the spirit of the border-第3章

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journey。　There　was　the　bustle　of　excitement　incident　to　the　arrival　of

strangers；　to　the　quick　exchange　of　greetings；　the　unloading　of　wagons　and

unharnessing　of　horses　and　oxen。



Nell　looked　here　and　there　for　her　sister。　Finally　she　saw　her　standing　near

her　uncle　while　he　conversed　with　one　of　the　teamsters。　The　girl　did　not

approach　them；　but　glanced　quickly　around　in　search　of　some　one　else。　　At

length　she　saw　Joe　unloading　goods　from　one　of　the　wagons；　his　back　was　turned

toward　her；　but　she　at　once　recognized　the　challenge　conveyed　by　the　broad

shoulders。　She　saw　no　other　person；　gave　heed　to　nothing　save　what　was　to　her；

righteous　indignation。



Hearing　her　footsteps；　the　young　man　turned；　glancing　at　her　admiringly；　said：



〃Good　evening；　Miss。〃



Nell　had　not　expected　such　a　matter…of…fact　greeting　from　Joe。　There　was　not

the　slightest　trace　of　repentance　in　his　calm　face；　and　he　placidly　continued

his　labor。



〃Aren't　you　sorry　youyou　treated　me　so？〃　burst　out　Nell。



His　coolness　was　exasperating。　Instead　of　the　contrition　and　apology　she　had

expected；　and　which　was　her　due；　he　evidently　intended　to　tease　her；　as　he　had

done　so　often。



The　young　man　dropped　a　blanket　and　stared。



〃I　don't　understand；〃　he　said；　gravely。　〃I　never　saw　you　before。〃



This　was　too　much　for　quick…tempered　Nell。　She　had　had　some　vague　idea　of

forgiving　him；　after　he　had　sued　sufficiently　for　pardon；　but　now；　forgetting

her　good　intentions　in　the　belief　that　he　was　making　sport　of　her　when　he

should　have　pleaded　for　forgiveness；　she　swiftly　raised　her　hand　and　slapped

him　smartly。



The　red　blood　flamed　to　the　young　man's　face；　as　he　staggered　backward　with

his　hand　to　his　cheek；　she　heard　a　smothered　exclamation　behind　her；　and　then

the　quick；　joyous　barking　of　a　dog。



When　Nell　turned　she　was　amazed　to　see　Joe　standing　beside　the　wagon；　while　a

big　white　dog　was　leaping　upon　him。　Suddenly　she　felt　faint。　　Bewildered；　she

looked　from　Joe　to　the　man　she　had　just　struck；　but　could　not　say　which　was

the　man　who　professed　to　love　her。



〃Jim！　So　you　followed　me！〃　cried　Joe；　starting　forward　and　flinging　his　arms

around　the　other。



〃Yes；　Joe；　and　right　glad　I　am　to　find　you；〃　answered　the　young　man；　while　a

peculiar　expression　of　pleasure　came　over　his　face。



〃It's　good　to　see　you　again！　And　here's　my　old　dog　Mose！　But　how　on　earth　did

you　know？　Where　did　you　strike　my　trail？　What　are　you　going　to　do　out　here　on

the　frontier？　Tell　me　all。　What　happened　after　I　left…〃



Then　Joe　saw　Nell　standing　nearby；　pale　and　distressed；　and　he　felt　something

was　amiss。　He　glanced　quickly　from　her　to　his　brother；　she　seemed　to　be　dazed；

and　Jim　looked　grave。



〃What　the　deuce？　Nell；　this　is　my　brother　Jim；　the　I　told　you　about。　　Jim；

this　is　my　friend；　Miss　Wells。〃



〃I　am　happy　to　meet　Miss　Wells；〃　said　Jim；　with　a　smile；　〃even　though　she　did

slap　my　face　for　nothing。〃



〃Slapped　you？　What　for？〃　Then　the　truth　dawned　on　Joe；　and　he　laughed　until

the　tears　came　into　his　eyes。　〃She　took　you　for　me！　Ha；　ha；　ha！　　Oh；　this　is

great！〃



Nell's　face　was　now　rosy　red　and　moisture　glistened　in　her　eyes；　but　she　tried

bravely　to　stand　her　ground。　Humiliation　had　taken　the　place　of　anger。



〃IIam　sorry；　Mr。　Downs。　I　did　take　you　for　him。　Hehe　has　insulted　me。〃

Then　she　turned　and　ran　into　the　cabin。







Chapter　II。



Joe　and　Jim　were　singularly　alike。　They　were　nearly　the　same　size；　very　tall；

but　so　heavily　built　as　to　appear　of　medium　height；　while　their　grey　eyes　and；

indeed；　every　feature　of　their　clean…cut　faces　corresponded　so　exactly　as　to

proclaim　them　brothers。



〃Already　up　to　your　old　tricks？〃　asked　Jim；　with　his　hand　on　Joe's　shoulder；

as　they　both　watched　Nell's　flight。



〃I'm　really　fond　of　her；　Jim；　and　didn't　mean　to　hurt　her　feelings。　But　tell

me　about　yourself；　what　made　you　come　West？〃



〃To　teach　the　Indians；　and　I　was；　no　doubt；　strongly　influenced　by　your　being

here。〃



〃You're　going　to　do　as　you　ever　havemake　some　sacrifice。　You　are　always

devoting　yourself；　if　not　to　me；　to　some　other。　Now　it's　your　life　you're

giving　up。　To　try　to　convert　the　redskins　and　influence　me　for　good　is　in　both

cases　impossible。　How　often　have　I　said　there　wasn't　any　good　in　me！　My　desire

is　to　kill　Indians；　not　preach　to　them；　Jim。　I'm　glad　to　see　you；　but　I　wish

you　hadn't　come。　This　wild　frontier　is　no　place　for　a　preacher。〃



〃I　think　it　is；〃　said　Jim；　quietly。



〃What　of　Rosethe　girl　you　were　to　marry？〃



Joe　glanced　quickly　at　his　brother。　Jim's　face　paled　slightly　as　he　turned

away。



〃I'll　speak　once　more　of　her；　and　then；　never　again；〃　he　answered。　〃You　knew

Rose　better　than　I　did。　Once　you　tried　to　tell　me　she　was　too　fond　of

admiration；　and　I　rebuked　you；　but　now　I　see　that　your　wider　experience　of

women　had　taught　you　things　I　could　not　then　understand。　She　was　untrue。　　When

you　left　Williamsburg；　apparently　because　you　had　gambled　with　Jewett　and

afterward　fought　him；　I　was　not　misled。　You　made　the　game　of　cards　a　pretense；

you　sought　it　simply　as　an　opportunity　to　wreak　your　vengeance　on　him　for　his

villainy　toward　me。　Well；　it's　all　over　now。　Though　you　cruelly　beat　and　left

him　disfigured　for　life；　he　will　live；　and　you　are　saved　from　murder；　thank

God！　When　I　learned　of　your　departure　I　yearned　to　follow。　Then　I　met　a

preacher　who　spoke　of　having　intended　to　go　West　with　a　Mr。　Wells；　of　the

Moravian　Mission。　I　immediately　said　I　would　go　in　his　place；　and　here　I　am。

I'm　fortunate　in　that　I　have　found　both　him　and　you。〃



〃I'm　sorry　I　didn't　kill　Jewett；　I　certainly　meant　to。　Anyway；　there's　some

comfort　in　knowing　I　left　my　mark　on　him。　He　was　a　sneaking；　cold…blooded

fellow；　with　his　white　hair　and　pale　face；　and　always　fawning　round　the　girls。

I　hated　him；　and　gave　it　to　him　good。〃　Joe　spoke　musingly　and　complacently　as

though　it　was　a　trivial　thing　to　compass　the　killing　of　a　man。



〃Well；　Jim；　you're　here　now；　and　there's　no　help　for　it。　We'll　go　along　with

this　Moravian　preacher　and　his　nieces。　If　you　haven't　any　great　regrets　for

the　past；　why；　all　may　be　well　yet。　I　can　see　that　the　border　is　the　place　for

me。　But　now；　Jim；　for　once　in　your　life　take　a　word　of　advice　from　me。　We're

out　on　the　frontier；　where　every　man　looks　after　himself。　Your　being　a

minister　won't　protect　you　here　where　every　man　wears　a　knife　and　a　tomahawk；

and　where　most　of　them　are　desperadoes。　Cut　out　that　soft　voice　and　most　of

your　gentle　ways；　and　be　a　little　more　like　your　brother。　Be　as　kind　as　you

like；　and　preach　all　you　want　to；　but　when　some　of　these　buckskin…legged

frontiermen　try　to　walk　all　over　you；　as　they　will；　take　your　own　part　in　a

way　you　have　never　taken　it　before。　I　had　my　lesson　the　first　few　days　out

with　that　wagon…train。　It　was　a　case　of　four　fights；　but　I'm　all　right　now。〃



〃Joe；　I　won't　run；　if　that's　what　you　mean；〃　answered　Jim；　with　a　laugh。　

〃Yes；　I　understand　that　a　new　life　begins　here；　and　I　am　content。　If　I　can

find　my　work　in　it；　and　remain　with　you；　I　shall　be　happy。〃



〃Ah！　old　Mose！　I'm　glad　to　see　you；〃　Joe　cried　to　the　big　dog　who　came　nosing

round　him。　〃You've　brought　this　old　fellow；　did　you　bring　the　horses？〃



〃Look　behind　the　wagon。〃



With　the　dog　bounding　before　him；　Joe　did　as　he　was　directed；　and　there　found

two　horses　tethered　side　by　side。　Little　wonder　that　his　eyes　gleamed　with

delight。　One　was　jet…black；　the　other　iron…gray　and　in　every　line　the

clean…limbed　animals　showed　the　thoroughbred。　The　black　threw　up　his　slim　head

and　whinnied；　with　affection　clearly　shining　in　his　soft；　dark　eyes　as　he

recognized　his　master。



〃Lance；　old　fellow；　how　did　I　ever　leave　you！〃　murmured　Joe；　as　he　threw　his

arm　over　the　arched　neck。　Mose　stood　by　looking　up；　and　wagging　his　tail　in

token　of　happiness　at　the　reunion　of　the　three　old　friends。　There　were　tears

in　Joe's　eyes　when；　with　a　last　affec