Elnora caught a brush from the table and began softly stroking the creature’s sides and wings.  Delighted with the sensation the butterfly opened and closed its wings, clinging to Polly’s soft little fingers, while every one cried out in surprise.  Elnora laid aside the brush, and the butterfly sailed away.

“Why, you are a wizard!  You charm them!” marvelled Levering.

“I learned that from the Bird Woman,” said Elnora.  “She takes soft brushes and coaxes butterflies and moths into the positions she wants for the illustrations of a book she is writing.  I have helped her often.  Most of the rare ones I find go to her.”

“Then you don’t keep all you take?” questioned Levering.

“Oh, dear, no!” cried Elnora.  “Not a tenth!  For myself, a pair of each kind to use in illustrating the lectures I give in the city schools in the winter, and one pair for each collection I make.  One might as well keep the big night moths of June, for they only live four or five days anyway.  For the Bird Woman, I only save rare ones she has not yet secured.  Sometimes I think it is cruel to take such creatures from freedom, even for an hour, but it is the only way to teach the masses of people how to distinguish the pests they should destroy, from the harmless ones of great beauty.  Here comes mother with something cool to drink.”

Mrs. Comstock came deliberately, talking to Philip as she approached.  Elnora gave her one searching look, but could discover only an extreme brightness of eye to denote any unusual feeling.  She wore one of her lavender dresses, while her snowy hair was high piled.  She had taken care of her complexion, and her face had grown fuller during the winter.  She might have been any one’s mother with pride, and she was perfectly at ease.

Polly instantly went to her and held up her face to be kissed.  Mrs. Comstock’s eyes twinkled and she made the greeting hearty.

The drink was compounded of the juices of oranges and berries from the garden.  It was cool enough to frost glasses and pitcher and delicious to dusty tired travellers.  Soon the pitcher was empty, and Elnora picked it up and went to refill it.  While she was gone Henderson asked Philip about some trouble he was having with his car.  They went to the woods and began a minute examination to find a defect which did not exist.  Polly and Levering were having an animated conversation with Mrs. Comstock.  Henderson saw Edith arise, follow the garden path next the woods and stand waiting under the willow which Elnora would pass on her return.  It was for that meeting he had made the trip.  He got down on the ground, tore up the car, worked, asked for help, and kept Philip busy screwing bolts and applying the oil can.  All the time Henderson kept an eye on Edith and Elnora under the willow.  But he took pains to lay the work he asked Philip to do where that scene would be out of his sight.  When Elnora came around the corner with the pitcher, she found herself facing Edith Carr.