the spirit of the border-第20章

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inquired　Jim。



〃No；　their　work　has　been　chiefly　among　the　Indians　near　Detroit　and　northward。

The　Hurons；　Delawares；　Shawnees　and　other　western　tribes　have　been　demoralized

by　the　French　traders'　rum；　and　incited　to　fierce　hatred　by　Girty　and　his

renegades。　Your　work　at　Gnaddenhutten　must　be　among　these　hostile　tribes；　and

it　is　surely　a　hazardous　undertaking。〃



〃My　life　is　God's；〃　murmured　the　old　minister。　No　fear　could　assail　his

steadfast　faith。



〃Jim；　it　strikes　me　you'd　be　more　likely　to　impress　these　Indians　Colonel　Zane

spoke　of　if　you'd　get　a　suit　like　mine　and　wear　a　knife　and　tomahawk；〃

interposed　Joe；　cheerfully。　〃Then；　if　you　couldn't　convert；　you　could　scalp

them。〃



〃Well；　well；　let　us　hope　for　the　best；〃　said　Colonel　Zane；　when　the　laughter

had　subsided。　〃We'll　go　over　to　dinner　now。　Come；　all　of　you。　Jonathan；　bring

Wetzel。　Betty；　make　him　come；　if　you　can。〃



As　the　party　slowly　wended　its　way　toward　the　colonel's　cabin　Jim　and　Nell

found　themselves　side　by　side。　They　had　not　exchanged　a　word　since　the　evening

previous；　when　Jim　had　kissed　her。　Unable　to　look　at　each　other　now；　and

finding　speech　difficult；　they　walked　in　embarrassed　silence。



〃Doesn't　Joe　look　splendid　in　his　hunting　suit？〃　asked　Jim；　presently。



〃I　hadn't　noticed。　Yes；　he　looks　well；〃　replied　Nell；　carelessly。　She　was　too

indifferent　to　be　natural。



〃Are　you　angry　with　him？〃



〃Certainly　not。〃



Jim　was　always　simple　and　frank　in　his　relations　with　women。　He　had　none　of

his　brother's　fluency　of　speech；　with　neither　confidence；　boldness　nor

understanding　of　the　intricate　mazes　of　a　woman's　moods。



〃Butyou　are　angry　withme？〃　he　whispered。



Nell　flushed　to　her　temples；　yet　she　did　not　raise　her　eyes　nor　reply。



〃It　was　a　terrible　thing　for　me　to　do；〃　went　on　Jim；　hesitatingly。　〃I　don't

know　why　I　took　advantageofof　your　mistaking　me　for　Joe。　If　you　only

hadn't　held　up　your　mouth。　NoI　don't　mean　thatof　course　you　didn't。

Butwell；　I　couldn't　help　it。　I'm　guilty。　I　have　thought　of　little　else。　Some

wonderful　feeling　has　possessed　me　ever　sincesince…〃



〃What　has　Joe　been　saying　about　me？〃　demanded　Nell；　her　eyes　burning　like

opals。



〃Why；　hardly　anything；〃　answered　Jim；　haltingly。　〃I　took　him　to　task

aboutabout　what　I　considered　might　be　wrong　to　you。　Joe　has　never　been　very

careful　of　young　ladies'　feelings；　and　I　thoughtwell；　it　was　none　of　my

business。　He　said　he　honestly　cared　for　you；　that　you　had　taught　him　how

unworthy　he　was　of　a　good　woman。　But　he's　wrong　there。　Joe　is　wild　and

reckless；　yet　his　heart　is　a　well　of　gold。　He　is　a　diamond　in　the　rough。　Just

now　he　is　possessed　by　wild　notions　of　hunting　Indians　and　roaming　through　the

forests；　but　he'll　come　round　all　right。　I　wish　I　could　tell　you　how　much　he

has　done　for　me；　how　much　I　love　him；　how　I　know　him！　He　can　be　made　worthy　of

any　woman。　He　will　outgrow　this　fiery；　daring　spirit；　and　thenwon't　you　help

him？〃



〃I　will；　if　he　will　let　me；〃　softly　whispered　Nell；　irresistibly　drawn　by　the

strong；　earnest　love　thrilling　in　his　voice。







Chapter　X。



Once　more　out　under　the　blue…black　vault　of　heaven；　with　its　myriads　of

twinkling　stars；　the　voyagers　resumed　their　westward　journey。　Whispered

farewells　of　new　but　sincere　friends　lingered　in　their　ears。　Now　the　great

looming　bulk　of　the　fort　above　them　faded　into　the　obscure　darkness；　leaving　a

feeling　as　if　a　protector　had　goneperhaps　forever。　Admonished　to　absolute

silence　by　the　stern　guides；　who　seemed　indeed　to　have　embarked　upon　a　dark

and　deadly　mission；　the　voyagers　lay　back　in　the　canoes　and　thought　and

listened。　The　water　eddied　with　soft　gurgles　in　the　wake　of　the　racing　canoes；

but　that　musical　sound　was　all　they　heard。　The　paddles　might　have　been

shadows；　for　all　the　splash　they　made；　they　cut　the　water　swiftly　and

noiselessly。　Onward　the　frail　barks　glided　into　black　space；　side　by　side；

close　under　the　overhanging　willows。　Long　moments　passed　into　long　hours；　as

the　guides　paddled　tirelessly　as　if　their　sinews　were　cords　of　steel。



With　gray　dawn　came　the　careful　landing　of　the　canoes；　a　cold　breakfast　eaten

under　cover　of　a　willow　thicket；　and　the　beginning　of　a　long　day　while　they

were　lying　hidden　from　the　keen　eyes　of　Indian　scouts；　waiting　for　the

friendly　mantle　of　night。



The　hours　dragged　until　once　more　the　canoes　were　launched；　this　time　not　on

the　broad　Ohio；　but　on　a　stream　that　mirrored　no　shining　stars　as　it　flowed

still　and　somber　under　the　dense　foliage。



The　voyagers　spoke　not；　nor　whispered；　nor　scarcely　moved；　so　menacing　had

become　the　slow；　listening　caution　of　Wetzel　and　Zane。　Snapping　of　twigs

somewhere　in　the　inscrutable　darkness　delayed　them　for　long　moments。　Any

movement　the　air　might　resound　with　the　horrible　Indian　war…whoop。　Every

second　was　heavy　with　fear。　How　marvelous　that　these　scouts；　penetrating　the

wilderness　of　gloom；　glided　on　surely；　silently；　safely！　Instinct；　or　the　eyes

of　the　lynx；　guide　their　course。　But　another　dark　night　wore　on　to　the　tardy

dawn；　and　each　of　its　fearful　hours　numbered　miles　past　and　gone。



The　sun　was　rising　in　ruddy　glory　when　Wetzel　ran　his　canoe　into　the　bank　just

ahead　of　a　sharp　bend　in　the　stream。



〃Do　we　get　out　here？〃　asked　Jim；　seeing　Jonathan　turn　his　canoe　toward

Wetzel's。



〃The　village　lies　yonder；　around　the　bend；〃　answered　the　guide。　〃Wetzel　cannot

go　there；　so　I'll　take　you　all　in　my　canoe。〃



〃There's　no　room；　I'll　wait；〃　replied　Joe；　quietly。　Jim　noted　his　looka

strange；　steady　glance　it　wasand　then　saw　him　fix　his　eyes　upon　Nell；

watching　her　until　the　canoe　passed　around　the　green…bordered　bend　in　the

stream。



Unmistakable　signs　of　an　Indian　town　were　now　evident。　Dozens　of　graceful

birchen　canoes　lay　upon　the　well…cleared　banks；　a　log　bridge　spanned　the

stream；　above　the　slight　ridge　of　rising　ground　could　be　seen　the　poles　of

Indian　teepees。



As　the　canoe　grated　upon　the　sandy　beach　a　little　Indian　boy；　who　was　playing

in　the　shallow　water；　raised　his　head　and　smiled。



〃That's　an　Indian　boy；〃　whispered　Kate。



〃The　dear　little　fellow！〃　exclaimed　Nell。



The　boy　came　running　up　to　them；　when　they　were　landed；　with　pleasure　and

confidence　shining　in　his　dusky　eyes。　Save　for　tiny　buckskin　breeches；　he　was

naked；　and　his　shiny　skin　gleamed　gold…bronze　in　the　sunlight。　He　was　a

singularly　handsome　child。



〃MeBenny；〃　he　lisped　in　English；　holding　up　his　little　hand　to　Nell。



The　action　was　as　loving　and　trusting　as　any　that　could　have　been　manifested

by　a　white　child。　Jonathan　Zane　stared　with　a　curious　light　in　his　dark　eyes；

Mr。　Wells　and　Jim　looked　as　though　they　doubted　the　evidence　of　their　own

sight。　Here；　even　in　an　Indian　boy；　was　incontestable　proof　that　the　savage

nature　could　be　tamed　and　civilized。



With　a　tender　exclamation　Nell　bent　over　the　child　and　kissed　him。



Jonathan　Zane　swung　his　canoe　up…stream　for　the　purpose　of　bringing　Joe。　　The

trim　little　bark　slipped　out　of　sight　round　the　bend。　Presently　its　gray；

curved　nose　peeped　from　behind　the　willows；　then　the　canoe　swept　into　view

again。　There　was　only　one　person　in　it；　and　that　the　guide。



〃Where　is　my　brother？〃　asked　Jim；　in　amazement。



〃Gone；〃　answered　Zane；　quietly。



〃Gone！　What　do　you　mean？　Gone？　Perhaps　you　have　missed　the　spot　where　you　left

him。〃



〃They're　both　gone。〃



Nell　and　Jim　gazed　at　each　other　with　slowly　whitening　faces。



〃Come；　I'll　take　you　up　to　the　village；〃　said　Zane；　getting　out　of　his　canoe。

All　noticed　that　he　was　careful　to　take　his　weapons　with　him。



〃Can't　you　tell　us　what　it　meansthis　disappearance？〃　asked　Jim；　his　voice

low　and　anxious。



〃They're　gone；　canoe　and　all。　I　knew　Wetzel　was　going；　but　I　didn't　calkilate

on　the　lad。　Mebbe　he　followed　Wetzel；　mebbe　he　didn't；〃　answered　the　taciturn

guide；　and　he　spoke　no　more。



In　his　keen　expectation　and　wonder　as　to　w