A Girl of the Limberlost

tons'. She threw open the back door and w

u got it! I can see by your face

to have strings, and a key was gone. I knew how much you wanted it, so I sent Wesley right to town with it. They said they could

you thought it was

me violin I've seen him play hundreds of times. It

garet! Can I

in a garret, and it needed cleaning and drying to make it fit to play again. You can have it Saturday sure. But Elnora, you've

practise at noon. Oh, I don't know how to thank you. And there's more than the violin fo

ou were d

that a tiny white scar at the corner of his eyebrow showed

ere was a scar o

, and I heard his cries! No matter what she does, I don't believe I ever can be angry with her again. Her heart

ret. "I don't believe in such stuff at all, but

woods from the direction of Carneys'. It was summer and all the flowers were in bloom. He wore gray trouse

rowned. It was late on a June afternoon, and he was dressed as you describe. He was bareheaded because he had found a quail's nest before

ming from

irted it so close as to get caught is a mystery you

hing he didn't want

hy

traight to the pool where he sank can be seen from our back door. It's firm on our side. The danger is on the north and east.

been away longer than he expected, a

, and you went and got it. I'll wager he was goin

ery little thing, so quit thinking about it, and just

must hurry home. I

fence, crossed the open woods pasture diagonally and entered at the back garden gate. As s

ley went to town in the forenoon, taking her along to buy some groceries. Wesley d

ow it was for sixteen years' disuse. The tan leather case might have impressed her as being in fine condition also, had she been in a state to question anything. She did remember to ask for the bill and she was gravely presented with a slip calling for four strings, one key, and a coat of varnish, total, one dollar fifty. It seemed to Elnora she never

e of the girls asked her to stay in town all night for some lecture or entertainment. She could take the violin with her, practise, and secure help. Her skill was so great that the leader of the orchestra offered to give her lessons if she would play to pay for them, so her pro

ich must be made up outside. She was a conscientious student, ranking first in most of her classes, and standing high in all branches. Her interest in her violin had grown with the years. She went to school early and practised half an hour in the little room adjoining the stage, while the orchestra gathered. She put in a full hour at noon, and remained another half hour at night. She carried the violin to

es or draw deeper a line on the hard, white face. This cost many sacrifices, much work, and sometimes delayed progress, but the horror of that awful dream remained with Elnora. She wor

lasses and her music that she had not been able to gather many specimens. When she realized this and hunted assiduously, she soon found that changing natural conditions had affected such work. Men all around were clearing available land. The trees fell wherever corn would grow. The swamp was broken by several gravel roads, dotted in places around the edge with little frame houses, and the machinery of oil wells; one especially low place around the region of Freckles's room was nearly all that remained of the original. Wherever the trees fell the moisture dried, the creeks ceased to flow, the river ran low, and at times the bed was dr

r of the fourth year, she almost fainted when she learned that her funds were gone. Commencement with its extra expense was coming, she had no money, and very few cocoons to open in June, which would be too late. She had one collection for the Bird Woman complete to a pair of

in the grief she nursed to know or care. The Brushwood road and the redredging of the big Limberlost ditch had been more than she could pay from her income, and she had trembled before the wicket as she asked the banker if she had funds to pay it, and wondered why he laughed when he assured her she had. For Mrs. Comstock had spent no time on compounding interest, and never added the sums she had been depositing through nearly twenty years. Now she thought her

eep was more than she could endure. Each one would give to all the others a handsome graduation present. She knew they would prepare gifts for her whether she could make a present in return or not. Then it was the custom for each graduating class to give a great entertainment and use the

ze where it had gone. She did not know what she could do now. She thought over the photographs, and at last settled that question to her satisfaction. She studied longer over the gifts, ten handsome ones there must be, and at last decided she could arrange for them. The green dress came first. The lights would be dim in the scene, and the settin

she spent the college money she knew she could not replace it. If she did not, the only way was to secure a room in the grades and teach a year. Her work there had been so appreciated that Elnora felt with the recommendation she knew she

d and find a Yellow Emperor. She had to have it, that was all. Also, she had to have those dresses. She thought of Wesley and dismissed it. She thought of the Bird Woman, and knew she could not tell her. She thought of every way in which she ever had hoped to earn

hen she arose

ve a piece of news that i

ock. "I think I have enough to bear without

all gone!"

's been a marvel to me that it's held out as w

d on just as little as I possibly could to keep going. I am heartsick. I thought I ha

rough Commencement! What on e

of them, in the very c

t might

s and the play. She told only of the ser

r the new dress you got last spring. As for the ball, the best thing for you to do is to stay a mile away from such folly. In my opinion you'd best bring home your books, and quit righ

sped Elnora. "You

n explaining how you got it from the stuff you gathered. Goodness knows I couldn't see. But now it's gone, you come whining to me. What have I

e on too long. It would make a break in every

f in your head. I wouldn't give a rap for a

me get a school, when I want to teach. If I don't have my grades to show, people

t!" said Mr

s to graduate w

ate if you a

s enough like the class, that I d

nd I can't get you out. You are set on having your o

t come down again that night, w

le Wesley and pay it back from some that the Bird Woman will owe me, when I get one more specimen. But that m

y Sinton for money," cried Mrs. Comst

ther way. I've got

I tel

it!-I've go

et your clothes, and

aid you ha

e bank. Then you can return it

than I had last summer, for Commencement and the ball. I can use the white gloves and shoes I got myself for last year, and you can get my dress made a

For she felt that if she did not start to college that fall she never would. Instead of feeling relieved at her mother's

ance that everything was all right, satisfied Elnora. She worked very hard to pass good final examinations and perfect herself

hey would be all right. So Margaret, Wesley, and Billy concerned themselves over what they would give her for a present. Margaret suggested a beautiful dress. Wesley said that would look to every one as if she needed

ny them. She had been more lonely than she would admit, filled with unusual unrest besides, and so she was glad to go. But before they had driven a mile Billy had told that they were going to buy

in, and do all the work while she tr

have that," he said. "I mean a present

presents at stores," replied Mr

uy Elnora something as fine as the rest of them have i

Mrs. Comstock tersely. Wesley and Billy la

d Margaret was holding Billy to keep him from saying anything before Mrs. Comstock about

y came out fin

anywhere to be finer th

great in her part to-night. Best thing in the whole play! Of course, you are in to see it! If you haven't reserved seats, you'd better start pretty soo

to Margaret. "Say," he said, "there is going to be a play at the h

said Margaret,

I," sai

eason she doesn't want us. Looks like she would hav

to raise money for her class to buy some silly thing to stick up in the school house hall to remembe

ot to hurry or we won't get in. There are reserved seats, and we have none, so it

s?" whispered Ma

he couldn't!

ree years in the orchestra, a

ht. Brownlee told me so. Come on, quick! We'll drive

xcitement of the momen

the team to a railing and Billy sprang ou

said Wesley, re

Mrs. Comstock, settling comfort

able, the horses were securely hitched. She did not care to see what idiotic thing a pack of school children were doing, she would wa

ever se

s!" cri

ley. "Won't come to see as fine a girl as Elnora in a sta

placidly. "I begged unusually hard so she wouldn't

stood at the back of the hall and had a good view. By and by, a great

go out and see if Kate won't come now. She

Margaret emphatically.

ed very much as all high school plays have gone for the past

ngs that were being done. The old fear of losing the land that she and Robert Comstock had purchased and started clearing was strong upon her. She was thinking of him, how she nee

ing here for almost four years. When Mrs. Comstock reached the door she looked inside. The wide hall was lighted with electricity, and the statuary and the decorations of the walls did not seem like pieces of foolishness. The marble appeared pure, white,

n, took a drink, climbed to the first landing and looked around her, and then without thought to the second. There she came opposite the wide-open doors and the entrance to the auditorium packed with people and a crowd standing outside. When they noticed a tall woman with white face and hair and black dress, one by one they stepped a little aside, so that Mrs. Comstock could see the

he whole barnyard answered. The guineas were clucking, the turkey gobbler strutting, the hens calling, the chickens cheeping, the light streamed down straight overhead and the bees began to hum. The air stirred strongly, and away in an unseen field a reaper clacked and rattled through ripening wheat while the driver whistled. An uneasy mare whickered to her colt, the colt answered, and the light began to decline. Miles away a rooster crowed for twilight, and dusk was coming down. Then a catbird and a brown thrush sang against a grosbeak and a hermit thrush. The air was tremulous with heavenly notes, the lights went out in the hall, dusk swept across the stage, a cricket sang and a katydid answered, and a wood pewee wrung the heart with its lonesome cry. Then a night hawk screamed, a whip-poor-will complained, a belated killdeer swept the sky, and the night wind sang a louder song. A little screech owl tuned up in the distance, a barn owl replied, and a great horned owl dro

it meant. Then the girl came to the front of the stage, bowed, and lifting the violin she played her conception of an invitation to dance. Every living soul within sound of her notes strained their nerves to sit still and let only their hearts dance with her. When that began the woman ran toward the country. She never stopped until the carriage overtook her half-way to her cabin. She sa