the spirit of the border-第54章

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〃Nell；　I've　kept　my　courage　only　because　of　you；〃　replied　Jim；　his　voice

trembling　slightly。



She　looked　up　quickly。　Something　in　the　pale　face　which　was　bent　over　her　told

that　now；　if　ever；　was　the　time　for　a　woman　to　forget　herself；　and　to　cheer；

to　inspire　those　around　her。



〃I　am　a　silly　baby；　and　selfish！〃　she　cried；　freeing　herself　from　his　hold。

〃Always　thinking　of　myself。〃　She　turned　away　and　wiped　the　tears　from　her

eyes。　〃Go；　Jim；　do　you　duty；　I'll　stand　by　and　help　you　all　a　woman　can。〃





The　missionaries　were　consulting　in　Heckewelder's　cabin。　Zeisberger　had

returned　that　morning；　and　his　aggressive；　dominating　spirit　was　just　what

they　needed　in　an　hour　like　this。　He　raised　the　downcast　spirits　of　the

ministers。



〃Hold　the　service？　I　should　say　we　will；〃　he　declared；　waving　his　hands。　

〃What　have　we　to　be　afraid　of？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　answered　Heckewelder；　shaking　his　head　doubtfully。　〃I　do　not

know　what　to　fear。　Girty　himself　told　me　he　bore　us　no　ill　will；　but　I　hardly

believe　him。　All　this　silence；　this　ominous　waiting　perplexes；　bewilders　me。〃



〃Gentlemen；　our　duty　at　least　is　plain；〃　said　Jim；　impressively。　〃The　faith　of

these　Christian　Indians　in　us　is　so　absolute　that　they　have　no　fear。　They

believe　in　God；　and　in　us。　These　threatening　savages　have　failed　signally　to

impress　our　Christians。　If　we　do　not　hold　the　service　they　will　think　we　fear

Girty；　and　that　might　have　a　bad　influence。〃



〃I　am　in　favor　of　postponing　the　preaching　for　a　few　days。　I　tell　you　I　am

afraid　of　Girty's　Indians；　not　for　myself；　but　for　these　Christians　whom　we

love　so　well。　I　am　afraid。〃　Heckewelder's　face　bore　testimony　to　his　anxious

dread。



〃You　are　our　leader；　we　have　but　to　obey；〃　said　Edwards。　〃Yet　I　think　we　owe

it　to　our　converts　to　stick　to　our　work　until　we　are　forced　by　violence　to

desist。〃



〃Ah！　What　form　will　that　violence　take？〃　cried　Heckewelder；　his　face　white。

〃You　cannot　tell　what　these　savages　mean。　I　fear！　　I　fear！〃



〃Listen；　Heckewelder；　you　must　remember　we　had　this　to　go　through　once

before；〃　put　in　Zeisberger　earnestly。　〃In　'78　Girty　came　down　on　us　like　a

wolf　on　the　fold。　He　had　not　so　many　Indians　at　his　beck　and　call　as　now；　but

he　harangued　for　days；　trying　to　scare　us　and　our　handful　of　Christians。　He

set　his　drunken　fiends　to　frighten　us；　and　he　failed。　　We　stuck　it　out　and

won。　He's　trying　the　same　game。　Let　us　stand　against　him；　and　hold　our

services　as　usual。　We　should　trust　in　God！〃



〃Never　give　up！〃　cried　Jim。



〃Gentlemen；　you　are　right；　you　shame　me；　even　though　I　feel　that　I　understand

the　situation　and　its　dread　possibilities　better　than　any　one　of　you。　Whatever

befalls　we'll　stick　to　our　post。　I　thank　you　for　reviving　the　spirit　in　my

cowardly　heart。　We　will　hold　the　service　to…day　as　usual　and　to　make　it　more

impressive；　each　shall　address　the　congregation　in　turn。〃



〃And；　if　need　be；　we　will　give　our　lives　for　our　Christians；〃　said　Young；

raising　his　pale　face。





The　deep　mellow　peals　of　the　church　bell　awoke　the　slumbering　echoes。　

Scarcely　had　its　melody　died　away　in　the　forest　when　a　line　of　Indians　issued

from　the　church　and　marched　toward　the　maple　grove。　Men；　women；　youths；

maidens　and　children。



Glickhican；　the　old　Delaware　chief；　headed　the　line。　His　step　was　firm；　his

head　erect；　his　face　calm　in　its　noble　austerity。　His　followers　likewise

expressed　in　their　countenances　the　steadfastness　of　their　belief。　　The

maidens'　heads　were　bowed；　but　with　shyness；　not　fear。　The　children　were

happy；　their　bright　faces　expressive　of　the　joy　the　felt　in　the　anticipation

of　listening　to　their　beloved　teachers。



This　procession　passed　between　rows　of　painted　savages；　standing　immovable；

with　folded　arms；　and　somber　eyes。



No　sooner　had　the　Christians　reached　the　maple　grove；　when　from　all　over　the

clearing　appeared　hostile　Indians；　who　took　positions　near　the　knoll　where　the

missionaries　stood。



Heckewelder's　faithful　little　band　awaited　him　on　the　platform。　The　converted

Indians　seated　themselves　as　usual　at　the　foot　of　the　knoll。　　The　other

savages　crowded　closely　on　both　sides。　They　carried　their　weapons；　and

maintained　the　same　silence　that　had　so　singularly　marked　their　mood　of　the

last　twenty…four　hours。　No　human　skill　could　have　divined　their　intention。

This　coldness　might　be　only　habitual　reserve；　and　it　might　be　anything　else。



Heckewelder　approached　at　the　same　time　that　Simon　Girty　and　his　band　of

renegades　appeared。　With　the　renegades　were　Pipe　and　Half　King。　These　two　came

slowly　across　the　clearing；　passed　through　the　opening　in　the　crowd；　and

stopped　close　to　the　platform。



Heckewelder　went　hurriedly　up　to　his　missionaries。　He　seemed　beside　himself

with　excitement；　and　spoke　with　difficulty。



〃Do　not　preach　to…day。　I　have　been　warned　again；〃　he　said；　in　a　low　voice。



〃Do　you　forbid　it？〃　inquired　Edwards。



〃No；　no。　I　have　not　that　authority；　but　I　implore　it。　Wait；　wait　until　the

Indians　are　in　a　better　mood。〃



Edwards　left　the　group；　and；　stepping　upon　the　platform；　faced　the　Christians。



At　the　same　moment　Half　King　stalked　majestically　from　before　his　party。　　He

carried　no　weapon　save　a　black；　knotted　war…club。　A　surging　forward　of　the

crowd　of　savages　behind　him　showed　the　intense　interest　which　his　action　had

aroused。　He　walked　forward　until　he　stood　half　way　between　the　platform　and

the　converts。　He　ran　his　evil　glance　slowly　over　the　Christians；　and　then

rested　it　upon　Edwards。



〃Half　King's　orders　are　to　be　obeyed。　Let　the　paleface　keep　his　mouth　closed；〃

he　cried　in　the　Indian　tongue。　The　imperious　command　came　as　a　thunderbolt

from　a　clear　sky。　The　missionaries　behind　Edwards　stood　bewildered；　awaiting

the　outcome。



But　Edwards；　without　a　moment's　hesitation；　calmly　lifted　his　hand　and　spoke。



〃Beloved　Christians；　we　meet　to…day　as　we　have　met　before；　as　we　hope　to　meet

in…〃



〃Spang！〃



The　whistling　of　a　bullet　over　the　heads　of　the　Christians　accompanied　the

loud　report　of　a　rifle。　All　presently　plainly　heard　the　leaden　missile　strike。

Edwards　wheeled；　clutching　his　side；　breathed　hard；　and　then　fell　heavily

without　uttering　a　cry。　He　had　been　shot　by　an　Indian　concealed　in　the

thicket。



For　a　moment　no　one　moved；　nor　spoke。　the　missionaries　were　stricken　with

horror；　the　converts　seemed　turned　to　stone；　and　the　hostile　throng　waited

silently；　as　they　had　for　hours。



〃He's　shot！　He's　shot！　Oh；　I　feared　this！〃　cried　Heckewelder；　running　forward。

The　missionaries　followed　him。　Edwards　was　lying　on　his　back；　with　a　bloody

hand　pressed　to　his　side。



〃Dave；　Dave；　how　is　it　with　you？〃　asked　Heckewelder；　in　a　voice　low　with　fear。



〃Not　bad。　It's　too　far　out　to　be　bad；　but　it　knocked　me　over；〃　answered

Edwards；　weakly。　〃Give　mewater。〃



They　carried　him　from　the　platform；　and　laid　him　on　the　grass　under　a　tree。



Young　pressed　Edwards'　hand；　he　murmured　something　that　sounded　like　a　prayer；

and　then　walked　straight　upon　the　platform；　as　he　raised　his　face；　which　was

sublime　with　a　white　light。



〃Paleface！　Back！〃　roared　Half　King；　as　he　waved　his　war…club。



〃You　Indian　dog！　Be　silent！〃



Young's　clear　voice　rolled　out　on　the　quiet　air　so　imperiously；　so　powerful　in

its　wonderful　scorn　and　passion；　that　the　hostile　savages　were　overcome　by

awe；　and　the　Christians　thrilled　anew　with　reverential　love。



Young　spoke　again　in　a　voice　which　had　lost　its　passion；　and　was　singularly

sweet　in　its　richness。



〃Beloved　Christians；　if　it　is　God's　will　that　we　must　die　to　prove　our　faith；

then　as　we　have　taught　you　how　to　live；　so　we　can　show　you　how　to　die…〃



〃Spang！〃



Again　a　whistling　sound　came　with　the　bellow　of　an　overcharged　rifle；　again

the　sickening　thud　of　a　bullet　striking　flesh。



Young　fell　backwards　from　the　platform。



The　missionaries　laid　him　beside　Edwards；　and　then　stood　in　shudder