the spirit of the border- 第30部分

Girty；　driven　to　bay；　would　have　cringed　and　cowered。　Even　now　at　the　mention

of　Wetzel's　enmity　he　trembled。



〃I'll　shet　yer　wind；〃　he　cried；　catching　up　his　tomahawk　and　making　for　Joe。



Silvertip　intervened；　and　prevented　the　assault。　He　led　Girty　back　to　his　seat

and　spoke　low；　evidently　trying　to　soothe　the　renegade's　feelings。



〃Silvertip；　give　me　a　tomahawk；　and　let　me　fight　him；〃　implored　Joe。



〃Paleface　bravelike　Injun　chief。　Paleface　Shawnee's　prisonerno　speak

more；〃　answered　Silvertip；　with　respect　in　his　voice。



〃Oh；　where's　Nellie？〃



A　grief…stricken　whisper　caught　Jim's　ear。　He　turned　to　see　Kate's　wide；

questioning　eyes　fixed　upon　him。



〃Nell　was　rescued。〃



〃Thank　God！〃　murmured　the　girl。



〃Come　along；〃　shouted　Girty；　in　his　harsh　voice；　as；　grasping　Kate's　arm；　he

pulled　the　girl　violently　to　her　feet。　Then；　picking　up　his　rifle；　he　led　her

into　the　forest。　Silvertip　followed　with　Joe；　while　the　remaining　Indian

guarded　Jim。





The　great　council…lodge　of　the　Delawares　rang　with　savage　and　fiery　eloquence。

Wingenund　paced　slowly　before　the　orators。　Wise　as　he　was；　he　wanted　advice

before　deciding　what　was　to　be　done　with　the　missionary。　The　brothers　had　been

taken　to　the　chief；　who　immediately　called　a　council。　The　Indians　sat　in　a

half　circle　around　the　lodge。　　The　prisoners；　with　hands　bound；　guarded　by　two

brawny　braves；　stood　in　one　corner　gazing　with　curiosity　and　apprehension　at

this　formidable　array。　Jim　knew　some　of　the　braves；　but　the　majority　of　those

who　spoke　bitterly　against　the　palefaces　had　never　frequented　the　Village　of

Peace。　　Nearly　all　were　of　the　Wolf　tribe　of　Delawares。　Jim　whispered　to　Joe；

interpreting　that　part　of　the　speeches　bearing　upon　the　disposal　to　be　made　of

them。　Two　white　men；　dressed　in　Indian　garb；　held　prominent　positions　before

Wingenund。　The　boys　saw　a　resemblance　between　one　of　these　men　and　Jim　Girty；

and　accordingly　concluded　he　was　the　famous　renegade；　or　so…called　white

Indian；　Simon　Girty。　The　other　man　was　probably　Elliott；　the　Tory；　with　whom

Girty　had　deserted　from　Fort　Pitt。　　Jim　Girty　was　not　present。　Upon　nearing

the　encampment　he　had　taken　his　captive　and　disappeared　in　a　ravine。



Shingiss；　seldom　in　favor　of　drastic　measures　with　prisoners；　eloquently　urged

initiating　the　brothers　into　the　tribe。　Several　other　chiefs　were　favorably

inclined；　though　not　so　positive　as　Shingiss。　Kotoxen　was　for　the　death

penalty；　the　implacable　Pipe　for　nothing　less　than　burning　at　the　stake。　Not

one　was　for　returning　the　missionary　to　his　Christian　Indians。　Girty　and

Elliott；　though　requested　to　speak；　maintained　an　ominous　silence。



Wingenund　strode　with　thoughtful　mien　before　his　council。　He　had　heard　all　his

wise　chiefs　and　his　fiery　warriors。　Supreme　was　his　power。　Freedom　or　death

for　the　captives　awaited　the　wave　of　his　hand。　His　impassive　face　gave　not　the

slightest　inkling　of　what　to　expect　Therefore　the　prisoners　were　forced　to

stand　there　with　throbbing　hearts　while　the　chieftain　waited　the　customary

dignified　interval　before　addressing　the　council。



〃Wingenund　has　heard　the　Delaware　wise　men　and　warriors。　The　white　Indian

opens　not　his　lips；　his　silence　broods　evil　for　the　palefaces。　Pipe　wants　the

blood　of　the　white　men；　the　Shawnee　chief　demands　the　stake。　Wingenund　says

free　the　white　father　who　harms　no　Indian。　Wingenund　hears　no　evil　in　the

music　of　his　voice。　The　white　father's　brother　should　die。　Kill　the　companion

of　Deathwind！〃



A　plaintive　murmur；　remarkable　when　coming　from　an　assembly　of　stern…browed

chiefs；　ran　round　the　circle　at　the　mention　of　the　dread　appellation。



〃The　white　father　is　free；〃　continued　Wingenund。　〃Let　one　of　my　runners

conduct　him　to　the　Village　of　Peace。〃



A　brave　entered　and　touched　Jim　on　the　shoulder。



Jim　shook　his　head　and　pointed　to　Joe。　The　runner　touched　Joe。



〃No；　no。　I　am　not　the　missionary；〃　cried　Joe；　staring　aghast　at　his　brother。

〃Jim；　have　you　lost　your　senses？〃



Jim　sadly　shook　his　head；　and　turning　to　Wingenund　made　known　in　a　broken

Indian　dialect　that　his　brother　was　the　missionary；　and　would　sacrifice

himself；　taking　this　opportunity　to　practice　the　Christianity　he　had　taught。



〃The　white　father　is　brave；　but　he　is　known；〃　broke　in　Wingenund's　deep　voice；

while　he　pointed　to　the　door　of　the　lodge。　〃Let　him　go　back　to　his　Christian

Indians。〃



The　Indian　runner　cut　Joe's　bonds；　and　once　more　attempted　to　lead　him　from

the　lodge。　Rage　and　misery　shown　in　the　lad's　face。　He　pushed　the　runner

aside。　He　exhausted　himself　trying　to　explain；　to　think　of　Indian　words　enough

to　show　he　was　not　the　missionary。　He　even　implored　Girty　to　speak　for　him。

When　the　renegade　sat　there　stolidly　silent　Joe's　rage　burst　out。



〃Curse　you　all　for　a　lot　of　ignorant　redskins。　I　am　not　a　missionary。　　I　am

Deathwind's　friend。　I　killed　a　Delaware。　I　was　the　companion　of　Le　Vent　de　la

Mort！〃



Joe's　passionate　vehemence；　and　the　truth　that　spoke　from　his　flashing　eyes

compelled　the　respect；　if　not　the　absolute　belief　of　the　Indians。　　The　savages

slowly　shook　their　heads。　They　beheld　the　spectacle　of　two　brothers；　one　a

friend；　the　other　an　enemy　of　all　Indians；　each　willing　to　go　to　the　stake；　to

suffer　an　awful　agony；　for　love　of　the　other。　　Chivalrous　deeds　always　stir　an

Indian's　heart。　It　was　like　a　redman　to　die　for　his　brother。　The　indifference；

the　contempt　for　death；　won　their　admiration。



〃Let　the　white　father　stand　forth；〃　sternly　called　Wingenund。



A　hundred　somber　eyes　turned　on　the　prisoners。　Except　that　one　wore　a　buckskin

coat；　the　other　a　linsey　one；　there　was　no　difference。　The　strong　figures　were

the　same；　the　white　faces　alike；　the　stern　resolve　in　the　gray　eyes

identicalthey　were　twin　brothers。



Wingenund　once　more　paced　before　his　silent　chiefs。　To　deal　rightly　with　this

situation　perplexed　him。　To　kill　both　palefaces　did　not　suit　him。　　Suddenly　he

thought　of　a　way　to　decide。



〃Let　Wingenund's　daughter　come；〃　he　ordered。



A　slight；　girlish　figure　entered。　It　was　Whispering　Winds。　Her　beautiful　face

glowed　while　she　listened　to　her　father。



〃Wingenund's　daughter　has　her　mother's　eyes；　that　were　beautiful　as　a　doe's；

keen　as　a　hawk's；　far…seeing　as　an　eagle's。　Let　the　Delaware　maiden　show　her

blood。　Let　her　point　out　the　white　father。〃



Shyly　but　unhesitatingly　Whispering　Winds　laid　her　hand　Jim's　arm。



〃Missionary；　begone！〃　came　the　chieftain's　command。　〃Thank　Wingenund's

daughter　for　your　life；　not　the　God　of　your　Christians！〃



He　waved　his　hand　to　the　runner。　The　brave　grasped　Jim's　arm。



〃Good…by；　Joe；〃　brokenly　said　Jim。



〃Old　fellow；　good…by；〃　came　the　answer。



They　took　one　last；　long　look　into　each　others'　eyes。　Jim's　glance　betrayed

his　fearhe　would　never　see　his　brother　again。　The　light　in　Joe's　eyes　was

the　old　steely　flash；　the　indomitable　spiritwhile　there　was　life　there　was

hope。



〃Let　the　Shawnee　chief　paint　his　prisoner　black；〃　commanded　Wingenund。



When　the　missionary　left　the　lodge　with　the　runner；　Whispering　Winds　had

smiled；　for　she　had　saved　him　whom　she　loved　to　hear　speak；　but　the　dread

command　that　followed　paled　her　cheek。　Black　paint　meant　hideous　death。　　She

saw　this　man　so　like　the　white　father。　Her　piteous　gaze　tried　to　turn　from

that　white　face；　but　the　cold；　steely　eyes　fascinated　her。



She　had　saved　one　only　to　be　the　other's　doom！



She　had　always　been　drawn　toward　white　men。　Many　prisoners　had　she　rescued。

She　had　even　befriended　her　nation's　bitter　foe；　Deathwind。　　She　had　listened

to　the　young　missionary　with　rapture；　she　had　been　his　savior。　And　now　when

she　looked　into　the　eyes　of　this　young　giant；　whose　fate　had　rested　on　her　all

unwitting　words；　she　resolved　to　save　him。



She　had　been　a　shy；　shrinking　creature；　fearing　to　lift　her　eyes　to　a

paleface's；　but　now　they　were　raised　clear　and　steadfast。



As　she　stepped　toward　the　captive　and　took　his　hand；　her　whole　person　radiated

with　conscious　pride　in　her　power。　It　was　the　knowledge　that　she　could　save。

When　she　kissed　his　hand；　and　knelt　before　him；　she　expressed　a　tender

humility。



She　had　claimed　questionable　right　of　an　Indian　maiden；　she　asked　what　no

Indian　dared　refuse　a　chief's　daughter；　she　took　the　paleface　for　her　husband。



Her　action　was　followed　by　an　impressive　silence。　She　remained　kneeling。　

Wingenund　resumed　his　slow　march　to　and　fro。　Silvertip　retired　to　his　corner

with　gloomy　face。　The　others　bowed　their　heads　as　if　the　maiden's　decree　was

irrevocable。



Once　more　the　chieftain's　sonorous　command　rang　out。　An　old　Indian；　wrinkled

and　worn；　weird　of　aspect；　fanciful　of　attire；　entered　the　lodge　and　waved　his

wampum　wand。　He　mumbled　strange　words；　and　departed　chanting　a　long　song。



Whispering　Winds　arose；　a　soft；　radiant　smile　playing　over　her　face；　and；

still　holding　Joe's　hand；　she　led　him　out　of　the　lodge；　through　long　rows　of

silent　Indians；　down　a　land　bordered　by　teepees；　he　following　like　one　in　a

dream。



He　expected　to　awaken　at　any　minute　to　see　the　stars　shining　through　the

leaves。　Yet　he　felt　the　warm；　soft　pressure　of　a　little　hand。　Surely　this

slender；　graceful　figure　was　real。



She　bade　him　enter　a　lodge　of　imposing　proportions。　Still　silent；　in　amazement

and　gratitude；　he　obeyed。



The　maiden　turned　to　Joe。　Though　traces　of　pride　still　lingered；　all　her　fire

had　vanished。　Her　bosom　rose　with　each　quick…panting　breath；　her　lips

quivered；　she　trembled　like　a　trapped　doe。



But　at　last　the　fluttering　lashes　rose。　Joe　saw　two　velvety　eyes　dark　with

timid　fear；　yet　veiling　in　their　lustrous　depths　an　unuttered　hope　and　love。



〃Whispering　Windssavepaleface；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice　low　and　tremulous。　

〃Fearfather。　FeartellWingenundsheChristian。〃





Indian　summer；　that　enchanted　time；　unfolded　its　golden；　dreamy　haze　over　the

Delaware　villag