the spirit of the border-第22部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！





〃Silvertip！　Girty！〃　exclaimed　Jim；　in　a　low　voice。



〃Girty　I　knew；　of　course；　but　I　was　not　sure　the　other　was　the　Shawnee　who

captured　you　and　your　brother；〃　replied　Heckewelder；　drawing　Jim　into　another

room。



〃What　do　they　mean　by　loitering　around　the　village？　Inquired　Jim；

apprehensively。　Whenever　he　heard　Girty's　name　mentioned；　or　even　thought　of

him；　he　remembered　with　a　shudder　the　renegade's　allusion　to　the　buzzards。　Jim

never　saw　one　of　these　carrion　birds　soaring　overhead　but　his　thoughts

instantly　reverted　to　the　frontier　ruffian　and　his　horrible　craving。



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Heckewelder。　〃Girty　has　been　here　several　times　of

late。　I　saw　him　conferring　with　Pipe　at　Goshhocking。　I　hope　there's　no

deviltry　afoot。　Pipe　is　a　relentless　enemy　of　all　Christians；　and　Girty　is　a

fiend；　a　hyena。　I　think；　perhaps；　it　will　be　well　for　you　and　the　girls　to

stay　indoors　while　Girty　and　Silvertip　are　in　the　village。〃



That　evening　the　entire　missionary　party　were　gathered　in　Mr。　Wells'　room。　

Heckewelder　told　stories　of　Indian　life；　Nell　sang　several　songs；　and　Kate

told　many　amusing　things　said　and　done　by　the　little　Indian　boys　in　her　class

at　the　school。　Thus　the　evening　passed　pleasantly　for　all。



〃So　next　Wednesday　I　am　to　perform　the　great　ceremony；〃　remarked　Heckewelder；

laying　his　hand　kindly　on　Young's　knee。　〃We'll　celebrate　the　first　white

wedding　in　the　Village　of　Peace。〃



Young　looked　shyly　down　at　his　boots；　Edwards　crossed　one　leg　over　the　other；

and　coughed　loudly　to　hide　his　embarrassment。　Kate　wore；　as　usual；　her　pensive

smile；　Nell's　eyes　twinkled；　and　she　was　about　to　speak；　when　Heckewelder's

quizzical　glance　in　her　direction　made　her　lips　mute。



〃I　hope　I'll　have　another　wedding　on　my　hands　soon；〃　he　said　placidly。



This　ordinary　remark　had　an　extraordinary　effect。　Nell　turned　with　burning

cheeks　and　looked　out　of　the　window。　Jim　frowned　fiercely　and　bit　his　lips。

Edwards　began　to　laugh；　and　even　Mr。　Wells'　serious　face　lapsed　into　a　smile。



〃I　mean　I've　picked　out　a　nice　little　Delaware　squaw　for　Dave；〃　said

Heckewelder；　seeing　his　badinage　had　somehow　gone　amiss。



〃Oh…h！〃　suddenly　cried　Nell；　in　shuddering　tones。



They　all　gazed　at　her　in　amazement。　Every　vestige　of　color　had　receded　from

her　face；　leaving　it　marblelike。　Her　eves　were　fixed　in　startled　horror。

Suddenly　she　relaxed　her　grasp　on　the　windowsill　and　fell　back　limp　and

senseless。



Heckewelder　ran　to　the　door　lo　look　out；　while　the　others　bent　over　the

unconscious　girl；　endeavoring　to　revive　her。　Presently　a　fluttering　breath　and

a　quivering　of　her　dark　lashes　noted　a　return　of　suspended　life。　Then　her

beautiful　eyes　opened　wide　to　gaze　with　wonder　and　fear　into　the　grave　faces

bent　so　anxiously　over　her。



〃Nell；　dearest；　you　are　safe。　What　was　it？　What　frightened　you　so？〃　said　Kate；

tenderly。



〃Oh；　it　was　fearful！〃　gasped　Nell；　sitting　up。　She　clung　to　her　sister　with

one　hand；　while　the　other　grasped　Jim's　sleeve。



〃I　was　looking　out　into　the　dark；　when　suddenly　I　beheld　a　face；　a　terrible

face！〃　cried　Nell。　Those　who　watched　her　marveled　at　the　shrinking；　awful　fear

in　her　eyes。　〃It　was　right　by　the　window。　I　could　have　touched　it。　　Such　a

greedy；　wolfish　face；　with　a　long；　hooked　nose！　The　eyes；　oh！　the　eyes！　I'll

never　forget　them。　They　made　me　sick；　they　paralyzed　me。　It　wasn't　an　Indian's

face。　It　belonged　to　that　white　man；　that　awful　white　man！　I　never　saw　him

before；　but　I　knew　him。〃



〃Girty！〃　said　Heckewelder；　who　had　come　in　with　his　quiet　step。　〃He　looked　in

at　the　window。　Calm　yourself；　Nellie。　The　renegade　has　gone。〃



The　incident　worried　them　all　at　the　time；　and　made　Nell　nervous　for　several

days；　but　as　Girty　had　disappeared；　and　nothing　more　was　heard　of　him；

gradually　they　forgot。　Kate's　wedding　day　dawned　with　all　the　little　party

well　and　happy。　Early　in　the　afternoon　Jim　and　Nell；　accompanied　by　Kate　and

her　lover；　started　out　into　the　woods　just　beyond　the　clearing　for　the　purpose

of　gathering　wild　flowers　to　decorate　the　cabin。



〃We　are　both　thinking　ofhim；〃　Jim　said；　after　he　and　Nell　had　walked　some

little　way　in　silence。



〃Yes；〃　answered　Nell；　simply。



〃I　hopeI　pray　Joe　comes　back；　but　if　he　doesn'tNellwon't　you　care　a

little　for　me？〃



He　received　no　answer。　But　Nell　turned　her　face　away。



〃We　both　loved　him。　If　he's　gone　forever　our　very　love　for　him　should　bring　us

together。　I　knowI　know　he　would　have　wished　that。〃



〃Jim；　don't　speak　of　love　to　me　now；〃　she　whispered。　Then　she　turned　to　the

others。　Come　quickly；　here　are　great　clusters　of　wild　clematis　and　goldenrod。

How　lovely！　Let　us　gather　a　quantity。〃



The　young　men　had　almost　buried　the　girls　under　huge　masses　of　the　beautiful

flowers；　when　the　soft　tread　of　moccasined　feet　caused　them　all　to　turn　in

surprise。　Six　savages　stood　waist…deep　in　the　bushes；　where　they　had　lain

concealed。　Fierce；　painted　visages　scowled　from　behind　leveled　rifles。



〃Don't　yell！〃　cried　a　hoarse　voice　in　English。　Following　the　voice　came　a

snapping　of　twigs；　and　then　two　other　figures　came　into　view。　They　were　Girty

and　Silvertip。



〃Don't　yell；　er　I'll　leave　you　layin'　here　fer　the　buzzards；〃　said　the

renegade。　He　stepped　forward　and　grasped　Young；　at　the　same　time　speaking　in

the　Indian　language　and　pointing　to　a　nearby　tree。　Strange　to　relate；　the

renegade　apparently　wanted　no　bloodshed。　While　one　of　the　savages　began　to　tie

Young　to　the　tree；　Girty　turned　his　gaze　on　the　girls。　His　little；　yellow　eyes

glinted；　he　stroked　his　chin　with　a　bony　hand；　and　his　dark；　repulsive　face

was　wreathed　in　a　terrible；　meaning　smile。



〃I've　been　layin'　fer　you；〃　he　croaked；　eyeing　Nell。　〃Ye're　the　purtiest　lass；

'ceptin'　mebbe　Bet　Zane；　I　ever　seed　on　the　border。　I　got　cheated　outen　her；

but　I've　got　you；　arter　I　feed　yer　Injun　preacher　to　ther　buzzards　mebbe　ye'll

larn　to　love　me。〃



Nell　gazed　one　instant　into　the　monster's　face。　Her　terror…stricken　eyes　were

piteous　to　behold。　She　tried　to　speak；　but　her　voice　failed。　Then；　like

stricken　bird；　she　fell　on　the　grass。







Chapter　XIV。



Not　many　miles　from　the　Village　of　Peace　rose　an　irregular　chain　of　hills；　the

first　faint　indications　of　the　grand　Appalachian　Mountain　system。　　These

ridges　were　thickly　wooded　with　white　oak；　poplar　and　hickory；　among　which　a

sentinel　pine　reared　here　and　there　its　evergreen　head。　There　were　clefts　in

the　hills；　passes　lined　by　gray…stoned　cliffs；　below　which　ran　clear　brooks；

tumbling　over　rocks　in　a　hurry　to　meet　their　majestic　father；　the　Ohio。



One　of　these　valleys；　so　narrow　that　the　sun　seldom　brightened　the　merry

brook；　made　a　deep　cut　in　the　rocks。　The　head　of　this　valley　tapered　until　the

walls　nearly　met；　it　seemed　to　lose　itself　in　the　shade　of　fern…faced　cliffs；

shadowed　as　they　were　by　fir　trees　leaning　over　the　brink；　as　though　to　search

for　secrets　of　the　ravine。　So　deep　and　dark　and　cool　was　this　sequestered　nook

that　here　late　summer　had　not　dislodged　early　spring。　Everywhere　was　a　soft；

fresh；　bright　green。　The　old　gray　cliffs　were　festooned　with　ferns；　lichens

and　moss。　Under　a　great；　shelving　rock；　damp　and　stained　by　the　copper…colored

water　dripping　down　its　side；　was　a　dewy　dell　into　which　the　sunshine　had

never　peeped。　Here　the　swift　brook　tarried　lovingly；　making　a　wide　turn　under

the　cliff；　as　though　loth　to　leave　this　quiet　nook；　and　then　leaped　once　more

to　enthusiasm　in　its　murmuring　flight。



Life　abounded　in　this　wild；　beautiful；　almost　inaccessible　spot。　Little　brown

and　yellow　birds　flitted　among　the　trees；　thrushes　ran　along　the　leaf…strewn

ground；　orioles　sang　their　melancholy　notes；　robins　and　flickers　darted

beneath　the　spreading　branches。　Squirrels　scurried　over　the　leaves　like　little

whirlwinds；　and　leaped　daringly　from　the　swinging　branches　or　barked　noisily

from　woody　perches。　Rabbits　hopped　inquisitively　here　and　there　while　nibbling

at　the　tender　shoots　of　sassafras　and　laurel。



Along　this　flower…skirted　stream　a　tall　young　man；　carrying　a　rifle　cautiously

stepped；　peering　into　the　branches　overhead。　A　gray　flash　shot　along　a　limb　of

a　white　oak；　then　the　bushy　tail　of　a　squirrel　flitted　into　a　well…protected

notch；　from　whence；　no　doubt；　a　keen　little　eye　watched　the　hunter's　every

movement。



The　rifle　was　raised；　then　lowered。　The　hunter　walked　around　the　tree。　

Presently　up　in　the　tree　top；　snug　under　a　knotty　limb；　he　spied　a　little　ball

of　gray　fur。　Grasping　a　branch　of　underbush；　he　shook　it　vigorously。　　The

thrashing　sound　worried　the　gray　squirrel；　for　he　slipped　from　his　retreat　and

stuck　his　nose　Over　the　limb。　CRACK！　With　a　scratching　and　tearing　of　bark　the

squirrel　loosened　his　hold　and　then　fell；　alighting　with　a　thump。　As　the

hunter　picked　up　his　quarry　a　streak　of　sunshine　glinting　through　the　tree　top

brightened　his　face。



The　hunter　was　Joe。



He　was　satisfied　now；　for　after　stowing　the　squirrel　in　the　pocket　of　his

hunting　coat　he　shouldered　his　rifle　and　went　back　up　the　ravine。　　Presently　a

dull　roar　sounded　above　the　babble　of　the　brook。　It　grew　louder　as　he　threaded

his　way　carefully　over　the　stones。　Spots　of　white　foam　flecked　the　brook。

Passing　under　the　gray；　stained　cliff；　Joe　turned　around　a　rocky　corner；　and

came　to　an　abrupt　end　of　the　ravine。　　A　waterfall　marked　the　spot　where　the

brook　entered。　The　water　was　brown　as　it　took　the　leap；　light　green　when　it

thinned　out；　and　below；　as　it　dashed　on　the　stones；　it　became　a　beautiful；

sheeny　white。



Upon　a　flat　rock；　so　near　the　cascade　that　spray　flew　over　him；　sat　another

hunter。　The　roaring　falls　drowned　all　other　sounds；　yet　the　man　roused　from

his　dreamy　contemplation　of　the　waterfall　when　Joe　rounded　the　corner。



〃I　heerd　four　shots；〃　he　said；　as　Joe　came　up。



〃Yes；　I　got　a　squirrel　for　every　shot。〃



Wetzel　led　the　way　along　a　narrow　foot　trail