the spirit of the border-第6章

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he　perfectly　understood　Joe's　case。　〃Well；　lad；　where　you're　goin'　seein'

Injuns　ain't　a　matter　of　choice。　You　has　to　see　'em；　and　fight　'em；　too。　We've

had　bad　times　for　years　out　here　on　the　border；　and　I'm　thinkin'　wuss　is

comin'。　Did　ye　ever　hear　the　name　Girty？〃



〃Yes；　he's　a　renegade。〃



〃He's　a　traitor；　and　Jim　and　George　Girty；　his　brothers；　are　p'isin

rattlesnake　Injuns。　Simon　Girty's　bad　enough；　but　Jim's　the　wust。　　He's　now

wusser'n　a　full…blooded　Delaware。　He's　all　the　time　on　the　lookout　to　capture

white　wimen　to　take　to　his　Injun　teepee。　Simon　Girty　and　his　pals；　McKee　and

Elliott；　deserted　from　that　thar　fort　right　afore　yer　eyes。　They're　now　livin'

among　the　redskins　down　Fort　Henry　way；　raisin'　as　much　hell　fer　the　settlers

as　they　kin。〃



〃Is　Fort　Henry　near　the　Indian　towns？〃　asked　Joe。



〃There's　Delawares；　Shawnees　and　Hurons　all　along　the　Ohio　below　Fort　Henry。〃



〃Where　is　the　Moravian　Mission　located？〃



〃Why；　lad；　the　Village　of　Peace；　as　the　Injuns　call　it；　is　right　in　the　midst

of　that　Injun　country。　I　'spect　it's　a　matter　of　a　hundred　miles　below　and

cross…country　a　little　from　Fort　Henry。〃



〃The　fort　must　be　an　important　point；　is　it　not？〃



〃Wal；　I　guess　so。　It's　the　last　place　on　the　river；〃　answered　Lynn；　with　a

grim　smile。　〃There's　only　a　stockade　there；　an'　a　handful　of　men。　The　Injuns

hev　swarmed　down　on　it　time　and　ag'in；　but　they　hev　never　burned　it。　　Only

such　men　as　Colonel　Zane；　his　brother　Jack；　and　Wetzel　could　hev　kept　that

fort　standin'　all　these　bloody　years。　Eb　Zane's　got　but　a　few　men；　yet　he　kin

handle　'em　some；　an'　with　such　scouts　as　Jack　Zane　and　Wetzel；　he　allus　knows

what's　goin'　on　among　the　Injuns。〃



〃I've　heard　of　Colonel　Zane。　He　was　an　officer　under　Lord　Dunmore。　The　hunters

here　speak　often　of　Jack　Zane　and　Wetzel。　What　are　they？〃



〃Jack　Zane　is　a　hunter　an'　guide。　I　knowed　him　well　a　few　years　back。　　He's　a

quiet；　mild　chap；　but　a　streak　of　chain…lightnin'　when　he's　riled。　Wetzel　is

an　Injun…killer。　Some　people　say　as　how　he's　crazy　over　scalp…huntin'；　but　I

reckon　that's　not　so。　I've　seen　him　a　few　times。　　He　don't　hang　round　the

settlement　'cept　when　the　Injuns　are　up；　an'　nobody　sees　him　much。　At　home　he

sets　round　silent…like；　an'　then　mebbe　next　mornin'　he'll　be　gone；　an'　won't

show　up　fer　days　or　weeks。　But　all　the　frontier　knows　of　his　deeds。　Fer

instance；　I've　hearn　of　settlers　gettin'　up　in　the　mornin'　an'　findin'　a

couple　of　dead　and　scalped　Injuns　right　in　front　of　their　cabins。　No　one

knowed　who　killed　'em；　but　everybody　says　'Wetzel。'　He's　allus　warnin'　the

settlers　when　they　need　to　flee　to　the　fort；　and　sure　he's　right　every　time；

because　when　these　men　go　back　to　their　cabins　they　find　nothin'　but　ashes。

There　couldn't　be　any　farmin'　done　out　there　but　fer　Wetzel。〃



〃What　does　he　look　like？〃　questioned　Joe；　much　interested。



〃Wetzel　stands　straight　as　the　oak　over　thar。　He'd　hev'　to　go　sideways　to　git

his　shoulders　in　that　door；　but　he's　as　light　of　foot　an'　fast　as　a　deer。　An'

his　eyeswhy；　lad；　ye　kin　hardly　look　into　'em。　If　you　ever　see　Wetzel　you'll

know　him　to　onct。〃



〃I　want　to　see　him；〃　Joe　spoke　quickly；　his　eyes　lighting　with　an　eager　flash。

〃He　must　be　a　great　fighter。〃



〃Is　he？　Lew　Wetzel　is　the　heftiest　of　'em　all；　an'　we　hev　some　as　kin　fight

out　here。　I　was　down　the　river　a　few　years　ago　and　joined　a　party　to　go　out

an'　hunt　up　some　redskins　as　had　been　reported。　Wetzel　was　with　us。　We　soon

struck　Injun　sign；　and　then　come　on　to　a　lot　of　the　pesky　varmints。　We　was　all

fer　goin'　home；　because　we　had　a　small　force。　When　we　started　to　go　we　finds

Wetzel　sittin'　calm…like　on　a　log。　We　said：　　'Ain't　ye　goin'　home？'　and　he

replied；　'I　cum　out　to　find　redskins；　an'　now　as　we've　found　'em；　I'm　not

goin'　to　run　away。'　An'　we　left　him　settin'　thar。　Oh；　Wetzel　is　a　fighter！〃



〃I　hope　I　shall　see　him；〃　said　Joe　once　more；　the　warm　light；　which　made　him

look　so　boyish；　still　glowing　in　his　face。



〃Mebbe　ye'll　git　to；　and　sure　ye'll　see　redskins；　an'　not　tame　ones；　nuther。〃



At　this　moment　the　sound　of　excited　voices　near　the　cabins　broke　in　on　the

conversation。　Joe　saw　several　persons　run　toward　the　large　cabin　and　disappear

behind　it。　He　smiled　as　he　thought　perhaps　the　commotion　had　been　caused　by

the　awakening　of　the　Indian　brave。



Rising　to　his　feet；　Joe　went　toward　the　cabin；　and　soon　saw　the　cause　of　the

excitement。　A　small　crowd　of　men　and　women；　all　laughing　and　talking；

surrounded　the　Indian　brave　and　the　little　stout　fellow。　Joe　heard　some　one

groan；　and　then　a　deep；　guttural　voice：



〃Palefacebig　stealugh！　Injun　madheap　madkill　paleface。〃



After　elbowing　his　way　into　the　group；　Joe　saw　the　Indian　holding　Loorey　with

one　hand；　while　he　poked　him　on　the　ribs　with　the　other。　The　captive's　face

was　the　picture　of　dismay；　even　the　streaks　of　paint　did　not　hide　his　look　of

fear　and　bewilderment。　The　poor　half…witted　fellow　was　so　badly　frightened

that　he　could　only　groan。



〃Silvertip　scalp　paleface。　Ugh！〃　growled　the　savage；　giving　Loorey　another

blow　on　the　side。　This　time　he　bent　over　in　pain。　The　bystanders　were　divided

in　feeling；　the　men　laughed；　while　the　women　murmured　sympathetically。



〃This's　not　a　bit　funny；〃　muttered　Joe；　as　he　pushed　his　way　nearly　to　the

middle　of　the　crowd。　Then　he　stretched　out　a　long　arm　that；　bare　and　brawny；

looked　as　though　it　might　have　been　a　blacksmith's；　and　grasped　the　Indian's

sinewy　wrist　with　a　force　that　made　him　loosen　his　hold　on　Loorey　instantly。



〃I　stole　the　shirtfunjoke；〃　said　Joe。　〃Scalp　me　if　you　want　to　scalp

anyone。〃



The　Indian　looked　quickly　at　the　powerful　form　before　him。　With　a　twist　he

slipped　his　arm　from　Joe's　grasp。



〃Big　paleface　heap　funall　squaw　play；〃　he　said；　scornfully。　There　was　a

menace　in　his　somber　eyes　as　he　turned　abruptly　and　left　the　group。



〃I'm　afraid　you've　made　an　enemy；〃　said　Jake　Wentz　to　Joe。　〃An　Indian　never

forgets　an　insult；　and　that's　how　he　regarded　your　joke。　Silvertip　has　been

friendly　here　because　he　sells　us　his　pelts。　He's　a　Shawnee　chief。　There　he

goes　through　the　willows！〃



By　this　time　Jim　and　Mr。　Wells；　Mrs。　Wentz　and　the　girls　had　joined　the　group。

They　all　watched　Silvertip　get　into　his　canoe　and　paddle　away。



〃A　bad　sign；〃　said　Wentz；　and　then；　turning　to　Jeff　Lynn；　who　joined　the　party

at　that　moment；　he　briefly　explained　the　circumstances。



〃Never　did　like　Silver。　He's　a　crafty　redskin；　an'　not　to　be　trusted；〃　replied

Jeff。



〃He　has　turned　round　and　is　looking　back；〃　Nell　said　quickly。



〃So　he　has；〃　observed　the　fur…trader。



The　Indian　was　now　several　hundred　yards　down　the　swift　river；　and　for　an

instant　had　ceased　paddling。　The　sun　shone　brightly　on　his　eagle　plumes。　　He

remained　motionless　for　a　moment；　and　even　at　such　a　distance　the　dark；

changeless　face　could　be　discerned。　He　lifted　his　hand　and　shook　it

menacingly。



〃If　ye　don't　hear　from　that　redskin　agin　Jeff　Lynn　don't　know　nothin'；〃　calm

said　the　old　frontiersman。







Chapter　IV。



As　the　rafts　drifted　with　the　current　the　voyagers　saw　the　settlers　on　the

landing…place　diminish　until　they　had　faded　from　indistinct　figures　to　mere

black　specks　against　the　green　background。　Then　came　the　last　wave　of　a　white

scarf；　faintly　in　the　distance；　and　at　length　the　dark　outline　of　the　fort　was

all　that　remained　to　their　regretful　gaze。　Quickly　that；　too；　disappeared

behind　the　green　hill；　which；　with　its　bold　front；　forces　the　river　to　take　a

wide　turn。



The　Ohio；　winding　in　its　course　between　high；　wooded　bluffs；　rolled　on　and　on

into　the　wilderness。



Beautiful　as　was　the　ever…changing　scenery；　rugged　gray…faced　cliffs　on　one

side　contrasting　with　green…clad　hills　on　the　other；　there　hovered　over　land

and　water　something　more　striking　than　beauty。　Above　all　hung　a　still

atmosphere　of　calmnessof　loneliness。



And　this　penetrating　solitude　ma