the spirit of the border- 第39部分

as　existed　in　the　Village　of　Peace；　but　he　was　bewildered　by　the　great　array

of　hostile　Indians。　Chiefs　who　had　once　extended　friendly　hands　to　him；　now

drew　back　coldly；　as　they　said：



〃Washington　is　dead。　The　American　armies　are　cut　to　pieces。　The　few　thousands

who　had　escaped　the　British　are　collecting　at　Fort　Pitt　to　steal　the　Indian's

land。〃



Heckewelder　vigorously　denied　all　these　assertions；　knowing　they　had　been

invented　by　Girty　and　Elliott。　He　exhausted　all　his　skill　and　patience　in　the

vain　endeavor　to　show　Pipe　where　he　was　wrong。　Half　King　had　been　so　well

coached　by　the　renegades　that　he　refused　to　listen。　The　other　chiefs

maintained　a　cold　reserve　that　was　baffling　and　exasperating。　Wingenund　took

no　active　part　in　the　councils；　but　his　presence　apparently　denoted　that　he

had　sided　with　the　others。　The　outlook　was　altogether　discouraging。



〃I'm　completely　fagged　out；〃　declared　Heckewelder；　that　night　when　he　returned

to　Edwards'　cabin。　He　dropped　into　a　chair　as　one　whose　strength　is　entirely

spent；　whose　indomitable　spirit　has　at　last　been　broken。



〃Lie　down　to　rest；〃　said　Edwards。



〃Oh；　I　can't。　Matters　look　so　black。〃



〃You're　tired　out　and　discouraged。　You'll　feel　better　to…morrow。　The　situation

is　not；　perhaps；　so　hopeless。　The　presence　of　these　frontiersmen　should

encourage　us。〃



〃What　will　they　do？　What　can　they　do？〃　cried　Heckewelder；　bitterly。　〃I　tell

you　never　before　have　I　encountered　such　gloomy；　stony　Indians。　It　seems　to　me

that　they　are　in　no　vacillating　state。　They　act　like　men　whose　course　is

already　decided　upon；　and　who　are　only　waiting。〃



〃For　what？〃　asked　Jim；　after　a　long　silence。



〃God　only　knows！　Perhaps　for　a　time；　possibly　for　a　final　decision；　and；　it

may　be；　for　a　reason；　the　very　thought　of　which　makes　me　faint。〃



〃Tell　us；〃　said　Edwards；　speaking　quietly；　for　he　had　ever　been　the　calmest　of

the　missionaries。



〃Never　mind。　Perhaps　it's　only　my　nerves。　I'm　all　unstrung；　and　could　suspect

anything　to…night。〃



〃Heckewelder；　tell　us？〃　Jim　asked；　earnestly。



〃My　friends；　I　pray　I　am　wrong。　God　help　us　if　my　fears　are　correct。　I　believe

the　Indians　are　waiting　for　Jim　Girty。







Chapter　XXII。



Simon　Girty　lolled　on　a　blanket　in　Half　King's　teepee。　He　was　alone；　awaiting

his　allies。　Rings　of　white　smoke　curled　lazily　from　his　lips　as　he　puffed　on　a

long　Indian　pipe；　and　gazed　out　over　the　clearing　that　contained　the　Village

of　Peace。



Still　water　has　something　in　its　placid　surface　significant　of　deep　channels；

of　hidden　depths；　the　dim　outline　of　the　forest　is　dark　with　meaning；

suggestive　of　its　wild　internal　character。　So　Simon　Girty's　hard；　bronzed　face

betrayed　the　man。　His　degenerate　brother's　features　were　revolting；　but　his

own　were　striking；　and　fell　short　of　being　handsome　only　because　of　their

craggy　hardness。　Years　of　revolt；　of　bitterness；　of　consciousness　of　wasted

life；　had　graven　their　stern　lines　on　that　copper；　masklike　face。　Yet　despite

the　cruelty　there；　the　forbidding　shade　on　it；　as　if　a　reflection　from　a　dark

soul；　it　was　not　wholly　a　bad　countenance。　Traces　still　lingered；　faintly；　of

a　man　in　whom　kindlier　feelings　had　once　predominated。



In　a　moment　of　pique　Girty　had　deserted　his　military　post　at　Fort　Pitt；　and

become　an　outlaw　of　his　own　volition。　Previous　to　that　time　he　had　been　an

able　soldier；　and　a　good　fellow。　When　he　realized　that　his　step　was

irrevocable；　that　even　his　best　friends　condemned　him；　he　plunged；　with　anger

and　despair　in　his　heart；　into　a　war　upon　his　own　race。　Both　of　his　brothers

had　long　been　border　ruffians；　whose　only　protection　from　the　outraged

pioneers　lay　in　the　faraway　camps　of　hostile　tribes。　George　Girty　had　so　sunk

his　individuality　into　the　savage's　that　he　was　no　longer　a　white　man。　Jim

Girty　stalked　over　the　borderland　with　a　bloody　tomahawk；　his　long　arm

outstretched　to　clutch　some　unfortunate　white　woman；　and　with　his　hideous

smile　of　death。　Both　of　these　men　were　far　lower　than　the　worst　savages；　and

it　was　almost　wholly　to　their　deeds　of　darkness　that　Simon　Girty　owed　his

infamous　name。



To…day　White　Chief；　as　Girty　was　called；　awaited　his　men。　A　slight　tremor　of

the　ground　caused　him　to　turn　his　gaze。　The　Huron　chief；　Half　King；

resplendent　in　his　magnificent　array；　had　entered　the　teepee。　　He　squatted　in

a　corner；　rested　the　bowl　of　his　great　pipe　on　his　knee；　and　smoked　in

silence。　The　habitual　frown　of　his　black　brow；　like　a　shaded；　overhanging

cliff；　the　fire　flashing　from　his　eyes；　as　a　shining　light　is　reflected　from　a

dark　pool；　his　closely…shut；　bulging　jaw；　all　bespoke　a　nature；　lofty　in　its

Indian　pride　and　arrogance；　but　more　cruel　than　death。



Another　chief　stalked　into　the　teepee　and　seated　himself。　It　was　Pipe。　　His

countenance　denoted　none　of　the　intelligence　that　made　Wingenund's　face　so

noble；　it　was　even　coarser　than　Half　King's；　and　his　eyes；　resembling　live

coals　in　the　dark；　the　long；　cruel　lines　of　his　jaw；　the　thin；　tightly…closed

lips；　which　looked　as　if　they　could　relax　only　to　utter　a　savage　command；

expressed　fierce　cunning　and　brutality。



〃White　Chief　is　idle　to…day；〃　said　Half　King；　speaking　in　the　Indian　tongue。



〃King；　I　am　waiting。　Girty　is　slow；　but　sure；〃　answered　the　renegade。



〃The　eagle　sails　slowly　round　and　round；　up　and　up；〃　replied　Half　King；　with

majestic　gestures；　〃until　his　eye　sees　all；　until　he　knows　his　time；　then　he

folds　his　wings　and　swoops　down　from　the　blue　sky　like　the　forked　fire。　So

does　White　Chief。　But　Half　King　is　impatient。〃



〃To…day　decides　the　fate　of　the　Village　of　Peace；〃　answered　Girty；

imperturbably。



〃Ugh！〃　grunted　Pipe。



Half　King　vented　his　approval　in　the　same　meaning　exclamation。



An　hour　passed；　the　renegade　smoked　in　silence；　the　chiefs　did　likewise。



A　horseman　rode　up　to　the　door　of　the　teepee；　dismounted；　and　came　in。　It　was

Elliott。　He　had　been　absent　twenty　hours。　His　buckskin　suit　showed　the　effect

of　hard　riding　through　the　thickets。



〃Hullo；　Bill；　any　sign　of　Jim？〃　was　Girty's　greeting　to　his　lieutenant。



〃Nary。　He's　not　been　seen　near　the　Delaware　camp。　He's　after　that　chap　who

married　Winds。〃



〃I　thought　so。　Jim's　roundin'　up　a　tenderfoot　who　will　be　a　bad　man　to　handle

if　he　has　half　a　chance。　I　saw　as　much　the　day　he　took　his　horse　away　from

Silver。　He　finally　did　fer　the　Shawnee；　an'　almost　put　Jim　out。　　My　brother

oughtn't　to　give　rein　to　personal　revenge　at　a　time　like　this。〃　　Girty's　face

did　not　change；　but　his　tone　was　one　of　annoyance。



〃Jim　said　he'd　be　here　to…day；　didn't　he？〃



〃To…day　is　as　long　as　we　allowed　to　wait。〃



〃He'll　come。　Where's　Jake　and　Mac？〃



〃They're　here　somewhere；　drinkin'　like　fish；　an'　raisin'　hell。〃



Two　more　renegades　appeared　at　the　door；　and；　entering　the　teepee；　squatted

down　in　Indian　fashion。　The　little　wiry　man　with　the　wizened　face　was　McKee；

the　other　was　the　latest　acquisition　to　the　renegade　force；　Jake　Deering；

deserter；　thief；　murderereverything　that　is　bad。　　In　appearance　he　was　of

medium　height；　but　very　heavily；　compactly　built；　and　evidently　as　strong　as

an　ox。　He　had　a　tangled　shock　of　red　hair；　a　broad；　bloated　face；　big；　dull

eyes；　like　the　openings　of　empty　furnaces；　and　an　expression　of　beastliness。



Deering　and　McKee　were　intoxicated。



〃Bad　time　fer　drinkin'；〃　said　Girty；　with　disapproval　in　his　glance。



〃What's　that　ter　you？〃　growled　Deering。　〃I'm　here　ter　do　your　work；　an'　I

reckon　it'll　be　done　better　if　I'm　drunk。〃



〃Don't　git　careless；〃　replied　Girty；　with　that　cool　tone　and　dark　look　such　as

dangerous　men　use。　〃I'm　only　sayin'　it's　a　bad　time　fer　you；　because　if　this

bunch　of　frontiersmen　happen　to　git　onto　you　bein'　the　renegade　that　was　with

the　Chippewas　an'　got　thet　young　feller's　girl；　there's　liable　to　be　trouble。〃



〃They　ain't　agoin'　ter　find　out。〃



〃Where　is　she？〃



〃Back　there　in　the　woods。〃



〃Mebbe　it's　as　well。　Now；　don't　git　so　drunk　you'll　blab　all　you　know。　We've

lots　of　work　to　do　without　havin'　to　clean　up　Williamson's　bunch；〃　rejoined

Girty。　〃Bill；　tie　up　the　tent　flaps　an'　we'll　git　to　council。〃



Elliott　arose　to　carry　out　the　order；　and　had　pulled　in　the　deer…hide　flaps；

when　one　of　them　was　jerked　outward　to　disclose　the　befrilled　person　of　Jim

Girty。　Except　for　a　discoloration　over　his　eye；　he　appeared　as　usual。



〃Ugh！〃　grunted　Pipe；　who　was　glad　to　see　his　renegade　friend。



Half　King　evinced　the　same　feeling。



〃Hullo；〃　was　Simon　Girty's　greeting。



〃'Pears　I'm　on　time　fer　the　picnic；〃　said　Jim　Girty；　with　his　ghastly　leer。



Bill　Elliott　closed　the　flaps；　after　giving　orders　to　the　guard　to　prevent　any

Indians　from　loitering　near　the　teepee。



〃Listen；〃　said　Simon　Girty；　speaking　low　in　the　Delaware　language。　　〃The　time

is　ripe。　We　have　come　here　to　break　forever　the　influence　of　the　white　man's

religion。　Our　councils　have　been　held；　we　shall　drive　away　the　missionaries；

and　burn　the　Village　of　Peace。〃



He　paused；　leaning　forward　in　his　exceeding　earnestness；　with　his　bronzed　face

lined　by　swelling　veins；　his　whole　person　made　rigid　by　the　murderous　thought。

The　he　hissed　between　his　teeth：　〃What　shall　we　do　with　these　Christian

Indians？〃



Pipe　raised　his　war…club；　struck　it　upon　the　ground；　then　handed　it　to　Half

King。



Half　King　took　the　club　and　repeated　the　action。



Both　chiefs　favored　the　death　penalty。



〃Feed　'em　to　ther　buzzards；〃　croaked　Jim　Girty。



Simon　Girty　knitted　his　brow　in　thought。　The　question　of　what　to　do　with　the

converted　Indians　had　long　perplexed　him。



〃No；〃　said　he；　〃let　us　drive　away　the　missionaries；　burn　the　village；　and　take

the　Indians　back　to　camp。　We'll　keep　them　there；　they'll　soon　forget。〃



〃Pipe　does　not　want　them；〃　declared　the　Delaware。



〃Christian　Indians　shall　never　sit　round　Half　King's　fire；〃　cried　the　Huron。