all　tired。　　I　think　I　must　have　been　waiting　in　the
  hope　that　you　would　come。　　I　want　no　one's　version
  of　this　but　yours。　　Tell　me　the　straight　of　the
  thing；　Phil。〃
  Philip　told　all　he　knew；　while　his　father　sat　in　deep　thought。
  〃On　my　life　I　can't　see　any　occasion　for　such　a　display　of
  temper；　Phil。　　It　passed　all　bounds　of　reason　and　breeding。
  Can't　you　think　of　anything　more？〃
  〃I　cannot！〃
  〃Polly　says　every　one　expected　you　to　carry　the　moth
  you　caught　to　Edith。　　Why　didn't　you？〃
  〃She　screams　if　a　thing　of　that　kind　comes　near　her。
  She　never　has　taken　the　slightest　interest　in　them。　　I　was
  in　a　big　hurry。　　I　didn't　want　to　miss　one　minute　of　my
  dance　with　her。　　The　moth　was　not　so　uncommon；　but　by
  a　combination　of　bad　luck　it　had　become　the　rarest　in
  America　for　a　friend　of　mine；　who　is　making　a　collection　to
  pay　college　expenses。　　For　an　instant　last　June　the　series
  was　completed；　when　a　woman's　uncontrolled　temper　ruined
  this　specimen　and　the　search　for　it　began　over。　　A　few
  days　later　a　pair　was　secured；　and　again　the　money　was
  in　sight　for　several　hours。　　Then　an　accident　wrecked
  one…fourth　of　the　collection。　　I　helped　replace　those
  last　June；　all　but　this　Yellow　Emperor　which　we　could
  not　secure；　and　we　haven't　been　able　to　find；　buy　or
  trade　for　one　since。　　So　my　friend　was　compelled　to　teach
  this　past　winter　instead　of　going　to　college。　　When　that
  moth　came　flying　in　there　to…night；　it　seemed　to　me　like　fate。
  All　I　thought　of　was；　that　to　secure　it　would　complete　the
  collection　and　secure　the　money。　　So　I　caught　the　Emperor　and
  started　it　to　Elnora。　　I　declare　to　you　that　I　was　not　out　of
  the　pavilion　over　three　minutes　at　a　liberal　estimate。　　If　I
  only　had　thought　to　speak　to　the　orchestra！　　I　was　sure　I
  would　be　back　before　enough　couples　gathered　and　formed
  for　the　dance。〃
  The　eyes　of　the　father　were　very　bright。
  〃The　friend　for　whom　you　wanted　the　moth　is　a　girl？〃
  he　asked　indifferently；　as　he　ran　the　book　leaves　through
  his　fingers。
  〃The　girl　of　whom　I　wrote　you　last　summer；　and　told
  you　about　in　the　fall。　　I　helped　her　all　the　time　I　was　away。〃
  〃Did　Edith　know　of　her？〃
  〃I　tried　many　times　to　tell　her；　to　interest　her；　but　she
  was　so　indifferent　that　it　was　insulting。　　She　would　not
  hear　me。〃
  〃We　are　neither　one　in　any　condition　to　sleep。　　Why　don't
  you　begin　at　the　first　and　tell　me　about　this　girl？
  To　think　of　other　matters　for　a　time　may　clear　our　vision
  for　a　sane　solution　of　this。　　Who　is　she；　just　what　is　she
  doing；　and　what　is　she　like？　　You　know　I　was　reared　among
  those　Limberlost　people；　I　can　understand　readily。
  What　is　her　name　and　where　does　she　live？〃
  Philip　gave　a　man's　version　of　the　previous　summer；
  while　his　father　played　with　the　book　industriously。
  〃You　are　very　sure　as　to　her　refinement　and　education？〃
  〃In　almost　two　months'　daily　association；　could　a　man
  be　mistaken？　　She　can　far　and　away　surpass　Polly；　Edith；
  or　any　girl　of　our　set　on　any　common；　high　school；　or
  supplementary　branch；　and　you　know　high　schools　have
  French；　German；　and　physics　now。　　Besides；　she　is　a
  graduate　of　two　other　institutions。　　All　her　life　she　has
  been　in　the　school　of　Hard　Knocks。　　She　has　the　biggest；
  tenderest；　most　human　heart　I　ever　knew　in　a　girl。　　She　has
  known　life　in　its　most　cruel　phases；　and　instead　of
  hardening　her；　it　has　set　her　trying　to　save　other
  people　suffering。　　Then　this　nature　position　of　which
  I　told　you；　she　graduated　in　the　School　of　the　Woods；
  before　she　secured　that。　　The　Bird　Woman；　whose　work　you
  know；　helped　her　there。　　Elnora　knows　more　interesting
  things　in　a　minute　than　any　other　girl　I　ever　met　knew　in
  an　hour；　provided　you　are　a　person　who　cares　to　understand
  plant　and　animal　life。〃
  The　book　leaves　slid　rapidly　through　his　fingers　as
  the　father　drawled：　　〃What　sort　of　looking　girl　is　she？〃
  〃Tall　as　Edith；　a　little　heavier；　pink；　even　complexion；
  wide　open　blue…gray　eyes　with　heavy　black　brows；　and
  lashes　so　long　they　touch　her　cheeks。　　She　has　a　rope
  of　waving；　shining　hair　that　makes　a　real　crown　on　her
  head；　and　it　appears　almost　red　in　the　light。　　She　is　as
  handsome　as　any　fair　woman　I　ever　saw；　but　she　doesn't
  know　it。　　Every　time　any　one　pays　her　a　compliment；
  her　mother；　who　is　a　caution；　discovers　that；　for　some
  reason；　the　girl　is　a　fright；　so　she　has　no　appreciation　of
  her　looks。〃
  〃And　you　were　in　daily　association　two　months　with
  a　girl　like　that！　　How　about　it；　Phil？〃
  〃If　you　mean；　did　I　trifle　with　her；　no！〃　cried　Philip　hotly。
  〃I　told　her　the　second　time　I　met　her　all　about　Edith。
  Almost　every　day　I　wrote　to　Edith　in　her　presence。
  Elnora　gathered　violets　and　made　a　fancy　basket　to　put
  them　in　for　Edith's　birthday。　　I　started　to　err　in
  too　open　admiration　for　Elnora；　but　her　mother　brought
  me　up　with　a　whirl　I　never　forgot。　　Fifty　times　a　day
  in　the　swamps　and　forests　Elnora　made　a　perfect　picture；
  but　I　neither　looked　nor　said　anything。　　I　never　met
  any　girl　so　downright　noble　in　bearing　and　actions。
  I　never　hated　anything　as　I　hated　leaving　her；　for　we　were
  dear　friends；　like　two　wholly　congenial　men。　　Her　mother
  was　almost　always　with　us。　　She　knew　how　much　I　admired
  Elnora；　but　so　long　as　I　concealed　it　from　the　girl；
  the　mother　did　not　care。〃
  〃Yet　you　left　such　a　girl　and　came　back　whole…hearted
  to　Edith　Carr！〃
  〃Surely！　　You　know　how　it　has　been　with　me　about
  Edith　all　my　life。〃
  〃Yet　the　girl　you　picture　is　far　her　superior　to　an
  unprejudiced　person；　when　thinking　what　a　man　would
  require　in　a　wife　to　be　happy。〃
  〃I　never　have　thought　what　I　would　‘require'　to　be　happy！
  I　only　thought　whether　I　could　make　Edith　happy。　　I　have
  been　an　idiot！　　What　I've　borne　you'll　never　know！
  To…night　is　only　one　of　many　outbursts　like　that；
  in　varying　and　lesser　degrees。〃
  〃Phil；　I　love　you；　when　you　say　you　have　thought
  only　of　Edith！　　I　happen　to　know　that　it　is　true。
  You　are　my　only　son；　and　I　have　had　a　right　to　watch
  you　closely。　　I　believe　you　utterly。　　Any　one　who　cares
  for　you　as　I　do；　and　has　had　my　years　of　experience　in
  this　world　over　yours；　knows　that　in　some　ways；　to…night
  would　be　a　blessed　release；　if　you　could　take　it；　but
  you　cannot！　　Go　to　bed　now；　and　rest。　　To…morrow；　go　back
  to　her　and　fix　it　up。〃
  〃You　heard　what　I　said　when　I　left　her！　　I　said　it　because
  something　in　my　heart　died　a　minute　before　that；　and
  I　realized　that　it　was　my　love　for　Edith　Carr。　　Never　again
  will　I　voluntarily　face　such　a　scene。　　If　she　can　act
  like　that　at　a　ball；　before　hundreds；　over　a　thing　of　which
  I　thought　nothing　at　all；　she　would　go　into　actual　physical
  fits　and　spasms；　over　some　of　the　household　crises　I've
  seen　the　mater　meet　with　a　smile。　　Sir；　it　is　truth　that
  I　have　thought　only　of　her　up　to　the　present。　　Now；　I
  will　admit　I　am　thinking　about　myself。　　Father；　did　you
  see　her？　　Life　is　too　short；　and　it　can　be　too　sweet；　to
  throw　it　away　in　a　battle　with　an　unrestrained　woman。
  I　am　no　fighterwhere　a　girl　is　concerned；　anyway。
  I　respect　and　love　her　or　I　do　nothing。　　Never　again　is
  either　respect　or　love　possible　between　me　and　Edith　Carr。
  Whenever　I　think　of　her　in　the　future；　I　will　see　her　as
  she　was　to…night。　　But　I　can't　face　the　crowd　just　yet。
  Could　you　spare　me　a　few　days？〃
  〃It　is　only　ten　days　until　you　were　to　go　north　for　the
  summer；　go　now。〃
  〃I　don't　want　to　go　north。　　I　don't　want　to　meet　people
  I　know。　　There；　the　story　would　precede　me。　　I　do　not
  need　pitying　glances　or　rough　condolences。　　I　wonder　if
  I　could　not　hide　at　Uncle　Ed's　in　Wisconsin　for　awhile？〃
  The　book　closed　suddenly。　　The　father　leaned　across
  the　table　and　looked　into　the　son's　eyes。
  〃Phil；　are　you　sure　of　what　you　just　have　said？〃
  〃Perfectly　sure！〃
  〃Do　you　think　you　are　in　any　condition　to　decide　to…night？〃
  〃Death　cannot　return　to　life；　father。　　My　love　for
  Edith　Carr　is　dead。　　I　hope　never　to　see　her　again。〃
  〃If　I　thought　you　could　be　certain　so　soon！　　But；　come
  to　think　of　it；　you　are　very　like　me　in　many　ways。　　I　am
  with　you　in　this。　　Public　scenes　and　disgraces　I　would
  not　endure。　　It　would　be　over　with　me；　were　I　in　your
  position；　that　I　know。〃
  〃It　is　done　for　all　time；〃　said　Philip　Ammon。　　〃Let　us
  not　speak　of　it　further。〃
  〃Then；　Phil；〃　the　father　leaned　closer　and　looked　at　the
  son　tenderly；　〃Phil；　why　don't　you　go　to　the　Limberlost？〃
  〃Father！〃
  〃Why　not？　　No　one　can　comfort　a　hurt　heart　like　a
  tender　woman；　and；　Phil；　have　you　ever　stopped　to　think
  that　you　may　have　a　duty　in　the　Limberlost；　if　you
  are　free？　　I　don't　know！　　I　only　suggest　it。　　But；　for　a
  country　schoolgirl；　unaccustomed　to　men；　two　months
  with　a　man　like　you　might　well　awaken　feelings　of　which
  you　do　not　think。　　Because　you　were　safe…guarded　is　no
  sign　the　girl　was。　　She　mig