the spirit of the border-第37章

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whereupon　he　raged　to　and　fro　under　the　tree；　cursing　with　foam…flecked　lips；

and　actually　howling　with　baffled　rage。　His　fury　was　so　great　that　he　became

suddenly　weak；　and　was　compelled　to　sit　down。



〃She's　safe；　you　villainous　renegade！〃　cried　Joe。



〃Hush；　Joe！　Do　not　anger　him。　It　can　do　no　good；〃　interposed　Jim。



〃Why　not？　We　couldn't　be　worse　off；〃　answered　Joe。



〃I'll　git　her；　I'll　git　her　agin；〃　panted　Girty。　〃I'll　keep　her；　an'　she'll

love　me。〃



The　spectacle　of　this　perverted　wretch　speaking　as　if　he　had　been　cheated　out

of　love　was　so　remarkable；　so　pitiful；　so　monstrous；　that　for　a　moment　Joe　was

dumbfounded。



〃Bah！　You　white…livered　murderer！〃　Joe　hissed。　He　well　knew　it　was　not　wise　to

give　way　to　his　passion；　but　he　could　not　help　it。　This　beast　in　human　guise；

whining　for　love；　maddened　him。　〃Any　white　woman　on　earth　would　die　a　thousand

deaths　and　burn　for　a　million　years　afterward　rather　than　love　you！〃



〃I'll　see　you　killed　at　the　stake；　beggin'　fer　mercy；　an'　be　feed　fer

buzzards；〃　croaked　the　renegade。



〃Then　kill　me　now；　or　you　may　slip　up　on　one　of　your　cherished

buzzard…feasts；〃　cried　Joe；　with　glinting　eye　and　taunting　voice。　　〃Then　go

sneaking　back　to　your　hole　like　a　hyena；　and　stay　there。　　Wetzel　is　on　your

trail！　He　missed　you　last　night；　but　it　was　because　of　the　girl。　He's　after

you；　Girty；　he'll　get　you　one　of　these　days；　and　when　he　doesMy　God！…〃



Nothing　could　be　more　revolting　than　that　swarthy；　evil　face　turned　pale　with

fear。　Girty's　visage　was　a　ghastly；　livid　white。　So　earnest；　so　intense　was

Joe's　voice；　that　it　seemed　to　all　as　if　Wetzel　was　about　to　dart　into　the

glade；　with　his　avenging　tomahawk　uplifted　to　wreak　an　awful　vengeance　on　the

abductor。　The　renegade's　white；　craven　heart　contained　no　such　thing　as

courage。　If　he　ever　fought　it　was　like　a　wolf；　backed　by　numbers。　The

resemblance　ceased　here；　for　even　a　cornered　wolf　will　show　his　teeth；　and

Girty；　driven　to　bay；　would　have　cringed　and　cowered。　Even　now　at　the　mention

of　Wetzel's　enmity　he　trembled。



〃I'll　shet　yer　wind；〃　he　cried；　catching　up　his　tomahawk　and　making　for　Joe。



Silvertip　intervened；　and　prevented　the　assault。　He　led　Girty　back　to　his　seat

and　spoke　low；　evidently　trying　to　soothe　the　renegade's　feelings。



〃Silvertip；　give　me　a　tomahawk；　and　let　me　fight　him；〃　implored　Joe。



〃Paleface　bravelike　Injun　chief。　Paleface　Shawnee's　prisonerno　speak

more；〃　answered　Silvertip；　with　respect　in　his　voice。



〃Oh；　where's　Nellie？〃



A　grief…stricken　whisper　caught　Jim's　ear。　He　turned　to　see　Kate's　wide；

questioning　eyes　fixed　upon　him。



〃Nell　was　rescued。〃



〃Thank　God！〃　murmured　the　girl。



〃Come　along；〃　shouted　Girty；　in　his　harsh　voice；　as；　grasping　Kate's　arm；　he

pulled　the　girl　violently　to　her　feet。　Then；　picking　up　his　rifle；　he　led　her

into　the　forest。　Silvertip　followed　with　Joe；　while　the　remaining　Indian

guarded　Jim。





The　great　council…lodge　of　the　Delawares　rang　with　savage　and　fiery　eloquence。

Wingenund　paced　slowly　before　the　orators。　Wise　as　he　was；　he　wanted　advice

before　deciding　what　was　to　be　done　with　the　missionary。　The　brothers　had　been

taken　to　the　chief；　who　immediately　called　a　council。　The　Indians　sat　in　a

half　circle　around　the　lodge。　　The　prisoners；　with　hands　bound；　guarded　by　two

brawny　braves；　stood　in　one　corner　gazing　with　curiosity　and　apprehension　at

this　formidable　array。　Jim　knew　some　of　the　braves；　but　the　majority　of　those

who　spoke　bitterly　against　the　palefaces　had　never　frequented　the　Village　of

Peace。　　Nearly　all　were　of　the　Wolf　tribe　of　Delawares。　Jim　whispered　to　Joe；

interpreting　that　part　of　the　speeches　bearing　upon　the　disposal　to　be　made　of

them。　Two　white　men；　dressed　in　Indian　garb；　held　prominent　positions　before

Wingenund。　The　boys　saw　a　resemblance　between　one　of　these　men　and　Jim　Girty；

and　accordingly　concluded　he　was　the　famous　renegade；　or　so…called　white

Indian；　Simon　Girty。　The　other　man　was　probably　Elliott；　the　Tory；　with　whom

Girty　had　deserted　from　Fort　Pitt。　　Jim　Girty　was　not　present。　Upon　nearing

the　encampment　he　had　taken　his　captive　and　disappeared　in　a　ravine。



Shingiss；　seldom　in　favor　of　drastic　measures　with　prisoners；　eloquently　urged

initiating　the　brothers　into　the　tribe。　Several　other　chiefs　were　favorably

inclined；　though　not　so　positive　as　Shingiss。　Kotoxen　was　for　the　death

penalty；　the　implacable　Pipe　for　nothing　less　than　burning　at　the　stake。　Not

one　was　for　returning　the　missionary　to　his　Christian　Indians。　Girty　and

Elliott；　though　requested　to　speak；　maintained　an　ominous　silence。



Wingenund　strode　with　thoughtful　mien　before　his　council。　He　had　heard　all　his

wise　chiefs　and　his　fiery　warriors。　Supreme　was　his　power。　Freedom　or　death

for　the　captives　awaited　the　wave　of　his　hand。　His　impassive　face　gave　not　the

slightest　inkling　of　what　to　expect　Therefore　the　prisoners　were　forced　to

stand　there　with　throbbing　hearts　while　the　chieftain　waited　the　customary

dignified　interval　before　addressing　the　council。



〃Wingenund　has　heard　the　Delaware　wise　men　and　warriors。　The　white　Indian

opens　not　his　lips；　his　silence　broods　evil　for　the　palefaces。　Pipe　wants　the

blood　of　the　white　men；　the　Shawnee　chief　demands　the　stake。　Wingenund　says

free　the　white　father　who　harms　no　Indian。　Wingenund　hears　no　evil　in　the

music　of　his　voice。　The　white　father's　brother　should　die。　Kill　the　companion

of　Deathwind！〃



A　plaintive　murmur；　remarkable　when　coming　from　an　assembly　of　stern…browed

chiefs；　ran　round　the　circle　at　the　mention　of　the　dread　appellation。



〃The　white　father　is　free；〃　continued　Wingenund。　〃Let　one　of　my　runners

conduct　him　to　the　Village　of　Peace。〃



A　brave　entered　and　touched　Jim　on　the　shoulder。



Jim　shook　his　head　and　pointed　to　Joe。　The　runner　touched　Joe。



〃No；　no。　I　am　not　the　missionary；〃　cried　Joe；　staring　aghast　at　his　brother。

〃Jim；　have　you　lost　your　senses？〃



Jim　sadly　shook　his　head；　and　turning　to　Wingenund　made　known　in　a　broken

Indian　dialect　that　his　brother　was　the　missionary；　and　would　sacrifice

himself；　taking　this　opportunity　to　practice　the　Christianity　he　had　taught。



〃The　white　father　is　brave；　but　he　is　known；〃　broke　in　Wingenund's　deep　voice；

while　he　pointed　to　the　door　of　the　lodge。　〃Let　him　go　back　to　his　Christian

Indians。〃



The　Indian　runner　cut　Joe's　bonds；　and　once　more　attempted　to　lead　him　from

the　lodge。　Rage　and　misery　shown　in　the　lad's　face。　He　pushed　the　runner

aside。　He　exhausted　himself　trying　to　explain；　to　think　of　Indian　words　enough

to　show　he　was　not　the　missionary。　He　even　implored　Girty　to　speak　for　him。

When　the　renegade　sat　there　stolidly　silent　Joe's　rage　burst　out。



〃Curse　you　all　for　a　lot　of　ignorant　redskins。　I　am　not　a　missionary。　　I　am

Deathwind's　friend。　I　killed　a　Delaware。　I　was　the　companion　of　Le　Vent　de　la

Mort！〃



Joe's　passionate　vehemence；　and　the　truth　that　spoke　from　his　flashing　eyes

compelled　the　respect；　if　not　the　absolute　belief　of　the　Indians。　　The　savages

slowly　shook　their　heads。　They　beheld　the　spectacle　of　two　brothers；　one　a

friend；　the　other　an　enemy　of　all　Indians；　each　willing　to　go　to　the　stake；　to

suffer　an　awful　agony；　for　love　of　the　other。　　Chivalrous　deeds　always　stir　an

Indian's　heart。　It　was　like　a　redman　to　die　for　his　brother。　The　indifference；

the　contempt　for　death；　won　their　admiration。



〃Let　the　white　father　stand　forth；〃　sternly　called　Wingenund。



A　hundred　somber　eyes　turned　on　the　prisoners。　Except　that　one　wore　a　buckskin

coat；　the　other　a　linsey　one；　there　was　no　difference。　The　strong　figures　were

the　same；　the　white　faces　alike；　the　stern　resolve　in　the　gray　eyes

identicalthey　were　twin　brothers。



Wingenund　once　more　paced　before　his　silent　chiefs。　To　deal　rightly　with　this

situation　perplexed　him。　To　kill　both　palefaces　did　not　suit　him。　　Suddenly　he

thought　of　a　way　to　decide。



〃Let　Win