the table. Elnora held up a lump of sugar and the
butterfly, clinging to her fingers, tasted daintily. With eager eyes and
parted lips, the girl held steadily. When at last it wavered away, "That
made a picture!" said Philip. "Ask me some other time how I lost my
illusions concerning butterflies. I always thought of them in connection
with sunshine, flower pollen, and fruit nectar, until one sad day."

"I know!" laughed Elnora. "I've seen that, too, but it didn't destroy
any illusion for me. I think quite as much of the butterflies as ever."

Then they talked of flowers, moths, dragonflies, Indian relics, and all
the natural wonders the swamp afforded, straying from those subjects
to books and school work. When they cleared the table Philip assisted,
carrying several tray loads to the kitchen. He and Elnora mounted
specimens while Mrs Comstock washed the dishes. Then she came out with a
ruffle she was embroidering.

"I wonder if I did not see a picture of you in Onabasha last night,"
Philip said to Elnora. "Aunt Anna took me to call on Miss Brownlee. She
was showing me her crowd--of course, it was you! But it didn't half
do you justice, although it was the nearest human of any of them. Miss
Brownlee is very fond of you. She said the finest things."

Then they talked of Commencement, and at last Philip said he must go or
his friends would become anxious about him.

Mrs. Comstock brought him a blue bowl of creamy milk and a plate of
bread. She stopped a passing team and secured a ride to the city for
him, as his exercise of the morning had been too violent, and he was
forced to admit he was tired.

"May I come to-morrow afternoon and hunt moths awhile?" he asked Mrs.
Comstock as he arose. "We will 'sugar' a tree and put a light beside it,
if I can get stuff to make the preparation. Possibly we can take some
that way. I always enjoy moth hunting, I'd like to help Miss Elnora, and
it would be a charity to me. I've got to remain outdoors some place, and
I'm quite sure I'd get well faster here than anywhere else. Please say I
may come."

"I have no objections, if Elnora really would like help," said Mrs.
Comstock.

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. Comst