Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1912-08-29
XVII.
Wherein Mrs. comstock Possesses tho
LimberIost.

wherein Mrs. Constock Possesses tho
Limberiost.
f~lHEY shook hands, and Sinton
went down the road, while
~ in. She went to the supper TIA
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 1t meant. She reeled slightly
and caught the doorpost for support.
For a few minutes she chung there.
then sank to the nearest chair. After
q long time she arose and, stumbling
half blindly, 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
see a winged creature rise above the
cabin and sail away.
II got to go where they are if l 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 the
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 IN old lard oil lantern and one
of first manufacture for oil. Both Of
these she cleaned and filed. She lis
tened until everything upstairs had
been still for over a half hour. BY that
time 1t was after II o'clock. Then she
took the good lantern from the kitchen,
the two old ones, a handful Of matches,
a ball Of Irvine, and went from the
cabin, softly closing the door. She
skirted the back Of the garden, crossed
a field 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
vering fight Of something she thought
near the right size. She had no idea
where she was, but she stopped, lighted
a lantern and hung it as high as she
could reach. A little distance away she
n1ocod tho cooopd ond +hor tho third
Something large as a small bird was
futtering 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 1
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 a path Of air.
It touched a leaf near the lantern and
settled. AS Mrs. Comstock reached for
it a thin yellow spray wet her hand
and the surrounding leaves. When it's
wings raised above it's back, her fin
gers came together. She held the moth
to the light. 1t was nearer brown than
yellow, and she remembered having
seen some like it in the boxes that aft
ernoon. 1t was not the one needed to
complete the collection, but Elnora
might want it, so Mrs. Comstock held
on. Just there the Almighty was kind
or nature was sufficient, as you look at
it, 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 stiffened. There was the dim
outline of a crouching figure not two
yards away, and a pair Of eyes their
owner thought hidden caught the light
In a cold stream. Her first impulse
was to scream and fly for life. Before
her lips could open a big moth alight-
GU jill ASA ULSdSI, Willie BIC ASlL ILL
other walking over her hair. All sense
of caution deserted her. She did not
care to live If she could not replace
the yellow moth she had killed. She
set her eyes on those among the leaves.
Here, you!" she cried hoarsely. II
need you! Get yourself out here and
help me-"
Pete Corson parted the bushes and
stepped into the light.
ooh, it's you" said Mrs. Comstock.
II nightmare known!< But. you gave
me a start. Here, hold these until I
make some sort Of bag for them. Go
easy! If you break them I don't guar
antee what will happen to you"
pretty fierce, amt you" laughed
Pete, but he advanced and held out
his hands. "FoF Elnora, I s'pose?"
EYES," said Mrs. Comstock. "In a