the spirit of the border-第4章
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in Joe's eyes when； with a last affectionate caress； he turned away from his
pet。
〃Come； Jim； I'll take you to Mr。 Wells。〃
They stated across the little square； while Mose went back under the wagon；
but at a word from Joe he bounded after them； trotting contentedly at their
heels。 Half way to the cabins a big； raw…boned teamster； singing in a drunken
voice； came staggering toward them。 Evidently he had just left the group of
people who had gathered near the Indians。
〃I didn't expect to see drunkenness out here；〃 said Jim； in a low tone。
〃There's lots of it。 I saw that fellow yesterday when he； couldn't walk。
Wentz told me he was a bad customer。〃
The teamster； his red face bathed in perspiration； and his sleeves rolled up；
showing brown； knotty arms； lurched toward them。 As they met he aimed a kick
at the dog； but Mose leaped nimbly aside； avoiding the heavy boot。 He did not
growl； nor show his teeth； but the great white head sank forward a little； and
the lithe body crouched for a spring。
〃Don't touch that dog； he'll tear your leg off！〃 Joe cried sharply。
〃Say； pard； cum an' hev' a drink；〃 replied the teamster； with a friendly leer。
〃I don't drink；〃 answered Joe； curtly； and moved on。
The teamster growled something of which only the word 〃parson〃 was
intelligible to the brothers。 Joe stopped and looked back。 His gray eyes
seemed to contract； they did not flash； but shaded and lost their warmth。 Jim
saw the change； and； knowing what it signified； took Joe's arm as he gently
urged him away。 The teamster's shrill voice could be heard until they entered
the fur…trader's cabin。
An old man with long； white hair flowing from beneath his wide…brimmed hat；
sat near the door holding one of Mrs。 Wentz's children on his knee。 His face
was deep…lined and serious； but kindness shone from his mild blue eyes。
〃Mr。 Wells； this is my brother James。 He is a preacher； and has come in place
of the man you expected from Williamsburg。〃
The old minister arose； and extended his hand； gazing earnestly at the
new…comer meanwhile。 Evidently he approved of what he saw in his quick
scrutiny of the other's face； for his lips were wreathed with a smile of
welcome。
〃Mr。 Downs； I am glad to meet you； and to know you will go with me。 I thank
God I shall take into the wilderness one who is young enough to carry on the
work when my days are done。〃
〃I will make it my duty to help you in whatsoever way lies in my power；〃
answered Jim； earnestly。
〃We have a great work before us。 I have heard many scoffers who claim that it
is worse than folly to try to teach these fierce savages Christianity； but I
know it can be done； and my heart is in the work。 I have no fear； yet I would
not conceal from you； young man； that the danger of going among these hostile
Indians must be great。〃
〃I will not hesitate because of that。 My sympathy is with the redman。 I have
had an opportunity of studying Indian nature and believe the race inherently
noble。 He has been driven to make war； and I want to help him into other
paths。〃
Joe left the two ministers talking earnestly and turned toward Mrs。 Wentz。
The fur…trader's wife was glowing with pleasure。 She held in her hand several
rude trinkets； and was explaining to her listener； a young woman； that the
toys were for the children； having been brought all the way from Williamsburg。
〃Kate； where's Nell？〃 Joe asked of the girl。
〃She went on an errand for Mrs。 Wentz。〃
Kate Wells was the opposite of her sister。 Her motions were slow； easy and
consistent with her large； full； form。 Her brown eyes and hair contrasted
sharply with Nell's。 The greatest difference in the sisters lay in that Nell's
face was sparkling and full of the fire of her eager young life； while Kate's
was calm； like the unruffled surface of a deep lake。
〃That's Jim； my brother。 We're going with you；〃 said Joe。
〃Are you？ I'm glad；〃 answered the girl； looking at the handsome earnest face
of the young minister。
〃Your brother's like you for all the world；〃 whispered Mrs。 Wentz。
〃He does look like you；〃 said Kate； with her slow smile。
〃Which means you think； or hope； that that is all；〃 retorted Joe laughingly。
〃Well； Kate； there the resemblance ends； thank God for Jim！〃
He spoke in a sad； bitter tone which caused both women to look at him
wonderingly。 Joe had to them ever been full of surprises； never until then had
they seen evidences of sadness in his face。 A moment's silence ensued。 Mrs。
Wentz gazed lovingly at the children who were playing with the trinkets； while
Kate mused over the young man's remark； and began studying his； half…averted
face。 She felt warmly drawn to him by the strange expression in the glance he
had given his brother。 The tenderness in his eyes did not harmonize with much
of this wild and reckless boy's behavior。 To Kate he had always seemed so
bold； so cold； so different from other men； and yet here was proof that Master
Joe loved his brother。
The murmured conversation of the two ministers was interrupted by a low cry
from outside the cabin。 A loud； coarse laugh followed； and then a husky voice；
〃Hol' on； my purty lass。〃'
Joe took two long strides； and was on the door…step。 He saw Nell struggling
violently in the grasp of the half…drunken teamster。
〃I'll jes' hev' to kiss this lassie fer luck；〃 he said in a tone of good
humor。
At the same instant Joe saw three loungers laughing； and a fourth； the
grizzled frontiersman； starting forward with a yell。
〃Let me go！〃 cried Nell。
Just when the teamster had pulled her close to him； and was bending his red；
moist face to hers； two brown； sinewy hands grasped his neck with an angry
clutch。 Deprived thus of breath； his mouth opened； his tongue protruded； his
eyes seemed starting from their sockets； and his arms beat the air。 Then he
was lifted and flung with a crash against the cabin wall。 Falling； he lay in
a heap on the grass； while the blood flowed from a cut on his temple。
〃What's this？〃 cried a man； authoritatively。 He had come swiftly up； and
arrived at the scene where stood the grizzled frontiersman。
〃It was purty handy； Wentz。 I couldn't hev' did better myself； and I was
comin' for that purpose；〃 said the frontiersman。 〃Leffler was tryin' to kiss
the lass。 He's been drunk fer two days。 That little girl's sweetheart kin
handle himself some； now you take my word on it。〃
〃I'll agree Leff's bad when he's drinkin'；〃 answered the fur…trader； and to
Joe he added； 〃He's liable to look you up when he comes around。〃
〃Tell him if I am here when he gets sober； I'll kill him；〃 Joe cried in a
sharp voice。 His gaze rested once more on the fallen teamster； and again an
odd contraction of his eyes was noticeable。 The glance was cutting； as if with
the flash of cold gray steel。 〃Nell； I'm sorry I wasn't round sooner；〃 he
said； apologetically； as if it was owing to his neglect the affair had
happened。
As they entered the cabin Nell stole a glance at him。 This was the third time
he had injured a man because of her。 She had on several occasions seen that
cold； steely glare in his eyes； and it had always frightened her。 It was gone；
however； before they were inside the building。 He said something which she did
not hear distinctly； and his calm voice allayed her excitement。 She had been
angry with him； but now she realized that her resentment had disappeared。 He
had spoken so kindly after the outburst。 Had he not shown that he considered
himself her protector and lover？ A strange emotion； sweet and subtle as the
taste of wine； thrilled her； while a sense of fear because of his strength was
mingled with her pride in it。 Any other girl would have been only too glad to
have such a champion； she would； too； hereafter； for he was a man of whom to
be proud。
〃Look here； Nell； you haven't spoken to me；〃 Joe cried suddenly； seeming to
