the spirit of the border-第45章

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〃Nellie；　can　you　understand　me？〃　asked　Heckewelder；　putting　into　his　voice　all

the　power　and　intensity　of　feeling　of　which　he　was　capable。



An　almost　imperceptible　shadow　of　understanding　shone　in　her　eyes。



〃Listen。　You　have　had　a　terrible　shock；　and　it　has　affected　your　mind。　　You

are　mistaken　in　what　you　think；　what　you　dream　of　all　the　time。　　Do　you

understand？　You　are　wrong！〃



Nell's　eyes　quickened　with　a　puzzled；　questioning　doubt。　The　minister's

magnetic；　penetrating　voice　had　pierced　her　dulled　brain。



〃See；　I　have　brought　you　Jim！〃



Heckewelder　stepped　aside　as　Jim　fell　on　his　knees　by　the　bed。　He　took　her

cold　hands　in　his　and　bent　over　her。　For　the　moment　his　voice　failed。



The　doubt　in　Nell's　eyes　changed　to　a　wondrous　gladness。　It　was　like　the

rekindling　of　a　smoldering　fire。



〃Jim？〃　she　whispered。



〃Yes；　Nellie；　it's　Jim　alive　and　well。　It's　Jim　come　back　to　you。〃



A　soft　flush　stained　her　white　face。　She　slipped　her　arm　tenderly　around　his

neck；　and　held　her　cheek　close　to　his。



〃Jim；〃　she　murmured。



〃Nellie；　don't　you　now　me？〃　asked　Mr。　Wells；　trembling；　excited。　This　was　the

first　word　she　had　spoken　in　four　days。



〃Uncle！〃　she　exclaimed；　suddenly　loosening　her　hold　on　Jim；　and　sitting　up　in

bed；　then　she　gazed　wildly　at　the　others。



〃Was　it　all　a　horrible　dream？〃



Mr。　Wells　took　her　hand　soothingly；　but　he　did　not　attempt　to　answer　her

question。　He　looked　helplessly　at　Heckewelder；　but　that　missionary　was

intently　studying　the　expression　on　Nell's　face。



〃Part　of　it　was　a　dream；〃　he　answered；impressively。



〃Then　that　horrible　man　did　take　us　away？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃Oh…h！　but　we're　free　now？　This　is　my　room。　Oh；　tell　me？〃



〃Yes；　Nellie；　you're　safe　at　home　now。〃



〃Telltell　me；〃　she　cried；　shudderingly；　as　she　leaned　close　to　Jim　and

raised　a　white；　imploring　face　to　his。　〃Where　is　Kate？Oh！　Jimsay；　say　she

wasn't　left　with　Girty？〃



〃Kate　is　dead；〃　answered　Jim；　quickly。　He　could　not　endure　the　horror　in　her

eyes。　He　deliberately　intended　to　lie；　as　had　Heckewelder。



It　was　as　if　the　tension　of　Nell's　nerves　was　suddenly　relaxed。　The　relief

from　her　worst　fear　was　so　great　that　her　mind　took　in　only　the　one

impression。　Then；　presently；　a　choking　cry　escaped　her；　to　be　followed　by　a

paroxysm　of　sobs。







Chapter　XX。



Early　on　the　following　day　Heckewelder；　astride　his　horse；　appeared　at　the

door　of　Edwards'　cabin。



〃How　is　George？〃　he　inquired　of　Dave；　when　the　latter　had　opened　the　door。



〃He　had　a　bad　night；　but　is　sleeping　now。　I　think　he'll　be　all　right　after　a

time；〃　answered　Dave。



〃That's　well。　Nevertheless　keep　a　watch　on　him　for　a　few　days。〃



〃I'll　do　so。〃



〃Dave；　I　leave　matters　here　to　your　good　judgment。　I'm　off　to　Goshocking　to

join　Zeisberger。　Affairs　there　demand　our　immediate　attention；　and　we　must

make　haste。〃



〃How　long　do　you　intend　to　be　absent？〃



〃A　few　days；　possibly　a　week。　In　case　of　any　unusual　disturbance　among　the

Indians；　the　appearance　of　Pipe　and　his　tribe；　or　any　of　the　opposing

factions；　send　a　fleet　runner　at　once　to　warn　me。　Most　of　my　fears　have　been

allayed　by　Wingenund's　attitude　toward　us。　His　freeing　Jim　in　face　of　the

opposition　of　his　chiefs　is　a　sure　sign　of　friendliness。　More　than　once　I　have

suspected　that　he　was　interested　in　Christianity。　His　daughter；　Whispering

Winds；　exhibited　the　same　intense　fervor　in　religion　as　has　been　manifested　by

all　our　converts。　It　may　be　that　we　have　not　appealed　in　vain　to　Wingenund　and

his　daughter；　but　their　high　position　in　the　Delaware　tribe　makes　it　impolitic

for　them　to　reveal　a　change　of　heart。　If　we　could　win　over　those　two　we'd　have

every　chance　to　convert　the　whole　tribe。　Well；　as　it　is　we　must　be　thankful

for　Wingenund's　friendship。　We　have　two　powerful　allies　now。　Tarhe；　the

Wyandot　chieftain；　remains　neutral；　to　be　sure；　but　that's　almost　as　helpful

as　his　friendship。〃



〃I；　too；　take　a　hopeful　view　of　the　situation；〃　replied　Edwards。



〃We'll　trust　in　Providence；　and　do　our　best；〃　said　Heckewelder；　as　he　turned

his　horse。　〃Good…by。〃



〃Godspeed！〃　called　Edwards；　as　his　chief　rode　away。



The　missionary　resumed　his　work　of　getting　breakfast。　He　remained　in　doors　all

that　day；　except　for　the　few　moments　when　he　ran　over　to　Mr。　Wells'　cabin　to

inquire　regarding　Nell's　condition。　He　was　relieved　to　learn　she　was　so　much

better　that　she　had　declared　her　intention　of　moving　about　the　house。　Dave

kept　a　close　watch　on　Young。　He；　himself；　was　suffering　from　the　same　blow

which　had　prostrated　his　friend；　but　his　physical　strength　and　fortitude　were

such　that　he　did　not　weaken。　He　was　overjoyed　to　see　that　George　rallied；　and

showed　no　further　indications　of　breaking　down。



True　it　was；　perhaps；　that　Heckewelder's　earnest　prayer　on　behalf　of　the

converted　Indians　had　sunk　deeply　into　George's　heart　and　thus　kept　it　from

breaking。　No　stronger　plea　could　have　been　made　than　the　allusion　to　those

gentle；　dependent　Christians。　No　one　but　a　missionary　could　realize　the

sweetness；　the　simplicity；　the　faith；　the　eager　hope　for　a　good；　true　life

which　had　been　implanted　in　the　hearts　of　these　Indians。　　To　bear　it　in　mind；

to　think　of　what　he；　as　a　missionary　and　teacher；　was　to　them；　relieved　him　of

half　his　burden；　and　for　strength　to　bear　the　remainder　he　went　to　God。　For

all　worry　there　is　a　sovereign　cure；　for　all　suffering　there　is　a　healing

balm；　it　is　religious　faith。　　Happiness　had　suddenly　flashed　with　a

meteor…like　radiance　into　Young's　life　only　to　be　snuffed　out　like　a　candle　in

a　windy　gloom；　but　his　work；　his　duty　remained。　So　in　his　trial　he　learned　the

necessity　of　resignation。　He　chaffed　no　more　at　the　mysterious；　seemingly

brutal　methods　of　nature；　he　questioned　no　more。　He　wondered　no　more　at　the

apparent　indifference　of　Providence。　He　had　one　hope；　which　was　to　be　true　to

his　faith；　and　teach　it　to　the　end。



Nell　mastered　her　grief　by　an　astonishing　reserve　of　strength。　Undoubtedly　it

was　that　marvelously　merciful　power　which　enables　a　person；　for　the　love　of

others；　to　bear　up　under　a　cross；　or　even　to　fight　death　himself。　　As　Young

had　his　bright…eyed　Indian　boys　and　girls；　who　had　learned　Christianity　from

him；　and　whose　future　depended　on　him；　so　Nell　had　her　aged　and　weakening

uncle　to　care　for　and　cherish。



Jim's　attentions　to　her　before　the　deep　affliction　had　not　been　slight；　but

now　they　were　so　marked　as　to　be　unmistakable。　In　some　way　Jim　seemed　changed

since　he　had　returned　from　the　Delaware　encampment。　　Although　he　went　back　to

the　work　with　his　old　aggressiveness；　he　was　not　nearly　so　successful　as　he

had　been　before。　Whether　or　not　this　was　his　fault；　he　took　his　failure　deeply

to　heart。　There　was　that　in　his　tenderness　which　caused　Nell　to　regard　him；　in

one　sense；　as　she　did　her　uncle。　Jim；　too；　leaned　upon　her；　and　she　accepted

his　devotion　where　once　she　had　repelled　it。　She　had　unconsciously　betrayed　a

great　deal　when　she　had　turned　so　tenderly　to　him　in　the　first　moments　after

her　recognition；　and　he　remembered　it。　He　did　not　speak　of　love　to　her；　he　let

a　thousand　little　acts　of　kindness；　a　constant　thoughtfulness　of　her　plead　his

cause。



The　days　succeeding　Heckewelder's　departure　were　remarkable　for　several

reasons。　Although　the　weather　was　enticing；　the　number　of　visiting　Indians

gradually　decreased。　Not　a　runner　from　any　tribe　came　into　the　village；　and

finally　the　day　dawned　when　not　a　single　Indian　from　the　outlying　towns　was

present　to　hear　the　preaching。



Jim　spoke；　as　usual。　After　several　days　had　passed　and　none　but　converted

Indians　made　up　the　congregation；　the　young　man　began　to　be　uneasy　in　mind。



Young　and　Edwards　were　unable　to　account　for　the　unusual　absence　from　worship；

yet　they　did　not　see　in　it　anything　to　cause　especial　concern。　Often　there　had

been　days　without　visitation　to　the　Village　of　Peace。



Fina