the spirit of the border-第26章

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setting。　Wingenund　feels　already　the　gray　shades　of　evening。〃



He　stopped　one　long　moment　as　if　to　gather　breath　for　his　final　charge　to　his

listeners。　Then　with　a　magnificent　gesture　he　thundered：



〃Is　the　Delaware　a　fool？　When　Wingenund　can　cross　unarmed　to　the　Big　Water　he

shall　change　his　mind。　When　Deathwind　ceases　to　blow　his　bloody　trail　over　the

fallen　leaves　Wingenund　will　believe。〃







Chapter　XIII。



As　the　summer　waned；　each　succeeding　day；　with　its　melancholy　calm；　its

changing　lights　and　shades；　its　cool；　damp　evening　winds；　growing　more　and

more　suggestive　of　autumn；　the　little　colony　of　white　people　in　the　Village　of

Peace　led　busy；　eventful　lives。



Upwards　of　fifty　Indians；　several　of　them　important　chiefs；　had　become

converted　since　the　young　missionary　began　preaching。　Heckewelder　declared

that　this　was　a　wonderful　showing；　and　if　it　could　be　kept　up　would　result　in

gaining　a　hold　on　the　Indian　tribes　which　might　not　be　shaken。　　Heckewelder

had　succeeded　in　interesting　the　savages　west　of　the　Village　of　Peace　to　the

extent　of　permitting　him　to　establish　missionary　posts　in　two　other

localitiesone　near　Goshhocking；　a　Delaware　town；　and　one　on　the　Muskingong；

the　principal　river　running　through　central　Ohio。　He　had；　with　his　helpers；

Young　and　Edwards；　journeyed　from　time　to　time　to　these　points；　preaching；

making　gifts；　and　soliciting　help　from　chiefs。



The　most　interesting　feature；　perhaps；　of　the　varied　life　of　the　missionary

party　was　a　rivalry　between　Young　and　Edwards　for　the　elder　Miss　Wells。　

Usually　Nell's　attractiveness　appealed　more　to　men　than　Kate's；　however；　in

this　instance；　although　the　sober　teachers　of　the　gospel　admired　Nell's

winsome　beauty；　they　fell　in　love　with　Kate。　The　missionaries　were　both　under

forty；　and　good；　honest　men；　devoted　to　the　work　which　had　engrossed　them　for

years。　Although　they　were　ardent　lovers；　certainly　they　were　not　picturesque。

Two　homelier　men　could　hardly　have　been　found。　Moreover；　the　sacrifice　of

their　lives　to　missionary　work　had　taken　them　far　from　the　companionship　of

women　of　their　own　race；　so　that　they　lacked　the　ease　of　manner　which　women

like　to　see　in　men。　Young　and　Edwards　were　awkward；　almost　uncouth。

Embarrassment　would　not　have　done　justice　to　their　state　of　feeling　while

basking　in　the　shine　of　Kate's　quiet　smile。　They　were　happy；　foolish；　and

speechless。



If　Kate　shared　in　the　merriment　of　the　othersHeckewelder　could　not　conceal

his；　and　Nell　did　not　try　very　hard　to　hide　hersshe　never　allowed　a

suspicion　of　it　to　escape。　She　kept　the　easy；　even　tenor　of　her　life；　always

kind　and　gracious　in　her　quaint　way；　and　precisely　the　same　to　both　her

lovers。　No　doubt　she　well　knew　that　each　possessed；　under　all　his　rough

exterior；　a　heart　of　gold。



One　day　the　genial　Heckewelder　lost；　or　pretended　to　lose；　his　patience。



〃Say；　you　worthy　gentlemen　are　becoming　ornamental　instead　of　useful。　All　this

changing　of　coats；　trimming　of　mustaches；　and　eloquent　sighing　doesn't　seem　to

have　affected　the　young　lady。　I've　a　notion　to　send　you　both　to　Maumee　town；

one　hundred　miles　away。　This　young　lady　is　charming；　I　admit；　but　if　she　is　to

keep　on　seriously　hindering　the　work　of　the　Moravian　Mission　I　must　object。　As

for　that　matter；　I　might　try　conclusions　myself。　　I'm　as　young　as　either　of

you；　and；　I　flatter　myself；　much　handsomer。　　You'll　have　a　dangerous　rival

presently。　Settle　it！　You　can't　both　have　her；　settle　it！〃



This　outburst　from　their　usually　kind　leader　placed　the　earnest　but　awkward

gentlemen　in　a　terrible　plight。



On　the　afternoon　following　the　crisis　Heckewelder　took　Mr。　Wells　to　one　of　the

Indian　shops；　and　Jim　and　Nell　went　canoeing。　Young　and　Edwards；　after

conferring　for　one　long；　trying　hour；　determined　on　settling　the　question。



Young　was　a　pale；　slight　man；　very　homely　except　when　he　smiled。　His　smile　not

only　broke　up　the　plainness　of　his　face；　but　seemed　to　chase　away　a　serious

shadow；　allowing　his　kindly；　gentle　spirit　to　shine　through。　He　was　nervous；

and　had　a　timid　manner。　Edwards　was　his　opposite；　being　a　man　of　robust　frame；

with　a　heavy　face；　and　a　manner　that　would　have　suggested　self…confidence　in

another　man。



They　were　true　and　tried　friends。



〃Dave；　I　couldn't　ask　her；〃　said　Young；　trembling　at　the　very　thought。　

〃Besides；　there's　no　hope　for　me。　I　know　it。　That's　why　I'm　afraid；　why　I

don't　want　to　ask　her。　What'd　such　a　glorious　creature　see　in　a　poor；　puny

little　thing　like　me？〃



〃George；　you're　not　over…handsome；〃　admitted　Dave；　shaking　his　head。　　〃But　you

can　never　tell　about　women。　Sometimes　they　like　even　little；　insignificant

fellows。　Don't　be　too　scared　about　asking　her。　Besides；　it　will　make　it　easier

for　me。　You　might　tell　her　about　meyou　know；　sort　of　feel　her　out；　so

I'd…〃



Dave's　voice　failed　him　here；　but　he　had　said　enough；　and　that　was　most

discouraging　to　poor　George。　Dave　was　so　busy　screwing　up　his　courage　that　he

forgot　all　about　his　friend。



〃No；　I　couldn't；〃　gasped　George；　falling　into　a　chair。　He　was　ghastly　pale。　〃I

couldn't　ask　her　to　accept　me；　let　alone　do　another　man's　wooing。　　She　thinks

more　of　you。　She'll　accept　you。〃



〃You　really　think　so？〃　whispered　Dave；　nervously。



〃I　know　she　will。　You're　such　a　fine；　big　figure　of　a　man。　She'll　take　you；

and　I'll　be　glad。　This　fever　and　fretting　has　about　finished　me。　When　she's

yours　I'll　not　be　so　bad。　I'll　be　happy　in　your　happiness。　　But；　Dave；　you'll

let　me　see　her　occasionally；　won't　you？　Go！　Hurryget　it　over！〃



〃Yes；　we　must　have　it　over；〃　replied　Dave；　getting　up　with　a　brave；　effort。　

Truly；　if　he　carried　that　determined　front　to　his　lady…love　he　would　look　like

a　masterful　lover。　But　when　he　got　to　the　door　he　did　not　at　all　resemble　a

conqueror。



〃You're　sure　shecares　for　me？〃　asked　Dave；　for　the　hundredth　time。　This

time；　as　always；　his　friend　was　faithful　and　convincing。



〃I　know　she　does。　Gohurry。　I　tell　you　I　can't　stand　this　any　longer；〃　cried

George；　pushing　Dave　out　of　the　door。



〃You　won't　gofirst？〃　whispered　Dave；　clinging　to　the　door。



〃I　won't　go　at　all。　I　couldn't　ask　herI　don't　want　hergo！　Get　out！〃



Dave　started　reluctantly　toward　the　adjoining　cabin；　from　the　open　window　of

which　came　the　song　of　the　young　woman　who　was　responsible　for　all　this

trouble。　George　flung　himself　on　his　bed。　What　a　relief　to　feel　it　was　all

over！　He　lay　there　with　eves　shut　for　hours；　as　it　seemed。　After　a　time　Dave

came　in。　George　leaped　to　his　feet　and　saw　his　friend　stumbling　over　a　chair。

Somehow；　Dave　did　not　look　as　usual。　He　seemed　changed；　or　shrunken；　and　his

face　wore　a　discomfited；　miserable　expression。



〃Well？〃　cried　George；　sharply。　Even　to　his　highly　excited　imagination　this　did

not　seem　the　proper　condition　for　a　victorious　lover。



〃She　refusedrefused　me；〃　faltered　Dave。　〃She　was　very　sweet　and　kind；　said

something　about　being　my　sisterI　don't　remember　just　whatbut　she　wouldn't

have　me。〃



〃What　did　you　say　to　her？〃　whispered　George；　a　paralyzing　hope　almost

rendering　him　speechless。



〃II　told　her　everything　I　could　think　of；〃　replied　Dave；　despondently；　〃even

what　you　said。〃



〃What　I　said？　Dave；　what　did　you　tell　her　I　said？〃



〃Why；　you　knowabout　she　cared　for　methat　you　were　sure　of　it；　and　that　you

didn't　want　her…〃



〃Jackass！〃　roared　George；　rising　out　of　his　meekness　like　a　lion　roused　from

slumber。



〃Didn't　yousay　so？〃　inquired　Dave；　weakly。



〃No！　No！　No！　Idiot！〃



As　one　possessed；　George　rushed　out　of　the　cabin；　and　a　moment　later　stood

disheveled　and　frantic　before　Kate。



〃Did　that　fool　say　I　didn't　love　you？〃　he　demanded。



Kate　looked　up；　startled；　but　as　an　understanding　of　George's　wild　aspect　and

wilder　words　dawned　upon　her；　she　resumed　her　usual　calm　demeanor。　　Looking

again　to　see　if　this　passionate　young　man　was　indeed　George；　she　turned　her

face　as　she　said：