第26章 CHAPTER VI(1)

WHEREIN MRS.COMSTOCK INDULGES IN "FRILLS,"AND BILLY REAPPEARS

It was Wesley Sinton who really wrestled with Elnora's problem while he drove about his business.

He was not forced to ask himself what it meant;he knew.

The old Corson gang was still holding 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,and loaf.Then suddenly,there would be a robbery in some country house where a farmer that day had sold his wheat or corn and not paid a visit to the bank;or in some neighbouring village.

The home of Mrs.Comstock and Elnora adjoined the swamp.

Sinton's land lay next,and not another residence or man easy to reach in case of trouble.Whoever wrote that note had 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 he heard that prayer?Was that the first time he had been in such proximity?Sinton drove fast,for he wished to reach the swamp before Elnora and the Bird Woman would go there.

At almost four he came to the case,and dropping on his knees studied the ground,every sense alert.He found two or three little heel prints.Those were made by Elnora or the Bird Woman.What Sinton wanted to learn was whether all the remainder were the footprints of 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 visits of the women to it.There was no danger that any one would attack the Bird Woman.She never went to the swamp at night,and on her trips in the daytime,every one knew that she carried a revolver,understood how to use it,and pursued her work in a fearless manner.

Elnora,prowling around the swamp and lured into the interior by the flight of moths and butterflies;Elnora,without father,money,or friends save himself,to defend her--Elnora was a different proposition.For this to happen just when the Limberlost was bringing the very desire of her heart to the girl,it was too bad.

Sinton was afraid for her,yet he did not want to add the burden of fear to Katharine Comstock's trouble,or to disturb the joy of Elnora in her work.He stopped at the 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 in a petticoat.He thought of how Margaret had shortened Elnora's dress to the accepted length for girls of her age,and made a mental note of Mrs.Comstock's occupation.

She dropped her work on her lap,laid her hands on it and looked into his face with a sneer.

"You didn't let any grass grow under your feet,"she said.

Sinton saw her white,drawn face and comprehended.

"I went to pay a debt and see about this opening of the ditch,Kate.""You said you were going to prosecute me.""Good gracious,Kate!"cried Sinton."Is that what you have been thinking all day?I told you before I left yesterday that I would not need do that.And I won't!

We can't afford to quarrel 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 my head.

What I came to see you about is a kind of scare I've had to-day.I want to ask you if you ever see anything about the swamp that makes you think the old Corson gang is still at work?""Can't say that I do,"said Mrs.Comstock."There's kind of dancing lights there sometimes,but I supposed it was just people passing along the road with lanterns.

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 my pillow,and the shotgun,same condition,by the bed.

I can't say that I'm afraid here at home.I'm not.I can take care of myself.But none of the swamp for me!""Well,I'm glad you are not afraid,Kate,because Imust tell you something.Elnora stopped at the case this morning,and somebody had been into it in the night.""Broke the lock?"

"No.Used a duplicate key.To-day I heard there was a man here last night.I want to nose around a little."Sinton went to the east end of the cabin and looked up at the window.There was no way any one could have reached it without a ladder,for the logs were hewed and mortar filled the cracks even.Then he went to the west end,the willow faced him as he turned the corner.

He examined the trunk carefully.There was no mistake about 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 it had been dark outside and sufficiently light for Elnora to study inside he could have seen vividly.He brought his face close to the netting,and he could see the bed with its head to the east,at its foot the table with the candles and the chair before it,and then he knew where the man had been who had heard Elnora's prayer.

Mrs.Comstock had followed around the corner and stood watching him."Do you think some slinking hulk was up there peekin'in at Elnora?"she demanded indignantly.

"There is muck on the trunk,and plenty on the limb,"said Sinton."Hadn't you better get a saw and let me take this branch off?""No,I hadn't,"said Mrs.Comstock."First place,Elnora's climbed from that window on that limb all her life,and it's hers.Second place,no one gets ahead of me after I've had warning.Any crow that perches on that roost again will get its feathers somewhat scattered.