betty zane-第4章

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〃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；　judging　from　the　strangers　who　have　visited　us　in　the　past；　I　imagine　this　one　cannot　be　much　different。〃

〃Wait　until　you　see　him；〃　said　Lydia；　with　a　serious　little　nod　of　her　head。

〃Come；　tell　me　all　about　him；〃　said　Betty；　now　much　interested。

〃Major　McColloch　brought　him　in　to　see　papa；　and　he　was　introduced　to　me。　He　is　a　southerner　and　from　one　of　those　old　families。　I　could　tell　by　his　cool；　easy；　almost　reckless　air。　He　is　handsome；　tall　and　fair；　and　his　face　is　frank　and　open。　He　has　such　beautiful　manners。　He　bowed　low　to　me　and　really　I　felt　so　embarrassed　that　I　hardly　spoke。　You　know　I　am　used　to　these　big　hunters　seizing　your　hand　and　giving　it　a　squeeze　which　makes　you　want　to　scream。　Well；　this　young　man　is　different。　He　is　a　cavalier。　All　the　girls　are　in　love　with　him　already。　So　will　you　be。〃

〃I？　Indeed　not。　But　how　refreshing。　You　must　have　been　strongly　impressed　to　see　and　remember　all　you　have　told　me。〃

〃Betty　Zane；　I　remember　so　well　because　he　is　just　the　man　you　described　one　day　when　we　were　building　castles　and　telling　each　other　what　kind　of　a　hero　we　wanted。〃

〃Girls；　do　not　talk　such　nonsense；〃　interrupted　the　Colonel's　wife　who　was　perturbed　by　the　colloquy　in　the　other　room。　She　had　seen　those　ominous　signs　before。　〃Can　you　find　nothing　better　to　talk　about？〃

Meanwhile　Colonel　Zane　and　his　companions　were　earnestly　discussing　certain　information　which　had　arrived　that　day。　A　friendly　Indian　runner　had　brought　news　to　Short　Creek；　a　settlement　on　the　river　between　Fort　Henry　and　Fort　Pitt　of　an　intended　raid　by　the　Indians　all　along　the　Ohio　valley。　Major　McColloch；　who　had　been　warned　by　Wetzel　of　the　fever　of　unrest　among　the　Indiansa　fever　which　broke　out　every　springhad　gone　to　Fort　Pitt　with　the　hope　of　bringing　back　reinforcements；　but；　excepting　the　young　soldier；　who　had　volunteered　to　return　with　him；　no　help　could　he　enlist；　so　he　journeyed　back　post…haste　to　Fort　Henry。

The　information　he　brought　disturbed　Captain　Boggs；　who　commanded　the　garrison；　as　a　number　of　men　were　away　on　a　logging　expedition　up　the　river；　and　were　not　expected　to　raft　down　to　the　Fort　for　two　weeks。

Jonathan　Zane；　who　had　been　sent　for；　joined　the　trio　at　this　moment；　and　was　acquainted　with　the　particulars。　The　Zane　brothers　were　always　consulted　where　any　question　concerning　Indian　craft　and　cunning　was　to　be　decided。　Colonel　Zane　had　a　strong　friendly　influence　with　certain　tribes；　and　his　advice　was　invaluable。　Jonathan　Zane　hated　the　sight　of　an　Indian　and　except　for　his　knowledge　as　a　scout；　or　Indian　tracker　or　fighter；　he　was　of　little　use　in　a　council。　Colonel　Zane　informed　the　men　of　the　fact　that　Wetzel　and　he　had　discovered　Indian　tracks　within　ten　miles　of　the　Fort；　and　he　dwelt　particularly　on　the　disappearance　of　Wetzel。

〃Now；　you　can　depend　on　what　I　say。　There　are　Wyandots　in　force　on　the　war　path。　Wetzel　told　me　to　dig　for　the　Fort　and　he　left　me　in　a　hurry。　We　were　near　that　cranberry　bog　over　at　the　foot　of　Bald　mountain。　I　do　not　believe　we　shall　be　attacked。　In　my　opinion　the　Indians　would　come　up　from　the　west　and　keep　to　the　high　ridges　along　Yellow　creek。　They　always　come　that　way。　But　of　course；　it　is　best　to　know　surely；　and　I　daresay　Lew　will　come　in　to…night　or　to…morrow　with　the　facts。　In　the　meantime　put　out　some　scouts　back　in　the　woods　and　let　Jonathan　and　the　Major　watch　the　river。〃

〃I　hope　Wetzel　will　come　in；〃　said　the　Major。　〃We　can　trust　him　to　know　more　about　the　Indians　than　any　one。　It　was　a　week　before　you　and　he　went　hunting　that　I　saw　him。　I　went　to　Fort　Pitt　and　tried　to　bring　over　some　men；　but　the　garrison　is　short　and　they　need　men　as　much　as　we　do。　A　young　soldier　named　Clarke　volunteered　to　come　and　I　brought　him　along　with　me。　He　has　not　seen　any　Indian　fighting；　but　he　is　a　likely　looking　chap；　and　I　guess　will　do。　Captain　Boggs　will　give　him　a　place　in　the　block　house　if　you　say　so。〃

〃By　all　means。　We　shall　be　glad　to　have　him；〃　said　Colonel　Zane。

〃It　would　not　be　so　serious　if　I　had　not　sent　the　men　up　the　river；〃　said　Captain　Boggs；　in　anxious　tones。　〃Do　you　think　it　possible　they　might　have　fallen　in　with　the　Indians？〃

〃It　is　possible；　of　course；　but　not　probable；〃　answered　Colonel　Zane。　〃The　Indians　are　all　across　the　Ohio。　Wetzel　is　over　there　and　he　will　get　here　long　before　they　do。〃

〃I　hope　it　may　be　as　you　say。　I　have　much　confidence　in　your　judgment；〃　returned　Captain　Boggs。　〃I　shall　put　out　scouts　and　take　all　the　precaution　possible。　We　must　return　now。　Come；　Lydia。〃

〃Whew！　What　an　awful　night　this　is　going　to　be；〃　said　Colonel　Zane；　when　he　had　closed　the　door　after　his　guests'　departure。　〃I　should　not　care　to　sleep　out　to…night。〃

〃Eb；　what　will　Lew　Wetzel　do　on　a　night　dike　this？〃　asked　Betty；　curiously。

〃Oh；　Lew　will　be　as　snug　as　a　rabbit　in　his　burrow；〃　said　Colonel　Zane；　laughing。　〃In　a　few　moments　he　can　build　a　birch　bark　shack；　start　a　fire　inside　and　go　to　sleep　comfortably。〃

〃Ebenezer；　what　is　all　this　confab　about？　What　did　my　brother　tell　you？〃　asked　Mrs。　Zane；　anxiously。

〃We　are　in　for　more　trouble　from　the　Wyandots　and　Shawnees。　But；　Bessie；　I　don't　believe　it　will　come　soon。　We　are　too　well　protected　here　for　anything　but　a　protracted　siege。〃

Colonel　Zane's　light　and　rather　evasive　answer　did　not　deceive　his　wife。　She　knew　her　brother　and　her　husband　would　not　wear　anxious　faces　for　nothing。　Her　usually　bright　face　clouded　with　a　look　of　distress。　She　had　seen　enough　of　Indian　warfare　to　make　her　shudder　with　horror　at　the　mere　thought。　Betty　seemed　unconcerned。　She　sat　down　beside　the　dog　and　patted　him　on　the　head。

〃Tige；　Indians！　Indians！〃　she　said。

The　dog　growled　and　showed　his　teeth。　It　was　only　necessary　to　mention　Indians　to　arouse　his　ire。

〃The　dog　has　been　uneasy　of　late；〃　continued　Colonel　Zane　〃He　found　the　Indian　tracks　before　Wetzel　did。　You　know　how　Tige　hates　Indians。　Ever　since　he　came　home　with　Isaac　four　years　ago　he　has　been　of　great　service　to　the　scouts；　as　he　possesses　so　much　intelligence　and　sagacity。　Tige　followed　Isaac　home　the　last　time　he　escaped　from　the　Wyansdots。　When　Isaac　was　in　captivity　he　nursed　and　cared　for　the　dog　after　he　had　been　brutally　beaten　by　the　redskins。　Have　you　ever　heard　that　long　mournful　howl　Tige　gives　out　sometimes　in　the　dead　of　night？〃

〃Yes　I　have；　and　it　makes　me　cover　up　my　head；〃　said　Betty。

〃Well；　it　is　Tige　mourning　for　Isaac；〃　said　Colonel　Zane

〃Poor　Isaac；〃　murmured　Betty。

〃Do　you　remember　him？　It　has　been　nine　years　since　you　saw　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Zane。

〃Remember　Isaac？　Indeed　I　do。　I　shall　never　forget　him。　I　wonder　if　he　is　still　living？〃

〃Probably　not。　It　is　now　four　years　since　he　was　recaptured。　I　think　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　keep　him　that　length　of　time；　unless；　of　course；　he　has　married　that　Indian　girl。　The　simplicity　of　the　Indian　nature　is　remarkable。　He　could　easily　have　deceived　them　and　made　them　believe　he　was　content　in　captivity。　Probably；　in　attempting　to　escape　again；　he　has　been　killed　as　was　poor　Andrew。〃

Brother　and　sister　gazed　with　dark；　sad　eyes　into　the　fire；　now　burned　down　to　a　glowing　bed　of　coals。　The　silence　remained　unbroken　save　for　the　moan　of　the　rising　wind　outside；　the　rattle　of　hail；　and　the　patter　of　rain　drops　on　the　roof。



CHAPTER　II。

Fort　Henry　stood　on　a　bluff　overlooking　the　river　and　commanded　a　fine　view　of　the　surrounding　country。　In　shape　it　was　a　parallelogram；　being　about　three　hundred　and　fifty…six　feet　in　length；　and　one　hundred　and　fifty　in　width。　Surrounded　by　a　stockade　fence　twelve　feet　high；　with　a　yard　wide　walk　running　around　the　inside；　and　with　bastions　at　each　corner　large　enough　to　contain　six　defenders；　the　fort　presented　an　almost　impregnable　defense。　The　blockhouse　was　two　stories　in　height；　the　second　story　projecting　out　several　feet　over　the　first。　The　thick　white　oak　walls　bristled　with　portholes。　Besides　the　blockhouse；　there　were　a　number　of　cabins　located　within　the　stockade。　Wells　had　been　sunk　inside　the　inclosure；　so　that　if　the　spring　happe