Mrs. Comstock laid down the bag and pulled one of the lanterns lower.

"I won't budge a step," she said. "This land doesn't belong to you.
You have no right to order me off it. Here I stay until I get a Yellow
Emperor, and no little petering thieves of this neighbourhood can scare
me away."

"You don't understand," said Pete. "I'm willing to help Elnora, and I'd
take care of you, if I could, but there will be too many for me, and
they will be mad at being called out for nothing."

"Well, who's calling them out?" demanded Mrs. Comstock. "I'm catching
moths. If a lot of good-for-nothings get fooled into losing some sleep,
why let them, they can't hurt me, or stop my work."

"They can, and they'll do both."

"Well, I'll see them do it!" said Mrs. Comstock. "I've got Robert's
revolver in my dress, and I can shoot as straight as any man, if I'm
mad enough. Any one who interferes with me to-night will find me mad
a-plenty. There goes another!"

She stepped into the light and waited until a big brown moth settled
on her and was easily taken. Then in light, airy flight came a delicate
pale green thing, and Mrs. Comstock started in pursuit. But the scent
was not right. The moth fluttered high, then dropped lower, still lower,
and sailed away. With outstretched hands Mrs. Comstock pursued it. She
hurried one way and another, then ran over an object which tripped her
and she fell. She regained her feet in an instant, but she had lost
sight of the moth. With livid face she turned to the crouching man.