TO ALL GIRLS OF THE LIMBERLOST
       IN GENERAL AND ONE
     JEANETTE HELEN PORTER
                  IN
        PARTICULAR

    CHARACTERS

    ELNORA,
           who collects moths
              to pay for her education,
          and lives the Golden Rule.

    PHILIP
        AMMON,
           who assists in moth hunting,
          and gains
               a new conception of love.

    MRS.
        COMSTOCK,
           who lost a delusion and
              found a treasure.

    WESLEY
        SINTON,
           who always did his best.

    MARGARET
        SINTON,
           who "mothers" Elnora.

    BILLY,
           a boy from real life.

    EDITH
        CARR,
           who discovers herself.

    HART
        HENDERSON,
           to whom love
               means all things.

    POLLY
        AMMON,
           who pays an old score.

    TOM
        LEVERING,
           engaged to Polly.

    TERENCE
        O'MORE,
           Freckles grown tall.

    MRS.
        O'MORE,
           who remained the Angel.

    TERENCE,
           ALICE and LITTLE BROTHER,
         the O'MORE children.

    A GIRL OF THE
        LIMBERLOST
 
  CHAPTER I
  WHEREIN ELNORA GOES TO HIGH
       SCHOOL AND LEARNS MANY
       LESSONS NOT FOUND IN HER
       BOOKS

    Elnora Comstock,
           have you lost your senses?"

    demanded the angry voice
           of Katharine Comstock
         while she glared
               at her daughter.

    "Why mother!"

    faltered the girl.

    "Don't you
         'why mother'
            me!"

    cried Mrs. Comstock.

    "You know very well
         what I mean.

    You've given me no peace
         until you've had your way
               about this
              going to school business;
        I've fixed you good enough,
           and you're ready to start.

    But no child of mine
          walks the streets
               of Onabasha looking
             like a play-actress woman.

    You wet your hair
           and comb it
         down modest
               and decent and then
          be off,
           or you'll have no time
               to find
             where you belong."

    Elnora gave one despairing
           glance at the white face,
         framed in a most becoming
               riot of reddish-brown hair,
         which she saw
               in the little kitchen mirror.

    Then she untied
           the narrow black ribbon,
         wet the comb and
              plastered the waving
                   curls close to her head,
         bound them fast,
           pinned on
               the skimpy black hat and
              opened the back door.

    "You've gone
           so plumb daffy you
        are forgetting
               your dinner," jeered her mother.

    "I don't
          want anything to eat,"
              replied Elnora.

    "You'll take your dinner
        or you'll not
              go one step.

    Are you crazy?

    Walk almost three miles
           and no food
         from six
           in the morning
         until six at night.

    A pretty figure you'd cut
         if you had your way!

    And after
        I've gone and
              bought you
                   this nice new pail and
                  filled it especial
                      to start on!"

    Elnora came back
           with a face
         still whiter and
              picked up the lunch.

    "Thank you,
           mother!

    Good-bye!"

    she said.

    Mrs. Comstock did not reply.

    She watched the girl
          follow the long walk
               to the gate
              and go
                   from sight
                 on the road,
           in the bright sunshine
               of the
                   first Monday of September.

    "I bet a dollar
         she gets enough of it
               by night!"

    commented Mrs. Comstock.

    Elnora walked by instinct,
           for her eyes