the spirit of the border-第18章

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border　on　a　marauding　expedition　far　into　Virginia。　They　burned　the　old　Wetzel

homestead　and　murdered　the　father；　mother；　two　sisters；　and　a　baby　brother。

The　terrible　shock　nearly　killed　Lewis；　who　for　a　time　was　very　ill。　When　he

recovered　he　went　in　search　of　his　brothers；　Martin　and　John　Wetzel；　who　were

hunting；　and　brought　them　back　to　their　desolated　home。　Over　the　ashes　of　the

home　and　the　graves　of　the　loved　ones　the　brothers　swore　sleepless　and　eternal

vengeance。　The　elder　brothers　have　been　devoted　all　these　twenty　years　and

more　to　the　killing　of　Indians；　but　Lewis　has　been　the　great　foe　of　the

redman。　You　have　already　seen　an　example　of　his　deeds；　and　will　hear　of　more。

His　name　is　a　household　word　on　the　border。　Scores　of　times　he　has　saved；

actually　saved；　this　fort　and　settlement。　His　knowledge　of　savage　ways

surpasses　by　far　Boone's；　Major　McColloch's；　Jonathan's；　or　any　of　the

hunters'。〃



〃Then　hunting　Indians　is　his　sole　occupation？〃



〃He　lives　for　that　purpose　alone。　He　is　very　seldom　in　the　settlement。　

Sometimes　he　stays　here　a　few　days；　especially　if　he　is　needed；　but　usually　he

roams　the　forests。〃



〃What　did　Jeff　Lynn　mean　when　he　said　that　some　people　think　Wetzel　is　crazy？〃



〃There　are　many　who　think　the　man　mad；　but　I　do　not。　When　the　passion　for

Indian　hunting　comes　upon　him　he　is　fierce；　almost　frenzied；　yet　perfectly

sane。　While　here　he　is　quiet；　seldom　speaks　except　when　spoken　to；　and　is

taciturn　with　strangers。　He　often　comes　to　my　cabin　and　sits　beside　the　fire

for　hours。　I　think　he　finds　pleasure　in　the　conversation　and　laughter　of

friends。　He　is　fond　of　the　children；　and　would　do　anything　for　my　sister

Betty。〃



〃His　life　must　be　lonely　and　sad；〃　remarked　Joe。



〃The　life　of　any　borderman　is　that；　but　Wetzel's　is　particularly　so。〃



〃What　is　he　called　by　the　Indians？〃



〃They　call　him　Atelang；　or；　in　English；　Deathwind。〃



〃By　George！　That's　what　Silvertip　said　in　French'Le　Vent　de　la　Mort。'〃



〃Yes；　you　have　it　right。　A　French　fur　trader　gave　Wetzel　that　name　years　ago；

and　it　has　clung　to　him。　The　Indians　say　the　Deathwind　blows　through　the

forest　whenever　Wetzel　stalks　on　their　trail。〃



〃Colonel　Zane；　don't　you　think　me　superstitious；〃　whispered　Joe；　leaning

toward　the　colonel；　〃but　I　heard　that　wind　blow　through　the　forest。〃



〃What！〃　ejaculated　Colonel　Zane。　He　saw　that　Joe　was　in　earnest；　for　the

remembrance　of　the　moan　had　more　than　once　paled　his　cheek　and　caused　beads　of

perspiration　to　collect　on　his　brow。



Joe　related　the　circumstances　of　that　night；　and　at　the　end　of　his　narrative

Colonel　Zane　sat　silent　and　thoughtful。



〃You　don't　really　think　it　was　Wetzel　who　moaned？〃　he　asked；　at　length。



〃No；　I　don't；〃　replied　Joe　quickly；　〃but；　Colonel　Zane；　I　heard　that　moan　as

plainly　as　I　can　hear　your　voice。　I　heard　it　twice。　Now；　what　was　it？〃



〃Jonathan　said　the　same　thing　to　me　once。　He　had　been　out　hunting　with　Wetzel；

they　separated；　and　during　the　night　Jonathan　heard　the　wind。　The　next　day　he

ran　across　a　dead　Indian。　He　believes　Wetzel　makes　the　noise；　and　so　do　the

hunters；　but　I　think　it　is　simply　the　moan　of　the　night　wind　through　the

trees。　I　have　heard　it　at　times；　when　my　very　blood　seemingly　ran　cold。〃



〃I　tried　to　think　it　was　the　wind　soughing　through　the　pines；　but　am　afraid　I

didn't　succeed　very　well。　Anyhow；　I　knew　Wetzel　instantly；　just　as　Jeff　Lynn

said　I　would。　He　killed　those　Indians　in　an　instant；　and　he　must　have　an　iron

arm。〃



〃Wetzel　excels　in　strength　and　speed　any　man；　red　or　white；　on　the　frontier。

He　can　run　away　from　Jonathan；　who　is　as　swift　as　an　Indian。　　He's　stronger

than　any　of　the　other　men。　I　remember　one　day　old　Hugh　Bennet's　wagon　wheels

stuck　in　a　bog　down　by　the　creek。　Hugh　tried；　as　several　others　did；　to　move

the　wheels；　but　they　couldn't　be　made　to　budge。　　Along　came　Wetzel；　pushed

away　the　men；　and　lifted　the　wagon　unaided。　It　would　take　hours　to　tell　you

about　him。　In　brief；　among　all　the　border　scouts　and　hunters　Wetzel　stands

alone。　No　wonder　the　Indians　fear　him。　　He　is　as　swift　as　an　eagle；　strong　as

mountain…ash；　keen　as　a　fox；　and　absolutely　tireless　and　implacable。〃



〃How　long　have　you　been　here；　Colonel　Zane？〃



〃More　than　twelve　years；　and　it　has　been　one　long　fight。〃



〃I'm　afraid　I'm　too　late　for　the　fun；〃　said　Joe；　with　his　quiet　laugh。



〃Not　by　about　twelve　more　years；〃　answered　Colonel　Zane；　studying　the

expression　on　Joe's　face。　〃When　I　came　out　here　years　ago　I　had　the　same

adventurous　spirit　which　I　see　in　you。　It　has　been　considerably　quelled；

however。　I　have　seen　many　a　daring　young　fellow　get　the　border　fever；　and　with

it　his　death。　Let　me　advise　you　to　learn　the　ways　of　the　hunters；　to　watch

some　one　skilled　in　woodcraft。　Perhaps　Wetzel　himself　will　take　you　in　hand。　I

don't　mind　saying　that　he　spoke　of　you　to　me　in　a　tone　I　never　heard　Lew　use

before。〃



〃He　did？〃　questioned　Joe；　eagerly；　flushing　with　pleasure。　〃Do　you　think　he'd

take　me　out？　Dare　I　ask　him？〃



〃Don't　be　impatient。　Perhaps　I　can　arrange　it。　Come　over　here　now　to　Metzar's

place。　I　want　to　make　you　acquainted　with　him。　These　boys　have　all　been

cutting　timber；　they've　just　come　in　for　dinner。　Be　easy　and　quiet　with　them；

then　you'll　get　on。〃



Colonel　Zane　introduced　Joe　to　five　sturdy　boys　and　left　him　in　their　company。

Joe　sat　down　on　a　log　outside　a　cabin　and　leisurely　surveyed　the　young　men。

They　all　looked　about　the　same：　strong　without　being　heavy；　light…haired　and

bronze…faced。　In　their　turn　they　carefully　judged　Joe。　A　newcomer　from　the

East　was　always　regarded　with　some　doubt。　If　they　expected　to　hear　Joe　talk

much　they　were　mistaken。　　He　appeared　good…natured；　but　not　too　friendly。



〃Fine　weather　we're　havin'；〃　said　Dick　Metzar。



〃Fine；〃　agreed　Joe；　laconically。



〃Like　frontier　life？〃



〃Sure。〃



A　silence　ensued　after　this　breaking　of　the　ice。　The　boys　were　awaiting　their

turn　at　a　little　wooden　bench　upon　which　stood　a　bucket　of　water　and　a　basin。



〃Hear　ye　got　ketched　by　some　Shawnees？〃　remarked　another　youth；　as　he　rolled

up　his　shirt…sleeves。　They　all　looked　at　Joe　now。　It　was　not　improbably　their

estimate　of　him　would　be　greatly　influenced　by　the　way　he　answered　this

question。



〃Yes；　was　captive　for　three　days。〃



〃Did　ye　knock　any　redskins　over？〃　This　question　was　artfully　put　to　draw　Joe

out。　Above　all　things；　the　bordermen　detested　boastfulness；　tried　on　Joe　the

ruse　failed　signally。



〃I　was　scared　speechless　most　of　the　time；〃　answered　Joe；　with　his　pleasant

smile。



〃By　gosh；　I　don't　blame　ye！〃　burst　out　Will　Metzar。　〃I　hed　that　experience

onct；　an'　onct's　enough。〃



The　boys　laughed　and　looked　in　a　more　friendly　manner　at　Joe。　Though　he　said

he　had　been　frightened；　his　cool　and　careless　manner　belied　his　words。　　In

Joe's　low　voice　and　clear；　gray　eye　there　was　something　potent　and　magnetic；

which　subtly　influence　those　with　whom　he　came　in　contact。



While　his　new　friends　were　at　dinner　Joe　strolled　over　to　where　Colonel　Zane

sat　on　the　doorstep　of　his　home。



〃How　did　you　get　on　with　the　boys？〃　inquired　the　colonel。



〃All　right；　I　hope。　Say；　Colonel　Zane；　I'd　like　to　talk　to　your　Indian　guide。〃



Colonel　Zane　spoke　a　few　words　in　the　Indian　language　to　the　guide；　who　left

his　post　and　came　over　to　them。　The　colonel　then　had　a　short　conversation　with

him；　at　the　conclusion　of　which　he　pointed　toward　Joe。



〃How　doshake；〃　said　Tome；　extending　his　hand。



Joe　smiled；　and　returned　the　friendly　hand…pressure。



〃Shawneeketch'um？〃　asked　the　Indian；　in　his　fairly　intelligible　English。



Joe　nodded　his　head；　while　Colonel　Zane　spoke　once　more　in　Shawnee；　explaining

the　cause　of　Silvertip's　emnity。



〃ShawneechiefonebadInjun；〃　replied　Tome；　seriously。

〃Silvertipmadthunder…mad。　Ketch'um　palefacescalp'um　sure。〃



After　giving　this　warning　the　chief　returned　to　his　former　position　nea