the spirit of the border- 第42部分

couldn't　think　then　who　did　fer　Silver；　though　I　allowed　the　renegade　might

hev　done　thet；　too。　I　watched　round　an'　seen　Girty　come　back　to　the　hut。　He

had　ten　Injuns　with　him；　an'　presently　they　all　made　fer　the　west。　I　trailed

them；　but　didn't　calkilate　it'd　be　wise　to　tackle　the　bunch　single…handed；　so

laid　back。　　A　mile　or　so　from　the　hut　I　came　across　hoss　tracks　minglin'　with

the　moccasin…prints。　About　fifteen　mile　or　from　the　Delaware　town；　Girty　left

his　buckskins；　an'　they　went　west；　while　he　stuck　to　the　hoss　tracks。　　I　was

onto　his　game　in　a　minute。　I　cut　across　country　fer　Beautiful　Spring；　but　I

got　there　too　late。　I　found　the　warm　bodies　of　Joe　and　thet　Injun　girl；　Winds。

The　snake　hed　murdered　them。〃



〃I　allow　Joe　won　over　Winds；　got　away　from　the　Delaware　town　with　her；　tried

to　rescue　Kate；　and　killed　Silver　in　the　fight。　Girty　probably　was　surprised；

an'　run　after　he　had　knifed　the　girl。〃



〃'Pears　so　to　me。　Joe　had　two　knife　cuts；　an'　one　was　an　old　wound。〃



〃You　say　it　was　a　bad　fight？〃



〃Must　hev　been。　The　hut　was　all　knocked　in；　an'　stuff　scattered　about。　　Wal；

Joe　could　go　some　if　he　onct　got　started。〃



〃I'll　bet　he　could。　He　was　the　likeliest　lad　I've　seen　for　many　a　day。〃



〃If　he'd　lasted；　he'd　been　somethin'　of　a　hunter　an'　fighter。〃



〃Too　bad。　But　Lord！　you　couldn't　keep　him　down；　no　more　than　you　can　lots　of

these　wild　young　chaps　that　drift　out　here。〃



〃I'll　allow　he　had　the　fever　bad。〃



〃Did　you　hev　time　to　bury　them？〃



〃I　hedn't　time　fer　much。　I　sunk　them　in　the　spring。〃



〃It's　a　pretty　deep　hole；〃　said　Zane；　reflectively。　〃Then；　you　and　the　dog

took　Girty's　trail；　but　couldn't　catch　up　with　him。　He's　now　with　the　renegade

cutthroats　and　hundreds　of　riled　Indians　over　there　in　the　Village　of　Peace。〃



〃I　reckon　you're　right。〃



A　long　silence　ensued；。　Jonathan　finished　his　simple　repast；　drank　from　the

little　spring　that　trickled　under　the　stone；　and；　sitting　down　by　the　dog；

smoothed　out　his　long　silken　hair。



〃Lew；　we're　pretty　good　friends；　ain't　we？〃　he　asked；　thoughtfully。



〃Jack；　you　an'　the　colonel　are　all　the　friends　I　ever　hed；　'ceptin'　that　boy

lyin'　quiet　back　there　in　the　woods。〃



〃I　know　you　pretty　well；　and　ain't　sayin'　a　word　about　your　runnin'　off　from

me　on　many　a　hunt；　but　I　want　to　speak　plain　about　this　fellow　Girty。〃



〃Wal？〃　said　Wetzel；　as　Zane　hesitated。



〃Twice　in　the　last　few　years　you　and　I　have　had　it　in　for　the　same　men；　both

white…livered　traitors。　You　remember？　First　it　was　Miller；　who　tried　to　ruin

my　sister　Betty；　and　next　it　was　Jim　Girty；　who　murdered　our　old　friend；　as

good　an　old　man　as　ever　wore　moccasins。　Wal；　after　Miller　ran　off　from　the

fort；　we　trailed　him　down　to　the　river；　and　I　points　across　and　says；　'You　or

me？'　and　you　says；　'Me。'　You　was　Betty's　friend；　and　I　knew　she'd　be　avenged。

Miller　is　lyin'　quiet　in　the　woods；　and　violets　have　blossomed　twice　over　his

grave；　though　you　never　said　a　word；　but　I　know　it's　true　because　I　know　you。〃



Zane　looked　eagerly　into　the　dark　face　of　his　friend；　hoping　perhaps　to　get

some　verbal　assurance　there　that　his　belief　was　true。　But　Wetzel　did　not

speak；　and　he　continued：



〃Another　day　not　so　long　ago　we　both　looked　down　at　an　old　friend；　and　saw　his

white　hair　matted　with　blood。　He'd　been　murdered　for　nothin'。　　Again　you　and

me　trailed　a　coward　and　found　him　to　be　Jim　Girty。　I　knew　you'd　been　huntin'

him　for　years；　and　so　I　says；　'Lew；　you　or　me？'　and　you　says；　'Me。'〃　I　give　in

to　you；　for　I　knew　you're　a　better　man　than　me；　and　because　I　wanted　you　to

have　the　satisfaction。　Wal；　the　months　have　gone　by；　and　Jim　Girty's　still

livin'　and　carryin'　on。　Now　he's　over　there　after　them　poor　preachers。　I　ain't

sayin'；　Lew；　that　you　haven't　more　agin　him　than　me；　but　I　do　say；　let　me　in

on　it　with　you。　He　always　has　a　gang　of　redskins　with　him；　he's　afraid　to

travel　alone；　else　you'd　had　him　long　ago。　Two　of　us'll　have　more　chance　to

get　him。　Let　me　go　with　you。　When　it　comes　to　a　finish；　I'll　stand　aside　while

you　give　it　to　him。　I'd　enjoy　seein'　you　cut　him　from　shoulder　to　hip。　After

he　leaves　the　Village　of　Peace　we'll　hit　his　trail；　camp　on　it；　and　stick　to

it　until　it　ends　in　his　grave。〃



The　earnest　voice　of　the　backwoodsman　ceased。　Both　men　rose　and　stood　facing

each　other。　Zane's　bronzed　face　was　hard　and　tense；　expressive　of　an

indomitable　will；　Wetzel's　was　coldly　dark；　with　fateful　resolve；　as　if　his

decree　of　vengeance；　once　given；　was　as　immutable　as　destiny。　　The　big；　horny

hands　gripped　in　a　viselike　clasp　born　of　fierce　passion；　but　no　word　was

spoken。



Far　to　the　west　somewhere；　a　befrilled　and　dedizened　renegade　pursued　the　wild

tenor　of　his　ways；　perhaps；　even　now　steeping　his　soul　in　more　crime；　or

staining　his　hands　a　deeper　red；　but　sleeping　or　waking；　he　dreamed　not　of

this　deadly　compact　that　meant　his　doom。



The　two　hunters　turned　their　stern　faces　toward　the　west；　and　passed　silently

down　the　ridge　into　the　depths　of　the　forest。　Darkness　found　them　within

rifle…shot　of　the　Village　of　Peace。　With　the　dog　creeping　between　them；　they

crawled　to　a　position　which　would；　in　daylight；　command　a　view　of　the

clearing。　Then；　while　one　stood　guard；　the　other　slept。



When　morning　dawned　they　shifted　their　position　to　the　top　of　a　low；

fern…covered　cliff；　from　which　they　could　see　every　movement　in　the　village。

All　the　morning　they　watched　with　that　wonderful　patience　of　men　who　knew　how

to　wait。　The　visiting　savages　were　quiet；　the　missionaries　moved　about　in　and

out　of　the　shops　and　cabins；　the　Christian　indians　worked　industriously　in　the

fields；　while　the　renegades　lolled　before　a　prominent　teepee。



〃This　quiet　looks　bad；〃　whispered　Jonathan　to　Wetzel。　No　shouts　were　heard；

not　a　hostile　Indian　was　seen　to　move。



〃They've　come　to　a　decision；〃　whispered　Jonathan；　and　Wetzel　answered　him：



〃If　they　hev；　the　Christians　don't　know　it。〃



An　hour　later　the　deep　pealing　of　the　church　bell　broke　the　silence。　　The

entire　band　of　Christian　Indians　gathered　near　the　large　log　structure；　and

then　marched　in　orderly　form　toward　the　maple　grove　where　the　service　was

always　held　in　pleasant　weather。　This　movement　brought　the　Indians　within

several　hundred　yards　of　the　cliff　where　Zane　and　Wetzel　lay　concealed。



〃There's　Heckewelder　walking　with　old　man　Wells；〃　whispered　Jonathan。　〃There's

Young　and　Edwards；　and；　yes；　there's　the　young　missionary；　brother　of　Joe。

'Pears　to　me　they're　foolish　to　hold　service　in　the　face　of　all　those　riled

Injuns。〃



〃Wuss'n　foolish；〃　answered　Wetzel。



〃Look！　By　gum！　As　I'm　a　livin'　sinner　there　comes　the　whole　crowd　of　hostile

redskins。　They've　got　their　guns；　andby　Gum！　they're　painted。　　Looks　bad；

bad！　Not　much　friendliness　about　that　bunch！〃



〃They　ain't　intendin'　to　be　peaceable。〃



〃By　gum！　You're　right。　There　ain't　one　of　them　settin'　down。　'Pears　to　me　I

know　some　of　them　redskins。　There's　Pipe；　sure　enough；　and　Kotoxen。　　By　gum！

If　there　ain't　Shingiss；　he　was　friendly　once。〃



〃None　of　them's　friendly。〃



〃Look！　Lew；　look！　Right　behind　Pipe。　See　that　long　war…bonnet。　As　I'm　a　born

sinner；　that's　your　old　friend；　Wingenund。　'Pears　to　me　we've　rounded　up　all

our　acquaintances。〃



The　two　bordermen　lay　close　under　the　tall　ferns　and　watched　the　proceedings

with　sharp　eyes。　They　saw　the　converted　Indians　seat　themselves　before　the

platform。　The　crowd　of　hostile　Indians　surrounded　the　glade　on　all　sides；

except　on；　which；　singularly　enough；　was　next　to　the　woods。



〃Look　thar！〃　exclaimed　Wetzel；　under　his　breath。　He　pointed　off　to　the　right

of　the　maple　glade。　Jonathan　gazed　in　the　direction　indicated；　and　saw　two

savages　stealthily　slipping　through　the　bushes；　and　behind　trees。　　Presently

these　suspicious　acting　spies；　or　scouts；　stopped　on　a　little　knoll　perhaps　an

hundred　yards　from　the　glade。



Wetzel　groaned。



〃This　ain't　comfortable；〃　growled　Zane；　in　a　low　whisper。　〃Them　red　devils　are

up　to　somethin'　bad。　They'd　better　not　move　round　over　here。〃



The　hunters；　satisfied　that　the　two　isolated　savages　meant　mischief；　turned

their　gaze　once　more　toward　the　maple　grove。



〃Ah！　Simon　you　white　traitor！　See　him；　Lew；　comin'　with　his　precious　gang；〃

said　Jonathan。　〃He's　got　the　whole　thing　fixed；　you　can　plainly　see　that。　Bill

Elliott；　McKee；　and　who's　that　renegade　with　Jim　Girty？　I'll　allow　he　must　be

the　fellar　we　heard　was　with　the　Chippewas。　Tough　lookin'　customer；　a　good

mate　fer　Jim　Girty！　　A　fine　lot　of　border…hawks！〃



〃Somethin'　comin'　off；〃　whispered　Wetzel；　as　Zane's　low　growl　grew

unintelligible。



Jonathan　felt；　rather　than　saw；　Wetzel　tremble。



〃The　missionaries　are　consultin'。　Ah！　there　comes　one！　Which？　I　guess　it's

Edwards。　By　gum！　who's　that　Injun　stalkin'　over　from　the　hostile　bunch。　Big

chief；　whoever　he　is。　Blest　if　it　ain't　Half　King！〃



The　watchers　saw　the　chief　wave　his　arm　and　speak　with　evident　arrogance　of

Edwards；　who；　however；　advanced　to　the　platform　and　raise　his　hand　to　address

the　Christians。



〃Crack！〃



A　shot　rang　out　from　the　thicket。　Clutching　wildly　at　his　breast；　the

missionary　reeled　back；　staggered；　and　fell。



〃One　of　those　skulkin'　redskins　has　killed　Edwards；〃　said　Zane。　〃But；　no；　he's

not　dead！　He's　gettin'　up。　Mebbe　he　ain't　hurt　bad。　By　gum！　there's　Young

comin'　forward。　Of　all　the　fools！〃



It　was　indeed　true　that　Young　had　faced　the　Indians。　Half　King　addressed　him

as　he　had　the　other；　but　Young　raised　his　hand　and　began　speaking。



〃Crack！〃



Another　shot　rang　out。　Young　threw　up　his　hands　and　fell　heavily。　The

missionaries　rushed　toward　him。　Mr。　Wells　ran　round　the　group；　wringing　his

hands　as　if　distracted。



〃He's　hard　hit；〃　hissed　Zane；　between　his　teeth。　〃You　can　tell　that　by　the　way

he　fell。〃



Wetzel　did　not　answer。　He　lay　silent　and　motionless；　his　long　body　r