In her heart she wished he would not come.  She wanted her newly found treasure all to herself, for a time, at least.  But Elnora’s were eager, shining eyes.  She thought it would be splendid to have help, and great fun to try book methods for taking moths, so it was arranged.  As Philip rode away, Mrs. Comstock’s eyes followed him.  “What a nice young man!” she said.

“He seems fine,” agreed Elnora.

“He comes of a good family, too.  I’ve often heard of his father.  He is a great lawyer.”

“I am glad he likes it here.  I need help.  Possibly——­”

“Possibly what?”

“We can find many moths.”

“What did he mean about the butterflies?”

“That he always had connected them with sunshine, flowers, and fruits, and thought of them as the most exquisite of creations; then one day he found some clustering thickly over carrion.”

“Come to think of it, I have seen butterflies——­”

“So had he,” laughed Elnora.  “And that is what he meant.”

CHAPTER XIV

WHEREIN A NEW POSITION IS TENDERED ELNORA, AND PHILIP AMMON IS SHOWN LIMBERLOST VIOLETS

The next morning Mrs. Comstock called to Elnora, “The mail carrier stopped at our box.”

Elnora ran down the walk and came back carrying an official letter.  She tore it open and read: 

My dear miss Comstock: 

At the weekly meeting of the Onabasha School Board last night, it was decided to add the position of Lecturer on Natural History to our corps of city teachers.  It will be the duty of this person to spend two hours a week in each of the grade schools exhibiting and explaining specimens of the most prominent objects in nature:  animals, birds, insects, flowers, vines, shrubs, bushes, and trees.  These specimens and lectures should be appropriate to the seasons and the comprehension of the grades.  This position was unanimously voted to you.  I think you will find the work delightful and much easier than the routine grind of the other teachers.  It is my advice that you accept and begin to prepare yourself at once.  Your salary will be $750 a year, and you will be allowed $200 for expenses in procuring specimens and books.  Let us know at once if you want the position, as it is going to be difficult to fill satisfactorily if you do not.

Very truly yours,

David Thompson, President, Onabasha Schools.

“I hardly understand,” marvelled Mrs. Comstock.

“It is a new position.  They never have had anything like it before.  I suspect it arose from the help I’ve been giving the grade teachers in their nature work.  They are trying to teach the children something, and half the instructors don’t know a blue jay from a king-fisher, a beech leaf from an elm, or a wasp from a hornet.”

“Well, do you?” anxiously inquired Mrs. Comstock.