to　the　road。　　Almost　the　first　thorn　bush　she
  examined　yielded　a　Polyphemus　cocoon。　　Elnora　lifted
  her　head　with　the　instinct　of　a　hunter　on　the　chase；　and
  began　work。　　She　reached　the　swamp　before　she　knew　it；
  carrying　five　fine　cocoons　of　different　species　as　her　reward。
  She　pushed　back　her　hair　and　gazed　around　longingly。　　A　few
  rods　inside　she　thought　she　saw　cocoons　on　a　bush；　to
  which　she　went；　and　found　several。　　Sense　of　caution　was
  rapidly　vanishing；　she　was　in　a　fair　way　to　forget　everything
  and　plunge　into　the　swamp　when　she　thought　she　heard
  footsteps　coming　down　the　trail。　　She　went　back；　and　came
  out　almost　facing　Pete　Corson。
  That　ended　her　difficulty。　　She　had　known　him　since　childhood。
  When　she　sat　on　the　front　bench　of　the　Brushwood　schoolhouse；
  Pete　had　been　one　of　the　big　boys　at　the　back　of　the　room。
  He　had　been　rough　and　wild；　but　she　never　had　been　afraid　of
  him；　and　often　he　had　given　her　pretty　things　from　the　swamp。
  〃What　luck！〃　she　cried。　　〃I　promised　mother　I　would
  not　go　inside　the　swamp　alone；　and　will　you　look　at　the
  cocoons　I've　found！　　There　are　more　just　screaming　for
  me　to　come　get　them；　because　the　leaves　will　fall　with　the
  first　frost；　and　then　the　jays　and　crows　will　begin　to　tear
  them　open。　　I　haven't　much　time；　since　I'm　going　to　school。
  You　will　go　with　me；　Pete！　　Please　say　yes！　　Just　a　little　way！〃
  〃What　are　those　things？〃　asked　the　man；　his　keen
  black　eyes　staring　at　her。
  〃They　are　the　cases　these　big　caterpillars　spin　for
  winter；　and　in　the　spring　they　come　out　great　night　moths；
  and　I　can　sell　them。　　Oh；　Pete；　I　can　sell　them　for　enough
  to　take　me　through　high　school　and　dress　me　so　like　the
  others　that　I　don't　look　different；　and　if　I　have　very　good
  luck　I　can　save　some　for　college。　　Pete；　please　go　with　me？〃
  〃Why　don't　you　go　like　you　always　have？〃
  〃Well；　the　truth　is；　I　had　a　little　scare；〃　said　Elnora。
  〃I　never　did　mean　to　go　alone；　sometimes　I　sort　of　wandered
  inside　farther　than　I　intended；　chasing　things。　　You　know
  Duncan　gave　me　Freckles's　books；　and　I　have　been　gathering
  moths　like　he　did。　　Lately　I　found　I　could　sell　them。
  If　I　can　make　a　complete　collection；　I　can　get　three
  hundred　dollars　for　it。　　Three　such　collections　would
  take　me　almost　through　college；　and　I've　four　years　in　the
  high　school　yet。　　That's　a　long　time。　　I　might　collect　them。〃
  〃Can　every　kind　there　is　be　found　here？〃
  〃No；　not　all　of　them；　but　when　I　get　more　than　I　need
  of　one　kind；　I　can　trade　them　with　collectors　farther　north
  and　west；　so　I　can　complete　sets。　　It's　the　only　way　I　see
  to　earn　the　money。　　Look　what　I　have　already。　　Big　gray
  Cecropias　come　from　this　kind；　brown　Polyphemus　from　that；
  and　green　Lunas　from　these。　　You　aren't　working　on　Sunday。
  Go　with　me　only　an　hour；　Pete！〃
  The　man　looked　at　her　narrowly。　　She　was　young；
  wholesome；　and　beautiful。　　She　was　innocent；　intensely　in
  earnest；　and　she　needed　the　money；　he　knew　that。
  〃You　didn't　tell　me　what　scared　you；〃　he　said。
  〃Oh；　I　thought　I　did！　　Why　you　know　I　had　Freckles's
  box　packed　full　of　moths　and　specimens；　and　one　evening
  I　sold　some　to　the　Bird　Woman。　　Next　morning　I　found
  a　note　telling　me　it　wasn't　safe　to　go　inside　the　swamp。
  That　sort　of　scared　me。　　I　think　I'll　go　alone；　rather　than
  miss　the　chance；　but　I'd　be　so　happy　if　you　would　take
  care　of　me。　　Then　I　could　go　anywhere　I　chose；　because　if
  I　mired　you　could　pull　me　out。　　You　will　take　care　of　me；　Pete？〃
  〃Yes；　I'll　take　care　of　you；〃　promised　Pete　Corson。
  〃Goody！〃　said　Elnora。　　〃Let's　start　quick！　　And　Pete；
  you　look　at　these　closely；　and　when　you　are　hunting　or
  going　along　the　road；　if　one　dangles　under　your　nose；　you
  cut　off　the　little　twig　and　save　it　for　me；　will　you？〃
  〃Yes；　I'll　save　you　all　I　see；〃　promised　Pete。　　He　pushed
  back　his　hat　and　followed　Elnora。　　She　plunged　fearlessly
  among　bushes；　over　underbrush；　and　across　dead　logs。
  One　minute　she　was　crying　wildly；　that　here　was　a
  big　one；　the　next　she　was　reaching　for　a　limb　above　her
  head　or　on　her　knees　overturning　dead　leaves　under　a
  hickory　or　oak　tree；　or　working　aside　black　muck　with　her
  bare　hands　as　she　searched　for　buried　pupae　cases。　　For　the
  first　hour　Pete　bent　back　bushes　and　followed；　carrying
  what　Elnora　discovered。　　Then　he　found　one。
  〃Is　this　the　kind　of　thing　you　are　looking　for？〃　he　asked
  bashfully；　as　he　presented　a　wild　cherry　twig。
  〃Oh　Pete；　that's　a　Promethea！　　I　didn't　even　hope　to
  find　one。〃
  〃What's　the　bird　like？〃　asked　Pete。
  〃Almost　black　wings；〃　said　Elnora；　〃with　clay…coloured
  edges；　and　the　most　wonderful　wine…coloured　flush　over　the
  under　side　if　it's　a　male；　and　stronger　wine　above　and　below
  if　it's　a　female。　　Oh；　aren't　I　happy！〃
  〃How　would　it　do　to　make　what　you　have　into　a　bunch
  that　we　could　leave　here；　and　come　back　for　them？〃
  〃That　would　be　all　right。〃
  Relieved　of　his　load　Pete　began　work。　　First；　he　narrowly
  examined　the　cocoons　Elnora　had　found。　　He　questioned
  her　as　to　what　other　kinds　would　be　like。　　He　began　to
  use　the　eyes　of　a　trained　woodman　and　hunter　in　her　behalf。
  He　saw　several　so　easily；　and　moved　through　the　forest
  so　softly；　that　Elnora　forgot　the　moths　in　watching　him。
  Presently　she　was　carrying　the　specimens；　and　he　was
  making　the　trips　of　investigation　to　see　wh