the spirit of the border-第56章

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closely　in　her　arms。



Heckewelder's　face　was　like　marble　as　he　asked　concerning　Edwards'　condition。



〃I'm　not　badly　off；〃　said　the　missionary　with　a　smile。



〃How's　George？〃　whispered　Heckewelder。



No　one　answered　him。　Zeisberger　raised　his　hands。　All　followed　Heckewelder

into　the　other　room；　where　Young　lay　in　the　same　position　as　when　first

brought　in。　Heckewelder　stood　gazing　down　into　the　wan　face　with　its　terribly

significant　smile。



〃I　brought　him　out　here。　I　persuaded　him　to　come！〃　whispered　Heckewelder。　

〃Oh；　Almighty　God！〃　he　cried。　His　voice　broke；　and　his　prayer　ended　with　the

mute　eloquence　of　clasped　hands　and　uplifted；　appealing　face。



〃Come　out；〃　said　Zeisberger；　leading　him　into　the　larger　room。　The　others

followed；　and　Jim　closed　the　door。



〃What's　to　be　done？〃　said　Zeisberger；　with　his　practical　common　sense。　〃What

did　Williamson　say？　Tell　us　what　you　learned？〃



〃Waitdirectly；〃　answered　Heckewelder；　sitting　down　and　covering　his　face

with　his　hands。　There　was　a　long　silence。　At　length　he　raised　his　white　face

and　spoke　calmly：



〃Gentlemen；　the　Village　of　Peace　is　doomed。　I　entreated　Captain　Williamson　to

help　us；　but　he　refused。　Said　he　dared　not　interfere。　I　prayed　that　he　would

speak　at　least　a　word　to　Girty；　but　he　denied　my　request。〃



〃Where　are　the　converts？〃



〃Imprisoned　in　the　church；　every　one　of　them　except　Benny。　Mr。　Christy　and　I

hid　the　child　in　the　meal　sack　and　were　thus　able　to　get　him　here。　We　must

save　him。〃



〃Save　him？〃　asked　Nell；　looking　from　Heckewelder　to　the　trembling　Indian　boy。



〃Nellie；　the　savages　have　driven　all　our　Christians　into　the　church；　and　shut

them　up　there；　until　Girty　and　his　men　shall　give　the　word　to　complete　their

fiendish　design。　The　converts　asked　but　one　favoran　hour　in　which　to　pray。

It　was　granted。　The　savages　intend　to　murder　them　all。〃



〃Oh！　Horrible！　Monstrous！〃　cried　Nell。　〃How　can　they　be　so　inhuman？〃　　She

lifted　Benny　up　in　her　arms。　〃They'll　never　get　you；　my　boy。　We'll　save

youI'll　save　you！〃　The　child　moaned　and　clung　to　her　neck。



〃They　are　scouring　the　clearing　now　for　Christians；　and　will　search　all　the

cabins。　I'm　positive。〃



〃Will　they　come　here？〃　asked　Nell；　turning　her　blazing　eyes　on　Heckewelder。



〃Undoubtedly。　We　must　try　to　hide　Benny。　Let　me　think；　where　would　be　a　good

place？　We'll　try　a　dark　corner　of　the　loft。〃



〃No；　no；〃　cried　Nell。



〃Put　Benny　in　Young's　bed；〃　suggested　Jim。



〃No；　no；〃　cried　Nell。



〃Put　him　in　a　bucket　and　let　him　down　in　the　well；〃　whispered　Edwards；　who　had

listened　intently　to　the　conversation。



〃That's　a　capital　place；〃　said　Heckewelder。　〃But　might　he　not　fall　out　and

drown？〃



〃Tie　him　in　the　bucket；〃　said　Jim。



〃No；　no；　no；〃　cried　Nell。



〃But　Nellie；　we　must　decide　upon　a　hiding　place；　and　in　a　hurry。〃



〃I'll　save　Benny。〃



〃You？　Will　you　stay　here　to　face　those　men？　Jim　Girty　and　Deering　are

searching　the　cabins。　Could　you　bear　it　to　see　them？　You　couldn't。〃



〃Oh！　No；　I　believe　it　would　kill　me！　That　man！　that　beast！　will　he　come　here？〃

Nell　grew　ghastly　pale；　and　looked　as　if　about　to　faint。　She　shrunk　in　horror

at　the　thought　of　again　facing　Girty。　〃For　God's　sake；　Heckewelder；　don't　let

him　see　me！　Don't　let　him　come　in！　Don't！〃



Even　as　the　imploring　voice　ceased　a　heavy　thump　sounded　on　the　door。



〃Who's　there？〃　demanded　Heckewelder。



Thump！　Thump！



The　heavy　blows　shook　the　cabin。　The　pans　rattled　on　the　shelves。　No　answer

came　from　without。



〃Quick！　Hide　Benny！　It's　as　much　as　our　lives　are　worth　to　have　him　found

here；〃　cried　Heckewelder　in　a　fierce　whisper；　as　he　darted　toward　the　door。



〃All　right；　all　right；　in　a　moment；〃　he　called　out；　fumbling　over　the　bar。



He　opened　the　door　a　moment　later　and　when　Jim　Girty　and　Deering　entered　he

turned　to　his　friends　with　a　dread　uncertainty　in　his　haggard　face。



Edwards　lay　on　the　bed　with　wide…open　eyes　staring　at　the　intruders。　Mr。　Wells

sat　with　bowed　head。　Zeisberger　calmly　whittled　a　stick；　and　Jim　stood　bolt

upright；　with　a　hard　light　in　his　eyes。



Nell　leaned　against　the　side　of　a　heavy　table。　Wonderful　was　the　change　that

had　transformed　her　from　a　timid；　appealing；　fear…agonized　girl　to　a　woman

whose　only　evidence　of　unusual　excitement　were　the　flame　in　her　eyes　and　the

peculiar　whiteness　of　her　face。



Benny　was　gone！



Heckewelder's　glance　returned　to　the　visitors。　He　thought　he　had　never　seen


such　brutal；　hideous　men。



〃Wal；　I　reckon　a　preacher　ain't　agoin'　to　lie。　Hev　you　seen　any　Injun

Christians　round　here？〃　asked　Girty；　waving　a　heavy　sledge…hammer。



〃Girty；　we　have　hidden　no　Indians　here；〃　answered　Heckewelder；　calmly。



〃Wal；　we'll　hev　a　look；　anyway；〃　answered　the　renegade。



Girty　surveyed　the　room　with　wolfish　eyes。　Deering　was　so　drunk　that　he

staggered。　Both　men；　in　fact；　reeked　with　the　vile　fumes　of　rum。　Without

another　word　they　proceeded　to　examine　the　room；　by　looking　into　every　box；

behind　a　stone　oven；　and　in　the　cupboard。　They　drew　the　bedclothes　from　the

bed；　and　with　a　kick　demolished　a　pile　of　stove　wood。　Then　the　ruffians　passed

into　the　other　apartments；　where　they　could　be　heard　making　thorough　search。

At　length　both　returned　to　the　large　room；　when　Girty　directed　Deering　to

climb　a　ladder　leading　to　the　loft；　but　because　Deering　was　too　much　under　the

influence　of　liquor　to　do　so；　he　had　to　go　himself。　　He　rummaged　around　up

there　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then　came　down。



〃Wal；　I　reckon　you　wasn't　lyin'　about　it；〃　said　Girty；　with　his　ghastly　leer。



He　and　his　companion　started　to　go　out。　Deering　had　stood　with　bloodshot　eyes

fixed　on　Nell　while　Girty　searched　the　loft；　and　as　they　passed　the　girl　on

their　way　to　the　open　air；　the　renegade　looked　at　Girty　as　he　　motioned　with

his　head　toward　her。　His　besotted　face　expressed　some　terrible　meaning。



Girty　had　looked　at　Nell　when　he　first　entered；　but　had　not　glanced　twice　at

her。　As　he　turned　now；　before　going　out　of　the　door；　he　fixed　on　her　his

baleful　glance。　His　aspect　was　more　full　of　meaning　than　could　have　been　any

words。　A　horrible　power；　of　which　he　was　boastfully　conscious；　shone　from　his

little；　pointed　eyes。　His　mere　presence　was　deadly。　　Plainly　as　if　he　had

spoken　was　the　significance　of　his　long　gaze。　　Any　one　could　have　translated

that　look。



Once　before　Nell　had　faced　it；　and　fainted　when　its　dread　meaning　grew　clear

to　her。　But　now　she　returned　his　gaze　with　one　in　which　flashed　lightning

scorn；　and　repulsion；　in　which　glowed　a　wonderful　defiance。



The　cruel　face　of　this　man；　the　boastful　barbarity　of　his　manner；　the　long；

dark；　bloody　history　which　his　presence　recalled；　was；　indeed；　terrifying

without　the　added　horror　of　his　intent　toward　her；　but　not　the

self…forgetfulness　of　a　true　woman　sustained　her。



Girty　and　Deering　backed　out　of　the　door。　Heckewelder　closed　it；　and　dropped

the　bar　in　place。



Nell　fell　over　the　table　with　a　long；　low　gasp。　Then　with　one　hand　she　lifted

her　skirt。　Benny　walked　from　under　it。　His　big　eyes　were　bright。　　The　young

woman　clasped　him　again　in　her　arms。　Then　she　released　him；　and；　laboring

under　intense　excitement；　ran　to　the　window。



〃There　he　goes！　Oh；　the　horrible　beast！　If　I　only　had　a　gun　and　could　shoot！

Oh；　if　only　I　were　a　man！　I'd　kill　him。　To　think　of　poor　Kate！　　Ah！　he　intends

the　same　for　me！〃



Suddenly　she　fell　upon　the　floor　in　a　faint。　Mr。　Wells　and　Jim　lifted　her　on

the　bed　beside　Edwards；　where　they　endeavored　to　revive　her。　It　was　some

moments　before　she　opened　her　eyes。



Jim　sat　holding　Nell's　hand。　Mr。　Wells　again　bowed　his　head。　Zeisberger

continued　to　whittle　a　stick；　and　Heckewelder　paced　the　floor。　Christy　stood

by　with　every　evidence　of　sympathy　for　this　distracted　group。　　Outside　the

clamor　increased。



〃Just　listen！〃　cried　Heckewelder。　〃Did　you　ever　hear　the　like？　All　drunk；

crazy；　fien