the red acorn-第22章

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st；　of　the　lofty　slope　of　Rockcastle　Mountain；　now　outlined　in　the　gathering　darkness　by　twinkling　fires；　which　increased　in　number；　and　climbed　higher　towards　the　clouds　as　fast　as　the　fugitives　succeeded　in　struggling　across　the　river。

〃That's　a　wonderful　sight；〃　said　Harry；　as　they　paused　on　a　summit　to　rest　and　catch　breath。　　〃It　reminds　me　of　some　of　the　war　scenes　in　Scott；　or　the　Illiad。〃

〃Hit　looks　ter　me　like　a　gineral　coon…hunt；〃　said　Fortner；　〃on'y　over　thar　hit's　the　coons；　an'　not　the　hunters；　that　hev　the　torches。　I　wish　I　could　put　a　bum…shell　inter　every　fire。〃

〃You　are　merciless。〃

〃No　more'n　they　are。　　They've　ez　little　marcy　ez　a　pack　o'　wolves　in　a　sheep…pen。〃

〃Well；〃　continued　Fortner；　meditatively；　〃Ole　Rockassel's　gittin'　a　glut　to…night。　　She'd　orten't　ter　need　no　more　now　fur　a　hundred　yeahs。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　said　Harry。

〃Why；　they　say　thet　the　Rockassel　hez　ter　hev　a　man　every　Spring　an'　Fall。　　The　Injuns　believed　hit；　an'　hit's　bin　so　ever　sence　the　white　folks　come　inter　the　country。　　Last　Spring　hit　war　the　turn　o'　the　Fortner　kin　to　gi'n　her　a　man；　an'　she　levied　on　a　fust　cousin　o'　minea　son　o'　Aunt　Debby　Brill。　　But　less　jog　on；　we've　got　a　good　piece　fur　ter　go。〃

It　was　now　nightblack　and　starless；　and　the　dense　woods　through　which　they　were　traveling　made　the　darkness　thick　and　impenetrable。　But　no　check　in　Fortner's　speed　hinted　at　any　ignorance　of　the　course　or　encountering　of　obstacles。　　He　continued　to　stride　forward　with　the　same　swift；　certain　step　as　in　the　day　time。　　But　for　Harry；　who　could　see　nothing　but　his　leader's　head　and　shoulders；　and；　whose　every　effort　was　required　to　keep　these　in　sight；　the　journey　was　full　of　painful　toil。　　The　relaxation　from　the　intense　strain　manifested　itself　in　proportion　as　they　seemed　to　recede　from　the　presence　of　the　enemy；　and　his　spirits　flagged　continually。

In　the　daylight　the　brush　and　briers　had　been　annoying　and　hurtful；　and　the　roughness　of　the　way　very　trying。　　Now　the　one　was　wounding　and　cruel；　the　other　made　every　step　with　his　jaded　limbs　a　torture。　With　the　low　spirits　engendered　by　the　great　fatigue；　came　a　return　of　the　old　fears　and　tremors。　　The　continual　wails　of　the　wildcats　roundabout　filled　him　with　gloomy　forebodings。　　Every　hair　of　his　head　stood　stiffly　up　in　mortal　terror　when　a　huge　catamount；　screaming　like　a　fiend；　leaped　down　from　a　tree；　and　confronted　them　for　an　instant　with　hideously…gleaming　yellow　eyes。

〃Cuss…an'…burn　the　nasty　varmint！〃　said　Fortner　angrily；　snatching　up　a　pine　knot　from　his　feet　and　flinging　it　at　the　beast；　which　vanished　into　the　darkness　with　another　curdling　scream。

〃Don't　that　man　know　what　fear　is？〃　wondered　Harry；　ignorant　that　the　true　mountaineer　feels　toward　these　vociferous　felidae　about　the　same　contempt　with　which　a　plainsman　regards　a　coyote。

At　length　Fortner　slackened　his　pace；　and　began　to　move　with　caution。

〃Are　we　coming　upon　the　enemy　again？〃　asked　Harry；　in　a　loud　whisper；　which　had　yet　a　perceptible　quaver　in　it。

〃No；〃　answered　Fortner；　〃but　we're　a…comin'　ter　what　is　every　bit　an'　grain　ez　dangersome。　　Heah's　whar　the　path　winds　round　Blacksnake　Clift；　an'　ye'll　hev　ter　be　ez　keeful　o'　your　footin'　ez　ef　ye　war　treadin'　the　slippery　ways　o'　sin。　　The　path's　no　wider　'n　a　hoss's　back；　an'　no　better　ter　walk　on。　　On　the　right　hand　side　hit's　several　rods　down　ter　whar　the　creek's　tearin'　'long　like　a　mad　dog。　　Heah　hit　now；　can't　ye？〃

For　some　time　the　roar　of　the　torrent　sweeping　the　gorge　had　filled　Harry's　ears。

〃Ye　want　ter　walk　slow；〃　continued　Fortner；　〃an'　feel　keefully　with　yer　foot　every　time　afore　ye　sot　hit　squar'ly　down。　　Keep　yer　left　hand　a…feelin'　the　rocks　above　yer；　so's　ter　make　shore　all　the　time　thet　ye're　close　ter　'em。　　'Bout　half　way；　thar's　a　big　break　in　the　path。　　Hit's　jess　a　long　step　acrost　hit。　　Take　one　step　arter　I　say　thet　I'm　acrost；　the　feel　keerfully　with　yer　left　foot　fur　the　aidge　o'　the　break；　an'　then　step　out　ez　long　ez　ye　kin　with　yer　right。　　That'll　bring　ye　over。　　Be　shore　o'　yer　feet；　an　ye'll　be　all　right。〃

Harry　trembled　more　than　at　any　time　before。　　They　were　already　on　the　path　around　the　steep　cliff。　　The　darkness　was　inky。　　The　roar　of　the　waters　below　rose　loudlyangrily。　　The　wails　of　the　wildcats　behind；　overhead　and　in　front　of　them；　made　it　seem　as　if　the　sighing　pines　and　cedars　were　inhabited　with　lost　spirits　shrieking　warnings　of　impending　disaster。

Harry's　foot　came　down　upon　a　boulder　which　turned　under　his　weight。　He　regained　his　balance　with　a　start；　but　the　stone　toppled　over。　He　listened。　　There　were　scores　of　heart…beats　before　it　splashed　in　the　water　below。

〃Not　so　much　as　a　twig　between　here　and　eternity；〃　he　said　to　himself；　with　a　shudder。　　Then　aloud：　　〃Can't　we　stay　here；　some　place；　and　not　go　along　there　to…night？〃

The　roar　of　the　water　drowned　his　voice　before　it　reached　Fortner's　ears；　and　Harry；　obeying　the　instinct　to　accept　leadership；　followed　the　mountaineer　tremblingly。

In　a　little　while　he　feltmore　than　sawFortner　stop；　adjust　his　feet；　and　make　a　long　stride　forward　with　one　of　them。　　Glen　collected　himself　for　the　same　effort。　　He　had　need　of　all　of　his　resolution；　for　the　many　narrow　escapes　which　he　had　made　from　slipping　into　the　hungry　torrent；　had　shaken　every　nerve。

〃I'm　over；〃　called　out　Fortner。　　〃Ye　try　hit　now。〃

Harry　balanced　his　gun　so　as　to　embarrass　him　the　least；　and　carefully　felt　with　his　left　foot　for　the　edge　of　the　chasm。　　The　catamount　announced　his　renewed　presence　by　a　vindictive　scream。　The　clouds　parted　just　enough　to　let　through　a　rift　of　gray　light；　but　it　fell　not　upon　the　brink　of　the　black　gap　in　the　path。　　It　showed　for　an　instant　the　whirlpool；　with　fragments　of　tree　trunks；　of　ghastly　likeness　to　drowned　human　bodies；　eddying　dizzily　around。

〃Come　on；〃　called　out　Fortner；　impatiently。

Harry　stepped　out　desperately。　　For　a　mental　eternity　he　hung　in　air。　His　hands　relaxed　and　his　gun　dropped　with　a　crash　and　a　splash。　Then　his　foot　touched　the　other　side　with　nervous　doubtfulness。　It　slipped；　and　he　felt　himself　fallingfalling　into　all　that　he　feared。　　Fortner　grasped　his　collar　with　a　strong　hand；　and　dragged　him　up　against　the　rocky　wall　of　the　path。

〃Thar；　yer　all　right；〃　he　said；　panting　with　the　exertion；　〃but　hit　wuz　a　mouty　loud　call　for　ye。　　Gabriel's　ho'n　couldn't've　made　a　much　mo'　powerful　one。〃

〃I've　lost　my　gun；〃　said　Harry；　regretfully；　as　soon　as　he　could　compose　himself。

〃Cuss…an'…burn　the　blasted　ole　smooth…bore；〃　said　Fortner；　contemptuously。　　〃Don't　waste　no　tear　on　that　ole　kick…out…behind。　We'll　go　'long　'tween　Wildcat　an'　the　Ford；　an'　pick　up　a　wagon…load　uv　ez　good　shooters　ez　thet　clumsy　chunk　o'　pot…metal　wuz。　　Shake　yourself　together。　　We've　on'y　got　a　mile　or　so　ter　go　now。〃

In　Harry's　condition；　the　〃mile　or　so〃　seemed　to　be　stretching　out　a　long　ways　around　the　globe；　and　he　began　to　ask　himself　how　near　he　was　to　the　much…referred…to　〃heart　of　the　Southern　Confederacy。〃

At　length　a　little　fading　toward　gray　of　the　thick　blackness；　to　that　they　had　emerged　from　the　heavy　woods　into　more　open　country。　Harry　thought　they　were　come　to　fields；　but　he　could　see　nothing；　and　without　remark　plodded　painfully　after　his　leader。

Suddenly　a　large　pack　of　dogs　immediately　in　front　of　them　broke　the　stillness　with　a　startling　diapason；　ranging　from　the　deep　bass　of　the　mastiff　to　the　ringing　bark　of　the　fox…hounds。　　Mingled　with　this　was　the　sound　of　the　whole　pack　rushing　fiercely　forward。　Fortner　stopped　in　his　tracks　so　abruptly　that　Glen　stumbled　against　him。　　The　mountaineer　gave　the　peculiar　whistle　he　had　uttered　at　the　Ford。　　The　rush　ceased　instantly。　　The　deep　growls　of　the　mastiffs　and　bull…dogs　stopped　likewise；　only　the　hounds　and　the　shrill…voiced　young　dogs　continued　barking。

The　darkness　was　rent　by　a　long　narrow　lane　of　light。　　A　door　had　been　opened　in　a　tightly…closed　house；　just　beyond　the　dogs。

〃Down；　Tige！　　Git　out；　Beauty！〃　said　Forstner；　imperiously。　　〃Lay　down；　Watch！　　Quiet　Bruno！〃

The　clamors　of　the　gang　changed　to　little　yelps　of　welcome。

〃Is　that　you；　Jim？〃　inquired　a　high…pitched　but　not　unpleasant　voice；