betty zane-第46章

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　know　Crawford　expected　to　surprise　the　Shawnee　camp；　and　when　he　found　it　deserted　he　didn't　know　what　to　do。　Slover　and　I　both　advised　an　immediate　retreat。　Crawford　would　not　listen　to　us。　I　tried　to　explain　to　him　that　ever　since　the　Guadenhutten　massacre　keen…eyed　Indian　scouts　had　been　watching　the　border　The　news　of　the　present　expedition　had　been　carried　by　fleet　runners　to　the　different　Indian　tribes　and　they　were　working　like　hives　of　angry　bees。　The　deserted　Shawnee　village　meant　to　me　that　the　alarm　had　been　sounded　in　the　towns　of　the　Shawnees　and　the　Delawares；　perhaps　also　in　the　Wyandot　towns　to　the　north。　Colonel　Crawford　was　obdurate　and　insisted　on　resuming　the　march　into　the　Indian　country。　The　next　day　we　met　the　Indians　coming　directly　toward　us。　It　was　the　combined　force　of　the　Delaware　chiefs；　Pipe　an　Wingenund。　The　battle　had　hardly　commenced　when　the　redskins　Were　reinforced　by　four　hundred　warriors　under　Shanshota；　the　Huron　chief。　The　enemy　skulked　behind　trees　and　rocks；　hid　in　ravines；　and　crawled　through　the　long　grass。　They　could　be　picked　off　only　by　Indian　hunters；　of　whom　Crawford　had　but　fewprobably　fifty　all　told。　All　that　day　we　managed　to　keep　our　position；　though　we　lost　sixty　men。　That　night　we　lay　down　to　rest　by　great　fires　which　we　built；　to　prevent　night　surprises。

〃Early　next　morning　we　resumed　the　fight。　I　saw　Simon　Girty　on　his　white　horse。　He　was　urging　and　cheering　the　Indians　on　to　desperate　fighting。　Their　fire　became　so　deadly　that　we　were　forced　to　retreat。　In　the　afternoon　Slover；　who　had　been　out　scouting；　returned　with　the　information　that　a　mounted　force　was　approaching；　and　that　he　believed　they　were　the　reinforcements　which　Col。　Crawford　expected。　The　reinforcements　came　up　and　proved　to　be　Butler's　British　rangers　from　Detroit。　This　stunned　Crawford's　soldiers。　The　fire　of　the　enemy　became　hotter　and　hotter。　Our　men　were　falling　like　leaves　around　us。　They　threw　aside　their　rifles　and　ran；　many　of　them　right　into　the　hands　of　the　savages　I　believe　some　of　the　experienced　bordermen　escaped　but　most　of　Crawford's　force　met　death　on　the　field。　I　hid　in　a　hollow　log。　Next　day　when　I　felt　that　it　could　be　done　safely　I　crawled　out。　I　saw　scalped　and　mutilated　bodies　everywhere；　but　did　not　find　Col。　Crawford's　body。　The　Indians　had　taken　all　the　clothing；　weapons；　blankets　and　everything　of　value。　The　Wyandots　took　a　northwest　trail　and　the　Delawares　and　the　Shawnees　traveled　east。　I　followed　the　latter　because　their　trail　led　toward　home。　Three　days　later　I　stood　on　the　high　bluff　above　Wingenund's　camp。　From　there　I　saw　Col。　Crawford　tied　to　a　stake　and　a　fire　started　at　his　feet。　I　was　not　five　hundred　yards　from　the　camp。　I　saw　the　war　chiefs；　Pipe　and　Wingenund；　I　saw　Simon　Girty　and　a　British　officer　in　uniform。　The　chiefs　and　Girty　were　once　Crawford's　friends。　They　stood　calmly　by　and　watched　the　poor　victim　slowly　burn　to　death。　The　Indians　yelled　and　danced　round　the　stake；　they　devised　every　kind　of　hellish　torture。　When　at　last　an　Indian　ran　in　and　tore　off　the　scalp　of　the　still　living　man　I　could　bear　to　see　no　more；　and　I　turned　and　ran。　I　have　been　in　some　tough　places；　but　this　last　was　the　worst。〃

〃My　God！　it　is　awfuland　to　think　that　man　Girty　was　once　a　white　man；〃　cried　Col。　Zane。

〃He　came　very　near　being　a　dead　man；〃　said　Jonathan；　with　grim　humor。　〃I　got　a　long　shot　at　him　and　killed　his　big　white　horse。〃

〃It's　a　pity　you　missed　him；〃　said　Silas　Zane。

〃Here　comes　Wetzel。　What　will　he　say　about　the　massacre？〃　remarked　Major　McColloch。

Wetzel　joined　the　group　at　that　moment　and　shook　hands　with　Jonathan。　When　interrogated　about　the　failure　of　Col。　Crawford's　expedition　Wetzel　said　that　Slover　had　just　made　his　appearance　at　the　cabin　of　Hugh　Bennet；　and　that　he　was　without　clothing　and　almost　dead　from　exposure。

〃I'm　glad　Slover　got　out　alive。　He　was　against　the　march　all　along。　If　Crawford　had　listened　to　us　he　would　have　averted　this　terrible　affair　and　saved　his　own　life。　Lew；　did　Slover　know　how　many　men　got　out？〃　asked　Jonathan。

〃He　said　not　many。　The　redskins　killed　all　the　prisoners　exceptin'　Crawford　and　Knight。〃

〃I　saw　Col。　Crawford　burned　at　the　stake。　I　did　not　see　Dr。　Knight。　Maybe　they　murdered　him　before　I　reached　the　camp　of　the　Delawares；〃　said　Jonathan。

〃Wetzel；　in　your　judgment；　what　effect　will　this　massacre　and　Crawford's　death　have　on　the　border？〃　inquired　Col。　Zane。

〃It　means　another　bloody　year　like　1777；〃　answered　Wetzel。　〃We　are　liable　to　have　trouble　with　the　Indians　any　day。　You　mean　that。〃

〃There'll　be　war　all　along　the　river。　Hamilton　is　hatchin'　some　new　devil's　trick　with　Girty。　Col。　Zane；　I　calkilate　that　Girty　has　a　spy　in　the　river　settlements　and　knows　as　much　about　the　forts　and　defense　as　you　do。〃

〃You　can't　mean　a　white　spy。〃

〃Yes；　just　that。〃

〃That　is　a　strong　assertion；　Lewis；　but　coming　from　you　it　means　something。　Step　aside　here　and　explain　yourself；〃　said　Col。　Zane；　getting　up　and　walking　out　to　the　fence。

〃I　don't　like　the　looks　of　things；〃　said　the　hunter。　〃A　month　ago　I　ketched　this　man　Miller　pokin'　his　nose　round　the　block…house　where　he　hadn't　ought　to　be。　And　I　kep'　watchin'　him。　If　my　suspicions　is　correct　he's　playin'　some　deep　game。　I　ain't　got　any　proof；　but　things　looks　bad。〃

〃That's　strange；　Lewis；〃　said　Col。　Zane　soberly。　〃Now　that　you　mention　it　I　remember　Jonathan　said　he　met　Miller　near　the　Kanawha　three　weeks　ago。　That　was　when　Crawford's　expedition　was　on　the　way　to　the　Shawnee　villages。　The　Colonel　tried　to　enlist　Miller；　but　Miller　said　he　was　in　a　hurry　to　get　back　to　the　Fort。　And　he　hasn't　come　back　yet。〃

〃I　ain't　surprised。　Now；　Col。　Zane；　you　are　in　command　here。　I'm　not　a　soldier　and　for　that　reason　I'm　all　the　better　to　watch　Miller。　He　won't　suspect　me。　You　give　me　authority　and　I'll　round　up　his　little　game。〃

〃By　all　means；　Lewis。　Go　about　it　your　own　way；　and　report　anything　to　me。　Remember　you　may　be　mistaken　and　give　Miller　the　benefit　of　the　doubt。　I　don't　like　the　fellow。　He　has　a　way　of　appearing　and　disappearing；　and　for　no　apparent　reason；　that　makes　me　distrust　him。　But　for　Heaven's　sake；　Lew；　how　would　he　profit　by　betraying　us？〃

〃I　don't　know。　All　I　know　is　he'll　bear　watchin'。〃

〃My　gracious；　Lew　Wetzel！〃　exclaimed　Betty　as　her　brother　and　the　hunter　rejoined　the　others。　〃Have　you　come　all　the　way　over　here　without　a　gun？　And　you　have　on　a　new　suit　of　buckskin。〃

Lewis　stood　a　moment　by　Betty；　gazing　down　at　her　with　his　slight　smile。　He　looked　exceedingly　well。　His　face　was　not　yet　bronzed　by　summer　suns。　His　long　black　hair；　of　which　he　was　as　proud　as　a　woman　could　have　been；　and　of　which　he　took　as　much　care　as　he　did　of　his　rifle；　waved　over　his　shoulders。

〃Betty；　this　is　my　birthday；　but　that　ain't　the　reason　I've　got　my　fine　feathers　on。　I'm　goin'　to　try　and　make　an　impression　on　you；〃　replied　Lewis；　smiling。

〃I　declare；　this　is　very　sudden。　But　you　have　succeeded。　Who　made　the　suit？　And　where　did　you　get　all　that　pretty　fringe　and　those　beautiful　beads？〃

〃That　stuff　I　picked　up　round　an　Injun　camp。　The　suit　I　made　myself。〃

〃I　think；　Lewis；　I　must　get　you　to　help　me　make　my　new　gown；〃　said　Betty；　roguishly。

〃Well；　I　must　be　getting'　back；〃　said　Wetzel；　rising。

〃Oh；　don't　go　yet。　You　have　not　talked　to　me　at　all；〃〃　said　Betty　petulantly。　She　walked　to　the　gate　with　him。

〃What　can　an　Injun　hunter　say　to　amuse　the　belle　of　the　border？〃

〃I　don't　want　to　be　amused　exactly。　I　mean　I'm　not　used　to　being　unnoticed；　especially　by　you。〃　And　then　in　a　lower　tone　she　continued：　〃What　did　you　mean　about　Mr。　Miller？　I　heard　his　name　and　Eb　looked　worried。　What　did　you　tell　him？〃〃

〃Never　mind　now；　Betty。　Maybe　I'll　tell　you　some　day。　It's　enough　for　you　to　know　the　Colonel　don't　like　Miller　and　that　I　think　he　is　a　bad　man。　You　don't　care　nothin'　for　Miller；　do　you　Betty？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。〃

〃Don't　see　him　any　more；　Betty。　Good…night；　now；　I　must　be　goin'　to　supper。〃

〃Lew；　stop！　or　I　shall　run　after　you。〃

〃And　what　good　would　your　runnin'　do？〃　said　Lewis　〃You'd　never　ketch　me。　Why；　I　could　give　you　twenty　paces　start　and　beat　you　to　yon　tree。〃

〃You　can't。　Come；　try　it；〃　retorte