the spirit of the border-第22章

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felt　no　fear　and　intended　to　put　all　his　heart　in　the　work；　he　remembered　with

disquietude　Colonel　Zane's　warnings。　He　thought　of　the　wonderful　precaution

and　eternal　vigilance　of　Jonathan　and　Wetzelmen　of　all　men　who　most

understood　Indian　craft　and　cunning。　It　might　well　be　possible　that　these　good

missionaries；　wrapped　up　in　saving　the　souls　of　these　children　of　the　forest

so　full　of　God's　teachings　as　to　have　little　mind　for　aught　else；　had　no

knowledge　of　the　Indian　nature　beyond　what　the　narrow　scope　of　their　work

invited。　If　what　these　frontiersmen　asserted　was　true；　then　the　ministers'

zeal　had　struck　them　blind。



Jim　had　a　growing　idea　of　the　way　in　which　the　savages　could　be　best　taught。

He　resolved　to　go　slowly；　to　study　the　redmen's　natures；　not　to　preach　one

word　of　the　gospel　to　them　until　he　had　mastered　their　language　and　could

convey　to　their　simple　minds　the　real　truth。　He　would　make　Christianity　as

clear　to　them　as　were　the　deer…trails　on　the　moss　and　leaves　of　the　forest。



〃Ah；　here　you　are。　I　hope　you　have　rested　well；〃　said　Mr。　Zeisberger；　when　at

the　conclusion　of　this　long　recital　Nell　and　Kate　came　into　the　room。



〃Thank　you；　we　feel　much　better；〃　answered　Kate。　The　girls　certainly　looked

refreshed。　The　substitution　of　clean　gowns　for　their　former　travel…stained

garments　made　a　change　that　called　forth　the　minister's　surprise　and

admiration。



〃My！　My！　Won't　Edwards　and　Young　beg　me　to　keep　them　here　now！〃　he　exclaimed；

his　pleased　eyes　resting　on　Nell's　piquant　beauty　and　Kate's　noble　proportions

and　rich　coloring。　〃Come；　I　will　show　you　over　the　Village　of　Peace。〃



〃Are　all　these　Indians　Christians？〃　asked　Jim。



〃No；　indeed。　These　Indians　you　see　here；　and　out　yonder　under　the　shade；

though　they　are　friendly；　are　not　Christians。　Our　converts　employ　themselves

in　the　fields　or　shops。　Come；　take　a　peep　in　here。　　This　is　where　we　preach　in

the　evenings　and　during　inclement　weather。　　On　pleasant　days　we　use　the　maple

grove　yonder。〃



Jim　and　the　others　looked　in　at　the　door　of　the　large　log　structure。　They　saw

an　immense　room；　the　floor　covered　with　benches；　and　a　raised　platform　at　one

end。　A　few　windows　let　in　the　light。　Spacious　and　barn…like　was　this

apartment；　but　undoubtedly；　seen　through　the　beaming　eyes　of　the　missionary；

it　was　a　grand　amphitheater　for　worship。　The　hard…packed　clay　floor　was　velvet

carpet；　the　rude　seats　soft　as　eiderdown；　the　platform　with　its　white…oak

cross；　an　altar　of　marble　and　gold。



〃This　is　one　of　our　shops；〃　said　Mr。　Zeisberger；　leading　them　to　a　cabin。

〃Here　we　make　brooms；　harness　for　the　horses；　farming　implementseverything

useful　that　we　can。　We　have　a　forge　here。　　Behold　an　Indian　blacksmith！〃



The　interior　of　the　large　cabin　presented　a　scene　of　bustling　activity。　

Twenty　or　more　Indians　bent　their　backs　in　earnest　employment。　In　one　corner　a

savage　stood　holding　a　piece　of　red…hot　iron　on　an　anvil；　while　a　brawny　brave

wielded　a　sledge…hammer。　The　sparks　flew；　the　anvil　rang。　　In　another　corner　a

circle　of　braves　sat　around　a　pile　of　dried　grass　and　flags。　They　were

twisting　and　fashioning　these　materials　into　baskets。　At　a　bench　three　Indian

carpenters　were　pounding　and　sawing。　Young　braves　ran　back　and　forth；　carrying

pails；　rough…hewn　boards　and　blocks　of　wood。



Instantly　struck　by　two　things；　Jim　voiced　his　curiosity：



〃Why　do　these　Indians　all　wear　long　hair；　smooth　and　shiny；　without

adornment？〃



〃They　are　Christians。　They　wear　neither　headdress；　war…bonnet；　nor

scalp…lock；〃　replied　Mr。　Zeisberger；　with　unconscious　pride。



〃I　did　not　expect　to　see　a　blacksmith's　anvil　out　here　in　the　wilderness。　

Where　did　you　procure　these　tools？〃



〃We　have　been　years　getting　them　here。　Some　came　by　way　of　the　Ohio　River；

others　overland　from　Detroit。　That　anvil　has　a　history。　It　was　lost　once；　and

lay　for　years　in　the　woods；　until　some　Indians　found　it　again。　It　is　called

the　Ringing　Stone；　and　Indians　come　from　miles　around　to　see　and　hear　it。〃



The　missionary　pointed　out　wide　fields　of　corn；　now　growing　yellow；　and

hillsides　doted　with　browsing　cattle；　droves　of　sturdy…limbed　horses；　and　pens

of　fat；　grunting　pigsall　of　which　attested　to　the　growing　prosperity　of　the

Village　of　Peace。



On　the　way　back　to　the　cabin；　while　the　others　listened　to　and　questioned　Mr。

Zeisberger；　Jim　was　silent　and　thoughtful；　for　his　thoughts　reverted　to　his

brother。



Later；　as　he　walked　with　Nell　by　the　golden…fringed　stream；　he　spoke　of　Joe。



〃Joe　wanted　so　much　to　hunt　with　Wetzel。　He　will　come　back；　surely　he　will

return　to　us　when　he　has　satisfied　his　wild　craving　for　adventure。　Do　you　not

think　so？〃



There　was　an　eagerness　that　was　almost　pleading　in　Jim's　voice。　What　he　so

much　hoped　forthat　no　harm　had　befallen　Joe；　and　that　he　would　returnhe

doubted。　he　needed　the　encouragement　of　his　hope。



〃Never；〃　answered　Nell；　solemnly。



〃Oh；　whywhy　do　you　say　that？〃



〃I　saw　him　look　at　youa　strange；　intent　glance。　He　gazed　long　at　me　as　we

separated。　Oh！　I　can　feel　his　eyes。　No；　he　will　never　come　back。〃



〃Nell；　Nell；　you　don　not　mean　he　went　away　deliberatelybecause；　oh！　I　cannot

say　it。〃



〃For　no　reason；　except　that　the　wilderness　called　him　more　than　love　for　you

orme。〃



〃No；　no；〃　returned　Jim；　his　face　white。　〃You　do　not　understand。　He　really

loved　youI　know　it。　He　loved　me；　too。　Ah；　how　well！　He　has　gone　becauseI

can't　tell　you。〃



〃Oh；　Jim；　I　hopehe　lovedme；〃　sobbed　Nell；　bursting　into　tears。　〃His

coldnesshis　neglect　thoselast　few　dayshurt　meso。　If　he　caredas　you

sayI　won't　besomiserable。〃



〃We　are　both　rightyou　when　you　say　he　will　never　return；　and　I　when　I　say　he

loved　us　both；〃　said　Jim　sadly；　as　the　bitter　certainty　forced　itself　into　his

mind。



As　she　sobbed　softly；　and　he　gazed　with　set；　stern　face　into　the　darkening

forest；　the　deep；　mellow　notes　of　the　church　bell　pealed　out。　So　thrilled；　so

startled　were　they　by　this　melody　wondrously　breaking　the　twilight　stillness；

that　they　gazed　mutely　at　each　other。　Then　they　remembered。　　It　was　the

missionary's　bell　summoning　the　Christian　Indians　to　the　evening　service。







Chapter　XI。



The；　sultry；　drowsy；　summer　days　passed　with　no　untoward　event　to　mar　their

slumbering　tranquillity。　Life　for　the　newcomers　to　the　Village　of　Peace

brought　a　content；　the　like　of　which　they　had　never　dreamed　of。　Mr。　Wells　at

once　began　active　work　among　the　Indians；　preaching　to　them　through　an

interpreter；　Nell　and　Kate；　in　hours　apart　from　household　duties；　busied

themselves　brightening　their　new　abode；　and　Jim　entered　upon　the　task　of

acquainting　himself　with　the　modes　and　habits　of　the　redmen。　Truly；　the　young

people　might　have　found　perfect　happiness　in　this　new　and　novel　life；　if　only

Joe　had　returned。　His　disappearance　and　subsequent　absence　furnished　a　theme

for　many　talks　and　many　a　quiet　hour　of　dreamy　sadness。　　The　fascination　of

his　personality　had　been　so　impelling　that　long　after　it　was　withdrawn　a　charm

lingered　around　everything　which　reminded　them　of　him；　a　subtle　and　sweet

memory；　with　perverse　and　half　bitter　persistence；　returned　hauntingly。　No

trace　of　Joe　had　been　seen　by　any　of　the　friendly　Indian　runners。　He　was　gone

into　the　mazes　of　deep…shadowed　forests；　where　to　hunt　for　him　would　be　like

striving　to　trail　the　flight　of　a　swallow。　　Two　of　those　he　had　left　behind

always　remembered　him；　and　in　their　thoughts　followed　him　in　his　wanderings。



Jim　settled　down　to　his　study　of　Indians　with　single…heartedness　of　purpose。

He　spent　part　of　every　morning　with　the　interpreters；　with　whose　assistance　he

rapidly　acquired　the　Delaware　language。　He　went　freely　among　the　Indians；

endeavoring　to　win　their　good…will。　　There　were　always　fifty　to　an　hundred

visiting　Indians　at　the　village；　sometimes；　when　the　missionaries　had

advertised　a　special　meeting；　there　were　assembled　in　the　shady　maple　grove　as

many　as