The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-10-26
CHAPTER XVII.
Wherein Mrs. Comstock Possesses tho
limberIost.

@1HEY shook hands, and Sinton
went down the road, while
Mrs. Comstock entered the cab
~ In. She went to the supper ta-
BILE, but she could not swallow food.
Then she heard the front screen. She
reached the middle door as Elnora
touched the foot of the stairs.
Hurry and get ready, Elnora," she
said. "Your supper is almost spoiled
now"
Elnora closed the stair door behind
her and for the: first time in her life
threw the heavy lever which barred
out any one from downstairs. Mrs.
Comstock heard the thud and knew
what it meant. She reeled slightly
and caught the doorpost for support.
For few minutes she chung there,
then sank to the nearest chair. After
Z long time she arose and, stumbling
half bl1ndly, she put the food In the
cupboard and covered the table. She
took the lamp In one hand, the butter
In the other and started for the spring
house. Something brushed close by
her face, and she looked Just In time to
zee a winged creature rise above the
cabin and sail away.
II got to 60 where they are If get
them," muttered Mrs. .Comstock.
She hurried into the cabin, set the
lamp on the table and stood thinking
deeply. She went to the barn for tho
pair Of stout high boots she used in
feeding stock in deep snow. Throwing
the boots by the back door, she climbed
to the loft over the spring house and
hunted an old lard oil lantern and one
Of first manufacture tor oil. Both Of
these she cleaned and filed. She lis
tened until everything upstairs had
been still for over half hour. BY that
ume It vas after II o'clock. Then she
took tho good lantern from the kitchen,
the two old ones, handful Of matches,
q ball Of Irvine, and went from the
cabin, softly closing the door. She
Skirted the back Of the garden, crossed
4 t1e1d and came out on the road. Soon
she reached the Limberlost. She hunt
ed until she found the old trail, then
followed it, stumbling over logs and
through climbing vines and grasses.
BY and by she began to see the Wa
rering fight Of something she thought
near the right size. She had no idea
where she was, but she stopped, lighted
Z lantern and hung it az high az she
could reach. A little distance away she
placed the second and then the third.
Something large as a small bird was
dutter1ng around. Mrs. Comstock be-
gan to perspire, while her hand shook
wildly. She began to pray aloud.
"This way, oh, Lord! Make It come
this way! Please! You know how I
need it! Oh. Lord, send it lower!'
The moth hesitated at the first light,
then slowly, easily it came toward the
second, as If following path Of air.
It touched a leaf near the lantern and
settled. As Mrs. Comstock reached for
it thin yellow spray wet her hand
and the surrounding leaves. When its
wings raised above it's back, her I'm
gers came together She held the moth
to the light. It was nearer brown than
yellow, and she remembered having
seen some like it in the boxes that aft
ernoon. It was not the one needed to
complete the collection, but Blnora
might want It, SO Mrs. Comstock held
on. Just there the Almighty was kind
or nature was sufficient, as you look at
1t, for following the law Of It's being
when disturbed, the moth again threw
the spray by which some suppose It
attracts its kind, and literally sprin-
! killed. Mrs. Comstock's dress front and
arms. From that instant, she became
| the best moth bait ever invented. +
| Moths were coming. She had one In
each hand. They were not yellow,
and she did not know what to do.
She glanced around to try to discover
some way to keep what she had, and
| her throbbing heart stopped and every
muscle stiGened. There was the dim
outline ot 4 crouching figure not two
yards away. and Z pair of eyes thsiz