betty zane-第53部分

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e　was　beginning　to　set　the　table　for　the　evening　meal。　Isaac　lay　with　a　contented　smile　on　his　face；　fast　asleep　on　the　couch；　where；　only　a　short　time　before；　he　had　been　laid　bleeding　and　almost　dead。　Betty　was　reading　to　Myeerah；　whose　eyes　were　rapturously　bright　as　she　leaned　her　head　against　her　sister　and　listened　to　the　low　voice。

〃Well；　Betty；　what　do　you　think？〃　said　Col。　Zane；　stopping　before　the　girls。

〃What　do　I　think？〃　retorted　Betty。　〃Why；　I　think　you　are　very　rude　to　interrupt　me。　I　am　reading　to　Myeerah　her　first　novel。〃

〃I　have　a　very　important　message　for　you。〃

〃For　me？　What！　From　whom？〃

〃Guess。〃

Betty　ran　through　a　list　of　most　of　her　acquaintances；　but　after　each　name　her　brother　shook　his　head。

〃Oh；　well；　I　don't　care；〃　she　finally　said。　The　color　in　her　cheeks　had　heightened　noticeably。

〃Very　well。　If　you　do　not　care；　I　will　say　nothing　more；〃　said　Col。　Zane。

At　this　juncture　Annie　called　them　to　supper。　Later；　when　Col。　Zane　sat　on　the　doorstep　smoking；　Betty　came　and　sat　beside　him　with　her　head　resting　against　his　shoulder。　The　Colonel　smoked　on　in　silence。　Presently　the　dusky　head　moved　restlessly。

〃Eb；　tell　me　the　message；〃　whispered　Betty。

〃Message？　What　message？〃　asked　Col。　Zone。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃

〃Do　not　teasenot　now。　Tell　me。〃　There　was　an　undercurrent　of　wistfulness　in　Betty's　voice　which　touched　the　kindhearted　brother。

〃Well；　to…day　a　certain　young　man　asked　me　if　he　could　relieve　me　of　the　responsibility　of　looking　after　a　certain　young　lady。〃

〃Oh。〃

〃Wait　a　moment。　I　told　him　I　would　be　delighted。〃

〃Eb；　that　was　unkind。〃

〃Then　he　asked　me　to　tell　her　he　was　coming　over　to…morrow　morning　to　fix　it　up　with　her。〃

〃Oh；　horrible！〃　cried　Betty。　〃Were　those　the　words　he　used？〃

〃Betts；　to　tell　the　honest　truth；　he　did　not　say　much　of　anything。　He　just　said：　'I　love　her；'　and　his　eyes　blazed。〃

Betty　uttered　a　half　articulate　cry　and　ran　to　her　room。　Her　heart　was　throbbing。　What　could　she　do？　She　felt　that　if　she　looked　once　into　her　lover's　eyes　she　would　have　no　strength。　How　dared　she　allow　herself　to　be　so　weak！　Yet　she　knew　this　was　the　end。　She　could　deceive　him　no　longer：　For　she　felt　a　stir　in　her　heart；　stronger　than　all；　beyond　all　resistance；　an　exquisite　agony；　the　sweet；　blind；　tumultuous　exultation　of　the　woman　who　loves　and　is　loved。

　　　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*

〃Bess；　what　do　you　think？〃　said　Col。　Zane；　going　into　the　kitchen　next　morning；　after　he　had　returned　from　the　pasture。　〃Clarke　just　came　over　and　asked　for　Betty。　I　called　her。　She　came　down　looking　as　sweet　and　cool　as　one　of　the　lilies　out　by　the　spring。　She　said：　'Why；　Mr。　Clarke；　you　are　almost　a　stranger。　I　am　pleased　to　see　you。　Indeed；　we　are　all　very　glad　to　know　you　have　recovered　from　your　severe　burns。'　She　went　on　talking　like　that　for　all　the　world　like　a　girl　who　didn't　care　a　snap　for　him。　And　she　knows　as　well　as　I　do。　Not　only　that；　she　has　been　actually　breaking　her　heart　over　him　all　these　months。　How　did　she　do　it？　Oh；　you　women　beat　me　all　hollow！〃

〃Would　you　expect　Betty　to　fall　into　his　arms？〃　asked　the　Colonel's　worthy　spouse；　indignantly。

〃Not　exactly。　But　she　was　too　cool；　too　friendly。　Poor　Alfred　looked　as　if　he　hadn't　slept。　He　was　nervous　and　scared　to　death。　When　Betty　ran　up　stairs　I　put　a　bug　in　Alfred's　ear。　He'll　be　all　right　now；　if　he　follows　my　advice。〃

〃Humph！　What　did　Colonel　Ebenezer　Zane　tell　him？〃　asked　Bessie；　in　disgust。

〃Oh；　not　much。　I　simply　told　him　not　to　lose　his　nerve；　that　a　woman　never　meant　'no'；　that　she　often　says　it　only　to　be　made　say　'yes。'　And　I　ended　up　with　telling　him　if　she　got　a　little　skittish；　as　thoroughbreds　do　sometimes；　to　try　a　strong　arm。　That　was　my　way。〃

〃Col。　Zane。　if　my　memory　does　not　fail　me；　you　were　as　humble　and　beseeching　as　the　proudest　girl　could　desire。〃

〃I　beseeching？　Never！〃

〃I　hope　Alfred's　wooing　may　go　well。　I　like　him　very　much。　But　I'm　afraid。　Betty　has　such　a　spirit　that　it　is　quite　likely　she　will　refuse　him　for　no　other　reason　than　that　he　built　his　cabin　before　he　asked　her。〃

〃Nonsense。　He　asked　her　long　ago。　Never　fear；　Bess；　my　sister　will　come　back　as　meek　as　a　lamb。〃

Meanwhile　Betty　and　Alfred　were　strolling　down　the　familiar　path　toward　the　river。　The　October　air　was　fresh　with　a　suspicion　of　frost。　The　clear　notes　of　a　hunter's　horn　came　floating　down　from　the　hills。　A　flock　of　wild　geese　had　alighted　on　the　marshy　ground　at　the　end　of　the　island　where　they　kept　up　a　continual　honk！　honk！　The　brown　hills；　the　red　forest；　and　the　yellow　fields　were　now　at　the　height　of　their　autumnal　beauty。　Soon　the　November　north　wind　would　thrash　the　trees　bare；　and　bow　the　proud　heads　of　the　daisies　and　the　goldenrod；　but　just　now　they　flashed　in　the　sun；　and　swayed　back　and　forth　in　all　their　glory。

〃I　see　you　limp。　Are　you　not　entirely　well？'　Betty　was　saying。

〃Oh；　I　am　getting　along　famously；　thank　you；〃　said　Alfred。　〃This　one　foot　was　quite　severely　burned　and　is　still　tender。〃

〃You　have　had　your　share　of　injuries。　I　heard　my　brother　say　you　had　been　wounded　three　times　within　a　year。〃

〃Four　times。〃

〃Jonathan　told　of　the　axe　wound；　then　the　wound　Miller　gave　you；　and　finally　the　burns。　These　make　three；　do　they　not？〃

〃Yes；　but　you　see；　all　three　could　not　be　compared　to　the　one　you　forgot　to　mention。〃

〃Let　us　hurry　past　here；〃　said　Betty；　hastening　to　change　the　subject。　〃This　is　where　you　had　the　dreadful　fight　with　Miller。〃

〃As　Miller　did　go　to　meet　Girty；　and　as　he　did　not　return　to　the　Fort　with　the　renegade；　we　must　believe　he　is　dead。　Of　course；　we　do　not　know　this　to　be　actually　a　fact。　But　something　makes　me　think　so。　Jonathan　and　Wetzel　have　not　said　anything；　I　can't　get　any　satisfaction　on　that　score　from　either；　but　I　am　sure　neither　of　them　would　rest　until　Miller　was　dead。〃

〃I　think　you　are　right。　But　we　may　never　know。　All　I　can　tell　you　is　that　Wetzel　and　Jack　trailed　Miller　to　the　river；　and　then　they　both　came　back。　I　was　the　last　to　see　Lewis　that　night　before　he　left　on　Miller's　trail。　It　isn't　likely　I　shall　forget　what　Lewis　said　and　how　he　looked。　Miller　was　a　wicked　man；　yes；　a　traitor。〃

〃He　was　a　bad　man；　and　he　nearly　succeeded　in　every　one　of　his　plans。　I　have　not　the　slightest　doubt　that　had　he　refrained　from　taking　part　in　the　shooting　match　he　would　have　succeeded　in　abducting　you；　in　killing　me；　and　in　leading　Girty　here　long　before　he　was　expected。〃

〃There　are　many　things　that　may　never　be　explained；　but　one　thing　Miller　did　always　mystify　us。　How　did　he　succeed　in　binding　Tige？〃

〃To　my　way　of　thinking　that　was　not　so　difficult　as　climbing　into　my　room　and　almost　killing　me；　or　stealing　the　powder　from　Capt。　Boggs'　room。〃

〃The　last；　at　least；　gave　me　a　chance　to　help；〃　said　Betty；　with　a　touch　of　her　odd　roguishness。

〃That　was　the　grandest　thing　a　woman　ever　did；〃　said　Alfred；　in　a　low　tone。

〃Oh；　no；　I　only　ran　fast。〃

〃I　would　have　given　the　world　to　have　seen　you；　but　I　was　lying　on　the　bench　wishing　I　were　dead。　I　did　not　have　strength　to　look　out　of　a　porthole。　Oh！　that　horrible　time！　I　can　never　forget　it。　I　lie　awake　at　night　and　hear　the　yelling　and　shooting。　Then　I　dream　of　running　over　the　burning　roofs　and　it　all　comes　back　so　vividly　I　can　almost　feel　the　flames　and　smell　the　burnt　wood。　Then　I　wake　up　and　think　of　that　awful　moment　when　you　were　carried　into　the　blockhouse　white；　and；　as　I　thought；　dead。〃

〃But　I　wasn't。　And　I　think　it　best　for　us　to　forget　that　horrible　siege。　It　is　past。　It　is　a　miracle　that　any　one　was　spared。　Ebenezer　says　we　should　not　grieve　for　those　who　are　gone；　they　were　heroic；　they　saved　the　Fort。　He　says　too；　that　we　shall　never　again　be　troubled　by　Indians。　Therefore　let　us　forget　and　be　happy。　I　have　forgotten　Miller。　You　can　afford　to　do　the　same。〃

〃Yes；　I　forgive　him。〃　Then；　after　a　long　silence；　Alfred　continued；　〃Will　you　go　down　to　the　old　sycamore？〃

Down　the　winding　path　they　went。　Coming　to　a　steep　place　in　the　rocky　bank　Alfred　jumped　down　and　then　turned　to　help　Betty。　But　she　avoided　his　gaze；　pretended　to　not　see　his　outstretched　hands；　and　leaped　lightly　down　beside　him。　He　looked　at　her　with　perplexity　and　anxiety　in　his　eyes。　Before　he　could　speak　she　ran　on　ahead　of　him　and　climbed　down　the　bank　to　the　pool。　He　followed　slowly；　thoughtfully。　The　supreme　moment　had　come。　He　knew　it；　and　somehow　he　did　not　feel　the　confidence　the　Colonel　had　inspired　in　him。　It　had　been　easy　for　him　to　think　of　subduing　this　imperious　young　lady；　but　when　the　time　came　to　assert　his　will　he　found　he　could　not　remember　what　he　had　intended　to　say；　and　his　feelings　were　divided　between　his　love　for　her　and　the　horrible　fear　that　he　should　lose　her。

When　he　reached　the　sycamore　tree　he　found　her　sitting　behind　it　with　a　cluster　of　yellow　daisies　in　her　lap。　Alfred　gazed　at　her；　conscious　that　all　his　hopes　of　happiness　were　dependent　on　the　next　few　words　that　would　issue　from　her　smiling　lips。　The　little　brown　hands；　which　were　now　rather　nervously　arranging　the　flowers；　held　more　than　his　life。

〃Are　they　not　sweet？〃　asked　Betty；　giving　him　a　fleeting　glance。　〃We　call　them　'black…eyed　Susans。'　Could　anything　be　lovelier　than　that　soft；　dark　brown？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Alfred；　looking　into　her　eyes。

〃Butbut　you　are　not　looking　at　my　daisies　at　all；〃　said　Betty；　lowering　her　eyes。

〃No；　I　am　not；〃　said　Alfred。　Then　suddenly：　〃A　year　ago　this　very　day　we　were　here。〃

〃Here？　Oh；　yes；　I　believe　I　do　remember。　It　was　the　day　we　came　in　my　canoe　and　had　such　fine　fishing。〃

〃Is　that　all　you　remember？〃

〃I　can　recollect　nothing　in　particular。　It　was　so　long　ago。〃

〃I　suppose　you　will　say　you　had　no　idea　why　I　wanted　you　to　come　to　this　spot　in　particular。〃

〃I　supposed　you　simply　wanted　to　take　a　walk；　and　it　is　very　pleasant　here。〃

〃Then　Col。　Zane　did　not　tell　you？〃　demanded　Alfred。　Receiving　no　reply　he　went　on。

〃Did　you　read　my　letter？〃

〃What　letter？〃

〃The　letter　old　Sam　should　have　given　you　last　fall。　Did　you　read　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Betty；　faintly。

〃Did　your　brother　tell　you　I　wanted　to　see　you　this　morning？〃

〃Yes；　he　told　me；　and　it　made　me　very　angry；〃　said　Betty；　raising　her　h