betty zane-第3章

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ing　rain；　hoping　to　get　a　shot。　I　am　tired　out。　So　is　Tige。　Wetzel　did　not　mind　the　weather　or　the　ill　luck；　and　when　we　ran　across　some　Indian　sign　he　went　off　on　one　of　his　lonely　tramps；　leaving　me　to　come　home　alone。〃

〃He　is　such　a　reckless　man；〃　remarked　Mrs。　Zane。

〃Wetzel　is　reckless；　or　rather；　daring。　His　incomparable　nerve　carries　him　safely　through　many　dangers；　where　an　ordinary　man　would　have　no　show　whatever。　Well；　Betty；　how　are　you？〃

〃Quite　well；〃　said　the　slender；　dark…eyed　girl　who　had　just　taken　the　seat　opposite　the　Colonel。

〃Bessie；　has　my　sister　indulged　in　any　shocking　escapade　in　my　absence？　I　think　that　last　trick　of　hers；　when　she　gave　a　bucket　of　hard　cider　to　that　poor　tame　bear；　should　last　her　a　spell。〃

〃No；　for　a　wonder　Elizabeth　has　been　very　good。　However；　I　do　not　attribute　it　to　any　unusual　change　of　temperament；　simply　the　cold；　wet　weather。　I　anticipate　a　catastrophe　very　shortly　if　she　is　kept　indoors　much　longer。〃

〃I　have　not　had　much　opportunity　to　be　anything　but　well　behaved。　If　it　rains　a　few　days　more　I　shall　become　desperate。　I　want　to　ride　my　pony；　roam　the　woods；　paddle　my　canoe；　and　enjoy　myself；〃　said　Elizabeth。

〃Well！　Well！　Betts；　I　knew　it　would　be　dull　here　for　you；　but　you　must　not　get　discouraged。　You　know　you　got　here　late　last　fall；　and　have　not　had　any　pleasant　weather　yet。　It　is　perfectly　delightful　in　May　and　June。　I　can　take　you　to　fields　of　wild　white　honeysuckle　and　May　flowers　and　wild　roses。　I　know　you　love　the　woods；　so　be　patient　a　little　longer。〃

Elizabeth　had　been　spoiled　by　her　brotherswhat　girl　would　not　have　been　by　five　great　big　worshippers？and　any　trivial　thing　gone　wrong　with　her　was　a　serious　matter　to　them。　They　were　proud　of　her；　and　of　her　beauty　and　accomplishments　were　never　tired　of　talking。　She　had　the　dark　hair　and　eyes　so　characteristic　of　the　Zanes；　the　same　oval　face　and　fine　features：　and　added　to　this　was　a　certain　softness　of　contour　and　a　sweetness　of　expression　which　made　her　face　bewitching。　But；　in　spite　of　that　demure　and　innocent　face；　she　possessed　a　decided　will　of　her　own；　and　one　very　apt　to　be　asserted；　she　was　mischievous；　inclined　to　coquettishness；　and　more　terrible　than　all　she　had　a　fiery　temper　which　could　be　aroused　with　the　most　surprising　ease。

Colonel　Zane　was　wont　to　say　that　his　sister's　accomplishments　were　innumerable。　After　only　a　few　months　on　the　border　she　could　prepare　the　flax　and　weave　a　linsey　dresscloth　with　admirable　skill。　Sometimes　to　humor　Betty　the　Colonel's　wife　would　allow　her　to　get　the　dinner；　and　she　would　do　it　in　a　manner　that　pleased　her　brothers；　and　called　forth　golden　praises　from　the　cook；　old　Sam's　wife　who　had　beer　with　the　family　twenty　years。　Betty　sang　in　the　little　church　on　Sundays；　she　organized　and　taught　a　Sunday　school　class；　she　often　beat　Colonel　Zane　and　Major　McColloch　at　their　favorite　game　of　checkers；　which　they　had　played　together　since　they　were　knee　high；　in　fact；　Betty　did　nearly　everything　well；　from　baking　pies　to　painting　the　birch　bark　walls　of　her　room。　But　these　things　were　insignificant　in　Colonel　Zane's　eyes。　If　the　Colonel　were　ever　guilty　of　bragging　it　was　about　his　sister's　ability　in　those　acquirements　demanding　a　true　eye；　a　fleet　foot；　a　strong　arm　and　a　daring　spirit。　He　had　told　all　the　people　in　the　settlement；　to　many　of　whom　Betty　was　unknown；　that　she　could　ride　like　an　Indian　and　shoot　with　undoubted　skill；　that　she　had　a　generous　share　of　the　Zanes'　fleetness　of　foot；　and　that　she　would　send　a　canoe　over　as　bad　a　place　as　she　could　find。　The　boasts　of　the　Colonel　remained　as　yet　unproven；　but；　be　that　as　it　may；　Betty　had；　notwithstanding　her　many　faults；　endeared　herself　to　all。　She　made　sunshine　and　happiness　everywhere；　the　old　people　loved　her；　the　children　adored　her；　and　the　broad　shouldered；　heavy　footed　young　settlers　were　shy　and　silent；　yet　blissfully　happy　in　her　presence。

〃Betty；　will　you　fill　my　pipe？〃　asked　the　Colonel；　when　he　had　finished　his　supper　and　had　pulled　his　big　chair　nearer　the　fire。　His　oldest　child；　Noah；　a　sturdy　lad　of　six；　climbed　upon　his　knee　and　plied　him　with　questions。

〃Did　you　see　any　bars　and　bufflers？〃　he　asked；　his　eyes　large　and　round。

〃No；　my　lad；　not　one。〃

〃How　long　will　it　be　until　I　am　big　enough　to　go？〃

〃Not　for　a　very　long　time；　Noah。〃

〃But　I　am　not　afraid　of　Betty's　bar。　He　growls　at　me　when　I　throw　sticks　at　him；　and　snaps　his　teeth。　Can　I　go　with　you　next　time？〃

〃My　brother　came　over　from　Short　Creek　to…day。　He　has　been　to　Fort　Pitt；〃　interposed　Mrs。　Zane。　As　she　was　speaking　a　tap　sounded　on　the　door；　which；　being　opened　by　Betty；　disclosed　Captain　Boggs　his　daughter　Lydia；　and　Major　Samuel　McColloch；　the　brother　of　Mrs。　Zane。

〃Ah；　Colonel！　I　expected　to　find　you　at　home　to…night。　The　weather　has　been　miserable　for　hunting　and　it　is　not　getting　any　better。　The　wind　is　blowing　from　the　northwest　and　a　storm　is　coming；〃　said　Captain　Boggs；　a　fine；　soldierly　looking　man。

〃Hello；　Captain！　How　are　you？　Sam；　I　have　not　had　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　for　a　long　time；〃　replied　Colonel　Zane；　as　he　shook　hands　with　his　guests。

Major　McColloch　was　the　eldest　of　the　brothers　of　that　name。　As　an　Indian　killer　he　ranked　next　to　the　intrepid　Wetzel；　but　while　Wetzel　preferred　to　take　his　chances　alone　and　track　the　Indians　through　the　untrodden　wilds；　McColloch　was　a　leader　of　expeditions　against　the　savages。　A　giant　in　stature；　massive　in　build；　bronzed　and　bearded；　he　looked　the　typical　frontiersman。　His　blue　eyes　were　like　those　of　his　sister　and　his　voice　had　the　same　pleasant　ring。

〃Major　McColloch；　do　you　remember　me？〃　asked　Betty。

〃Indeed　I　do；〃　he　answered；　with　a　smile。　〃You　were　a　little　girl；　running　wild；　on　the　Potomac　when　I　last　saw　you！〃

〃Do　you　remember　when　you　used　to　lift　me　on　your　horse　and　give　me　lessons　in　riding？〃

〃I　remember　better　than　you。　How　you　used　to　stick　on　the　back　of　that　horse　was　a　mystery　to　me。〃

〃Well；　I　shall　be　ready　soon　to　go　on　with　those　lessons　in　riding。　I　have　heard　of　your　wonderful　leap　over　the　hill　and　I　should　like　to　have　you　tell　me　all　about　it。　Of　all　the　stories　I　have　heard　since　I　arrived　at　Fort　Henry；　the　one　of　your　ride　and　leap　for　life　is　the　most　wonderful。〃

〃Yes；　Sam；　she　will　bother　you　to　death　about　that　ride；　and　will　try　to　give　you　lessons　in　leaping　down　precipices。　I　should　not　be　at　all　surprised　to　find　her　trying　to　duplicate　your　feat。　You　know　the　Indian　pony　I　got　from　that　fur　trader　last　summer。　Well；　he　is　as　wild　as　a　deer　and　she　has　been　riding　him　without　his　being　broken；〃　said　Colonel　Zane。

〃Some　other　time　I　shall　tell　you　about　my　jump　over　the　hill。　Just　now　I　have　important　matters　to　discuss；〃　answered　the　Major　to　Betty。

It　was　evident　that　something　unusual　had　occurred；　for　after　chatting　a　few　moments　the　three　men　withdrew　into　the　magazine　room　and　conversed　in　low；　earnest　tones。

Lydia　Boggs　was　eighteen；　fair　haired　and　blue　eyed。　Like　Betty　she　had　received　a　good　education；　and；　in　that　respect；　was　superior　to　the　border　girls；　who　seldom　knew　more　than　to　keep　house　and　to　make　linen。　At　the　outbreak　of　the　Indian　wars　General　Clark　had　stationed　Captain　Boggs　at　Fort　Henry　and　Lydia　had　lived　there　with　him　two　years。　After　Betty's　arrival；　which　she　hailed　with　delight；　the　girls　had　become　fast　friends。

Lydia　slipped　her　arm　affectionately　around　Betty's　neck　and　said；　〃Why　did　you　not　come　over　to　the　Fort　to…day？〃

〃It　has　been　such　an　ugly　day；　so　disagreeable　altogether；　that　I　have　remained　indoors。〃

〃You　missed　something；〃　said　Lydia；　knowingly。

〃What　do　you　mean？　What　did　I　miss？〃

〃Oh；　perhaps；　after　all；　it　will　not　interest　you。〃

〃How　provoking！　Of　course　it　will。　Anything　or　anybody　would　interest　me　to…night。　Do　tell　me；　please。〃

〃It　isn't　much。　Only　a　young　soldier　came　over　with　Major　McColloch。〃

〃A　soldier？　From　Fort　Pitt？　Do　I　know　him？　I　have　met　most　of　the　officers。〃

〃No；　you　have　never　seen　him。　He　is　a　stranger　to　all　of　us。〃

〃There　does　not　seem　to　be　so　much　in　your　news；〃　said　Betty；　in　a　disappointed　tone。　〃To　be　sure；　strangers　are　a　rarity　in　our　little　village；　but；　j