the spirit of the border-第46章

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been　days　without　visitation　to　the　Village　of　Peace。



Finally　Jim　went　to　consult　Glickhican。　He　found　the　Delaware　at　work　in　the

potato　patch。　The　old　Indian　dropped　his　hoe　and　bowed　to　the　missionary。　A

reverential　and　stately　courtesy　always　characterized　the　attitude　of　the

Indians　toward　the　young　white　father。



〃Glickhican；　can　you　tell　me　why　no　Indians　have　come　here　lately？〃



The　old　chief　shook　his　head。



〃Does　their　absence　signify　ill　to　the　Village　of　Peace？〃



〃Glickhican　saw　a　blackbird　flitting　in　the　shadow　of　the　moon。　The　bird

hovered　above　the　Village　of　Peace；　but　sang　no　song。〃



The　old　Delaware　vouchsafed　no　other　than　this　strange　reply。



Jim　returned　to　his　cabin　decidedly　worried。　He　did　not　at　all　like

Glickhican's　answer。　The　purport　of　it　seemed　to　be　that　a　cloud　was　rising　on

the　bright　horizon　of　the　Christian　village。　He　confided　his　fears　to　Young

and　Edwards。　After　discussing　the　situation；　the　three　missionaries　decided　to

send　for　Heckewelder。　He　was　the　leader　of　the　Mission；　he　knew　more　of　Indian

craft　than　any　of　them；　and　how　to　meet　it。　If　this　calm　in　the　heretofore

busy　life　of　the　Mission　was　the　lull　before　a　storm；　Heckewelder　should　be

there　with　his　experience　and　influence。



〃For　nearly　ten　years　Heckewelder　has　anticipated　trouble　from　hostile

savages；〃　said　Edwards；　〃but　so　far　he　has　always　averted　it。　As　you　know；　he

has　confined　himself　mostly　to　propitiating　the　Indians；　and　persuading　them

to　be　friendly；　and　listen　to　us。　We'll　send　for　him。〃



Accordingly　they　dispatched　a　runner　to　Goshocking。　In　due　time　the　Indian

returned　with　the　startling　news　that　Heckewelder　had　left　the　Indian　village

days　before；　as　had；　in　fact；　all　the　savages　except　the　few　converted　ones。

The　same　held　true　in　the　case　of　Sandusky；　the　adjoining　town。　Moreover；　it

had　been　impossible　to　obtain　any　news　in　regard　to　Zeisberger。



The　missionaries　were　now　thoroughly　alarmed；　and　knew　not　what　to　do。　They

concealed　the　real　state　of　affairs　from　Nell　and　her　uncle；　desiring　to　keep

them　from　anxiety　as　long　as　possible。　That　night　the　three　teachers　went　to

bed　with　heavy　hearts。



The　following　morning　at　daybreak；　Jim　was　awakened　from　a　sound　sleep　by　some

one　calling　at　his　window。　He　got　up　to　learn　who　it　was；　and；　in　the　gray

light；　saw　Edwards　standing　outside。



〃What's　the　matter？〃　questioned　Jim；　hurriedly。



〃Matter　enough。　Hurry。　Get　into　your　clothes；〃　replied　Edwards。　　〃As　soon　as

you　are　dressed；　quietly　awaken　Mr。　Wells　and　Nellie；　but　do　not　frighten

them。〃



〃But　what's　the　trouble？〃　queried　Jim；　as　he　began　to　dress。



〃The　Indians　are　pouring　into　the　village　as　thickly　as　flying　leaves　in

autumn。〃



Edwards'　exaggerated　assertion　proved　to　be　almost　literally　true。　No　sooner

had　the　rising　sun　dispelled　the　mist；　than　it　shone　on　long　lines　of　marching

braves；　mounted　warriors；　hundreds　of　packhorses　approaching　from　the　forests。

The　orderly　procession　was　proof　of　a　concerted　plan　on　the　part　of　the

invaders。



From　their　windows　the　missionaries　watched　with　bated　breath；　with　wonder　and

fear　they　saw　the　long　lines　of　dusky　forms。　When　they　were　in　the　clearing

the　savages　busied　themselves　with　their　packs。　Long　rows　of　teepees　sprung　up

as　if　by　magic。　The　savages　had　come　to　stay！　　The　number　of　incoming　visitors

did　not　lessen　until　noon；　when　a　few　straggling　groups　marked　the　end　of　the

invading　host。　Most　significant　of　all　was　the　fact　that　neither　child；

maiden；　nor　squaw　accompanied　this　army。



Jim　appraised　the　number　at　six　or　seven　hundred；　more　than　had　ever　before

visited　the　village　at　one　time。　They　were　mostly　Delawares；　with　many

Shawnees；　and　a　few　Hurons　among　them。　It　was　soon　evident；　however；　that　for

the　present；　at　least；　the　Indians　did　not　intend　any　hostile　demonstration。

They　were　quiet　in　manner；　and　busy　about　their　teepees　and　camp…fires；　but

there　was　an　absence　of　the　curiosity　that　had　characterized　the　former

sojourns　of　Indians　at　the　peaceful　village。



After　a　brief　consultation　with　his　brother　missionaries；　who　all　were　opposed

to　his　preaching　that　afternoon；　Jim　decided　he　would　not　deviate　from　his

usual　custom。　He　held　the　afternoon　service；　and　spoke　to　the　largest

congregation　that　had　ever　sat　before　him。　He　was　surprised　to　find　that　the

sermon；　which　heretofore　so　strongly　impressed　the　savages；　did　not　now　arouse

the　slightest　enthusiasm。　It　was　followed　by　a　brooding　silence　of　a　boding；

ominous　import。



Four　white　men；　dressed　in　Indian　garb；　had　been　the　most　attentive　listeners

to　Jim's　sermon。　He　recognized　three　as　Simon　Girty；　Elliott　and　Deering；　the

renegades；　and　he　learned　from　Edwards　that　the　other　was　the　notorious　McKee。

These　men　went　through　the　village；　stalking　into　the　shops　and　cabins；　and

acting　as　do　men　who　are　on　a　tour　of　inspection。



So　intrusive　was　their　curiosity　that　Jim　hurried　back　to　Mr。　Well's　cabin　and

remained　there　in　seclusion。　Of　course；　by　this　time　Nell　and　her　uncle　knew

of　the　presence　of　the　hostile　savages。　They　were　frightened；　and　barely

regained　their　composure　when　the　young　man　assured　them　he　was　certain　they

had　no　real　cause　for　fear。



Jim　was　sitting　at　the　doorstep　with　Mr。　Wells　and　Edwards　when　Girty；　with

his　comrades；　came　toward　them。　The　renegade　leader　was　a　tall；　athletic　man；

with　a　dark；　strong　face。　There　was　in　it　none　of　the　brutality　and　ferocity

which　marked　his　brother's　visage。　Simon　Girty　appeared　keen；　forceful；

authoritative；　as；　indeed；　he　must　have　been　to　have　attained　the　power　he

held　in　the　confederated　tribes。　His　companions　presented　wide　contrasts。

Elliott　was　a　small；　spare　man　of　cunning；　vindictive　aspect；　McKee　looked；　as

might　have　been　supposed　from　his　reputation；　and　Deering　was　a　fit　mate　for

the　absent　Girty。　　Simon　appeared　to　be　a　man　of　some　intelligence；　who　had

used　all　his　power　to　make　that　position　a　great　one。　The　other　renegades　were

desperadoes。



〃Where's　Heckewelder？〃　asked　Girty；　curtly；　as　he　stopped　before　the

missionaries。



〃He　started　out　for　the　Indian　towns　on　the　Muskingong；〃　answered　Edwards。　

〃But　we　have　had　no　word　from　either　him　or　Zeisberger。〃



〃When　d'ye　expect　him？〃



〃I　can't　say。　Perhaps　to…morrow；　and　then；　again；　maybe　not　for　a　week。〃



〃He　is　in　authority　here；　ain't　he？〃



〃Yes；　but　he　left　me　in　charge　of　the　Mission。　Can　I　serve　you　in　any　way？〃



〃I　reckon　not；〃　said　the　renegade；　turning　to　his　companions。　They　conversed

in　low　tones　for　a　moment。　Presently　McKee；　Elliott　and　Deering　went　toward

the　newly　erected　teepees。



〃Girty；　do　you　mean　us　any　ill　will？〃　earnestly　asked　Edwards。　He　had　met　the

man　on　more　than　one　occasion；　and　had　no　hesitation　about　questioning　him。



〃I　can't　say　as　I　do；〃　answered　the　renegade；　and　those　who　heard　him　believed

him。　〃But　I'm　agin　this　redskin　preachin'；　an'　hev　been　all　along。　The　injuns

are　mad　clear　through；　an'　I　ain't　sayin'　I've　tried　to　quiet　'em　any。　This

missionary　work　has　got　to　be　stopped；　one　way　or　another。　Now　what　I　waited

here　to　say　is　this：　I　ain't　quite　forgot　I　was　white　once；　an'　believe　you

fellars　are　honest。　I'm　willin'　to　go　outer　my　way　to　help　you　git　away　from

here。〃



〃Go　away？〃　echoed　Edwards。



〃That's　it；〃　answered　Girty；　shouldering　his　rifle。



〃But　why？　We　are　perfectly　harmless；　we　are　only　doing　good　and　hurt　no　one。

Why　should　we　go？〃



〃'Cause　there's　liable　to　be　trouble；〃　said　the　renegade；　significantly。



Edwards　turned　slowly　to　Mr。　Wells　and　Jim。　The　old　missionary　was　trembling

visibly。　Jim　was　pale；　but　more　with　anger　than　fear。



〃Thank　you；　Girty；　but　we'll　stay；〃　and　Jim's　voice　rang　clear。







Chapter　XXI。



〃Jim；　come　out　here；〃　called　Edwards　at　the　window　of　Mr。　Wells'　cabin。



The　young　man　arose　from　the　breakfast　table；　and　when　outside