the spirit of the border- 第14部分

the　timbers　had　an　odd；　speckled　appearance；　and　there　was　hardly　a　place

where　he　could　have　put　his　thumb　without　covering　a　hole。　At　first　he　thought

they　were　made　by　a　worm　or　bird　peculiar　to　that　region；　but　finally　lie

concluded　that　they　were　bullet…holes。　He　thrust　his　knife　blade　into　one；　and

out　rolled　a　leaden　ball。



〃I'd　like　to　have　been　here　when　these　were　made；〃　he　said。



〃Well；　at　the　time　I　wished　I　was　back　on　the　Potomac；〃　replied　Colonel　Zane。



They　found　the　old　missionary　on　the　doorstep　of　the　adjacent　cabin。　He

appeared　discouraged　when　Colonel　Zane　interrogated　him；　and　said　that　he　was

impatient　because　of　the　delay。



〃Mr。　Wells；　is　it　not　possible　that　you　underrate　the　danger　of　your

enterprise？〃



〃I　fear　naught　but　the　Lord；〃　answered　the　old　man。



〃Do　you　not　fear　for　those　with　you？〃　went　on　the　colonel　earnestly。　〃I　am

heart　and　soul　with　you　in　your　work；　but　want　to　impress　upon　yon　that　the

time　is　not　propitious。　It　is　a　long　journey　to　the　village；　and　the　way　is

beset　with　dangers　of　which　you　have　no　idea。　Will　you　not　remain　here　with　me

for　a　few　weeks；　or；　at　least；　until　my　scouts　report？〃



〃I　thank　you；　but　go　I　will。〃



〃Then　let　me　entreat　you　to　remain　here　a　few　days；　so　that　I　may　send　my

brother　Jonathan　and　Wetzel　with　you。　If　any　can　guide　you　safely　to　the

Village　of　Peace　it　will　be　they。〃



At　this　moment　Joe　saw　two　men　approaching　from　the　fort；　and　recognized　one

of　them　as　Wetzel。　He　doubted　not　that　the　other　was　Lord　Dunmore's　famous

guide　and　hunter；　Jonathan　Zane。　In　features　he　resembled　the　colonel；　and　was

as　tall　as　Wetzel；　although　not　so　muscular　or　wide　of　chest。



Joe　felt　the　same　thrill　he　had　experienced　while　watching　the　frontiersmen　at

Fort　Pitt。　Wetzel　and　Jonathan　spoke　a　word　to　Colonel　Zane　and　then　stepped

aside。　The　hunters　stood　lithe　and　erect；　with　the　easy；　graceful　poise　of

Indians。



〃We'll　take　two　canoes；　day　after　to…morrow；〃　said　Jonathan；　decisively；　to

Colonel　Zane。　〃Have　you　a　rifle　for　Wetzel？　The　Delawares　got　his。〃



Colonel　Zane　pondered　over　the　question；　rifles　were　not　scarce　at　the　fort；

but　a　weapon　that　Wetzel　would　use　was　hard　to　find。



〃The　hunter　may　have　my　rifle；〃　said　the　old　missionary。　〃I　have　no　use　for　a

weapon　with　which　to　destroy　God's　creatures。　My　brother　was　a　frontiersman；

he　left　this　rifle　to　me。　I　remember　hearing　him　say　once　that　if　a　man　knew

exactly　the　weight　of　lead　and　powder　needed；　it　would　shoot　absolutely　true。〃



He　went　into　the　cabin；　and　presently　came　out　with　a　long　object　wrapped　in

linsey　cloths。　Unwinding　the　coverings；　he　brought　to　view　a　rifle；　the

proportions　of　which　caused　Jonathan's　eyes　to　glisten；　and　brought　an

exclamation　from　Colonel　Zane。　Wetzel　balanced　the　gun　in　his　hands。　　It　was

fully　six　feet　long；　the　barrel　was　large；　and　the　dark　steel　finely　polished；

the　stock　was　black　walnut；　ornamented　with　silver　trimmings。　Using　Jonathan's

powder…flask　and　bullet…pouch；　Wetzel　proceeded　to　load　the　weapon。　He　poured

out　a　quantity　of　powder　into　the　palm　of　his　hand；　performing　the　action

quickly　and　dexterously；　but　was　so　slow　while　measuring　it　that　Joe　wondered

if　he　were　counting　the　grains。　Next　he　selected　a　bullet　out　of　a　dozen　which

Jonathan　held　toward　him。　He　examined　it　carefully　and　tried　it　in　the　muzzle

of　the　rifle。　Evidently　it　did　not　please　him；　for　he　took　another。　Finally　he

scraped　a　bullet　with　his　knife；　and　placing　it　in　the　center　of　a　small

linsey　rag；　deftly　forced　it　down。　He　adjusted　the　flint；　dropped　a　few　grains

of　powder　in　the　pan；　and　then　looked　around　for　a　mark　at　which　to　shoot。



Joe　observed　that　the　hunters　and　Colonel　Zane　were　as　serious　regarding　the

work　as　if　at　that　moment　some　important　issue　depended　upon　the　accuracy　of

the　rifle。



〃There；　Lew；　there's　a　good　shot。　It's　pretty　far；　even　for　you；　when　you

don't　know　the　gun；〃　said　Colonel　Zane；　pointing　toward　the　river。



Joe　saw　the　end　of　a　log；　about　the　size　of　a　man's　head；　sticking　out　of　the

water；　perhaps　an　hundred　and　fifty　yards　distant。　He　thought　to　hit　it　would

be　a　fine　shot；　but　was　amazed　when　he　heard　Colonel　Zane　say　to　several　men

who　had　joined　the　group　that　Wetzel　intended　to　shoot　at　a　turtle　on　the　log。

By　straining　his　eyes　Joe　succeeded　in　distinguishing　a　small　lump；　which　he

concluded　was　the　turtle。



Wetzel　took　a　step　forward；　the　long；　black　rifle　was　raised　with　a　stately

sweep。　The　instant　it　reached　a　level　a　thread　of　flame　burst　forth；　followed

by　a　peculiarly　clear；　ringing　report。



〃Did　he　hit？〃　asked　Colonel　Zane；　eagerly　as　a　boy。



〃I　allow　he　did；〃　answered　Jonathan。



〃I'll　go　and　see；〃　said　Joe。　He　ran　down　the　bank；　along　the　beach；　and

stepped　on　the　log。　He　saw　a　turtle　about　the　size　of　an　ordinary　saucer。　

Picking　it　up；　he　saw　a　bullet…hole　in　the　shell　near　the　middle。　The　bullet

had　gone　through　the　turtle；　and　it　was　quite　dead。　Joe　carried　it　to　the

waiting　group。



〃I　allowed　so；〃　declared　Jonathan。



Wetzel　examined　the　turtle；　and　turning　to　the　old　missionary；　said：



〃Your　brother　spoke　the　truth；　an'　I　thank　you　fer　the　rifle。〃







Chapter　VIII。



〃So　you　want　to　know　all　about　Wetzel？〃　inquired　Colonel　Zane　of　Joe；　when；

having　left　Jim　and　Mr。　Wells；　they　returned　to　the　cabin。



〃I　am　immensely　interested　in　him；〃　replied　Joe。



〃Well；　I　don't　think　there's　anything　singular　in　that。　I　know　Wetzel　better；

perhaps；　than　any　man　living；　but　have　seldom　talked　about　him。　　He　doesn't

like　it。　He　is　by　birth　a　Virginian；　I　should　say；　forty　years　old。　We　were

boys　together；　and　and　I　am　a　little　beyond　that　age。　He　was　like　any　of　the

lads；　except　that　he　excelled　us　all　in　strength　and　agility。　When　he　was

nearly　eighteen　years　old　a　band　if　IndiansDelawares；　I　thinkcrossed　the

border　on　a　marauding　expedition　far　into　Virginia。　They　burned　the　old　Wetzel

homestead　and　murdered　the　father；　mother；　two　sisters；　and　a　baby　brother。

The　terrible　shock　nearly　killed　Lewis；　who　for　a　time　was　very　ill。　When　he

recovered　he　went　in　search　of　his　brothers；　Martin　and　John　Wetzel；　who　were

hunting；　and　brought　them　back　to　their　desolated　home。　Over　the　ashes　of　the

home　and　the　graves　of　the　loved　ones　the　brothers　swore　sleepless　and　eternal

vengeance。　The　elder　brothers　have　been　devoted　all　these　twenty　years　and

more　to　the　killing　of　Indians；　but　Lewis　has　been　the　great　foe　of　the

redman。　You　have　already　seen　an　example　of　his　deeds；　and　will　hear　of　more。

His　name　is　a　household　word　on　the　border。　Scores　of　times　he　has　saved；

actually　saved；　this　fort　and　settlement。　His　knowledge　of　savage　ways

surpasses　by　far　Boone's；　Major　McColloch's；　Jonathan's；　or　any　of　the

hunters'。〃



〃Then　hunting　Indians　is　his　sole　occupation？〃



〃He　lives　for　that　purpose　alone。　He　is　very　seldom　in　the　settlement。　

Sometimes　he　stays　here　a　few　days；　especially　if　he　is　needed；　but　usually　he

roams　the　forests。〃



〃What　did　Jeff　Lynn　mean　when　he　said　that　some　people　think　Wetzel　is　crazy？〃



〃There　are　many　who　think　the　man　mad；　but　I　do　not。　When　the　passion　for

Indian　hunting　comes　upon　him　he　is　fierce；　almost　frenzied；　yet　perfectly

sane。　While　here　he　is　quiet；　seldom　speaks　except　when　spoken　to；　and　is

taciturn　with　strangers。　He　often　comes　to　my　cabin　and　sits　beside　the　fire

for　hours。　I　think　he　finds　pleasure　in　the　conversation　and　laughter　of

friends。　He　is　fond　of　the　children；　and　would　do　anything　for　my　sister

Betty。〃



〃His　life　must　be　lonely　and　sad；〃　remarked　Joe。



〃The　life　of　any　borderman　is　that；　but　Wetzel's　is　particularly　so。〃



〃What　is　he　called　by　the　Indians？〃



〃They　call　him　Atelang；　or；　in　English；　Deathwind。〃



〃By　George！　That's　what　Silvertip　said　in　French'Le　Vent　de　la　Mort。'〃



〃Yes；　you　have　it　right。　A　French　fur　trader　gave　Wetzel　that　name　years　ago；

and　it　has　clung　to　him。　The　Indians　say　the　Deathwind　blows　through　the

forest　whenever　Wetzel　stalks　on　their　trail。〃



〃Colonel　Zane；　don't　you　think　me　superstitious；〃　whispered　Joe；　leaning

toward　the　colonel；　〃but　I　heard　that　wind　blow　through　the　forest。〃



〃What！〃　ejaculated　Colonel　Zane。　He　saw　that　Joe　was　in　earnest；　for　the

remembrance　of　the　moan　had　more　than　once　paled　his　cheek　and　caused　beads　of

perspiration　to　collect　on　his　brow。



Joe　related　the　circumstances　of　that　night；　and　at　the　end　of　his　narrative

Colonel　Zane　sat　silent　and　thoughtful。



〃You　don't　really　think　it　was　Wetzel　who　moaned？〃　he　asked；　at　length。



〃No；　I　don't；〃　replied　Joe　quickly；　〃but；　Colonel　Zane；　I　heard　that　moan　as

plainly　as　I　can　hear　your　voice。　I　heard　it　twice。　Now；　what　was　it？〃



〃Jonathan　said　the　same　thing　to　me　once。　He　had　been　out　hunting　with　Wetzel；

they　separated；　and　during　the　night　Jonathan　heard　the　wind。　The　next　day　he

ran　across　a　dead　Indian。　He　believes　Wetzel　makes　the　noise；　and　so　do　the

hunters；　but　I　think　it　is　simply　the　moan　of　the　night　wind　through　the

trees。　I　have　heard　it　at　times；　when　my　very　blood　seemingly　ran　cold。〃



〃I　tried　to　think　it　was　the　wind　soughing　through　the　pines；　but　am　afraid　I

didn't　succeed　very　well。　Anyhow；　I　knew　Wetzel　instantly；　just　as　Jeff　Lynn

said　I　would。　He　killed　those　Indians　in　an　instant；　and　he　must　have　an　iron

arm。〃



〃Wetzel　excels　in　strength　and　speed　any　man；　red　or　white；　on　the　frontier。

He　can　run　away　from　Jonathan；　who　is　as　swift　as　an　Indian。　　He's　stronger

than　any　of　the　other　men。　I　remember　one　day　old　Hugh　Bennet's　wagon　wheels

stuck　in　a　bog　down　by　the　creek。　Hugh　tried；　as　several　others　did；　to　move

the　wheels；　but　they　couldn't　be　made　to　budge。　　Along　came　Wetzel；　pushed

away　the　men；　and　lifted　the　wagon　unaided。　It　would　take　hours　to　tell　you

about　him。　In　brief；　among　all　the　border　scouts　and　hunters