the spirit of the border-第16章

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towels。



〃Now　you　lads　fix　up　a　bit；　then　come　out　and　meet　my　family　and　tell　us　all

about　your　adventure。　By　that　time　dinner　will　be　ready。〃



〃Geminy！　Don't　that　towel　remind　you　of　home？〃　said　Joe；　when　the　colonel　had

gone。　〃From　the　looks　of　things；　Colonel　Zane　means　to　have　comfort　here　in

the　wilderness。　He　struck　me　as　being　a　fine　man。〃



The　boys　were　indeed　glad　to　change　the　few　articles　of　clothing　the　Indians

had　left　them；　and　when　they　were　shaved　and　dressed　they　presented　an

entirely　different　appearance。　Once　more　they　were　twin　brothers；　in　costume

and　feature。　Joe　contrived；　by　brushing　his　hair　down　on　his　forehead；　to

conceal　the　discolored　bump。



〃I　think　I　saw　a　charming　girl；〃　observed　Joe。



〃Suppose　you　didwhat　then？〃　asked　Jim；　severely。



〃Whynothingsee　here；　mayn't　I　admire　a　pretty　girl　if　I　want？〃



〃No；　you　may　not。　Joe；　will　nothing　ever　cure　you？　I　should　think　the　thought

of　Miss　Wells…〃



〃Look　here；　Jim；　she　don't　careat　least；　it's　very　little　she　cares。　And

I'mI'm　not　worthy　of　her。〃



〃Turn　around　here　and　face　me；〃　said　the　young　minister　sharply。



Joe　turned　and　looked　in　his　brother's　eyes。



〃Have　you　trifled　with　her；　as　you　have　with　so　many　others？　Tell　me。　I　know

you　don't　lie。〃



〃No。〃



〃Then　what　do　you　mean？〃



〃Nothing　much；　Jim；　except　I'm　really　not　worthy　of　her。　I'm　no　good；　you

know；　and　she　ought　to　get　a　fellow　likelike　you。〃



〃Absurd！　You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself。〃



〃Never　mind　me。　See　here；　don't　you　admire　her？〃



〃Whywhy；　yes；〃　stammered　Jim；　flushing　a　dark；　guilty　red　at　the　direct

question。　〃Who　could　help　admiring　her？〃



〃That's　what　I　thought。　And　I　know　she　admires　you　for　qualities　which　I　lack。

Nell's　like　a　tender　vine　just　beginning　to　creep　around　and　cling　to

something　strong。　She　cares　for　me；　but　her　love　is　like　the　vine。　It　may　hurt

her　a　little　to　tear　that　love　away；　but　it　won't　kill　her；　and　in　the　end　it

will　be　best　for　her。　You　need　a　good　wife。　What　could　I　do　with　a　woman？　Go

in　and　win　her；　Jim。〃



〃Joe；　you're　sacrificing　yourself　again　for　me；〃　cried　Jim；　white　to　the　lips。

〃It's　wrong　to　yourself　and　wrong　to　her。　I　tell　you…〃



〃Enough！〃　Joe's　voice　cut　in　cold　and　sharp。　〃Usually　you　influence　me；　but

sometimes　you　can't；　I　say　this：　Nell　will　drift　into　your　arms　as　surely　as

the　leaf　falls。　It　will　not　hurt　herwill　be　best　for　her。　　Remember；　she　is

yours　for　the　winning。〃



〃You　do　not　say　whether　that　will　hurt　you；〃　whispered　Jim。



〃Comewe'll　find　Colonel　Zane；〃　said　Joe；　opening　the　door。



They　went　out　in　the　hallway　which　opened　into　the　yard　as　well　as　the　larger

room　through　which　the　colonel　had　first　conducted　them。　As　Jim；　who　was　in

advance；　passed　into　this　apartment　a　trim　figure　entered　from　the　yard。　It

was　Nell；　and　she　ran　directly　against　him。　Her　face　was　flushed；　her　eyes

were　beaming　with　gladness；　and　she　seemed　the　incarnation　of　girlish　joy。



〃Oh；　Joe；〃　was　all　she　whispered。　But　the　happiness　and　welcome　in　that

whisper　could　never　have　been　better　expressed　in　longer　speech。　Then

slightly；　ever　so　slightly；　she　tilted　her　sweet　face　up　to　his。



It　all　happened　with　the　quickness　of　thought。　In　a　single　instant　Jim　saw　the

radiant　face；　the　outstretched　hands；　and　heard　the　glad　whisper。　He　knew　that

she　had　a　again　mistaken　him　for　Joe；　but　for　his　life　he　could　not　draw　back

his　head。　He　had　kissed　her；　and　even　as　his　lips　thrilled　with　her　tremulous

caress　he　flushed　with　the　shame　of　his　deceit。



〃You're　mistaken　againI'm　Jim；〃　he　whispered。



For　a　moment　they　stood　staring　into　each　other's　eyes；　slowly　awakening　to

what　had　really　happened；　slowly　conscious　of　a　sweet；　alluring　power。　　Then

Colonel　Zane's　cheery　voice　rang　in　their　ears。



〃Ah；　here's　Nellie　and　your　brother！　Now；　lads；　tell　me　which　is　which？'



〃That's　Jim；　and　I'm　Joe；〃　answered　the　latter。　He　appeared　not　to　notice　his

brother；　and　his　greeting　to　Nell　was　natural　and　hearty。　For　the　moment　she

drew　the　attention　of　the　others　from　them。



Joe　found　himself　listening　to　the　congratulations　of　a　number　of　people。　

Among　the　many　names　he　remembered　were　those　of　Mrs。　Zane；　Silas　Zane；　and

Major　McColloch。　Then　he　found　himself　gazing　at　the　most　beautiful　girl　he

had　ever　seen　in　his　life。



〃My　only　sister；　Mrs。　Alfred　Clarkeonce　Betty　Zane；　and　the　heroine　of　Fort

Henry；〃　said　Colonel　Zane　proudly；　with　his　arm　around　the　slender；　dark…eyed

girl。



〃I　would　brave　the　Indians　and　the　wilderness　again　for　this　pleasure；〃

replied　Joe　gallantly；　as　he　bowed　low　over　the　little　hand　she　cordially

extended。



〃Bess；　is　dinner　ready？〃　inquired　Colonel　Zane　of　his　comely　wife。　She　nodded

her　head；　and　the　colonel　led　the　way　into　the　adjoining　room。　　〃I　know　you

boys　must　be　hungry　as　bears。〃



During　the　meal　Colonel　Zane　questioned　his　guests　about　their　journey；　and　as

to　the　treatment　they　had　received　at　the　hands　of　the　Indians。　　He　smiled　at

the　young　minister's　earnestness　in　regard　to　the　conversion　of　the　redmen；

and　he　laughed　outright　when　Joe　said　〃he　guessed　he　came　to　the　frontier

because　it　was　too　slow　at　home。〃



〃I　am　sure　your　desire　for　excitement　will　soon　be　satisfied；　if　indeed　it　be

not　so　already；〃　remarked　the　colonel。　〃But　as　to　the　realization　of　your

brother's　hopes　I　am　not　so　sanguine。　Undoubtedly　the　Moravian　missionaries

have　accomplished　wonders　with　the　Indians。　Not　long　ago　I　visited　the　Village

of　Peacethe　Indian　name　for　the　missionand　was　struck　by　the　friendliness

and　industry　which　prevailed　there。　Truly　it　was　a　village　of　peace。　Yet　it　is

almost　to　early　to　be　certain　of　permanent　success　of　this　work。　The　Indian's

nature　is　one　hard　to　understand。　　He　is　naturally　roving　and　restless；　which；

however；　may　be　owing　to　his　habit　of　moving　from　place　to　place　in　search　of

good　hunting　grounds。　　I　believethough　I　must　confess　I　haven't　seen　any

pioneers　who　share　my　beliefthat　the　savage　has　a　beautiful　side　to　his

character。　I　know　of　many　noble　deeds　done　by　them；　and　I　believe；　if　they　are

honestly　dealt　with；　they　will　return　good　for　good。　There　are　bad　ones；　of

course；　but　the　French　traders；　and　men　like　the　Girtys；　have　caused　most　of

this　long　war。　Jonathan　and　Wetzel　tell　me　the　Shawnees　and　Chippewas　have

taken　the　warpath　again。　Then　the　fact　that　the　Girtys　are　with　the　Delawares

is　reason　for　alarm。　We　have　been　comparatively　quiet　here　of　late。　Did　you

boys　learn　to　what　tribe　your　captors　belong？　Did　Wetzel　say？〃



〃He　did　not；　he　spoke　little；　but　I　will　say　he　was　exceedingly　active；〃

answered　Joe；　with　a　smile。



〃To　have　seen　Wetzel　fight　Indians　is　something　you　are　not　likely　to　forget；〃

said　Colonel　Zane　grimly。　〃Now；　tell　me；　how　did　those　Indians　wear　their

scalp…lock？〃



〃Their　heads　were　shaved　closely；　with　the　exception　of　a　little　place　on　top。

The　remaining　hair　was　twisted　into　a　tuft；　tied　tightly；　and　into　this　had

been　thrust　a　couple　of　painted　pins。　When　Wetzel　scalped　the　Indians　the　pins

fell　out。　I　picked　one　up；　and　found　it　to　be　bone。〃



〃You　will　make　a　woodsman；　that's　certain；〃　replied　Colonel　Zane。　〃The　Indians

were　Shawnee　on　the　warpath。　Well；　we　will　not　borrow　trouble；　for　when　it

comes　in　the　shape　of　redskins　it　usually　comes　quickly。　Mr。　Wells　seemed

anxious　to　resume　the　journey　down　the　river；　but　I　shall　try　to　persuade　him

to　remain　with　us　awhile。　Indeed；　I　am　sorry　I　cannot　keep　you　all　here　at

Fort　Henry；　and　more　especially　the　girls。　On　the　border　we　need　young　people；

and；　while　I　do　not　want　to　frighten　the　women；　I　fear　there　will　be　more　than

Indians　fighting　for　them。〃



〃I　hope　not；　but　we　have　come　prepared　for　anything；〃　said　Kate；　with　a　quiet

smile。　〃Our　home　was　with　uncle；　and　when　he　announced　his　intention　of　going

west　we　decided　our　duty　was　to　go　with　him。〃



〃You