A Girl of the Limberlost

ng 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

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

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 vi

a, without father, money, or friends save himself, to defend her-Elnora was a different proposition. For th

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

p, laid her hands on it and lo

grass grow under y

hite, drawn face

nd see about this openi

were going to

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 m

Folks hereabout are none too fond of the swamp. I hate it like death. I've never stayed here a night in my life without Robert's revolver, clean and loaded, under

st tell you something. Elnora stopped at the case this

e the

heard there was a man here last ni

t small particles of black swamp muck adhering to the sides of the tree. He reached the low branches and climbed the willow. There was earth on the large limb crossing Elnora's window. He stood on it, holding the branch as had been done the night before, and looked into the room. He could see very little, but he knew that if i

watching him. "Do you think some slinking hulk was up

the limb," said Sinton. "Hadn't you better

it's hers. Second place, no one gets ahead of me after I've had warning. Any crow that perches on that roost agai

s was a trail leading for so

If you should hear the dinner bell at any time in the night you come down. But I wouldn't

ry few minutes she looked toward the swamp to see if there were lights near the case. Mrs. Comstock raked togethe

to show Mag Sinton a fri

ured ham and put it to cook. Then she set a couple of eggs boiling, and after long hesitation began creaming butter and sugar in a crock. An hour later the odour of the ham, mingled with some of the richest spices of "happy Araby," in a combination th

ithout a word handed Elnora the c

," said Elnora, an

measure prepared her for what she would see, but not quite. She scarcely could believe her senses. Half the bread compartment was filled with dainty sandwiches of bread and butter sprinkled with the yolk of egg and the remainder with three large slices of the most fragrant spice cake imaginable. The meat dish contained shaved cold ham, of which she knew the quality, the salad was tomatoes and celery, a

away. Elnora picked up a piece and ate it. That cake tasted even better than it looked. Then she tried a sandwich. How did her mother come to think of making them that way. They never had any at home. She slipped out the fork,

, and clothes for at least two years. She would work early and late gathering nuts. In October she would sell all the ferns she could find. She must collect specimens of all tree leaves before they fell, gather nests and cocoons later, and keep

ance. As she came up she found the small boy o

ed without greeting. "This is Jimmy an

arcel wrapped

a. "I supposed you had forgotten me

forget you, not ever! Why, I was ist a-hurrying to t

obviously clad in a garment each, very dirty and unkept, a little

in't you going to look

ore people," answered Elnora. "Of cours

ented with a quarter of a stale loaf of bake

this yourselves?" sh

got stacks this morning. Pa's come out of it now, and he's so

Elnora, "I

ghtened and the gi

l; but when you don't have anything else for a long time, years an' years, you git so t

u'd like it! And I know, I ist know, what you got would taste like heaven to Jimmy and Belle. They never ha

he bridge, opened the box and divided her lunch into three equal parts, the smaller

bread and bologna in the

aid Elnora. "I

isfaction all of them accompanied Elnora to the

Surely, you have water! Can't you children get some soap and wash yours

l you have to do t

say bad words, and you must be

and polite to me, el

es

o lady!" said B

just then, and she bade them g

myself while I can see them." She glanced at the lunchbox. "What on earth do I carry this for? I never had anything that was so strictly ornament

ght Elnora, so she offered the bologna. The dog accepted it graciously, and being a beast of pedigree he trotted around to a side porch and laid the bologna before his mistress. The wo

lock away, and no one nearer. Ellen called loudly,

e our dog something?" sh

saw no

yself," she said. "It was fit t

s your dog," explained Elnora. "I had something I wanted to th

onclusions. "Pass over tha

not!" sa

r trying to poison our dog," laug

; the remains of cake, salad and preserves in an otherwise empty lunch box. One ham

ra, "but there were th

and tell mother about th

nd it was the fourth day. But the surprise came at noon when Ellen insisted upon Elnora lunching at the Brownlee home, and conv

it. Inside are trays for things all complete, and it bears evidence of having enclosed delicious food, but Elnora never

d work without her lunch. You can't tell me anything about that box. I sold it last Monday night to Wesley Sinton, o

nd wonder if a neighbour can be so kind to one, what a real f

a dear." The girl, starting to pay tribute to her father, saw that she must include her mother, and said the thing before she remem

ate in having a

le after the girls had excused t

is every inch a lady, and not a foolish notion or action about her. I can't

for one thing. She waits on her elders and t

ooks so sound and wholesome

woman stopped her crowd and asked them about their dresses. She said the girl was not poor, but her mother was selfish and didn't care for her. But Elnora showed a bank book the next day, and decl

ly if she is going to keep

the Bird Woman o

e d

that way. I think the girl gathers specimens for her. Ellen says she knows more than the teachers about any natu

d luncheon with Ellen Brownlee there was such a d

have these clothes,

nse, why?" cried t

s me to wondering if in time I could have m

would have taken time and heartache, and your mind would have been less free to work on you

Elnora had secured the order to furnish material for nature work for the grades. Life suddenly grew very full. There was the most excitingly interesting work for every hour, and that work was to pay high school expenses and start the college fund. There was one little rift in her joy. All of it

re apt to get tolled farther into the swamp than you intend to go, and you might mire or something. There ought to be just

dn't have Freckles's case moved for the world. He might come back some day, and not like it. I've tried to keep his room the best I could, and taking out the box would make a big hol

he work or hav

Doesn't seem as if I ever could be hungry again with such a lunch.

t in a pretty good hunk of cake.

I did," adm

ho

"and gave the rest to a couple of boys named Jimmy and Billy and a girl named

tle out of practice. I must get to work again. With the very weeds growing higher than our heads, w

Margaret Sinton came that night bringing a beautiful blu

es are to be washed every two d

sh," replied Margaret. "We wa

rl who can't keep a dress clean longer than that is a dirty girl. Y

a clean gi

" said Mrs. Comstock. "I don't mind the was

d in those she was a picture. Mrs. Comstock caught her breath with a queer stirring around her heart, and loo

. "And smelly! Like as not I'll

ize on, Elnora. Spite of all I can do food goes to waste in this soil every day. If you

th whom she probably would divide. Of course, the bridge w

ems as if I can't give away this lunch. If mother did not put lo

d to the trio of children. Elnora loved all dogs, and as usual, this one came to her in friendl

his morning?"

dog sniffed ravenously at the lunch box,

he bologna?" questi

to lunch at her home yes

's streaked face. He caught the p

d like to try th

he cared for the food so much. Good things to eat had been in abundance all her life. She wanted with this lunch to try to absorb what she felt must be an expression of some sort from her mother, an

each a piece of cake leaving one and a sandwich. Billy pressed forward eage

they'd be meat!

uld not e

rd. I want a teeny piece of the breast, for a sort of kee

der and cut off the wishbone. Then

l eyes Billy stared and swore tempestuously. Elnora caught him and clapped her hand over the little mouth. A delivery wagon came tearing down the street, the ho

A rescue!"

he scene as they approached. The fleeing dog with something in its mouth, the half-naked girl an

rd." She turned toward the box. Billy had improved the time. He had the last piece of cake in o

ndwich. Another girl divided it into bites each little over an inch square, and then she lifted the c

n things!" s

and handfuls of dust began to fly amon

I'll never give you another bit

into Elnora's new blue skirt. She stooped to meet him and consolation began. T

feeding the remaining berries to the girls as they could compose themselv

ng but skin and bones," she said. "I never

mp, rosy girl. "I'm famished right n

d Ellen Brownlee. "Who's got the butte

little strawberry flavour won

and Ellen cut off a piece w

. The grocer's boy who was waiting opene

ex

s produced and the ca

ex

feed as a bird," laughed a girl holding open a b

ex

lly presented to Elnora. The girls each helped themselves to candy and olives, and gave Billy the remainder of the food. Billy took

t big dunces, come back! They's a n

stepped to the cement abutment and began reciting "Horatio at the B

e, telling her to take the food home, cut and sprea

h the girls, and driven on the run to th

ease give m

ed to ask

onged to "the crowd." She only knew that she was happy, and vaguely wonder