第89章 CHAPTER XVIII(3)

"I always knew I was white underneath it.I hated to shade my face because I hadn't anything but a sunbonnet,and I couldn't stand for it to touch my ears,so I went bareheaded and took all the colour I accumulated.

But when I began to think of moving you in to your work,I saw I must put up an appearance that wouldn't disgrace you,so I thought I'd best remove the crust.It took some time,and I hope I may die before I ever endure the feel and the smell of the stuff I used again,but it skinned me nicely.What you now see is my own with a little dust of rice powder,for protection.I'm sort of tender yet.""And your lovely,lovely hair?"breathed Elnora.

"Hairdresser did that!"said Mrs.Comstock."It cost like smoke.But I watched her,and with a little help from you I can wash it alone next time,though it will be hard work.I let her monkey with it until she said she had found `my style.'Then I tore it down and had her show me how to build it up again three times.

I thought my arms would drop.When I paid the bill for her work,the time I'd taken,the pins,and combs she'd used,I nearly had heart failure,but I didn't turn a hair before her.I just smiled at her sweetly and said,`How reasonable you are!'Come to think of it,she was!She might have charged me ten dollars for what she did quite as well as nine seventy-five.I couldn't have helped myself.

I had made no bargain to begin on."

Then Elnora leaned back in her chair and shouted,in a gust of hearty laughter,so a little of the ache ceased in her breast.There was no time to think,the remainder of that evening,she was so tired she had to sleep,while her mother did not awaken her until she barely had time to dress,breakfast and reach school.There was nothing in the new life to remind her of the old.It seemed as if there never came a minute for retrospection,but her mother appeared on the scene with more work,or some entertaining thing to do.

Mrs.Comstock invited Elnora's friends to visit her,and proved herself a bright and interesting hostess.

She digested a subject before she spoke;and when she advanced a view,her point was sure to be original and tersely expressed.Before three months people waited to hear what she had to say.She kept her appearance so in mind that she made a handsome and a distinguished figure.

Elnora never mentioned Philip Ammon,neither did Mrs.Comstock.Early in December came a note and a big box from him.It contained several books on nature subjects which would be of much help in school work,a number of conveniences Elnora could not afford,and a pair of glass-covered plaster casts,for each large moth she had.In these the upper and underwings of male and female showed.He explained that she would break her specimens easily,carrying them around in boxes.He had seen these and thought they would be of use.Elnora was delighted with them,and at once began the tedious process of softening the mounted moths and fitting them to the casts moulded to receive them.Her time was so taken in school,she progressed slowly,so her mother undertook this work.After trying one or two very common ones she learned to handle the most delicate with ease.She took keen pride in relaxing the tense moths,fitting them to the cases,polishing the glass covers to the last degree and sealing them.The results were beautiful to behold.

Soon after Elnora wrote to Philip:

DEAR FRIEND:

I am writing to thank you for the books,and the box of conveniences sent me for my work.I can use everything with fine results.

Hope I am giving good satisfaction in my position.You will be interested to learn that when the summer's work was classified and pinned,I again had my complete collection for the man of India,save a Yellow Emperor.I have tried everywhere I know,so has the Bird Woman.We cannot find a pair for sale.Fate is against me,at least this season.I shall have to wait until next year and try again.

Thank you very much for helping me with my collection and for the books and cases.

Sincerely yours,ELNORA COMSTOCK.

Philip was disappointed over that note and instead of keeping it he tore it into bits and dropped them into the waste basket.

That was precisely what Elnora had intended he should do.

Christmas brought beautiful cards of greeting to Mrs.Comstock and Elnora,Easter others,and the year ran rapidly toward spring.Elnora's position had been intensely absorbing,while she had worked with all her power.

She had made a wonderful success and won new friends.

Mrs.Comstock had helped in every way she could,so she was very popular also.

Throughout the winter they had enjoyed the city thoroughly,and the change of life it afforded,but signs of spring did wonderful things to the hearts of the country-bred women.

A restlessness began on bright February days,calmed during March storms and attacked full force in April.When neither could bear it any longer they were forced to discuss the matter and admit they were growing ill with pure homesickness.

They decided to keep the city house during the summer,but to return to the farm to live as soon as school closed.

So Mrs.Comstock would prepare breakfast and lunch and then slip away to the farm to make up beds in her ploughed garden,plant seeds,trim and tend her flowers,and prepare the cabin for occupancy.Then she would go home and make the evening as cheerful as possible for Elnora;in these days she lived only for the girl.

Both of them were glad when the last of May came and the schools closed.They packed the books and clothing they wished to take into a wagon and walked across the fields to the old cabin.As they approached it,Mrs.Comstock said to Elnora:"You are sure you won't be lonely here?"Elnora knew what she really meant.

"Quite sure,"she said."For a time last fall I was glad to be away,but that all wore out with the winter.

Spring made me homesick as I could be.I can scarcely wait until we get back again."So they began that summer as they had begun all others --with work.But both of them took a new joy in everything,and the violin sang by the hour in the twilight.