the spirit of the border-第58章

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teepee　stood。　McKee　and　Elliott　were　sitting　on　a　log。　　Simon　Girty　stood

beside　them；　his　hard；　keen；　roving　eyes　on　the　scene。　　The　missionary　was

impressed　by　the　white　leader。　There　was　a　difference　in　his　aspect；　a　wilder

look　than　the　others　wore；　as　if　the　man　had　suddenly　awakened　to　the　fury　of

his　Indians。　Nevertheless　the　young　man　went　straight　toward　him。



〃Girty；　I　come…〃



〃Git　out！　You　meddlin'　preacher！〃　yelled　the　renegade；　shaking　his　fist　at

Jim。



Simon　Girty　was　drunk。



Jim　turned　from　the　white　fiends。　He　knew　his　life　to　them　was　not　worth　a

pinch　of　powder。



〃Lost！　Lost！　All　lost！〃　he　exclaimed　in　despair。



As　he　went　toward　the　church　he　saw　hundreds　of　savages　bounding　over　the

grass；　brandishing　weapons　and　whooping　fiendishly。　They　were　concentrating

around　Girty's　teepee；　where　already　a　great　throng　had　congregated。　Of　all

the　Indians　to　be　seen　not　one　walked。　They　leaped　by　Jim；　and　ran　over　the

grass　nimble　as　deer。



He　saw　the　eager；　fire　in　their　dusky　eyes；　and　the　cruelly　clenched　teeth

like　those　of　wolves　when　they　snarl。　He　felt　the　hissing　breath　of　many

savages　as　they　raced　by　him。　More　than　one　whirled　a　tomahawk　close　to　Jim's

head；　and　uttered　horrible　yells　in　his　ear。　They　were　like　tigers　lusting　for

blood。



Jim　hurried　to　the　church。　Not　an　Indian　was　visible　near　the　log　structure。

Even　the　savage　guards　had　gone。　He　entered　the　open　door　to　be　instantly

struck　with　reverence　and　awe。



The　Christians　were　singing。



Miserable　and　full　of　sickening　dread　though　Jim　was；　he　could　not　but　realize

that　the　scene　before　him　was　one　of　extraordinary　beauty　and　pathos。　The

doomed　Indians　lifted　up　their　voices　in　song。　Never　had　they　sung　so

feelingly；　so　harmoniously。



When　the　song　ended　Zeisberger；　who　stood　upon　a　platform；　opened　his　Bible

and　read：



〃In　a　little　wrath　I　hid　my　face　from　thee　for　a　moment；　but　with　everlasting

kindness　will　I　have　mercy　on　thee；　saith　the　Lord；　thy　Redeemer。〃



In　a　voice　low　and　tremulous　the　venerable　missionary　began　his　sermon。



The　shadow　of　death　hovered　over　these　Christian　martyrs；　it　was　reflected　in

their　somber　eyes；　yet　not　one　was　sullen　or　sad。　The　children　who　were　too

young　to　understand；　but　instinctively　feeling　the　tragedy　soon　to　be　enacted

there；　cowered　close　to　their　mothers。



Zeisberger　preached　a　touching　and　impressive；　though　short；　sermon。　At　its

conclusion　the　whole　congregation　rose　and　surrounded　the　missionary。　　The　men

shook　his　hands；　the　women　kissed　them；　the　children　clung　to　his　legs。　It　was

a　wonderful　manifestation　of　affection。



Suddenly　Glickhican；　the　old　Delaware　chief；　stepped　on　the　platform；　raised

his　hand　and　shouted　one　Indian　word。



A　long；　low　wail　went　up　from　the　children　and　youths；　the　women　slowly；

meekly　bowed　their　heads。　The　men；　due　to　the　stoicism　of　their　nature　and　the

Christianity　they　had　learned；　stood　proudly　erect　awaiting　the　death　that　had

been　decreed。



Glickhican　pulled　the　bell　rope。



A　deep；　mellow　tone　pealed　out。



The　sound　transfixed　all　the　Christians。　No　one　moved。



Glickhican　had　given　the　signal　which　told　the　murderers　the　Christians　were

ready。



〃Come；　man；　my　God！　We　can't　stay　here！〃　cried　Jim　to　Zeisberger。



As　they　went　out　both　men　turned　to　look　their　last　on　the　martyrs。　The　death

knell　which　had　rung　in　the　ears　of　the　Christians；　was　to　them　the　voice　of

God。　Stern；　dark　visages　of　men　and　the　sweet；　submissive　faces　of　women　were

uplifted　with　rapt　attention。　A　light　seemed　to　shine　from　these　faces　as　if

the　contemplation　of　God　had　illumined　them。



As　Zeisberger　and　Jim　left　the　church　and　hurried　toward　the　cabins；　they　saw

the　crowd　of　savages　in　a　black　mass　round　Girty's　teepee。　The　yelling　and

leaping　had　ceased。



Heckewelder　opened　the　door。　Evidently　he　had　watched　for　them。



〃Jim！　Jim！〃　cried　Nell；　when　he　entered　the　cabin。　〃Oh…h！　I　was　afraid。　　Oh！　I

am　glad　you're　back　safe。　See；　this　noble　Indian　has　come　to　help　us。〃



Wingenund　stood　calm　and　erect　by　the　door。



〃Chief；　what　will　you　do？〃



〃Wingenund　will　show　you　the　way　to　the　big　river；〃　answered　the　chieftain；　in

his　deep　bass。



〃Run　away？　No；　never！　That　would　be　cowardly。　Heckewelder；　you　would　not　go？

Nor　you；　Zeisberger？　We　may　yet　be　of　use；　we　may　yet　save　some　of　the

Christians。〃



〃Save　the　yellow…hair；〃　sternly　said　Wingenund。



〃Oh；　Jim；　you　don't　understand。　The　chief　has　come　to　warn　me　of　Girty。　　He

intends　to　take　me　as　he　has　others；　as　he　did　poor　Kate。　did　you　not　see　the

meaning　in　his　eyes　to…day？　How　they　scorched　me！　Ho！　Jim；　take　me　away！　Save

me！　Do　not　leave　me　here　to　that　horrible　fate？　Oh！　Jim；　take　me　away！〃



〃Nell；　I　will　take　you；〃　cried　Jim；　grasping　her　hands。



〃Hurry！　There's　a　blanket　full　of　things　I　packed　for　you；〃　said　Heckewelder。

〃Lose　no　time。　Ah！　hear　that！　My　Heavens！　what　a　yell！〃　Heckewelder　rushed　to

the　door　and　looked　out。　〃There　they　go；　a　black　mob　of　imps；　a　pack　of　hungry

wolves！　Jim　Girty　is　in　the　lead。　How　he　leaps！　How　he　waves　his　sledge！　He

leads　the　savages　toward　the　church。　Oh！　it's　the　end！〃



〃Benny？　Where's　Benny？〃　cried　Jim；　hurriedly　lacing　the　hunting　coat　he　had

flung　about　him。



〃Benny's　safe。　I've　hidden　him。　I'll　get　him　away　from　here；〃　answered　young

Christy。　〃Go！　Now's　your　time。　Godspeed　you！〃



〃I'm　ready；〃　declared　Mr。　Wells。　〃Ihavefinished！〃



〃There　goes　Wingenund！　He's　running。　Follow　him；　quick！　Good…by！　　Good…by！　God

be　with　you！〃　cried　Heckewelder。



〃Good…by！　Good…by！〃



Jim　hurried　Nell　toward　the　bushes　where　Wingenund's　tall　form　could　dimly　be

seen。　Mr。　Wells　followed　them。　On　the　edge　of　the　clearing　Jim　and　Nell　turned

to　look　back。



They　saw　a　black　mass　of　yelling；　struggling；　fighting　savages　crowding　around

the　church。



〃Oh！　Jim；　look　back！　Look　back！〃　cried　Nell；　holding　hard　to　his　hand。　　〃Look

back！　See　if　Girty　is　coming！〃







Chapter　XXVII。



At　last　the　fugitives　breathed　free　under　the　gold　and　red　cover　of　the　woods。

Never　speaking；　never　looking　back；　the　guide　hurried　eastward　with　long

strides。　His　followers　were　almost　forced　to　run　in　order　to　keep　him　in

sight。　He　had　waited　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing　for　them；　and；　relieving　Jim

of　the　heavy　pack；　which　he　swung　slightly　over　his　shoulder；　he　set　a　pace

that　was　most　difficult　to　maintain。　The　young　missionary　half　led；　half

carried　Nell　over　the　stones　and　rough　places。　Mr。　Wells　labored　in　the　rear。



〃Oh！　Jim！　Look　back！　Look　back！　See　if　we　are　pursued！〃　cried　Nell　frequently；

with　many　a　earful　glance　into　the　dense　thickets。



The　Indian　took　a　straight　course　through　the　woods。　He　leaped　the　brooks；

climbed　the　rough　ridges；　and　swiftly　trod　the　glades　that　were　free　of

windfalls。　His　hurry　and　utter　disregard　for　the　plain　trail　left　behind；

proved　his　belief　in　the　necessity　of　placing　many　miles　between　the　fugitives

and　the　Village　of　Peace。　Evidently　they　would　be　followed；　and　it　would　be　a

waste　of　valuable　time　to　try　to　conceal　their　trail。　　Gradually　the　ground

began　to　rise；　the　way　become　more　difficult；　but　Wingenund　never　slackened

his　pace。　Nell　was　strong；　supple；　and　light　of　foot。　She　held　her　own　with

Jim；　but　time　and　time　again　they　were　obliged　to　wait　for　her　uncle。　Once　he

was　far　behind。　Wingenund　halted　for　them　at　the　height　of　a　ridge　where　the

forest　was　open。



〃Ugh！〃　exclaimed　the　chieftain；　as　they　finished　the　ascent。　He　stretched　a

long　arm　toward　the　sun；　his　falcon　eye　gleamed。



Far　in　the　west　a　great　black　and　yellow　cloud　of　smoke　rolled　heavenward。　　It

seemed　to　rise　from　out　the　forest；　and　to　hang　low　over　the　trees；　then　it

soared　aloft　and　grew　thinner　until　it　lost　its　distinct　line　far　in　the

clouds。　The　setting　sun　stood　yet　an　hour　high　over　a　distant　hill；　and　burned

dark　re