the spirit of the border- 第34部分

twenty…five　miles；　they　crossed　a　swift；　narrow　brook。　The　water　was　a

beautiful　clear　brown。　　Joe　made　note　of　this；　as　it　was　an　unusual

circumstance。　Nearly　all　the　streams；　when　not　flooded；　were　green　in　color。

He　remembered　that　during　his　wanderings　with　Wetzel　they　had　found　one　stream

of　this　brown；　copper…colored　water。　The　lad　knew　he　must　take　a　roundabout

way　to　the　village　so　that　he　might　avoid　Indian　runners　or　scouts；　and　he

hoped　this　stream　would　prove　to　be　the　one　he　had　once　camped　upon。



As　they　were　riding　toward　a　gentle　swell　or　knoll　covered　with　trees　and

shrubbery；　Whispering　Winds　felt　something　warm　on　her　hand；　and；　looking；　was

horrified　to　find　it　covered　with　blood。　Joe's　wound　had　opened。　She　told　him

they　must　dismount　here；　and　remain　until　he　was　stronger。　The　invalid　himself

thought　this　conclusion　was　wise。　They　would　be　practically　safe　now；　since

they　must　be　out　of　the　Indian　path；　and　many　miles　from　the　encampment。

Accordingly　he　got　off　the　horse；　and　sat　down　on　a　log；　while　Whispering

Winds　searched　for　a　suitable　place　in　which　to　erect　a　temporary　shelter。



Joe's　wandering　gaze　was　arrested　by　a　tree　with　a　huge　knotty　formation　near

the　ground。　It　was　like　many　trees；　but　this　peculiarity　was　not　what　struck

Joe。　He　had　seen　it　before。　He　never　forgot　anything　in　the　woods　that　once

attracted　his　attention。　He　looked　around　on　all　sides。　　Just　behind　him　was

an　opening　in　the　clump　of　trees。　Within　this　was　a　perpendicular　stone

covered　with　moss　and　lichens；　above　it　a　beech　tree　spread　long；　graceful

branches。　He　thrilled　with　the　remembrance　these　familiar　marks　brought。　This

was　Beautiful　Spring；　the　place　where　Wetzel　rescued　Nell；　where　he　had　killed

the　Indians　in　that　night　attack　he　would　never　forget。







Chapter　XIX。



One　evening　a　week　or　more　after　the　disappearance　of　Jim　and　the　girls；

George　Young　and　David　Edwards；　the　missionaries；　sat　on　the　cabin　steps；

gazing　disconsolately　upon　the　forest　scenery。　Hard　as　had　been　the　ten　years

of　their　labor　among　the　Indians；　nothing　had　shaken　them　as　the　loss　of　their

young　friends。



〃Dave；　I　tell　you　your　theory　about　seeing　them　again　is　absurd；〃　asserted

George。　〃I'll　never　forget　that　wretch；　Girty；　as　he　spoke　to　Nell。　Why；　she

just　wilted　like　a　flower　blasted　by　fire。　I　can't　understand　why　he　let　me

go；　and　kept　Jim；　unless　the　Shawnee　had　something　to　do　with　it。　I　never

wished　until　now　that　I　was　a　hunter。　I'd　go　after　Girty。　　You've　heard　as

well　as　I　of　his　many　atrocities。　I'd　rather　have　seen　Kate　and　Nell　dead　than

have　them　fall　into　his　power。　I'd　rather　have　killed　them　myself！〃



Young　had　aged　perceptibly　in　these　last　few　days。　The　blue　veins　showed　at

his　temples；　his　face　had　become　thinner　and　paler；　his　eyes　had　a　look　of

pain。　The　former　expression　of　patience；　which　had　sat　so　well　on　him；　was

gone。



〃George；　I　can't　account　for　my　fancies　or　feelings；　else；　perhaps；　I'd　be

easier　in　mind；〃　answered　Dave。　His　face；　too；　showed　the　ravages　of　grief。

〃I've　had　queer　thoughts　lately；　and　dreams　such　as　I　never　had　before。

Perhaps　it's　this　trouble　which　has　made　me　so　nervous。　I　don't　seem　able　to

pull　myself　together。　I　can　neither　preach　nor　work。〃



〃Neither　can　I！　This　trouble　has　hit　you　as　hard　as　it　has　me。　But；　Dave；

we've　still　our　duty。　To　endure；　to　endurethat　is　our　life。　Because　a　beam

of　sunshine　brightened；　for　a　brief　time；　the　gray　of　our　lives；　and　then

faded　away；　we　must　not　shirk　nor　grow　sour　and　discontented。〃



〃But　how　cruel　is　this　border　life！〃



〃Nature　itself　is　brutal。〃



〃Yes；　I　know；　and　we　have　elected　to　spend　our　lives　here　in　the　midst　of　this

ceaseless　strife；　to　fare　poorly；　to　have　no　pleasure；　never　to　feel　the

comfort　of　a　woman's　smiles；　nor　the　joy　of　a　child's　caress；　all　because　out

in　the　woods　are　ten　or　twenty　or　a　hundred　savages　we　may　convert。〃



〃That　is　why；　and　it　is　enough。　It　is　hard　to　give　up　the　women　you　love　to　a

black…souled　renegade；　but　that　is　not　for　my　thought。　What　kills　me　is　the

horror　for　herfor　her。〃



〃I；　too；　suffer　with　that　thought；　more　than　that；　I　am　morbid　and　depressed。

I　feel　as　if　some　calamity　awaited　us　here。　I　have　never　been　superstitious；

nor　have　I　had　presentiments；　but　of　late　there　are　strange　fears　in　my　mind。〃



At　this　juncture　Mr。　Wells　and　Heckewelder　came　out　of　the　adjoining　cabin。



〃I　had　word　from　a　trustworthy　runner　to…day。　Girty　and　his　captives　have　not

been　seen　in　the　Delaware　towns；〃　aid　Heckewelder。



〃It　is　most　unlikely　that　he　will　take　them　to　the　towns；〃　replied　Edwards。　

〃What　do　you　make　of　his　capturing　Jim？〃



〃For　Pipe；　perhaps。　The　Delaware　Wolf　is　snapping　his　teeth。　Pipe　is

particularly　opposed　to　Christianity；　andwhat's　that？〃



A　low　whistle　from　the　bushes　near　the　creek　bank　attracted　the　attention　of

all。　The　younger　men　got　up　to　investigate；　but　Heckewelder　detained　them。



〃Wait；〃　he　added。　〃There　is　no　telling　what　that　signal　may　mean。〃



They　waited　with　breathless　interest。　Presently　the　whistle　was　repeated；　and

an　instant　later　the　tall　figure　of　a　man　stepped　from　behind　a　thicket。　He

was　a　white　man；　but　not　recognizable　at　that　distance；　even　if　a　friend。　The

stranger　waved　his　hand　as　if　asking　them　to　be　cautious；　and　come　to　him。



They　went　toward　the　thicket；　and　when　within　a　few　paces　of　the　man　Mr。　Wells

exclaimed：



〃It's　the　man　who　guided　my　party　to　the　village。　It　is　Wetzel！〃



The　other　missionaries　had　never　seen　the　hunter　though；　of　course；　they　were

familiar　with　his　name；　and　looked　at　him　with　great　curiosity。　The　hunter's

buckskin　garments　were　wet；　torn；　and　covered　with　burrs。　Dark　spots；

evidently　blood　stains；　showed　on　his　hunting…shirt。



〃Wetzel？〃　interrogated　Heckewelder。



The　hunter　nodded；　and　took　a　step　behind　the　bush。　Bending　over　he　lifted

something　from　the　ground。　It　was　a　girl。　It　was　Nell！　She　was　very　whitebut

alive。　A　faint；　glad　smile　lighted　up　her　features。



Not　a　word　was　spoken。　With　an　expression　of　tender　compassion　Mr。　Wells

received　her　into　his　arms。　The　four　missionaries　turned　fearful；　questioning

eyes　upon　the　hunter；　but　they　could　not　speak。



〃She's　well；　an'　unharmed；〃　said　Wetzel；　reading　their　thoughts；　〃only　worn

out。　I've　carried　her　these　ten　miles。〃



〃God　bless　you；　Wetzel！〃　exclaimed　the　old　missionary。　〃Nellie；　Nellie；　can

you　speak？〃



〃Uncle　dearI'mall　right；〃　came　the　faint　answer。



〃Kate？　Whatof　her？〃　whispered　George　Young　with　lips　as　dry　as　corn　husks。



〃I　did　my　best；〃　said　the　hunter　with　a　simple　dignity。　Nothing　but　the

agonized　appeal　in　the　young　man's　eyes　could　have　made　Wetzel　speak　of　his

achievement。



〃Tell　us；〃　broke　in　Heckewelder；　seeing　that　fear　had　stricken　George　dumb。



〃We　trailed　'em　an'　got　away　with　the　golden…haired　lass。　The　last　I　saw　of

Joe　he　was　braced　up　agin　a　rock　fightin'　like　a　wildcat。　I　tried　to　cut　Jim

loose　as　I　was　goin'　by。　I　s'pect　the　wust　fer　the　brothers　an'　the　other

lass。〃



〃Can　we　do　nothing？〃　asked　Mr。　Wells。



〃Nothin'！〃



〃Wetzel；　has　the　capturing　of　James　Downs　any　significance　to　you？〃　inquired

Heckewelder。



〃I　reckon　so。〃



〃What？〃



〃Pipe　an'　his　white…redskin　allies　are　agin　Christianity。〃



〃Do　you　think　we　are　in　danger？〃



〃I　reckon　so。〃



〃What　do　you　advise？〃



〃Pack　up　a　few　of　your　traps；　take　the　lass；　an'　come　with　me。　I'll　see　you

back　in　Fort　Henry。〃



Heckewelder　nervously　walked　up　to　the　tree　and　back　again。　Young　and　Edwards

looked　blankly　at　one　another。　They　both　remembered　Edward's　presentiment。　Mr。

Wells　uttered　an　angry　exclamation。



〃You　ask　us　to　fail　in　our　duty？　No；　never！　To　go　back　to　the　white

settlements　and　acknowledge　we　were　afraid　to　continue　teaching　the　Gospel　to

the　Indians！　You　can　not　understand　Christianity　if　you　advise　that。　　You　have

no　religion。　You　are　a　killer　of　Indians。〃



A　shadow　that　might　have　been　one　of　pain　flitted　over　the　hunter's　face。



〃No；　I　ain't　a　Christian；　an'　I　am　a　killer　of　Injuns；〃　said　Wetzel；　and　his

deep　voice　had　a　strange　tremor。　〃I　don't　know　nothin'　much　'cept　the　woods

an'　fields；　an'　if　there's　a　God　fer　me　He's　out　thar　under　the　trees　an'

grass。　Mr。　Wells；　you're　the　first　man　as　ever　called　me　a　coward；　an'　I

overlook　it　because　of　your　callin'。　I　advise　you　to　go　back　to　Fort　Henry；

because　if　you　don't　go　now　the　chances　are　aginst　your　ever　goin'。

Christianity　or　no　Christianity；　such　men　as　you　hev　no　bisness　in　these

woods。〃



〃I　thank　you　for　your　advice；　and　bless　you　for　your　rescue　of　this　child；　but

I　can　not　leave　my　work；　nor　can　I　understand　why　all　this　good　work　we　have

done　should　be　called　useless。　We　have　converted　Indians；　saved　their　souls。

Is　that　not　being　of　some　use；　of　some　good　here？〃



〃It's　accordin'　to　how　you　look　at　it。　Now　I　know　the　bark　of　an　oak　is

different　accordin'　to　the　side　we　see　from。　I'll　allow；　hatin'　Injuns　as　I

do；　is　no　reason　you　oughtn't　to　try　an'　convert　'em。　But　you're　bringin'　on　a

war。　These　Injuns　won't　allow　this　Village　of　Peace　here　with　its　big　fields

of　corn；　an'　shops　an'　workin'　redskins。　It's　agin　their　nature。　You're　only

sacrificin'　your　Christian　Injuns。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Mr。　Wells；　startled　by　Wetzel's　words。



〃Enough。　I'm　ready　to　guide　you　to　Fort　Henry。〃



〃I'll　never　go。〃



Wetzel　looked　at　the　other　men。　No　one　would　have　doubted　him。　No　one　could

have　failed　to　see　he　knew　that　some　terrible　anger　hovered　over　the　Village

of　Peace。



〃I　believe　you；　Wetzel；　but　I　can　not　go；〃　said　Heckewelder；　with　white　face。



〃I　will　stay；〃　said　George；　steadily。



〃And　I；〃　said　Dave。



Wetzel　nodded；　and　turned　to　depart　when　George　grasped　his　arm。　The　young

missionary's　face　was　drawn　and　haggard；　he　fixed　an　in