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"No, I am going down this way," answered Pete, for his eyes caught the gleam from the window of the Comstock cabin, and he had a desire to learn why Elnora's attic was lighted at that hour. He slouched down the road, occasionally feeling the size of the roll he had not taken time to count.
Elnora's big eyes seemed to leap, while her face grew very white. She drew away her hands. "Hush, Phil! Hush!" she protested. "That fever has you again! You are dreadfully ill. You don't know what you are saying." "I am sleepless and exhausted; I'm heartsick; but I am well as I ever was. Answer me, Elnora, would you?" "Answer nothing!" cried Mrs. Comstock. "Answer nothing!
I am sorry to hear about the dredge. Is it really going through?" "Yes. I got my notification today. The tax will be something enormous. I don't know as I can spare you, even if you are willing to be a laughing-stock for the town." With every bite Elnora's courage returned, for she was a healthy young thing. "You've heard about doing evil that good might come from it," she said.
"She knows it now," said Mrs. Comstock icily, "and she'll be home to-night just as usual." "Well, you are a brave woman if you dared put a girl of Elnora's make through what she suffered yesterday, and will suffer again to-day, and let her know you did it on purpose. I admire your nerve. But I've watched this since Elnora was born, and I got enough.
It was in Elnora's heart to be thankful for even a taste in time, as she knelt on the bridge, opened the box and divided her lunch into three equal parts, the smaller boy getting most of the milk. Then she told them it was school time and she must go. "Why don't you put your bread and bologna in the nice box?" asked the boy. "Of course," said Elnora. "I didn't think."
After school closed Elnora, seated beside the Bird Woman, drove to Freckles's room in the Limberlost. One at a time the beautiful big moths were taken from the interior of the old black case. Not a fourth of them could be moved that night and it was almost dark when the last box was closed, the list figured, and into Elnora's trembling fingers were paid fifty-nine dollars and sixteen cents.
You tell her just how much you want to spend, and what you want to buy, and she will know how to get the most for your money. I've heard papa say she was the best clerk in the store for people who didn't know precisely what they wanted." "That's the very thing," agreed Margaret. "But before you go, tell me about your hair. Elnora's hair is bright and wavy, but yours is silky as hackled flax.
"She didn't do it!" gulped Margaret through her tears. "She didn't do anything. She trusted to Elnora's great big soul to bring her out right, and really she was right, and so it had to bring her. She's a darling, Wesley! But she's got a time before her. Did you see Kate Comstock grab that money? Before six months she'll be out combing the Limberlost for bugs and arrow points to help pay the tax.
Looks like things didn't all come by accident. Looks as if there was a plan back of it, and somebody driving that knows the road, and how to handle the lines. Anyhow, Elnora's in the wagon, and when I get out in the night and the dark closes around me, and I see the stars, I don't feel so cheap. Maggie, how the nation did Kate Comstock do that?" "You will keep on harping, Wesley.
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.
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