the spirit of the border-第49章
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smile of death。 Both of these men were far lower than the worst savages； and
it was almost wholly to their deeds of darkness that Simon Girty owed his
infamous name。
To…day White Chief； as Girty was called； awaited his men。 A slight tremor of
the ground caused him to turn his gaze。 The Huron chief； Half King；
resplendent in his magnificent array； had entered the teepee。 He squatted in
a corner； rested the bowl of his great pipe on his knee； and smoked in
silence。 The habitual frown of his black brow； like a shaded； overhanging
cliff； the fire flashing from his eyes； as a shining light is reflected from a
dark pool； his closely…shut； bulging jaw； all bespoke a nature； lofty in its
Indian pride and arrogance； but more cruel than death。
Another chief stalked into the teepee and seated himself。 It was Pipe。 His
countenance denoted none of the intelligence that made Wingenund's face so
noble； it was even coarser than Half King's； and his eyes； resembling live
coals in the dark； the long； cruel lines of his jaw； the thin； tightly…closed
lips； which looked as if they could relax only to utter a savage command；
expressed fierce cunning and brutality。
〃White Chief is idle to…day；〃 said Half King； speaking in the Indian tongue。
〃King； I am waiting。 Girty is slow； but sure；〃 answered the renegade。
〃The eagle sails slowly round and round； up and up；〃 replied Half King； with
majestic gestures； 〃until his eye sees all； until he knows his time； then he
folds his wings and swoops down from the blue sky like the forked fire。 So
does White Chief。 But Half King is impatient。〃
〃To…day decides the fate of the Village of Peace；〃 answered Girty；
imperturbably。
〃Ugh！〃 grunted Pipe。
Half King vented his approval in the same meaning exclamation。
An hour passed； the renegade smoked in silence； the chiefs did likewise。
A horseman rode up to the door of the teepee； dismounted； and came in。 It was
Elliott。 He had been absent twenty hours。 His buckskin suit showed the effect
of hard riding through the thickets。
〃Hullo； Bill； any sign of Jim？〃 was Girty's greeting to his lieutenant。
〃Nary。 He's not been seen near the Delaware camp。 He's after that chap who
married Winds。〃
〃I thought so。 Jim's roundin' up a tenderfoot who will be a bad man to handle
if he has half a chance。 I saw as much the day he took his horse away from
Silver。 He finally did fer the Shawnee； an' almost put Jim out。 My brother
oughtn't to give rein to personal revenge at a time like this。〃 Girty's face
did not change； but his tone was one of annoyance。
〃Jim said he'd be here to…day； didn't he？〃
〃To…day is as long as we allowed to wait。〃
〃He'll come。 Where's Jake and Mac？〃
〃They're here somewhere； drinkin' like fish； an' raisin' hell。〃
Two more renegades appeared at the door； and； entering the teepee； squatted
down in Indian fashion。 The little wiry man with the wizened face was McKee；
the other was the latest acquisition to the renegade force； Jake Deering；
deserter； thief； murderereverything that is bad。 In appearance he was of
medium height； but very heavily； compactly built； and evidently as strong as
an ox。 He had a tangled shock of red hair； a broad； bloated face； big； dull
eyes； like the openings of empty furnaces； and an expression of beastliness。
Deering and McKee were intoxicated。
〃Bad time fer drinkin'；〃 said Girty； with disapproval in his glance。
〃What's that ter you？〃 growled Deering。 〃I'm here ter do your work； an' I
reckon it'll be done better if I'm drunk。〃
〃Don't git careless；〃 replied Girty； with that cool tone and dark look such as
dangerous men use。 〃I'm only sayin' it's a bad time fer you； because if this
bunch of frontiersmen happen to git onto you bein' the renegade that was with
the Chippewas an' got thet young feller's girl； there's liable to be trouble。〃
〃They ain't agoin' ter find out。〃
〃Where is she？〃
〃Back there in the woods。〃
〃Mebbe it's as well。 Now； don't git so drunk you'll blab all you know。 We've
lots of work to do without havin' to clean up Williamson's bunch；〃 rejoined
Girty。 〃Bill； tie up the tent flaps an' we'll git to council。〃
Elliott arose to carry out the order； and had pulled in the deer…hide flaps；
when one of them was jerked outward to disclose the befrilled person of Jim
Girty。 Except for a discoloration over his eye； he appeared as usual。
〃Ugh！〃 grunted Pipe； who was glad to see his renegade friend。
Half King evinced the same feeling。
〃Hullo；〃 was Simon Girty's greeting。
〃'Pears I'm on time fer the picnic；〃 said Jim Girty； with his ghastly leer。
Bill Elliott closed the flaps； after giving orders to the guard to prevent any
Indians from loitering near the teepee。
〃Listen；〃 said Simon Girty； speaking low in the Delaware language。 〃The time
is ripe。 We have come here to break forever the influence of the white man's
religion。 Our councils have been held； we shall drive away the missionaries；
and burn the Village of Peace。〃
He paused； leaning forward in his exceeding earnestness； with his bronzed face
lined by swelling veins； his whole person made rigid by the murderous thought。
The he hissed between his teeth： 〃What shall we do with these Christian
Indians？〃
Pipe raised his war…club； struck it upon the ground； then handed it to Half
King。
Half King took the club and repeated the action。
Both chiefs favored the death penalty。
〃Feed 'em to ther buzzards；〃 croaked Jim Girty。
Simon Girty knitted his brow in thought。 The question of what to do with the
converted Indians had long perplexed him。
〃No；〃 said he； 〃let us drive away the missionaries； burn the village； and take
the Indians back to camp。 We'll keep them there； they'll soon forget。〃
〃Pipe does not want them；〃 declared the Delaware。
〃Christian Indians shall never sit round Half King's fire；〃 cried the Huron。
Simon Girty knew the crisis had come； that but few moments were left him to
decide as to the disposition of the Christians； and he thought seriously。
Certainly he did not want the Christians murdered。 However cruel his life； and
great his misdeeds； he was still a man。 If possible； he desired to burn the
village and ruin the religious influence； but without shedding blood。 Yet；
with all his power； he was handicapped； and that by the very chiefs most
nearly under his control。 He could not subdue this growing Christian influence
without the help of Pipe and Half King。 To these savages a thing was either
right or wrong。 He had sown the seed of unrest and jealousy in the savage
breasts； and the fruit was the decree of death。 As far as these Indians were
concerned； this decision was unalterable。
On the other hand； if he did not spread ruin over the Village of Peace； the
missionaries would soon get such a grasp on the tribes that their hold would
never be broken。 He could not allow that； even if he was forced to sacrifice
the missionaries along with their converts； for he saw in the growth of this
religion his own downfall。 The border must be hostile to the whites； or it
could no longer be his home。 To be sure； he had aided the British in the
Revolution； and could find a refuge among them； but this did not suit him。
He became an outcast because of failure to win the military promotion which he
had so much coveted。 He had failed among his own people。 He had won a great
position in an alien race； and he loved his power。 To sway menIndians； if
not othersto his will； to avenge himself for the fancied wrong done him； to
be great； had been his unrelenting purpose。
He knew he must sacrifice the Christians； or eventually lose his own power。 He
had no false ideas about the converted Indians。 He knew they were innocent；
that they were a thousand times better off than the pagan Indians； that they
had never harmed him； nor would they ever do so； but if he allowed them to
sprea
