the spirit of the border-第27章

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

face　as　she　said：



〃If　you　mean　Mr。　Edwards；　yes；　I　believe　he　did　say　as　much。　Indeed；　from　his

manner；　he　seemed　to　have　monopolized　all　the　love　near　the　Village　of　Peace。〃



〃But　it's　not　true。　I　do　love　you。　I　love　you　to　distraction。　I　have　loved　you

ever　since　I　first　saw　you。　I　told　Dave　that。　Heckewelder　knows　it；　even　the

Indians　know　it；〃　cried　George；　protesting　vehemently　against　the　disparaging

allusion　to　his　affections。　He　did　not　realize　he　was　making　a　most

impassioned　declaration　of　love。　When　he　was　quite　out　of　breath　he　sat　down

and　wiped　his　moist　brow。



A　pink　bloom　tinged　Kate's　cheeks；　and　her　eyes　glowed　with　a　happy　light；　but

George　never　saw　these　womanly　evidences　of　pleasure。



〃Of　course　I　know　you　don't　care　for　me…〃



〃Did　Mr。　Edwards　tell　you　so？〃　asked　Kate；　glancing　up　quickly。



〃Why；　yes；　he　has　often　said　he　thought　that。　Indeed；　he　always　seemed　to

regard　himself　as　the　fortunate　object　of　your　affections。　I　always　believed

he　was。〃



〃But　it　wasn't　true。〃



〃What？〃



〃It's　not　true。〃



〃What's　not　true？〃



〃Ohabout　mynot　caring。〃



〃Kate！〃　cried　George；　quite　overcome　with　rapture。　He　fell　over　two　chairs

getting　to　her；　but　he　succeeded；　and　fell　on　his　knees　to　kiss　her　hand。



〃Foolish　boy！　It　has　been　you　all　the　time；〃　whispered　Kate；　with　her　quiet

smile。





〃Look　here；　Downs；　come　to　the　door。　See　there；〃　said　Heckewelder　to　Jim。



Somewhat　surprised　at　Heckewelder's　grave　tone；　Jim　got　up　from　the

supper…table　and　looked　out　of　the　door。　He　saw　two　tall　Indians　pacing　to　and

fro　under　the　maples。　It　was　still　early　twilight　and　light　enough　to　see

clearly。　One　Indian　was　almost　naked；　the　lithe；　graceful　symmetry　of　his　dark

figure　standing　out　in　sharp　contrast　to　the　gaunt；　gaudily…costumed　form　of

the　other。



〃Silvertip！　Girty！〃　exclaimed　Jim；　in　a　low　voice。



〃Girty　I　knew；　of　course；　but　I　was　not　sure　the　other　was　the　Shawnee　who

captured　you　and　your　brother；〃　replied　Heckewelder；　drawing　Jim　into　another

room。



〃What　do　they　mean　by　loitering　around　the　village？　Inquired　Jim；

apprehensively。　Whenever　he　heard　Girty's　name　mentioned；　or　even　thought　of

him；　he　remembered　with　a　shudder　the　renegade's　allusion　to　the　buzzards。　Jim

never　saw　one　of　these　carrion　birds　soaring　overhead　but　his　thoughts

instantly　reverted　to　the　frontier　ruffian　and　his　horrible　craving。



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Heckewelder。　〃Girty　has　been　here　several　times　of

late。　I　saw　him　conferring　with　Pipe　at　Goshhocking。　I　hope　there's　no

deviltry　afoot。　Pipe　is　a　relentless　enemy　of　all　Christians；　and　Girty　is　a

fiend；　a　hyena。　I　think；　perhaps；　it　will　be　well　for　you　and　the　girls　to

stay　indoors　while　Girty　and　Silvertip　are　in　the　village。〃



That　evening　the　entire　missionary　party　were　gathered　in　Mr。　Wells'　room。　

Heckewelder　told　stories　of　Indian　life；　Nell　sang　several　songs；　and　Kate

told　many　amusing　things　said　and　done　by　the　little　Indian　boys　in　her　class

at　the　school。　Thus　the　evening　passed　pleasantly　for　all。



〃So　next　Wednesday　I　am　to　perform　the　great　ceremony；〃　remarked　Heckewelder；

laying　his　hand　kindly　on　Young's　knee。　〃We'll　celebrate　the　first　white

wedding　in　the　Village　of　Peace。〃



Young　looked　shyly　down　at　his　boots；　Edwards　crossed　one　leg　over　the　other；

and　coughed　loudly　to　hide　his　embarrassment。　Kate　wore；　as　usual；　her　pensive

smile；　Nell's　eyes　twinkled；　and　she　was　about　to　speak；　when　Heckewelder's

quizzical　glance　in　her　direction　made　her　lips　mute。



〃I　hope　I'll　have　another　wedding　on　my　hands　soon；〃　he　said　placidly。



This　ordinary　remark　had　an　extraordinary　effect。　Nell　turned　with　burning

cheeks　and　looked　out　of　the　window。　Jim　frowned　fiercely　and　bit　his　lips。

Edwards　began　to　laugh；　and　even　Mr。　Wells'　serious　face　lapsed　into　a　smile。



〃I　mean　I've　picked　out　a　nice　little　Delaware　squaw　for　Dave；〃　said

Heckewelder；　seeing　his　badinage　had　somehow　gone　amiss。



〃Oh…h！〃　suddenly　cried　Nell；　in　shuddering　tones。



They　all　gazed　at　her　in　amazement。　Every　vestige　of　color　had　receded　from

her　face；　leaving　it　marblelike。　Her　eves　were　fixed　in　startled　horror。

Suddenly　she　relaxed　her　grasp　on　the　windowsill　and　fell　back　limp　and

senseless。



Heckewelder　ran　to　the　door　lo　look　out；　while　the　others　bent　over　the

unconscious　girl；　endeavoring　to　revive　her。　Presently　a　fluttering　breath　and

a　quivering　of　her　dark　lashes　noted　a　return　of　suspended　life。　Then　her

beautiful　eyes　opened　wide　to　gaze　with　wonder　and　fear　into　the　grave　faces

bent　so　anxiously　over　her。



〃Nell；　dearest；　you　are　safe。　What　was　it？　What　frightened　you　so？〃　said　Kate；

tenderly。



〃Oh；　it　was　fearful！〃　gasped　Nell；　sitting　up。　She　clung　to　her　sister　with

one　hand；　while　the　other　grasped　Jim's　sleeve。



〃I　was　looking　out　into　the　dark；　when　suddenly　I　beheld　a　face；　a　terrible

face！〃　cried　Nell。　Those　who　watched　her　marveled　at　the　shrinking；　awful　fear

in　her　eyes。　〃It　was　right　by　the　window。　I　could　have　touched　it。　　Such　a

greedy；　wolfish　face；　with　a　long；　hooked　nose！　The　eyes；　oh！　the　eyes！　I'll

never　forget　them。　They　made　me　sick；　they　paralyzed　me。　It　wasn't　an　Indian's

face。　It　belonged　to　that　white　man；　that　awful　white　man！　I　never　saw　him

before；　but　I　knew　him。〃



〃Girty！〃　said　Heckewelder；　who　had　come　in　with　his　quiet　step。　〃He　looked　in

at　the　window。　Calm　yourself；　Nellie。　The　renegade　has　gone。〃



The　incident　worried　them　all　at　the　time；　and　made　Nell　nervous　for　several

days；　but　as　Girty　had　disappeared；　and　nothing　more　was　heard　of　him；

gradually　they　forgot。　Kate's　wedding　day　dawned　with　all　the　little　party

well　and　happy。　Early　in　the　afternoon　Jim　and　Nell；　accompanied　by　Kate　and

her　lover；　started　out　into　the　woods　just　beyond　the　clearing　for　the　purpose

of　gathering　wild　flowers　to　decorate　the　cabin。



〃We　are　both　thinking　ofhim；〃　Jim　said；　after　he　and　Nell　had　walked　some

little　way　in　silence。



〃Yes；〃　answered　Nell；　simply。



〃I　hopeI　pray　Joe　comes　back；　but　if　he　doesn'tNellwon't　you　care　a

little　for　me？〃



He　received　no　answer。　But　Nell　turned　her　face　away。



〃We　both　loved　him。　If　he's　gone　forever　our　very　love　for　him　should　bring　us

together。　I　knowI　know　he　would　have　wished　that。〃



〃Jim；　don't　speak　of　love　to　me　now；〃　she　whispered。　Then　she　turned　to　the

others。　Come　quickly；　here　are　great　clusters　of　wild　clematis　and　goldenrod。

How　lovely！　Let　us　gather　a　quantity。〃



The　young　men　had　almost　buried　the　girls　under　huge　masses　of　the　beautiful

flowers；　when　the　soft　tread　of　moccasined　feet　caused　them　all　to　turn　in

surprise。　Six　savages　stood　waist…deep　in　the　bushes；　where　they　had　lain

concealed。　Fierce；　painted　visages　scowled　from　behind　leveled　rifles。



〃Don't　yell！〃　cried　a　hoarse　voice　in　English。　Following　the　voice　came　a

snapping　of　twigs；　and　then　two　other　figures　came　into　view。　They　were　Girty

and　Silvertip。



〃Don't　yell；　er　I'll　leave　you　layin'　here　fer　the　buzzards；〃　said　the

renegade。　He　stepped　forward　and　grasped　Young；　at　the　same　time　speaking　in

the　Indian　language　and　pointing　to　a　nearby　tree。　Strange　to　relate；　the

renegade　apparently　wanted　no　bloodshed。　While　one　of　the　savages　began　to　tie

Young　to　the　tree；　Girty　turned　his　gaze　on　the　girls。　His　little；　yellow　eyes

glinted；　he　stroked　his　chin　with　a　bony　hand；　and　his　dark；　repulsive　face

was　wreathed　in　a　terrible；　meaning　smile。



〃I've　been　layin'　fer　you；〃　he　croaked；　eyeing　Nell。　〃Ye're　the　purtiest　lass；

'ceptin'　mebbe　Bet　Zane；　I　ever　seed　on　the　border。　I　got　cheated　outen　her；

but　I've　got　you；　arter　I　feed　yer　Injun　preacher　to　ther　buzzards　mebbe　ye'll

larn　to　love　me。〃



Nell　gazed　one　instant　into　the　monster's　face。　Her　terror…stricken　eyes　were

piteous　to　behold。　She　t