betty zane-第67章

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tended　to　not　see　his　outstretched　hands；　and　leaped　lightly　down　beside　him。　He　looked　at　her　with　perplexity　and　anxiety　in　his　eyes。　Before　he　could　speak　she　ran　on　ahead　of　him　and　climbed　down　the　bank　to　the　pool。　He　followed　slowly；　thoughtfully。　The　supreme　moment　had　come。　He　knew　it；　and　somehow　he　did　not　feel　the　confidence　the　Colonel　had　inspired　in　him。　It　had　been　easy　for　him　to　think　of　subduing　this　imperious　young　lady；　but　when　the　time　came　to　assert　his　will　he　found　he　could　not　remember　what　he　had　intended　to　say；　and　his　feelings　were　divided　between　his　love　for　her　and　the　horrible　fear　that　he　should　lose　her。

When　he　reached　the　sycamore　tree　he　found　her　sitting　behind　it　with　a　cluster　of　yellow　daisies　in　her　lap。　Alfred　gazed　at　her；　conscious　that　all　his　hopes　of　happiness　were　dependent　on　the　next　few　words　that　would　issue　from　her　smiling　lips。　The　little　brown　hands；　which　were　now　rather　nervously　arranging　the　flowers；　held　more　than　his　life。

〃Are　they　not　sweet？〃　asked　Betty；　giving　him　a　fleeting　glance。　〃We　call　them　'black…eyed　Susans。'　Could　anything　be　lovelier　than　that　soft；　dark　brown？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Alfred；　looking　into　her　eyes。

〃Butbut　you　are　not　looking　at　my　daisies　at　all；〃　said　Betty；　lowering　her　eyes。

〃No；　I　am　not；〃　said　Alfred。　Then　suddenly：　〃A　year　ago　this　very　day　we　were　here。〃

〃Here？　Oh；　yes；　I　believe　I　do　remember。　It　was　the　day　we　came　in　my　canoe　and　had　such　fine　fishing。〃

〃Is　that　all　you　remember？〃

〃I　can　recollect　nothing　in　particular。　It　was　so　long　ago。〃

〃I　suppose　you　will　say　you　had　no　idea　why　I　wanted　you　to　come　to　this　spot　in　particular。〃

〃I　supposed　you　simply　wanted　to　take　a　walk；　and　it　is　very　pleasant　here。〃

〃Then　Col。　Zane　did　not　tell　you？〃　demanded　Alfred。　Receiving　no　reply　he　went　on。

〃Did　you　read　my　letter？〃

〃What　letter？〃

〃The　letter　old　Sam　should　have　given　you　last　fall。　Did　you　read　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Betty；　faintly。

〃Did　your　brother　tell　you　I　wanted　to　see　you　this　morning？〃

〃Yes；　he　told　me；　and　it　made　me　very　angry；〃　said　Betty；　raising　her　head。　There　was　a　bright　red　spot　in　each　cheek。　〃Youyou　seemed　to　think　youthat　IwellI　did　not　like　it。〃

〃I　think　I　understand；　but　you　are　entirely　wrong。　I　have　never　thought　you　cared　for　me。　My　wildest　dreams　never　left　me　any　confidence。　Col。　Zane　and　Wetzel　both　had　some　deluded　notion　that　you　cared〃

〃But　they　had　no　right　to　say　that　or　to　think　it；〃　said　Betty；　passionately。　She　sprang　to　her　feet；　scattering　the　daisies　over　the　grass。　〃For　them　to　presume　that　I　cared　for　you　is　absurd。　I　never　gave　them　any　reason　to　think　so；　forfor　II　don't。〃

〃Very　well；　then；　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　said；〃　answered　Alfred；　in　a　voice　that　was　calm　and　slightly　cold。　〃I'm　sorry　if　you　have　been　annoyed。　I　have　been　mad；　of　course；　but　I　promise　you　that　you　need　fear　no　further　annoyance　from　me。　Come；　I　think　we　should　return　to　the　house。〃

And　he　turned　and　walked　slowly　up　the　path。　He　had　taken　perhaps　a　dozen　steps　when　she　called　him。

〃Mr。　Clarke；　come　back。〃

Alfred　retraced　his　steps　and　stood　before　her　again。　Then　he　saw　a　different　Betty。　The　haughty　poise　had　disappeared。　Her　head　was　bowed。　Her　little　hands　were　tightly　pressed　over　a　throbbing　bosom。

〃Well；〃　said　Alfred；　after　a　moment。

〃Whywhy　are　you　in　such　a　hurry　to　go？〃

〃I　have　learned　what　I　wanted　to　know。　And　after　that　I　do　not　imagine　I　would　be　very　agreeable。　I　am　going　back。　Are　you　coming？〃

〃I　did　not　mean　quite　what　I　said；〃　whispered　Betty。

〃Then　what　did　you　mean？〃　asked　Alfred；　in　a　stern　voice。

〃I　don't　know。　Please　don't　speak　so。〃

〃Betty；　forgive　my　harshness。　Can　you　expect　a　man　to　feel　as　I　do　and　remain　calm？　You　know　I　love　you。　You　must　not　trifle　any　longer。　You　must　not　fight　any　longer。〃

〃But　I　can't　help　fighting。〃

〃Look　at　me；〃　said　Alfred；　taking　her　hands。　〃Let　me　see　your　eyes。　I　believe　you　care　a　little　for　me；　or　else　you　wouldn't　have　called　me　back。　I　love　you。　Can　you　understand　that？〃

〃Yes；　I　can；　and　I　think　you　should　love　me　a　great　deal　to　make　up　for　what　you　made　me　suffer。〃

〃Betty；　look　at　me。〃

Slowly　she　raised　her　head　and　lifted　the　downcast　eyes。　Those　telltale　traitors　no　longer　hid　her　secret。　With　a　glad　cry　Alfred　caught　her　in　his　arms。　She　tried　to　hide　her　face；　but　he　got　his　hand　under　her　chin　and　held　it　firmly　so　that　the　sweet　crimson　lips　were　very　near　his　own。　Then　he　slowly　bent　his　head。

Betty　saw　his　intention；　closed　her　eyes　and　whispered。

〃Alfred；　please　don'tit's　not　fairI　beg　of　youOh！〃

That　kiss　was　Betty's　undoing。　She　uttered　a　strange　little　cry。　Then　her　dark　head　found　a　hiding　place　over　his　heart；　and　her　slender　form；　which　a　moment　before　had　resisted　so　fiercely；　sank　yielding　into　his　embrace。

〃Betty；　do　you　dare　tell　me　now　that　you　do　not　care　for　me？〃　Alfred　whispered　into　the　dusky　hair　which　rippled　over　his　breast。

Betty　was　brave　even　in　her　surrender。　Her　hands　moved　slowly　upward　along　his　arms；　slipped　over　his　shoulders；　and　clasped　round　his　neck。　Then　she　lifted　a　flushed　and　tearstained　face　with　tremulous　lips　and　wonderful　shining　eyes。

〃Alfred；　I　do　love　youwith　my　whole　heart　I　love　you。　I　never　knew　until　now。〃

The　hours　flew　apace。　The　prolonged　ringing　of　the　dinner　bell　brought　the　lovers　back　to　earth；　and　to　the　realization　that　the　world　held　others　than　themselves。　Slowly　they　climbed　the　familiar　path；　but　this　time　as　never　before。　They　walked　hand　in　hand。　From　the　blur　they　looked　back。　They　wanted　to　make　sure　they　were　not　dreaming。　The　water　rushed　over　the　fall　more　musically　than　ever　before；　the　white　patches　of　foam　floated　round　and　round　the　shady　pool；　the　leaves　of　the　sycamore　rustled　cheerily　in　the　breeze。　On　a　dead　branch　a　wood…packer　hammered　industriously。

〃Before　we　get　out　of　sight　of　that　dear　old　tree　I　want　to　make　a　confession；〃　said　Betty；　as　she　stood　before　Alfred。　She　was　pulling　at　the　fringe　on　his　hunting…coat。

〃You　need　not　make　confessions　to　me。〃

〃But　this　was　dreadful；　it　preys　on　my　conscience。〃

〃Very　well；　I　will　be　your　judge。　Your　punishment　shall　be　slight。〃

〃One　day　when　you　were　lying　unconscious　from　your　wound；　Bessie　sent　me　to　watch　you。　I　nursed　you　for　hours；　andanddo　not　think　badly　of　meII　kissed　you。〃

〃My　darling；〃　cried　the　enraptured　young　man。

When　they　at　last　reached　the　house　they　found　Col。　Zane　on　the　doorstep。

〃Where　on　earth　have　you　been？〃　he　said。　〃Wetzel　was　here。　He　said　he　would　not　wait　to　see　you。　There　he　goes　up　the　hill。　He　is　behind　that　laurel。〃

They　looked　and　presently　saw　the　tall　figure　of　the　hunter　emerge　from　the　bushes。　He　stopped　and　leaned　on　his　rifle。　For　a　minute　he　remained　motionless。　Then　he　waved　his　hand　and　plunged　into　the　thicket。　Betty　sighed　and　Alfred　said：

〃Poor　Wetzel！　ever　restless；　ever　roaming。〃

〃Hello；　there！〃　exclaimed　a　gay　voice。　The　lovers　turned　to　see　the　smiling　face　of　Isaac；　and　over　his　shoulder　Myeerah's　happy　face　beaming　on　them。　〃Alfred；　you　are　a　lucky　dog。　You　can　thank　Myeerah　and　me　for　this；　because　if　I　had　not　taken　to　the　river　and　nearly　drowned　myself　to　give　you　that　opportunity　you　would　not　wear　that　happy　face　to…day。　Blush　away；　Betts；　it　becomes　you　mightily。〃

〃Bessie；　here　they　are！〃　cried　Col。　Zane；　in　his　hearty　voice。　〃She　is　tamed　at　last。　No　excuses；　Alfred；　in　to　dinner　you　go。〃

Col。　Zane　pushed　the　young　people　up　the　steps　before　him；　and　stopping　on　the　threshold　while　he　knocked　the　ashes　from　his　pipe；　he　smiled　contentedly。



AFTERWORD。

Betty　lived　all　her　after　life　on　the　scene　of　her　famous　exploit。　She　became　a　happy　wife　and　mother。　When　she　grew　to　be　an　old　lady；　with　her　grandchildren　about　her　knee；　she　delighted　to　tell　them　that　when　girl　she　had　run　the　gauntlet　of　the　Indians。

Col。　Zane　became　the　friend　of　all　redmen。　He　maintained　a　trading…post　for　many　years；　and　his　dealings　were　ever　kind　and　honorable。　After　the　country　got　settled　he　received　from　time　to　time　various　marks　of　distinction　from　the　State；　Colonial；　and　National　governments。　His　most　noted　achiev