betty zane-第48部分

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Silas　Zane　had　been　wounded　at　the　first　fire。　A　glancing　ball　had　struck　him　on　the　head；　inflicting　a　painful　scalp　wound。　It　was　now　being　dressed　by　Col。　Zane's　wife；　whose　skilled　fingers　were　already　tired　with　the　washing　and　the　bandaging　of　the　injuries　received　by　the　defenders。　In　all　that　horrible　din　of　battle；　the　shrill　yells　of　the　savages；　the　hoarse　shouts　of　the　settlers；　the　boom　of　the　cannon　overhead；　the　cracking　of　rifles　and　the　whistling　of　bullets；　in　all　that　din　of　appalling　noise；　and　amid　the　stifling　smoke；　the　smell　of　burned　powder；　the　sickening　sight　of　the　desperately　wounded　and　the　already　dead；　the　Colonel's　brave　wife　had　never　faltered。　She　was　here　and　there；　binding　the　wounds；　helping　Lydia　and　Betty　mould　bullets；　encouraging　the　men；　and　by　her　example；　enabling　those　women　to　whom　border　war　was　new　to　bear　up　under　the　awful　strain。

Sullivan；　who　had　been　on　top　of　the　block…house；　came　down　the　ladder　almost　without　touching　it。　Blood　was　running　down　his　bare　arm　and　dripping　from　the　ends　of　his　fingers。

〃Zane；　Martin　has　been　shot；〃　he　said　hoarsely。　〃The　same　Indian　who　shot　away　these　fingers　did　it。　The　bullets　seem　to　come　from　some　elevation。　Send　some　scout　up　there　and　find　out　where　that　damned　Indian　is　hiding。〃

〃Martin　shot？　God；　his　poor　wife！　Is　he　dead？〃　said　Silas。

〃Not　yet。　Bennet　is　bringing　him　down。　Here；　I　want　this　hand　tied　up；　so　that　my　gun　won't　be　so　slippery。〃

Wetzel　was　seen　stalking　from　one　porthole　to　another。　His　fearful　yell　sounded　above　all　the　others。　He　seemed　to　bear　a　charmed　life；　for　not　a　bullet　had　so　much　as　scratched　him。　Silas　communicated　to　him　what　Sullivan　had　said。　The　hunter　mounted　the　ladder　and　went　up　on　the　roof。　Soon　he　reappeared；　descended　into　the　room　and　ran　into　the　west　end　of　the　block…house。　He　kneeled　before　a　porthole　through　which　he　pushed　the　long　black　barrel　of　his　rifle。　Silas　and　Sullivan　followed　him　and　looked　in　the　direction　indicated　by　his　weapon。　It　pointed　toward　the　bushy　top　of　a　tall　poplar　tree　which　stood　on　the　hill　west　of　the　Fort。　Presently　a　little　cloud　of　white　smoke　issued　from　the　leafy　branches；　and　it　was　no　sooner　seen　than　Wetzel's　rifle　was　discharged。　There　was　a　great　commotion　among　the　leaves；　the　branches　swayed　and　thrashed；　and　then　a　dark　body　plunged　downward　to　strike　on　the　rocky　slope　of　the　bluff　and　roll　swiftly　out　of　sight。　The　hunter's　unnatural　yell　pealed　out。

〃Great　God！　The　man's　crazy；〃　cried　Sullivan；　staring　at　Wetzel's　demon…like　face。

〃No；　no。　It's　his　way；〃　answered　Silas。

At　that　moment　the　huge　frame　of　Bennet　filled　up　the　opening　in　the　roof　and　started　down　the　ladder。　In　one　arm　he　carried　the　limp　body　of　a　young　man。　When　he　reached　the　floor　he　laid　the　body　down　and　beckoned　to　Mrs。　Zane。　Those　watching　saw　that　the　young　man　was　Will　Martin；　and　that　he　was　still　alive。　But　it　was　evident　that　he　had　not　long　to　live。　His　face　had　a　leaden　hue　and　his　eyes　were　bright　and　glassy。　Alice；　his　wife；　flung　herself　on　her　knees　beside　him　and　tenderly　raised　the　drooping　head。　No　words　could　express　the　agony　in　her　face　as　she　raised　it　to　Mrs。　Zane。　In　it　was　a　mute　appeal；　an　unutterable　prayer　for　hope。　Mrs。　Zane　turned　sorrowfully　to　her　task。　There　was　no　need　of　her　skill　here。　Alfred　Clarke；　who　had　been　ordered　to　take　Martin's　place　on　top　of　the　block…house；　paused　a　moment　in　silent　sympathy。　When　he　saw　that　little　hole　in　the　bared　chest；　from　which　the　blood　welled　up　in　an　awful　stream；　he　shuddered　and　passed　on。　Betty　looked　up　from　her　work　and　then　turned　away　sick　and　faint。　Her　mute　lips　moved　as　if　in　prayer。

Alice　was　left　alone　with　her　dying　husband。　She　tenderly　supported　his　head　on　her　bosom；　leaned　her　face　against　his　and　kissed　the　cold；　numb　lips。　She　murmured　into　his　already　deaf　ear　the　old　tender　names。　He　knew　her；　for　he　made　a　feeble　effort　to　pass　his　arm　round　her　neck。　A　smile　illumined　his　face。　Then　death　claimed　him。　With　wild；　distended　eyes　and　with　hands　pressed　tightly　to　her　temples　Alice　rose　slowly　to　her　feet。

〃Oh；　God！　Oh；　God！〃　she　cried。

Her　prayer　was　answered。　In　a　momentary　lull　in　the　battle　was　heard　the　deadly　hiss　of　a　bullet　as　it　sped　through　one　of　the　portholes。　It　ended　with　a　slight　sickening　spat　as　the　lead　struck　the　flesh。　Then　Alice；　without　a　cry；　fell　on　the　husband's　breast。　Silas　Zane　found　her　lying　dead　with　the　body　of　her　husband　clasped　closely　in　her　arms。　He　threw　a　blanket　over　them　and　went　on　his　wearying　round　of　the　bastions。

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The　besiegers　had　been　greatly　harassed　and　hampered　by　the　continual　fire　from　Col。　Zane's　house。　It　was　exceedingly　difficult　for　the　Indians；　and　impossible　for　the　British；　to　approach　near　enough　to　the　Colonel's　house　to　get　an　effective　shot。　Col。　Zane　and　his　men　had　the　advantage　of　being　on　higher　ground。　Also　they　had　four　rifles　to　a　man；　and　they　used　every　spare　moment　for　reloading。　Thus　they　were　enabled　to　pour　a　deadly　fire　into　the　ranks　of　the　enemy；　and　to　give　the　impression　of　being　much　stronger　in　force　than　they　really　were。

About　dusk　the　firing　ceased　and　the　Indians　repaired　to　the　river　bluff。　Shortly　afterward　their　camp…fires　were　extinguished　and　all　became　dark　and　quiet。　Two　hours　passed。　Fortunately　the　clouds；　which　had　at　first　obscured　the　moon；　cleared　away　somewhat　and　enough　light　was　shed　on　the　scene　to　enable　the　watchers　to　discern　objects　near　by。

Col。　Zane　had　just　called　together　his　men　for　a　conference。　He　suspected　some　cunning　deviltry　on　part　of　the　Indians。

〃Sam；　take　what　stuff　to　eat　you　can　lay　your　hands　on　and　go　up　to　the　loft。　Keep　a　sharp　lookout　and　report　anything　to　Jonathan　or　me；〃　said　the　Colonel。

All　afternoon　Jonathan　Zane　had　loaded　and　fired　his　rifles　in　sullen　and　dogged　determination。　He　had　burst　one　rifle　and　disabled　another。　The　other　men　were　fine　marksmen；　but　it　was　undoubtedly　Jonathan's　unerring　aim　that　made　the　house　so　unapproachable。　He　used　an　extremely　heavy；　large　bore　rifle。　In　the　hands　of　a　man　strong　enough　to　stand　its　fierce　recoil　it　was　a　veritable　cannon。　The　Indians　had　soon　learned　to　respect　the　range　of　that　rifle；　and　they　gave　the　cabin　a　wide　berth。

But　now　that　darkness　had　enveloped　the　valley　the　advantage　lay　with　the　savages。　Col。　Zane　glanced　apprehensively　at　the　blackened　face　of　his　brother。

〃Do　you　think　the　Fort　can　hold　out？〃　he　asked　in　a　husky　voice。　He　was　a　bold　man；　but　he　thought　now　of　his　wife　and　children。

〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Jonathan。　〃I　saw　that　big　Shawnee　chief　today。　His　name　is　Fire。　He　is　well　named。　He　is　a　fiend。　Girty　has　a　picked　band。〃

〃The　Fort　has　held　out　surprisingly　well　against　such　combined　and　fierce　attacks。　The　Indians　are　desperate。　You　can　easily　see　that　in　the　way　in　which　they　almost　threw　their　lives　away。　The　green　square　is　covered　with　dead　Indians。〃

〃If　help　does　not　come　in　twenty…four　hours　not　one　man　will　escape　alive。　Even　Wetzel　could　not　break　through　that　line　of　Indians。　But　if　we　can　hold　the　Indians　off　a　day　longer　they　will　get　tired　and　discouraged。　Girty　will　not　be　able　to　hold　them　much　longer。　The　British　don't　count。　It's　not　their　kind　of　war。　They　can't　shoot；　and　so　far　as　I　can　see　they　haven't　done　much　damage。〃

〃To　your　posts；　men；　and　every　man　think　of　the　women　and　children　in　the　block…house。〃

For　a　long　time；　which　seemed　hours　to　the　waiting　and　watching　settlers；　not　a　sound　could　be　heard；　nor　any　sign　of　the　enemy　seen。　Thin　clouds　had　again　drifted　over　the　noon；　allowing　only　a　pale；　wan　light　to　shine　down　on　the　valley。　Time　dragged　on　and　the　clouds　grew　thicker　and　denser　until　the　moon　and　the　stars　were　totally　obscured。　Still　no　sign　or　sound　of　the　savages。

〃What　was　that？〃　suddenly　whispered　Col。　Zane。

〃It　was　a　low　whistle　from　Sam。　We'd　better　go　up；〃　said　Jonathan。

They　went　up　the　stairs　to　the　second　floor　from　which　they　ascended　to　the　loft　by　means　of　a　ladder。　The　loft　was　as　black　as　pitch。　In　that　Egyptian　darkness　it　was　no　use　to　look　for　anything；　so　they　crawled　on　their　hands　and　knees　over　the　piles　of　hides　and　leather　which　lay　on　the　floor　When　they　reached　the　small　window　they　made　out　the　form　of　the　negro。

〃What　is　it；　Sam？〃　whispered　Jonathan。

〃Look；　see　thar；　Massa　Zane；〃　came　the　answer　in　a　hoarse　whisper　from　the　negro　and　at　the　same　time　he　pointed　down　toward　the　ground。

Col。　Zane　put　his　head　alongside　Jonathan's　and　all　three　men　peered　out　into　the　darkness。

〃Jack；　can　you　see　anything？〃　said　Col。　Zane。

〃No；　but　wait　a　minute　until　the　moon　throws　a　light。〃

A　breeze　had　sprung　up。　The　clouds　were　passing　rapidly　over　the　moon；　and　at　long　intervals　a　rift　between　the　clouds　let　enough　light　through　to　brighten　the　square　for　an　instant。

〃Now；　Massa　Zane；　thar！〃　exclaimed　the　slave。

〃I　can't　see　a　thing。　Can　you；　Jack？〃

〃I　am　not　sure　yet。　I　can　see　something；　but　whether　it　is　a　log　or　not　I　don't　know。〃

Just　then　there　was　a　faint　light　like　the　brightening　of　a　firefly；　or　like　the　blowing　of　a　tiny　spark　from　a　stick　of　burning　wood。　Jonathan　uttered　a　low　curse。

〃Dn　'em！　At　their　old　tricks　with　fire。　I　thought　all　this　quiet　meant　something。　The　grass　out　there　is　full　of　Indians；　and　they　are　carrying　lighted　arrows　under　them　so　as　to　cover　the　light。　But　we'll　fool　the　red　devils　this　time〃

〃I　can　see　'em；　Massa　Zane。〃

〃Sh…h…h！　no　more　talk；〃　whispered　Col。　Zane。

The　men　waited　with　cocked　rifles。　Another　spark　rose　seemingly　out　of　the　earth。　This　time　it　was　nearer　the　house。　No　sooner　had　its　feeble　light　disappeared　than　the　report　of　the　negro's　rifle　awoke　the　sleeping　echoes。　It　was　succeeded　by　a　yell　which　seemed　to　come　from　under　the　window。　Several　dark　forms　rose　so　suddenly　that　they　appeared　to　spring　out　of　the　ground。　Then　came　the　peculiar　twang　of　Indian　bows。　There　were　showers　of　sparks　and　little　streaks　of　fire　with　long　tails　like　comets　winged　their　parabolic　flight　toward　the　cabin。　Falling　short　they　hissed　and　sputtered　in　the　grass。　Jonathan's　rifle　spoke　and　one　of　the　fleeing　forms　tumbled　to　the　earth。　A　serie