the spirit of the border- 第6部分

crimson…crowned　for　another；　shaded　and　darkened　as　the　setting　sun　sank

behind　the　hills。　Presently　the　red　rays　disappeared；　a　pink　glow　suffused　the

heavens；　and　at　last；　as　gray　twilight　stole　down　over　the　hill…tops；　the

crescent　moon　peeped　above　the　wooded　fringe　of　the　western　bluffs。



〃Hard　an'　fast　she　is；〃　sang　out　Jeff　Lynn；　as　he　fastened　the　rope　to　a　tree

at　the　head　of　a　small　island。　〃All　off　now；　and'　we'll　hev'　supper。　　Thar's　a

fine　spring　under　yon　curly　birch；　an'　I　fetched　along　a　leg　of　deer…meat。

Hungry；　little　'un？〃



He　had　worked　hard　all　day　steering　the　rafts；　yet　Nell　had　seen　him　smiling

at　her　many　times　during　the　journey；　and　he　had　found　time　before　the　early

start　to　arrange　for　her　a　comfortable　seat。　There　was　now　a　solicitude　in　the

frontiersman's　voice　that　touched　her。



〃I　am　famished；〃　she　replied；　with　her　bright　smile。　〃I　am　afraid　I　could　eat

a　whole　deer。〃



They　all　climbed　the　sandy　slope；　and　found　themselves　on　the　summit　of　an

oval　island；　with　a　pretty　glade　in　the　middle　surrounded　by　birches。　　Bill；

the　second　raftsman；　a　stolid；　silent　man；　at　once　swung　his　axe　upon　a　log　of

driftwood。　Mr。　Wells　and　Jim　walked　to　and　fro　under　the　birches；　and　Kate　and

Nell　sat　on　the　grass　watching　with　great　interest　the　old　helmsman　as　he　came

u　from　the　river；　his　brown　hands　and　face　shining　from　the　scrubbing　he　had

given　them。　Soon　he　had　a　fire　cheerfully　blazing；　and　after　laying　out　the

few　utensils；　he　addressed　himself　to　Joe：



〃I'll　tell　ye　right　here；　lad；　good　venison　kin　be　spoiled　by　bad　cuttin'　and

cookin'。　You're　slicin'　it　too　thick。　Seethar！　Now　salt　good；　an'　keep　outen

the　flame；　on　the　red　coals　is　best。〃



With　a　sharpened　stick　Jeff　held　the　thin　slices　over　the　fire　for　a　few

moments。　Then　he　laid　them　aside　on　some　clean　white…oak　chips　Bill's　axe　had

provided。　The　simple　meal　of　meat；　bread；　and　afterward　a　drink　of　the　cold

spring　water；　was　keenly　relished　by　the　hungry　voyagers。　When　it　had　been

eaten；　Jeff　threw　a　log　on　the　fire　and　remarked：



〃Seein'　as　how　we　won't　be　in　redskin　territory　fer　awhile　yit；　we　kin　hev　a

fire。　I'll　allow　ye'll　all　be　chilly　and　damp　from　river…mist　afore　long；　so

toast　yerselves　good。〃



〃How　far　have　we　come　to…day？〃　inquired　Mr。　Wells；　his　mind　always　intent　on

reaching　the　scene　of　his　cherished　undertaking。



〃'Bout　thirty…odd　mile；　I　reckon。　Not　much　on　a　trip；　thet's　sartin；　but　we'll

pick　up　termorrer。　We've　some　quicker　water；　an'　the　rafts　hev　to　go

separate。〃



〃How　quiet！〃　exclaimed　Kate；　suddenly　breaking　the　silence　that　followed　the

frontiersman's　answer。



〃Beautiful！〃　impetuously　said　Nell；　looking　up　at　Joe。　A　quick　flash　from　his

gray　eyes　answered　her；　he　did　not　speak；　indeed　he　had　said　little　to　her

since　the　start；　but　his　glance　showed　her　how　glad　he　was　that　she　felt　the

sweetness　and　content　of　this　wild　land。



〃I　was　never　in　a　wilderness　before；〃　broke　in　the　earnest　voice　of　the　young

minister。　〃I　feel　an　almost　overpowering　sense　of　loneliness。　I　want　to　get

near　to　you　all；　I　feel　lost。　Yet　it　is　grand；　sublime！〃



〃Here　is　the　promised　landthe　fruitful　lifeNature　as　it　was　created　by

God；〃　replied　the　old　minister；　impressively。



〃Tell　us　a　story；〃　said　Nell　to　the　old　frontiersman；　as　he　once　more　joined

the　circle　round　the　fire。



〃So；　little　'un；　ye　want　a　story？〃　queried　Jeff；　taking　up　a　live　coal　and

placing　it　in　the　bowl　of　his　pipe。　He　took　off　his　coon…skin　cap　and

carefully　laid　it　aside。　His　weather…beaten　face　beamed　in　answer　to　the

girl's　request。　He　drew　a　long　and　audible　pull　at　his　black　pipe；　and　send

forth　slowly　a　cloud　of　white　smoke。　Deliberately　poking　the　fire　with　a

stick；　as　if　stirring　into　life　dead　embers　of　the　past；　he　sucked　again　at

his　pipe；　and　emitted　a　great　puff　of　smoke　that　completely　enveloped　the

grizzled　head。　From　out　that　white　cloud　came　his　drawling　voice。



〃Ye've　seen　thet　big　curly　birch　over　thatthet　'un　as　bends　kind　of

sorrowful　like。　Wal；　it　used　to　stand　straight　an'　proud。　I've　knowed　thet

tree　all　the　years　I've　navigated　this　river；　an'　it　seems　natural　like　to　me

thet　it　now　droops　dyin'；　fer　it　shades　the　grave　of　as　young；　an'　sweet；　an'

purty　a　lass　as　yerself；　Miss　Nell。　Rivermen　called　this　island　George's

Island；　'cause　Washington　onct　camped　here；　but　of　late　years　the　name's　got

changed；　an'　the　men　say　suthin'　like　this：　'We'll　try　an'　make　Milly's　birch

afore　sundown；'　jest　as　Bill　and　me　hev　done　to…day。　Some　years　agone　I　was

comin'　up　from　Fort　Henry；　an'　had　on　board　my　slow　old　scow　a　lass　named

Millywe　never　learned　her　other　name。　She　come　to　me　at　the　fort；　an'　tells

as　how　her　folks　hed　been　killed　by　Injuns；　an'　she　wanted　to　git　back　to　Pitt

to　meet　her　sweetheart。　I　was　ag'in　her　comin'　all　along；　an'　fust　off　I　said

'No。〃　But　when　I　seen　tears　in　her　blue　eyes；　an'　she　puts　her　little　hand　on

mine；　I　jest　wilted；　an'　says　to　Jim　Blair；　'She　goes。'　　Wal；　jest　as　might

hev'　been　expectedan'　fact　is　I　looked　fer　itwe　wus　tackled　by　redskins。

Somehow；　Jim　Girty　got　wind　of　us　hevin'　a　lass　aboard；　an'　he　ketched　up　with

us　jest　below　here。　It's　a　bad　place；　called　Shawnee　Rock；　an'　I'll　show　it　to

ye　termorrer。　The　renegade；　with　his　red　devils；　attacked　us　thar；　an'　we　had

a　time　gittin'　away。　Milly　wus　shot。　She　lived　fer　awhile；　a　couple　of　days；

an'　all　the　time　wus　so　patient；　an'　sweet；　an'　brave　with　thet　renegade's

bullet　in　herfer　he　shot　her　when　he　seen　he　couldn't　capture　herthet　thar

wusn't　a　blame　man　of　us　who　wouldn't　hev　died　to　grant　her　prayer；　which　wus

that　she　could　live　to　onct　more　see　her　lover。〃



There　was　a　long　silence；　during　which　the　old　frontiersman　sat　gazing　into

the　fire　with　sad　eyes。



〃We　couldn't　do　nuthin'；　an'　we　buried　her　thar　under　thet　birch；　where　she

smiled　her　last　sad；　sweet　smile；　an'　died。　Ever　since　then　the　river　has　been

eatn'　away　at　this　island。　It's　only　half　as　big　as　it　wus　onct；　an'　another

flood　will　take　away　this　sand…bar；　these　few　birchesan'　Milly's　grave。〃



The　old　frontiersman's　story　affected　all　his　listeners。　The　elder　minister

bowed　his　head　and　prayed　that　no　such　fate　might　overtake　his　nieces。　The

young　minister　looked　again；　as　he　had　many　times　that　day；　at　Nell's　winsome

face。　The　girls　cast　grave　glances　at　the　drooping　birch；　and　their　bright

tears　glistened　in　the　fire…glow。　Once　more　Joe's　eyes　glinted　with　that

steely　flash；　and　as　he　gazed　out　over　the　wide；　darkening　expanse　of　water

his　face　grew　cold　and　rigid。



〃I'll　allow　I　might　hev　told　a　more　cheerful　story；　an'　I'll　do　so　next　time；

but　I　wanted　ye　all；　particular　the　lasses；　to　know　somethin'　of　the　kind　of

country　ye're　goin'　into。　The　frontier　needs　women；　but　jist　yit　it　deals　hard

with　them。　An'　Jim　Girty；　with　more　of　his　kind；　ain't　dead　yit。〃



〃Why　don't　some　one　kill　him？〃　was　Joe's　sharp　question。



〃Easier　said　than　done；　lad。　Jim　Girty　is　a　white　traitor；　but　he's　a　cunnin'

an'　fierce　redskin　in　his　ways　an'　life。　He　knows　the　woods　as　a　crow　does；

an'　keeps　outer　sight　'cept　when　he's　least　expected。　　Then　ag'in；　he's　got

Simon　Girty；　his　brother；　an'　almost　the　whole　redskin　tribe　behind　him。

Injuns　stick　close　to　a　white　man　that　has　turned　ag'inst　his　own　people；　an'

Jim　Girty　hain't　ever　been　ketched。　Howsumever；　I　heard　last　trip　thet　he'd

been　tryin'　some　of　his　tricks　round　Fort　Henry；　an'　thet　Wetzel　is　on　his

trail。　Wal；　if　it's　so　thet　Lew　Wetzel　is　arter　him；　I　wouldn't　give　a　pinch

o'　powder　fer　the　white…redskin's　chances　of　a　long　life。〃



No　one　spoke；　and　Jeff；　after　knocking　the　ashes　from　his　pipe；　went　down　to

the　raft；　returning　shortly　afterward　with　his　blanket。　This　he　laid　down　and

rolled　himself　in　it。　Presently　from　under　his　coon…skin　cap　came　the　words：



〃Wal；　I've　turned　in；　an'　I　advise　ye　all　to　do　the　same。〃



All　save　Joe　and　Nell　acted　on　Jeff's　suggestion。　For　a　long　time　the　young

couple　sat　close　together　on　the　bank；　gazing　at　the　moonlight　on　the　river。



The　night　was　perfect。　A　cool　wind　fanned　the　dying　embers　of　the　fire　and

softly　stirred　the　leaves。　Earlier　in　the　evening　a　single　frog　had　voiced　his

protest　against　the　loneliness；　but　now　his　dismal　croak　was　no　longer　heard。

A　snipe；　belated　in　his　feeding；　ran　along　the　sandy　shore　uttering　his

tweet…tweet；　and　his　little　cry；　breaking　in　so　softly　on　the　silence；　seemed

only　to　make　more　deeply　felt　the　great　vast　stillness　of　the　night。



Joe's　arm　was　around　Nell。　She　had　demurred　at　first；　but　he　gave　no　heed　to

her　slight　resistance；　and　finally　her　head　rested　against　his　shoulder。　

There　was　no　need　of　words。



Joe　had　a　pleasurable　sense　of　her　nearness；　and　there　was　a　delight　in　the

fragrance　of　her　hair　as　it　waved　against　his　cheek；　but　just　then　love　was

not　uppermost　in　his　mind。　All　day　he　had　been　silent　under　the　force　of　an

emotion　which　he　could　not　analyze。　Some　power；　some　feeling　in　which　the

thought　of　Nell　had　no　share；　was　drawing　him　with　irresistible　strength。　Nell

had　just　begun　to　surrender　to　him　in　the　sweetness　of　her　passion；　and　yet

even　with　that　knowledge　knocking　reproachfully　at　his　heart；　he　could　not

help　being　absorbed　in　the　shimmering　water；　in　the　dark　reflection　of　the

trees；　the　gloom　and　shadow　of　the　forest。



Presently　he　felt　her　form　relax　in　his　arms；　then　her　soft　regular　breathing

told　him　she　had　fallen　asleep　and　he　laughed　low　to　himself。　　How　she　would

pout　on　the　morrow　when　he　teased　her　about　it！　Then；　realizing　that　she　was

tired　with　her　long　day's　journey；　he　reproached　himself　for　keeping　her　from

the　needed　rest；　and　instantly　decided　to　carry　her　to　the　raft。　Yet　such　was

the　novelty　of　the　situation　that　he　yielded　to　its　charm；　and　did　not　go　at

once。　The　moonlight　found　bright　threads　in　her　wavy　hair；　it　shone

caressingly　on