the spirit of the border- 第46部分

try　to　get　into　the　church。〃



〃I'll　join　you　there　as　soon　as　I　see　Williamson。〃



Jim　walked　rapidly　across　the　clearing　to　the　cabin　where　Captain　Williamson

had　quarters。　The　frontiersmen　stood　in　groups；　watching　the　savages　with　an

interest　which　showed　little　or　no　concern。



〃I　want　to　see　Captain　Williamson；〃　said　Jim　to　a　frontiersman　on　guard　at　the

cabin　door。



〃Wal；　he's　inside；〃　drawled　the　man。



Jim　thought　the　voice　familiar；　and　he　turned　sharply　to　see　the　sun…burnt

features　of　Jeff　Lynn；　the　old　riverman　who　had　taken　Mr。　Wells'　party　to　Fort

Henry。



〃Why；　Lynn！　I'm　glad　to　see　you；〃　exclaimed　Jim。



〃Purty　fair　to　middlin'；〃　answered　Jeff；　extending　his　big　hand。　〃Say；　how's

the　other　one；　your　brother　as　wus　called　Joe？〃



〃I　don't　know。　He　ran　off　with　Wetzel；　was　captured　by　Indians；　and　when　I

last　heard　of　him　he　had　married　Wingenund's　daughter。〃



〃Wal；　I'll　be　dog…goned！〃　Jeff　shook　his　grizzled　head　and　slapped　his　leg。　〃I

jest　knowed　he'd　raise　somethin'。〃



〃I'm　in　a　hurry。　Do　you　think　Captain　Williamson　will　stand　still　and　let　all

this　go　on？〃



〃I'm　afeerd　so。'



Evidently　the　captain　heard　the　conversation；　for　he　appeared　at　the　cabin

door；　smoking　a　long　pipe。



〃Captain　Williamson；　I　have　come　to　entreat　you　to　save　the　Christians　from

this　impending　massacre。〃



〃I　can't　do　nuthin'；〃　answered　Williamson；　removing　his　pipe　to　puff　forth　a

great　cloud　of　smoke。



〃You　have　eighty　men　here！〃



〃If　we　interfered　Pipe　would　eat　us　alive　in　three　minutes。　You　preacher

fellows　don't　understand　this　thing。　You've　got　Pipe　and　Girty　to　deal　with。

If　you　don't　know　them；　you'll　be　better　acquainted　by　sundown。〃



〃I　don't　care　who　they　are。　Drunken　ruffians　and　savages！　That's　enough。　　Will

you　help　us？　We　are　men　of　your　own　race；　and　we　come　to　you　for　help。　Can　you

withhold　it？〃



〃I　won't　hev　nuthin'　to　do　with　this　bizness。　The　chiefs　hev　condemned　the

village；　an'　it'll　hev　to　go。　If　you　fellars　hed　been　careful；　no　white　blood

would　hev　been　spilled。　I　advise　you　all　to　lay　low　till　it's　over。〃



〃Will　you　let　me　speak　to　your　men；　to　try　and　get　them　to　follow　me？〃



〃Heckewelder　asked　that　same　thing。　He　was　persistent；　and　I　took　a　vote　fer

him　just　to　show　how　my　men　stood。　Eighteen　of　them　said　they'd　follow　him；

the　rest　wouldn't　interfere。〃



〃Eighteen！　My　God！〃　cried　Jim；　voicing　the　passion　which　consumed　him。　　〃You

are　white　men；　yet　you　will　stand　by　and　see　these　innocent　people　murdered！

Man；　where's　your　humanity？　Your　manhood？　These　converted　Indians　are　savages

no　longer；　they　are　Christians。　Their　children　are　as　good；　pure；　innocent　as

your　own。　Can　you　remain　idle　and　see　these　little　ones　murdered？〃



Williamson　made　no　answer；　the　men　who　had　crowded　round　were　equally　silent。

Not　one　lowered　his　head。　many　looked　at　the　impassioned　missionary；　others

gazed　at　the　savages　who　were　circling　around　the　trees　brandishing　their

weapons。　If　any　pitied　the　unfortunate　Christians；　none　showed　it。　They　were

indifferent；　with　the　indifference　of　men　hardened　to　cruel　scenes。



Jim　understood；　at　last；　as　he　turned　from　face　to　face　to　find　everywhere

that　same　imperturbability。　These　bordermen　were　like　Wetzel　and　Jonathan

Zane。　The　only　good　Indian　was　a　dead　Indian。　Years　of　war　and　bloodshed；　of

merciless　cruelty　at　the　hands　of　redmen；　of　the　hard；　border　life　had

rendered　these　frontiersmen　incapable　of　compassion　for　any　savage。



Jim　no　longer　restrained　himself。



〃Bordermen　you　may　be；　but　from　my　standpoint；　from　any　man's；　from　God's；　you

are　a　lot　of　coldly　indifferent　cowards！〃　exclaimed　Jim；　with　white；　quivering

lips。　〃I　understand　now。　Few　of　you　will　risk　anything　for　Indians。　You　will

not　believe　a　savage　can　be　a　Christian。　You　don't　care　if　they　are　all

murdered。　Any　man　among　youany　man；　I　saywould　step　out　before　those

howling　fiends　and　boldly　demand　that　there　be　no　bloodshed。　A　courageous

leader　with　a　band　of　determined　followers　could　avert　this　tragedy。　You　might

readily　intimidate　yonder　horde　of　drunken　demons。　Captain　Williamson；　I　am

only　a　minister；　far　removed　from　a　man　of　war　and　leader；　as　you　claim　to　be；

but；　sir；　I　curse　you　as　a　miserable　coward。　If　I　ever　get　back　to

civilization　I'll　brand　this　inhuman　coldness　of　yours；　as　the　most　infamous

and　dastardly　cowardice　that　ever　disgraced　a　white　man。　You　are　worse　than

Girty！〃



Williamson　turned　a　sickly　yellow；　he　fumbled　a　second　with　the　handle　of　his

tomahawk；　but　made　no　answer。　The　other　bordermen　maintained　the　same　careless

composure。　What　to　them　was　the　raving　of　a　mad　preacher？



Jim　saw　it　and　turned　baffled；　fiercely　angry；　and　hopeless。　As　he　walked　away

Jeff　Lynn　took　his　arm；　and　after　they　were　clear　of　the　crowd　of　frontiersmen

he　said：



〃Young　feller；　you　give　him　pepper；　an'　no　mistake。　An'　mebbe　you're　right

from　your　side　the　fence。　But　you　can't　see　the　Injuns　from　our　side。　We

hunters　hevn't　much　humanityI　reckon　that's　what　you　called　itbut　we've

lost　so　many　friends　an'　relatives；　an'　hearn　of　so　many　murders　by　the　reddys

that　we　look　on　all　of　'em　as　wild　varmints　that　should　be　killed　on　sight。

Now；　mebbe　it'll　interest　you　to　know　I　was　the　feller　who　took　the　vote

Williamson　told　you　about；　an'　I　did　it　'cause　I　had　an　interest　in　you。　I　wus

watchin'　you　when　Edwards　and　the　other　missionary　got　shot。　I　like　grit　in　a

man；　an'　I　seen　you　had　it　clear　through。　So　when　Heckewelder　comes　over　I

talked　to　the　fellers；　an'　all　I　could　git　interested　was　eighteen；　but　they

wanted　to　fight　simply　fer　fightin'　sake。　Now；　ole　Jeff　Lynn　is　your　friend。

You　just　lay　low　until　this　is　over。〃



Jim　thanked　the　old　riverman　and　left　him。　He　hardly　knew　which　way　to　turn。

He　would　make　one　more　effort。　He　crossed　the　clearing　to　where　the　renegades'

teepee　stood。　McKee　and　Elliott　were　sitting　on　a　log。　　Simon　Girty　stood

beside　them；　his　hard；　keen；　roving　eyes　on　the　scene。　　The　missionary　was

impressed　by　the　white　leader。　There　was　a　difference　in　his　aspect；　a　wilder

look　than　the　others　wore；　as　if　the　man　had　suddenly　awakened　to　the　fury　of

his　Indians。　Nevertheless　the　young　man　went　straight　toward　him。



〃Girty；　I　come…〃



〃Git　out！　You　meddlin'　preacher！〃　yelled　the　renegade；　shaking　his　fist　at

Jim。



Simon　Girty　was　drunk。



Jim　turned　from　the　white　fiends。　He　knew　his　life　to　them　was　not　worth　a

pinch　of　powder。



〃Lost！　Lost！　All　lost！〃　he　exclaimed　in　despair。



As　he　went　toward　the　church　he　saw　hundreds　of　savages　bounding　over　the

grass；　brandishing　weapons　and　whooping　fiendishly。　They　were　concentrating

around　Girty's　teepee；　where　already　a　great　throng　had　congregated。　Of　all

the　Indians　to　be　seen　not　one　walked。　They　leaped　by　Jim；　and　ran　over　the

grass　nimble　as　deer。



He　saw　the　eager；　fire　in　their　dusky　eyes；　and　the　cruelly　clenched　teeth

like　those　of　wolves　when　they　snarl。　He　felt　the　hissing　breath　of　many

savages　as　they　raced　by　him。　More　than　one　whirled　a　tomahawk　close　to　Jim's

head；　and　uttered　horrible　yells　in　his　ear。　They　were　like　tigers　lusting　for

blood。



Jim　hurried　to　the　church。　Not　an　Indian　was　visible　near　the　log　structure。

Even　the　savage　guards　had　gone。　He　entered　the　open　door　to　be　instantly

struck　with　reverence　and　awe。



The　Christians　were　singing。



Miserable　and　full　of　sickening　dread　though　Jim　was；　he　could　not　but　realize

that　the　scene　before　him　was　one　of　extraordinary　beauty　and　pathos。　The

doomed　Indians　lifted　up　their　voices　in　song。　Never　had　they　sung　so

feelingly；　so　harmoniously。



When　the　song　ended　Zeisberger；　who　stood　upon　a　platform；　opened　his　Bible

and　read：



〃In　a　little　wrath　I　hid　my　face　from　thee　for　a　moment；　but　with　everlasting

kindness　will　I　have　mercy　on　thee；　saith　the　Lord；　thy　Redeemer。〃



In　a　voice　low　and　tremulous　the　venerable　missionary　began　his　sermon。



The　shadow　of　death　hovered　over　these　Christian　martyrs；　it　was　reflected　in

their　somber　eyes；　yet　not　one　was　sullen　or　sad。　The　children　who　were　too

young　to　understand；　but　instinctively　feeling　the　tragedy　soon　to　be　enacted

there；　cowered　close　to　their　mothers。



Zeisberger　preached　a　touching　and　impressive；　though　short；　sermon。　At　its

conclusion　the　whole　congregation　rose　and　surrounded　the　missionary。　　The　men

shook　his　hands；　the　women　kissed　them；　the　children　clung　to　his　legs。　It　was

a　wonderful　manifestation　of　affection。



Suddenly　Glickhican；　the　old　Delaware　chief；　stepped　on　the　platform；　raised

his　hand　and　shouted　one　Indian　word。



A　long；　low　wail　went　up　from　the　children　and　youths；　the　women　slowly；

meekly　bowed　their　heads。　The　men；　due　to　the　stoicism　of　their　nature　and　the

Christianity　they　had　learned；　stood　proudly　erect　awaiting　the　death　that　had

been　decreed。



Glickhican　pulled　the　bell　rope。



A　deep；　mellow　tone　pealed　out。



The　sound　transfixed　all　the　Christians。　No　one　moved。



Glickhican　had　given　the　signal　which　told　the　murderers　the　Christians　were

ready。



〃Come；　man；　my　God！　We　can't　stay　here！〃　cried　Jim　to　Zeisberger。



As　they　went　out　both　men　turned　to　look　their　last　on　the　martyrs。　The　death

knell　which　had　rung　in　the　ears　of　the　Christians；　was　to　them　the　voice　of

God。　Stern；　dark　visages　of　men　and　the　sweet；　submissive　faces　of　women　were

uplifted　with　rapt　attention。　A　light　seemed　to　shine　from　these　faces　as　if

the　contemplation　of　God　had　illumined　them。



As　Zeisberger　and　Jim　left　the　church　and　hurried　toward　the　cabins；　they　saw

the　crowd　of　savages　in　a　black　mass　round　Girty's　teepee。　The　yelling　and

leaping　had　ceased。



Heckewelder　opened　the　door。　Evidently　he　had　watched　for　them。



〃Jim！　Jim！〃　cried　Nell；　when　he　entered　the　cabin。　〃Oh…h！　I　was　afraid。　　Oh！　I

am　glad　you're