"You lovely,lovely,darling girl!"she cried,throwing her arms around Elnora and kissing her.With her lips close Elnora's ear,Polly whispered,"Sister!Dear,dear sister!"Elnora drew back,staring at Polly in confused amazement.
She was a beautiful girl,her eyes were sparkling and dancing,and as she turned to make way for the others,she kept one of Elnora's hands in hers.Polly would have dropped dead in that instant if Edith Carr could have killed with a look,for not until then did she realize that Polly would even many a slight,and that it had been a great mistake to bring her.
Edith bowed low,muttered something and touched Elnora's fingers.Tom took his cue from Polly.
"I always follow a good example,"he said,and before any one could divine his intention he kissed Elnora as he gripped her hand and cried:"Mighty glad to meet you!
Like to meet you a dozen times a day,you know!"Elnora laughed and her heart pumped smoothly.They had accomplished their purpose.They had let her know they were there through compulsion,but on her side.In that instant only pity was in Elnora's breast for the flashing dark beauty,standing with smiling face while her heart must have been filled with exceeding bitterness.
Elnora stepped back from the entrance.
"Come into the shade,"she urged."You must have found it warm on these country roads.Won't you lay aside your dust-coats and have a cool drink?Philip,would you ask mother to come,and bring that pitcher from the spring house?"They entered the arbour exclaiming at the dim,green coolness.
There was plenty of room and wide seats around the sides,a table in the centre,on which lay a piece of embroidery,magazines,books,the moth apparatus,and the cyanide jar containing several specimens.Polly rejoiced in the cooling shade,slipped off her duster,removed her hat,rumpled her pretty hair and seated herself to indulge in the delightful occupation of paying off old scores.
Tom Levering followed her example.Edith took a seat but refused to remove her hat and coat,while Henderson stood in the entrance.
"There goes something with wings!Should you have that?"cried Levering.
He seized a net from the table and raced across the garden after a butterfly.He caught it and came back mightily pleased with himself.As the creature struggled in the net,Elnora noted a repulsed look on Edith Carr's face.
Levering helped the situation beautifully.
"Now what have I got?"he demanded."Is it just a common one that every one knows and you don't keep,or is it the rarest bird off the perch?""You must have had practice,you took that so perfectly,"said Elnora."I am sorry,but it is quite common and not of a kind I keep.Suppose all of you see how beautiful it is and then it may go nectar hunting again."She held the butterfly where all of them could see,showed its upper and under wing colours,answered Polly's questions as to what it ate,how long it lived,and how it died.Then she put it into Polly's hand saying:"Stand there in the light and loosen your hold slowly and easily."Elnora caught a brush from the table and began softly stroking the creature's sides and wings.Delighted with the sensation the butterfly opened and closed its wings,clinging to Polly's soft little fingers,while every one cried out in surprise.Elnora laid aside the brush,and the butterfly sailed away.
"Why,you are a wizard!You charm them!"marvelled Levering.
"I learned that from the Bird Woman,"said Elnora.
"She takes soft brushes and coaxes butterflies and moths into the positions she wants for the illustrations of a book she is writing.I have helped her often.Most of the rare ones I find go to her.""Then you don't keep all you take?"questioned Levering.
"Oh,dear,no!"cried Elnora."Not a tenth!For myself,a pair of each kind to use in illustrating the lectures Igive in the city schools in the winter,and one pair for each collection I make.One might as well keep the big night moths of June,for they only live four or five days anyway.
For the Bird Woman,I only save rare ones she has not yet secured.
Sometimes I think it is cruel to take such creatures from freedom,even for an hour,but it is the only way to teach the masses of people how to distinguish the pests they should destroy,from the harmless ones of great beauty.
Here comes mother with something cool to drink."Mrs.Comstock came deliberately,talking to Philip as she approached.Elnora gave her one searching look,but could discover only an extreme brightness of eye to denote any unusual feeling.She wore one of her lavender dresses,while her snowy hair was high piled.She had taken care of her complexion,and her face had grown fuller during the winter.She might have been any one's mother with pride,and she was perfectly at ease.
Polly instantly went to her and held up her face to be kissed.
Mrs.Comstock's eyes twinkled and she made the greeting hearty.
The drink was compounded of the juices of oranges and berries from the garden.It was cool enough to frost glasses and pitcher and delicious to dusty tired travellers.
Soon the pitcher was empty,and Elnora picked it up and went to refill it.While she was gone Henderson asked Philip about some trouble he was having with his car.
They went to the woods and began a minute examination to find a defect which did not exist.Polly and Levering were having an animated conversation with Mrs.Comstock.
Henderson saw Edith arise,follow the garden path next the woods and stand waiting under the willow which Elnora would pass on her return.It was for that meeting he had made the trip.He got down on the ground,tore up the car,worked,asked for help,and kept Philip busy screwing bolts and applying the oil can.All the time Henderson kept an eye on Edith and Elnora under the willow.
But he took pains to lay the work he asked Philip to do where that scene would be out of his sight.When Elnora came around the corner with the pitcher,she found herself facing Edith Carr.
"I want a minute with you,"said Miss Carr.
