the spirit of the border- 第43部分

he　fell。〃



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

his　face　like　marble。



〃There　comes　the　other　young　fellarJoe's　brother。　He'll　get　plugged；　too；〃

continued　Zane；　whispering　rather　to　himself　than　to　his　companion。　　〃Oh；　I

hoped　they'd　show　some　sense！　It's　noble　for　them　to　die　for　Christianity；　but

it　won't　do　no　good。　By　gum！　Heckewelder　has　pulled　him　back。　Now；　that's　good

judgment！〃



Half　King　stepped　before　the　Christians　and　addressed　them。　He　held　in　his

hand　a　black　war…club；　which　he　wielded　as　he　spoke。



Jonathan's　attention　was　now　directed　from　the　maple　grove　to　the　hunter

beside　him。　He　had　heard　a　slight　metallic　click；　as　Wetzel　cocked　his　rifle。

Then　he　saw　the　black　barrel　slowly　rise。



〃Listen；　Lew。　Mebbe　it　ain't　good　sense。　We're　after　Girty；　you　remember；　and

it's　a　long　shot　from　herefull　three　hundred　yards。〃



〃You're　right；　Jack；　you're　right；〃　answered　Wetzel；　breathing　hard。



〃Let's　wait；　and　see　what　comes　off。〃



〃Jack；　I　can't　do　it。　It'll　make　our　job　harder；　but　I　can't　help　it。　I　can

put　a　bullet　just　over　the　Huron's　left　eye；　an'　I'm　goin'　to　do　it。〃



〃You　can't　do　it；　Lew；　you　can't！　It's　too　far　for　any　gun。　Wait！　Wait！〃

whispered　Jonathan；　laying　his　hand　on　Wetzel's　shoulder。



〃Wait？　Man；　can't　you　see　what　the　unnamable　villain　is　doin'？〃



〃What？〃　asked　Zane；　turning　his　eyes　again　to　the　glade。



The　converted　Indians　sat　with　bowed　heads。　Half　King　raised　his　war…club；　and

threw　it　on　the　ground　in　front　of　them。



〃He's　announcin'　the　death　decree！〃　hissed　Wetzel。



〃Well！　if　he　ain't！〃



Jonathan　looked　at　Wetzel's　face。　Then　he　rose　to　his　knees；　as　had　Wetzel；

and　tightened　his　belt。　He　knew　that　in　another　instant　they　would　be　speeding

away　through　the　forest。



〃Lew；　my　rifle's　no　good　fer　that　distance。　But　mebbe　yours　is。　You　ought　to

know。　It's　not　sense；　because　there's　Simon　Girty；　and　there's　Jim；　the　men

we're　after。　If　you　can　hit　one；　you　can　another。　But　go　ahead；　Lew。　　Plug

that　cowardly　redskin！〃



Wetzel　knelt　on　one　knee；　and　thrust　the　black　rifle　forward　through　the　fern

leaves。　Slowly　the　fatal　barrel　rose　to　a　level；　and　became　as　motionless　as

the　immovable　stones。



Jonathan　fixed　his　keen　gaze　on　the　haughty　countenance　of　Half　King　as　he

stood　with　folded　arms　and　scornful　mien　in　front　of　the　Christians　he　had

just　condemned。



Even　as　the　short；　stinging　crack　of　Wetzel's　rifle　broke　the　silence；

Jonathan　saw　the　fierce　expression　of　Half　King's　dark　face　change　to　one　of

vacant　wildness。　His　arms　never　relaxed　from　their　folded　position。　　He　fell；

as　falls　a　monarch　of　the　forest　trees；　a　dead　weight。







Chapter　XXV。



〃Please　do　not　preach　to…day；〃　said　Nell；　raising　her　eyes　imploringly　to

Jim's　face。



〃Nellie；　I　must　conduct　the　services　as　usual。　I　can　not　shirk　my　duty；　nor

let　these　renegades　see　I　fear　to　face　them。〃



〃I　have　such　a　queer　feeling。　I　am　afraid。　I　don't　want　to　be　left　alone。　

Please　do　not　leave　me。〃



Jim　strode　nervously　up　and　down　the　length　of　the　room。　Nell's　worn　face；　her

beseeching　eyes　and　trembling　hands　touched　his　heart。　Rather　than　almost

anything　else；　he　desired　to　please　her；　to　strengthen　her；　yet　how　could　he

shirk　his　duty？



〃Nellie；　what　is　it　you　fear？〃　he　asked；　holding　her　hands　tightly。



〃Oh；　I　don't　know　whateverything。　Uncle　is　growing　weaker　every　day。　　Look

at　Mr。　Young；　he　is　only　a　shadow　of　his　former　self；　and　this　anxiety　is

wearing　Mr。　Heckewelder　out。　He　is　more　concerned　than　he　dares　admit。　　You

needn't　shake　your　head；　for　I　know　it。　Then　those　Indians　who　are　waiting；

waitingfor　God　only　knows　what！　Worse　than　all　to　me；　I　saw　that　renegade；

that　fearful　beast　who　made　way　with　poor　dear　Kate！〃



Nell　burst　into　tears；　and　leaned　sobbing　on　Jim's　shoulder。



〃Nell；　I've　kept　my　courage　only　because　of　you；〃　replied　Jim；　his　voice

trembling　slightly。



She　looked　up　quickly。　Something　in　the　pale　face　which　was　bent　over　her　told

that　now；　if　ever；　was　the　time　for　a　woman　to　forget　herself；　and　to　cheer；

to　inspire　those　around　her。



〃I　am　a　silly　baby；　and　selfish！〃　she　cried；　freeing　herself　from　his　hold。

〃Always　thinking　of　myself。〃　She　turned　away　and　wiped　the　tears　from　her

eyes。　〃Go；　Jim；　do　you　duty；　I'll　stand　by　and　help　you　all　a　woman　can。〃





The　missionaries　were　consulting　in　Heckewelder's　cabin。　Zeisberger　had

returned　that　morning；　and　his　aggressive；　dominating　spirit　was　just　what

they　needed　in　an　hour　like　this。　He　raised　the　downcast　spirits　of　the

ministers。



〃Hold　the　service？　I　should　say　we　will；〃　he　declared；　waving　his　hands。　

〃What　have　we　to　be　afraid　of？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　answered　Heckewelder；　shaking　his　head　doubtfully。　〃I　do　not

know　what　to　fear。　Girty　himself　told　me　he　bore　us　no　ill　will；　but　I　hardly

believe　him。　All　this　silence；　this　ominous　waiting　perplexes；　bewilders　me。〃



〃Gentlemen；　our　duty　at　least　is　plain；〃　said　Jim；　impressively。　〃The　faith　of

these　Christian　Indians　in　us　is　so　absolute　that　they　have　no　fear。　They

believe　in　God；　and　in　us。　These　threatening　savages　have　failed　signally　to

impress　our　Christians。　If　we　do　not　hold　the　service　they　will　think　we　fear

Girty；　and　that　might　have　a　bad　influence。〃



〃I　am　in　favor　of　postponing　the　preaching　for　a　few　days。　I　tell　you　I　am

afraid　of　Girty's　Indians；　not　for　myself；　but　for　these　Christians　whom　we

love　so　well。　I　am　afraid。〃　Heckewelder's　face　bore　testimony　to　his　anxious

dread。



〃You　are　our　leader；　we　have　but　to　obey；〃　said　Edwards。　〃Yet　I　think　we　owe

it　to　our　converts　to　stick　to　our　work　until　we　are　forced　by　violence　to

desist。〃



〃Ah！　What　form　will　that　violence　take？〃　cried　Heckewelder；　his　face　white。

〃You　cannot　tell　what　these　savages　mean。　I　fear！　　I　fear！〃



〃Listen；　Heckewelder；　you　must　remember　we　had　this　to　go　through　once

before；〃　put　in　Zeisberger　earnestly。　〃In　'78　Girty　came　down　on　us　like　a

wolf　on　the　fold。　He　had　not　so　many　Indians　at　his　beck　and　call　as　now；　but

he　harangued　for　days；　trying　to　scare　us　and　our　handful　of　Christians。　He

set　his　drunken　fiends　to　frighten　us；　and　he　failed。　　We　stuck　it　out　and

won。　He's　trying　the　same　game。　Let　us　stand　against　him；　and　hold　our

services　as　usual。　We　should　trust　in　God！〃



〃Never　give　up！〃　cried　Jim。



〃Gentlemen；　you　are　right；　you　shame　me；　even　though　I　feel　that　I　understand

the　situation　and　its　dread　possibilities　better　than　any　one　of　you。　Whatever

befalls　we'll　stick　to　our　post。　I　thank　you　for　reviving　the　spirit　in　my

cowardly　heart。　We　will　hold　the　service　to…day　as　usual　and　to　make　it　more

impressive；　each　shall　address　the　congregation　in　turn。〃



〃And；　if　need　be；　we　will　give　our　lives　for　our　Christians；〃　said　Young；

raising　his　pale　face。





The　deep　mellow　peals　of　the　church　bell　awoke　the　slumbering　echoes。　

Scarcely　had　its　melody　died　away　in　the　forest　when　a　line　of　Indians　issued

from　the　church　and　marched　toward　the　maple　grove。　Men；　women；　youths；

maidens　and　children。



Glickhican；　the　old　Delaware　chief；　headed　the　line。　His　step　was　firm；　his

head　erect；　his　face　calm　in　its　noble　austerity。　His　followers　likewise

expressed　in　their　countenances　the　steadfastness　of　their　belief。　　The

maidens'　heads　were　bowed；　but　with　shyness；　not　fear。　The　children　were

happy；　their　bright　faces　expressive　of　the　joy　the　felt　in　the　anticipation

of　listening　to　their　beloved　teachers。



This　procession　passed　between　rows　of　painted　savages；　standing　immovable；

with　folded　arms；　and　somber　eyes。



No　sooner　had　the　Christians　reached　the　maple　grove；　when　from　all　over　the

clearing　appeared　hostile　Indians；　who　took　positions　near　the　knoll　where　the

missionaries　stood。



Heckewelder's　faithful　little　band　awaited　him　on　the　platform。　The　converted

Indians　seated　themselves　as　usual　at　the　foot　of　the　knoll。　　The　other

savages　crowded　closely　on　both　sides。　They　carried　their　weapons；　and

maintained　the　same　silence　that　had　so　singularly　marked　their　mood　of　the

last　twenty…four　hours。　No　human　skill　could　have　divined　their　intention。

This　coldness　might　be　only　habitual　reserve；　and　it　might　be　anything　else。



Heckewelder　approached　at　the　same　time　that　Simon　Girty　and　his　band　of

renegades　appeared。　With　the　renegades　were　Pipe　and　Half　King。　These　two　came

slowly　across　the　clearing；　passed　through　the　opening　in　the　crowd；　and

stopped　close　to　the　platform。



Heckewelder　went　hurriedly　up　to　his　missionaries。　He　seemed　beside　himself

with　excitement；　and　spoke　with　difficulty。



〃Do　not　preach　to…day。　I　have　been　warned　again；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。



〃Do　you　forbid　it？〃　inquired　Edwards。



〃No；　no。　I　have　not　that　authority；　but　I　implore　it。　Wait；　wait　until　the

Indians　are　in　a　better　mood。〃



Edwards　left　the　group；　and；　stepping　upon　the　platform；　faced　the　Christians。



At　the　same　moment　Half　King　stalked　majestically　from　before　his　party。　　He

carried　no　weapon　save　a　black；　knotted　war…club。　A　surging　forward　of　the

crowd　of　savages　behind　him　showed　the　intense　interest　which　his　action　had

aroused。　He　walked　forward　until　he　stood　half　way　between　the　platform　and

the　converts。　He　ran　his　evil　glance　slowly　over　the　Christians；　and　then

rested　it　upon　Edwards。



〃Half　King's　orders　are　to　be　obeyed。　Let　the　paleface　keep　his　mouth　closed；〃

he　cried　in　the　Indian　tongue。　The　imperious　command　came　as　a　thunderbolt

from　a　clear　sky。　The　missionaries　behind　Edwards　stood　bewildered；　awaiting

the　outcome。



But　Edwards；　without　a　moment's　hesitation；　calmly　lifted　his　hand　and　spoke。



〃Beloved　Christians；　we　meet　to…day　as　we　have　met　before；　as　we　hope　to　meet

in…〃



〃Spang！〃



The　whistling　of　a　bullet　over　the　heads　of