the spirit of the border-第59章

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

dark　red　through　the　great　pall　of　smoke。



〃Is　it　a　forest　fire？〃　asked　Nell；　fearfully。



〃Fire；　of　course；　but…〃　Jim　did　not　voice　his　fear；　he　looked　closely　at

Wingenund。



The　chieftain　stood　silent　a　moment　as　was　his　wont　when　addressed。　The　dull

glow　of　the　sun　was　reflected　in　the　dark　eyes　that　gazed　far　away　over　forest

and　field。



〃Fire；〃　said　Wingenund；　and　it　seemed　that　as　he　spoke　a　sterner　shadow

flitted　across　his　bronzed　face。　〃The　sun　sets　to…night　over　the　ashes　of　the

Village　of　Peace。



He　resumed　his　rapid　march　eastward。　With　never　a　backward　glance　the　saddened

party　followed。　Nell　kept　close　beside　Jim；　and　the　old　man　tramped　after　them

with　bowed　head。　The　sun　set；　but　Wingenund　never　slackened　his　stride。

Twilight　deepened；　yet　he　kept　on。



〃Indian；　we　can　go　no　further　to…night；　we　must　rest；〃　cried　Jim；　as　Nell

stumbled　against　him；　and　Mr。　Wells　panted　wearily　in　the　rear。



〃Rest　soon；〃　replied　the　chief；　and　kept　on。



Darkness　had　settled　down　when　Wingenund　at　last　halted。　The　fugitives　could

see　little　in　the　gloom；　but　they　heard　the　music　of　running　water；　and　felt

soft　moss　beneath　their　feet。



They　sank　wearily　down　upon　a　projecting　stone。　The　moss　was　restful　to　their

tired　limbs。　Opening　the　pack　they　found　food　with　which　to　satisfy　the

demands　of　hunger。　Then；　close　under　the　stone；　the　fugitives　sank　into

slumber　while　the　watchful　Indian　stood　silent　and　motionless。



Jim　thought　he　had　but　just　closed　his　eyes　when　he　felt　a　gentle　pressure　on

his　arm。



〃Day　is　here；〃　said　the　Indian。



Jim　opened　his　eyes　to　see　the　bright　red　sun　crimsoning　the　eastern　hills；

and　streaming　gloriously　over　the　colored　forests。　He　raised　himself　on　his

elbow　to　look　around。　Nell　was　still　asleep。　The　blanket　was　tucked　close　to

her　chin。　Her　chestnut　hair　was　tumbled　like　a　schoolgirl's；　she　looked　as

fresh　and　sweet　as　the　morning。



〃Nell；　Nell；　wake　up；〃　said　Jim；　thinking　the　while　how　he　would　love　to　kiss

those　white　eyelids。



Nell's　eyes　opened　wide；　a　smile　lay　deep　in　their　hazel　shadows。



〃Where　a　I？　Oh；　I　remember；〃　she　cried；　sitting　up。　〃Oh；　Jim；　I　had　such　a

sweet　dream。　I　was　at　home　with　mother　and　Kate。　Oh；　to　wake　and　find　it　all　a

dream！　I　am　fleeing　for　life。　But；　Jim；　we　are　safe；　are　we　not？〃



〃Another　day；　and　we'll　be　safe。〃



〃Let　us　fly；〃　she　cried；　leaping　up　and　shaking　out　her　crumpled　skirt。　

〃Uncle；　come！〃



Mr。　Wells　lay　quietly　with　his　mild　blue　eyes　smiling　up　at　her。　He　neither

moved　nor　spoke。



〃Eat；　drink；〃　said　the　chief；　opening　the　pack。



〃What　a　beautiful　place；〃　exclaimed　Nell；　taking　the　bread　and　meat　handed　to

her。　〃This　is　a　lovely　little　glade。　Look　at　those　golden　flowers；　the　red　and

purple　leaves；　the　brown　shining　moss；　and　those　lichen…covered　stones。　Why！

Some　one　has　camped　here。　See　the　little　cave；　the　screens　of　plaited　ferns；

and　the　stone　fireplace。〃



〃It　seems　to　me　this　dark　spring　and　those　gracefully　spreading　branches　are

familiar；〃　said　Jim。



〃Beautiful　Spring；〃　interposed　Wingenund。



〃Yes；　I　know　this　place；〃　cried　Nell　excitedly。　〃I　remember　this　glade　though

it　was　moonlight　when　I　saw　it。　Here　Wetzel　rescued　me　from　Girty。〃



〃Nell；　you're　right；〃　replied　Jim。　〃How　strange　we　should　run　across　this

place　again。〃



Strange　fate；　indeed；　which　had　brought　them　again　to　Beautiful　Spring！　It　was

destined　that　the　great　scenes　of　their　lives　were　to　be　enacted　in　this　mossy

glade。



〃Come；　uncle；　you　are　lazy；〃　cried　Nell；　a　touch　of　her　old　roguishness　making

playful　her　voice。



Mr。　Wells　lay　still；　and　smiled　up　at　them。



〃You　are　not　ill？〃　cried　Nell；　seeing　for　the　first　time　how　pallid　was　his

face。



〃Dear　Nellie；　I　am　not　ill。　I　do　not　suffer；　but　I　am　dying；〃　he　answered；

again　with　that　strange；　sweet　smile。



〃Oh…h…h！〃　breathed　Nell；　falling　on　her　knees。



〃No；　no；　Mr。　Wells；　you　are　only　weak；　you　will　be　all　right　again　soon；〃

cried　Jim。



〃Jim；　Nellie；　I　have　known　all　night。　I　have　lain　here　wakeful。　My　heart　never

was　strong。　It　gave　out　yesterday；　and　now　it　is　slowly　growing　weaker。　Put

your　hand　on　my　breast。　Feel。　Ah！　you　see！　My　life　is　flickering。　God's　will

be　done。　I　am　content。　My　work　is　finished。　　My　only　regret　is　that　I　brought

you　out　to　this　terrible　borderland。　　But　I　did　not　know。　If　only　I　could　see

you　safe　from　the　peril　of　this　wilderness；　at　home；　happy；　married。〃



Nell　bent　over　him　blinded　by　her　tears；　unable　to　see　or　speak；　crushed　by

this　last　overwhelming　blow。　Jim　sat　on　the　other　side　of　the　old　missionary；

holding　his　hand。　For　many　moments　neither　spoke。　They　glanced　at　the　pale

face；　watching　with　eager；　wistful　eyes　for　a　smile；　or　listening　for　a　word。



〃Come；〃　said　the　Indian。



Nell　silently　pointed　toward　her　uncle。



〃He　is　dying；〃　whispered　Jim　to　the　Indian。



〃Go；　leave　me；〃　murmured　Mr。　Wells。　〃You　are　still　in　danger。〃



〃We'll　not　leave　you；〃　cried　Jim。



〃No；　no；　no；〃　sobbed　Nell；　bending　over　to　kiss　him。



〃Nellie；　may　I　marry　you　to　Jim？〃　whispered　Mr。　Wells　into　her　ear。　〃He　has

told　me　how　it　is　with　him。　He　loves　you；　Nellie。　I'd　die　happier　knowing　I'd

left　you　with　him。〃



Even　at　that　moment；　with　her　heart　almost　breaking；　Nell's　fair　face　flushed。



〃Nell；　will　you　marry　me？〃　asked　Jim；　softly。　Low　though　it　was；　he　had　heard

Mr。　Wells'　whisper。



Nell　stretched　a　little　trembling　hand　over　her　uncle　to　Jim；　who　inclosed　it

in　his　own。　Her　eyes　met　his。　Through　her　tears　shone　faintly　a　light；　which；

but　for　the　agony　that　made　it　dim；　would　have　beamed　radiant。



〃Find　the　place；〃　said　Mr。　Wells；　handing　Jim　a　Bible。　It　was　the　one　he

always　carried　in　his　pocket。



With　trembling　hand　Jim　turned　the　leaves。　At　last　he　found　the　lines；　and

handed　the　book　back　to　the　old　man。



Simple；　sweet　and　sad　was　that　marriage　service。　Nell　and　Jim　knelt　with　hands

clasped　over　Mr。　Wells。　The　old　missionary's　voice　was　faint；　Nell's　responses

were　low；　and　Jim　answered　with　deep　and　tender　feeling。　Beside　them　stood

Wingenund；　a　dark；　magnificent　figure。



〃There！　May　God　bless　you！〃　murmured　Mr。　Wells；　with　a　happy　smile；　closing

the　Bible。



〃Nell；　my　wife！〃　whispered　Jim；　kissing　her　hand。



〃Come！〃　broke　in　Wingenund's　voice；　deep；　strong；　like　that　of　a　bell。



Not　one　of　them　had　observed　the　chief　as　he　stood　erect；　motionless；　poised

like　a　stag　scenting　the　air。　His　dark　eyes　seemed　to　pierce　the　purple…golden

forest；　his　keen　ear　seemed　to　drink　in　the　singing　of　the　birds　and　the

gentle　rustling　of　leaves。　Native　to　these　haunts　as　were　the　wild　creatures；

they　were　no　quicker　than　the　Indian　to　feel　the　approach　of　foes。　The　breeze

had　borne　faint；　suspicious　sounds。



〃KeeptheBible；〃　said　Mr。　Wells；　〃rememberitsword。〃　His　hand　closely

clasped　Nell's；　and　then　suddenly　loosened。　His　pallid　face　was　lighted　by　a

meaning；　tender　smile　which　slowly　fadedfaded；　and　was　gone。　The　venerable

head　fell　back。　The　old　missionary　was　dead。



Nell　kissed　the　pale；　cold　brow；　and　then　rose；　half　dazed　and　shuddering。　

Jim　was　vainly　trying　to　close　the　dead　man's　eyes。　She　could　no　longer　look。

On　rising　she　found　herself　near　the　Indian　chief。　He　took　her　fingers　in　his

great　hand；　and　held　them　with　a　strong；　warm　pressure。　　Strangely　thrilled；

she　looked　up　at　Wingenund。　His　somber　eyes；　fixed　piercingly　on　the　forest；

and　his　dark　stern　face；　were；　as　always；　inscrutable。　No　compassion　shone

there；　no　emotion　unbefitting　a　chieftain　would　ever　find　expression　in　that

cold　face；　but　Nell　felt　a　certain　tenderness　in　this　Indian；　a　response　in

his　great　heart。　Felt　it　so　surely；　so　powerfully　that　she　leaned　her　head

against　him。　She　knew　he　was　her　friend。



〃Come；〃　said　the　chief　once　more。　He　gent