betty zane-第40章

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　mother's　jewels；　and　with　one　sad；　backward　glance　rode　away　from　the　stately　old　mansion。

It　was　Sunday　morning　and　Clarke　had　been　two　days　in　Fort　Henry。　From　his　little　room　in　the　block…house　he　surveyed　the　well…remembered　scene。　The　rolling　hills；　the　broad　river；　the　green　forests　seemed　like　old　friends。

〃Here　I　am　again；〃　he　mused。　〃What　a　fool　a　man　can　be。　I　have　left　a　fine　old　plantation；　slaves；　horses；　a　country　noted　for　its　pretty　womenfor　what？　Here　there　can　be　nothing　for　me　but　Indians；　hard　work；　privation；　and　trouble。　Yet　I　could　not　get　here　quickly　enough。　Pshaw！　What　use　to　speak　of　the　possibilities　of　a　new　country。　I　cannot　deceive　myself。　It　is　she。　I　would　walk　a　thousand　miles　and　starve　myself　for　months　just　for　one　glimpse　of　her　sweet　face。　Knowing　this　what　care　I　for　all　the　rest。　How　strange　she　should　ride　down　to　the　old　sycamore　tree　yesterday　the　moment　I　was　there　and　thinking　of　her。　Evidently　she　had　just　returned　from　her　visit。　I　wonder　if　she　ever　cared。　I　wonder　if　she　ever　thinks　of　me。　Shall　I　accept　that　incident　as　a　happy　augury？　Well；　I　am　here　to　find　out　and　find　out　I　will。　Aha！　there　goes　the　church　bell。〃

Laughing　a　little　at　his　eagerness　he　brushed　his　coat；　put　on　his　cap　and　went　down　stairs。　The　settlers　with　their　families　were　going　into　the　meeting　house。　As　Alfred　started　up　the　steps　he　met　Lydia　Boggs。

〃Why；　Mr。　Clarke；　I　heard　you　had　returned；〃　she　said；　smiling　pleasantly　and　extending　her　hand。　〃Welcome　to　the　fort。　I　am　very　glad　to　see　you。〃

While　they　were　chatting　her　father　and　Col。　Zane　came　up　and　both　greeted　the　young　man　warmly。

〃Well；　well；　back　on　the　frontier；〃　said　the　Colonel；　in　his　hearty　way。　〃Glad　to　see　you　at　the　fort　again。　I　tell　you；　Clarke；　I　have　taken　a　fancy　to　that　black　horse　you　left　me　last　fall。　I　did　not　know　what　to　think　when　Jonathan　brought　back　my　horse。　To　tell　you　the　truth　I　always　looked　for　you　to　come　back。　What　have　you　been　doing　all　winter？〃

〃I　have　been　at　home。　My　mother　was　ill　all　winter　and　she　died　in　April。〃

〃My　lad；　that's　bad　news。　I　am　sorry；〃　said　Col。　Zane　putting　his　hand　kindly　on　the　young　man's　shoulder。　〃I　was　wondering　what　gave　you　that　older　and　graver　look。　It's　hard；　lad；　but　it's　the　way　of　life。〃

〃I　have　come　back　to　get　my　old　place　with　you；　Col。　Zane；　if　you　will　give　it　to　me。〃

〃I　will；　and　can　promise　you　more　in　the　future。　I　am　going　to　open　a　road　through　to　Maysville；　Kentucky；　and　start　several　new　settlements　along　the　river。　I　will　need　young　men；　and　am　more　than　glad　you　have　returned。〃

〃Thank　you；　Col。　Zane。　That　is　more　than　I　could　have　hoped　for。〃

Alfred　caught　sight　of　a　trim　figure　in　a　gray　linsey　gown　coming　down　the　road。　There　were　several　young　people　approaching；　but　he　saw　only　Betty。　By　some　evil　chance　Betty　walked　with　Ralfe　Miller；　and　for　some　mysterious　reason；　which　women　always　keep　to　themselves；　she　smiled　and　looked　up　into　his　face　at　a　time　of　all　times　she　should　not　have　done　so。　Alfred's　heart　turned　to　lead。

When　the　young　people　reached　the　steps　the　eyes　of　the　rivals　met　for　one　brief　second；　but　that　was　long　enough　for　them　to　understand　each　other。　They　did　not　speak。　Lydia　hesitated　and　looked　toward　Betty。

〃Betty；　here　is〃　began　Col。　Zane；　but　Betty　passed　them　with　flaming　cheeks　and　with　not　so　much　as　a　glance　at　Alfred。　It　was　an　awkward　moment　for　him。

〃Let　us　go　in；〃　he　said　composedly；　and　they　filed　into　the　church。

As　long　as　he　lived　Alfred　Clarke　never　forgot　that　hour。　His　pride　kept　him　chained　in　his　seat。　Outwardly　he　maintained　his　composure；　but　inwardly　his　brain　seemed　throbbing；　whirling；　bursting。　What　an　idiot　he　had　been！　He　understood　now　why　his　letter　had　never　been　answered。　Betty　loved　Miller；　a　man　who　hated　him；　a　man　who　would　leave　no　stone　unturned　to　destroy　even　a　little　liking　which　she　might　have　felt　for　him。　Once　again　Miller　had　crossed　his　path　and　worsted　him。　With　a　sudden　sickening　sense　of　despair　he　realized　that　all　his　fond　hopes　had　been　but　dreams；　a　fool's　dreams。　The　dream　of　that　moment　when　he　would　give　her　his　mother's　jewels；　the　dream　of　that　charming　face　uplifted　to　his；　the　dream　of　the　little　cottage　to　which　he　would　hurry　after　his　day's　work　and　find　her　waiting　at　the　gate；these　dreams　must　be　dispelled　forever。　He　could　barely　wait　until　the　end　of　the　service。　He　wanted　to　be　alone；　to　fight　it　out　with　himself；　to　crush　out　of　his　heart　that　fair　image。　At　length　the　hour　ended　and　he　got　out　before　the　congregation　and　hurried　to　his　room。

Betty　had　company　all　that　afternoon　and　it　was　late　in　the　day　when　Col。　Zane　ascended　the　stairs　and　entered　her　room　to　find　her　alone。

〃Betty；　I　wish　to　know　why　you　ignored　Mr。　Clarke　this　morning？〃　said　Col。　Zane；　looking　down　on　his　sister。　There　was　a　gleam　in　his　eye　and　an　expression　about　his　mouth　seldom　seen　in　the　Colonel's　features。

〃I　do　not　know　that　it　concerns　any　one　but　myself；〃　answered　Betty　quickly；　as　her　head　went　higher　and　her　eyes　flashed　with　a　gleam　not　unlike　that　in　her　brother's。

〃I　beg　your　pardon。　I　do　not　agree　with　you；〃　replied　Col。　Zane。　〃It　does　concern　others。　You　cannot　do　things　like　that　in　this　little　place　where　every　one　knows　all　about　you　and　expect　it　to　pass　unnoticed。　Martin's　wife　saw　you　cut　Clarke　and　you　know　what　a　gossip　she　is。　Already　every　one　is　talking　about　you　and　Clarke。〃

〃To　that　I　am　indifferent。〃

〃But　I　care。　I　won't　have　people　talking　about　you；〃　replied　the　Colonel；　who　began　to　lose　patience。　Usually　he　had　the　best　temper　imaginable。　〃Last　fall　you　allowed　Clarke　to　pay　you　a　good　deal　of　attention　and　apparently　you　were　on　good　terms　when　he　went　away。　Now　that　he　has　returned　you　won't　even　speak　to　him。　You　let　this　fellow　Miller　run　after　you。　In　my　estimation　Miller　is　not　to　be　compared　to　Clarke；　and　judging　from　the　warm　greetings　I　saw　Clarke　receive　this　morning；　there　are　a　number　of　folk　who　agree　with　me。　Not　that　I　am　praising　Clarke。　I　simply　say　this　because　to　Bessie；　to　Jack；　to　everyone；　your　act　is　incomprehensible。　People　are　calling　you　a　flirt　and　saying　that　they　would　prefer　some　country　manners。〃

〃I　have　not　allowed　Mr。　Miller　to　run　after　me；　as　you　are　pleased　to　term　it；〃　retorted　Betty　with　indignation。　〃I　do　not　like　him。　I　never　see　him　any　more　unless　you　or　Bessie　or　some　one　else　is　present。　You　know　that。　I　cannot　prevent　him　from　walking　to　church　with　me。〃

〃No；　I　suppose　not；　but　are　you　entirely　innocent　of　those　sweet　glances　which　you　gave　him　this　morning？〃

〃I　did　not；〃　cried　Betty　with　an　angry　blush。　〃I　won't　be　called　a　flirt　by　you　or　by　anyone　else。　The　moment　I　am　civil　to　some　man　all　these　old　maids　and　old　women　say　I　am　flirting。　It　is　outrageous。〃

〃Now；　Betty；　don't　get　excited。　We　are　getting　from　the　question。　Why　are　you　not　civil　to　Clarke？〃　asked　Col。　Zane。　She　did　not　answer　and　after　a　moment　he　continued。　〃If　there　is　anything　about　Clarke　that　I　do　not　know　and　that　I　should　know　I　want　you　to　tell　me。　Personally　I　like　the　fellow。　I　am　not　saying　that　to　make　you　think　you　ought　to　like　him　because　I　do。　You　might　not　care　for　him　at　all；　but　that　would　be　no　good　reason　for　your　actions。　Betty；　in　these　frontier　settlements　a　man　is　soon　known　for　his　real　worth。　Every　one　at　the　Fort　liked　Clarke。　The　youngsters　adored　him。　Jessie　liked　him　very　much。　You　know　he　and　Isaac　became　good　friends。　I　think　he　acted　like　a　man　to…day。　I　saw　the　look　Miller　gave　him。　I　don't　like　this　fellow　Miller；　anyway。　Now；　I　am　taking　the　trouble　to　tell　you　my　side　of　the　argument。　It　is　not　a　question　of　your　liking　Clarke　that　is　none　of　my　affair。　It　is　simply　that　either　he　is　not　the　man　we　all　think　him　or　you　are　acting　in　a　way　unbecoming　a　Zane。　I　do　not　purpose　to　have　this　state　of　affairs　continue。　Now；　enough　of　this　beating　about　the　bush。〃

Betty　had　seen　the　Colonel　angry　more　than　once；　but　never　with　her。　It　was　quite　certain　she　had　angered　him　and　she　forgot　her　own　resentment。　Her　heart　had　warmed　with　her　brother's　praise　of　Clarke。　Then　as　she　remembered　the　past　the　felt　a　scorn　for　her　weakness　and　such　a　r