the spirit of the border-第61章

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it；　and　held　him　there。



The　white　dog　leaped　and　snarled　around　the　prisoner。



Girty's　hands　pulled　and　tore　at　the　powerful　arm　which　forced　him　hard

against　the　beech。　It　was　a　brown　arm；　and　huge　with　its　bulging；　knotted；

rigid　muscles。　A　mighty　arm；　strong　as　the　justice　which　ruled　it。



〃Girty；　thy　race　is　run！〃　Wetzel's　voice　cut　the　silence　like　a　steel　whip。



The　terrible；　ruthless　smile；　the　glittering　eyes　of　doom　seemed　literally　to

petrify　the　renegade。



The　hunter's　right　arm　rose　slowly。　The　knife　in　his　hand　quivered　as　if　with

eagerness。　The　long　blade；　dripping　with　Deering's　blood；　pointed　toward　the

hilltop。



〃Look　thar！　See　'em！　Thar's　yer　friends！〃　cried　Wetzel。



On　the　dead　branches　of　trees　standing　far　above　the　hilltop；　were　many　great；

dark　birds。　They　sat　motionless　as　if　waiting。



〃Buzzards！　Buzzards！〃　hissed　Wetzel。



Girty's　ghastly　face　became　an　awful　thing　to　look　upon。　No　living　countenance

ever　before　expressed　such　fear；　such　horror；　such　agony。　He　foamed　at　the

mouth；　he　struggled；　he　writhed。　With　a　terrible　fascination　he　watched　that

quivering；　dripping　blade；　now　poised　high。



Wetzel's　arm　swung　with　the　speed　of　a　shooting　star。　He　drove　the　blade　into

Girty's　groin；　through　flesh　and　bone；　hard　and　fast　into　the　tree。　He　nailed

the　renegade　to　the　beech；　there　to　await　his　lingering　doom。



〃Ah…h！　Ah…h！　Ah…h！〃　shrieked　Girty；　in　cries　of　agony。　He　fumbled　and　pulled

at　the　haft　of　the　knife；　but　could　not　loosen　it。　He　beat　his　breast；　he　tore

his　hair。　His　screams　were　echoed　from　the　hilltop　as　if　in　mockery。



The　white　dog　stood　near；　his　hair　bristling；　his　teeth　snapping。



The　dark　birds　sat　on　the　dead　branches　above　the　hilltop；　as　if　waiting　for

their　feast。







Chapter　XXVIII。



Zane　turned　and　cut　the　young　missionary's　bonds。　Jim　ran　to　where　Nell　was

lying　on　the　ground；　and　tenderly　raised　her　head；　calling　to　her　that　they

were　saved。　Zane　bathed　the　girl's　pale　face。　Presently　she　sighed　and　opened

her　eyes。



Then　Zane　looked　from　the　statuelike　form　of　Wingenund　to　the　motionless

figure　of　Wetzel。　The　chief　stood　erect　with　his　eyes　on　the　distant　hills。

Wetzel　remained　with　folded　arms；　his　cold　eyes　fixed　upon　the　writhing；

moaning　renegade。



〃Lew；　look　here；〃　said　Zane；　unhesitatingly；　and　pointed　toward　the　chief。



Wetzel　quivered　as　if　sharply　stung；　the　cold　glitter　in　hie　eyes　changed　to

lurid　fire。　With　upraised　tomahawk　he　bounded　across　the　brook。



〃Lew；　wait　a　minute！〃　yelled　Zane。



〃Wetzel！　wait；　wait！〃　cried　Jim；　grasping　the　hunter's　arm；　but　the　latter

flung　him　off；　as　the　wind　tosses　a　straw。



〃Wetzel；　wait；　for　God's　sake；　wait！〃　screamed　Nell。　She　had　risen　at　Zane's

call；　and　now　saw　the　deadly　resolve　in　the　hunter's　eyes。　　Fearlessly　she

flung　herself　in　front　of　him；　bravely　she　risked　her　life　before　his　mad

rush；　frantically　she　threw　her　arms　around　him　and　clung　to　his　hands

desperately。



Wetzel　halted；　frenzied　as　he　was　at　the　sight　of　his　foe；　he　could　not　hurt　a

woman。



〃Girl；　let　go！〃　he　panted；　and　his　broad　breast　heaved。



〃No；　no；　no！　Listen；　Wetzel；　you　must　not　kill　the　chief。　He　is　a　friend。〃



〃He　is　my　great　foe！〃



〃Listen；　oh！　please　listen！〃　pleaded　Nell。　〃He　warned　me　to　flee　from　Girty；

he　offered　to　guide　us　to　Fort　Henry。　He　has　saved　my　life。　For　my　sake；

Wetzel；　do　not　kill　him！　Don't　let　me　be　the　cause　of　his　murder！　　Wetzel；

Wetzel；　lower　your　arm；　drop　your　hatchet。　For　pity's　sake　do　not　spill　more

blood。　Wingenund　is　a　Christian！〃



Wetzel　stepped　back　breathing　heavily。　His　white　face　resembled　chiseled

marble。　With　those　little　hands　at　his　breast　he　hesitated　in　front　of　the

chief　he　had　hunted　for　so　many　long　years。



〃Would　you　kill　a　Christian？〃　pleaded　Nell；　her　voice　sweet　and　earnest。



〃I　reckon　not；　but　this　Injun　ain't　one；〃　replied　Wetzel　slowly。



〃Put　away　your　hatchet。　Let　me　have　it。　Listen；　and　I　will　tell　you；　after

thanking　you　for　this　rescue。　Do　you　know　of　my　marriage？　Come；　please　listen！

Forget　for　a　moment　your　enmity。　Oh！　you　must　be　merciful！　　Brave　men　are

always　merciful！〃



〃Injun；　are　you　a　Christian？〃　hissed　Wetzel。



〃Oh！　I　know　he　is！　I　know　he　is！〃　cried　Nell；　still　standing　between　Wetzel

and　the　chief。



Wingenund　spoke　no　word。　He　did　not　move。　His　falcon　eyes　gazed　tranquilly　at

his　white　foe。　Christian　or　pagan；　he　would　not　speak　one　word　to　save　his

life。



〃Oh！　tell　him　you　are　a　Christian；〃　cried　Nell；　running　to　the　chief。



〃Yellow…hair；　the　Delaware　is　true　to　his　race。〃



As　he　spoke　gently　to　Nell　a　noble　dignity　shone　upon　his　dark　face。



〃Injun；　my　back　bears　the　scars　of　your　braves'　whips；〃　hissed　Wetzel；　once

more　advancing。



〃Deathwind；　your　scars　are　deep；　but　the　Delaware's　are　deeper；〃　came　the　calm

reply。　〃Wingenund's　heart　bears　two　scars。　His　son　lies　under　the　moss　and

ferns；　Deathwind　killed　him；　Deathwind　alone　knows　his　grave。　Wingenund's

daughter；　the　delight　of　his　waning　years；　freed　the　Delaware's　great　foe；　and

betrayed　her　father。　Can　the　Christian　God　tell　Wingenund　of　his　child？〃



Wetzel　shook　like　a　tree　in　a　storm。　Justice　cried　out　in　the　Indian's　deep

voice。　Wetzel　fought　for　mastery　of　himself。



〃Delaware；　your　daughter　lays　there；　with　her　lover；〃　said　Wetzel　firmly；　and

pointed　into　the　spring。



〃Ugh！〃　exclaimed　the　Indian；　bending　over　the　dark　pool。　He　looked　long　into

its　murky　depths。　Then　he　thrust　his　arm　down　into　the　brown　water。



〃Deathwind　tells　no　lie；〃　said　the　chief；　calmly；　and　pointed　toward　Girty。　

The　renegade　had　ceased　struggling；　his　head　was　bowed　upon　his　breast。　　〃The

white　serpent　has　stung　the　Delaware。〃



〃What　does　it　mean？〃　cried　Jim。



〃Your　brother　Joe　and　Whispering　Winds　lie　in　the　spring；〃　answered　Jonathan

Zane。　〃Girty　murdered　them；　and　Wetzel　buried　the　two　there。〃



〃Oh；　is　it　true？〃　cried　Nell。



〃True；　lass；〃　whispered　Jim；　brokenly；　holding　out　his　arms　to　her。　　Indeed；

he　needed　her　strength　as　much　as　she　needed　his。　The　girl　gave　one　shuddering

glance　at　the　spring；　and　then　hid　her　face　on　her　husband's　shoulder。



〃Delaware；　we　are　sworn　foes；〃　cried　Wetzel。



〃Wingenund　asks　no　mercy。〃



〃Are　you　a　Christian？〃



〃Wingenund　is　true　to　his　race。〃



〃Delaware；　begone！　Take　these　weapons　an'　go。　When　your　shadow　falls　shortest

on　the　ground；　Deathwind　starts　on　your　trail。〃



〃Deathwind　is　the　great　white　chief；　he　is　the　great　Indian　foe；　he　is　as　sure

as　the　panther　in　his　leap；　as　swift　as　the　wild　goose　in　his　northern　flight。

Wingenund　never　felt　fear。〃　The　chieftain's　sonorous　reply　rolled　through　the

quiet　glade。　〃If　Deathwind　thirsts　for　Wingenund's　blood；　let　him　spill　it

now；　for　when　the　Delaware　goes　into　the　forest　his　trail　will　fade。〃



〃Begone！〃　roared　Wetzel。　The　fever　for　blood　was　once　more　rising　within　him。



The　chief　picked　up　some　weapons　of　the　dead　Indians；　and　with　haughty　stride

stalked　from　the　glade。



〃Oh；　Wetzel；　thank　you；　I　knew…〃　Nell's　voice　broke　as　she　faced　the　hunter。

She　recoiled　from　this　changed　man。



〃Come；　we'll　go；〃　said　Jonathan　Zane。　〃I'll　guide　you　to　Fort　Henry。〃　He

lifted　the　pack；　and　led　Nell　and　Jim　out　of　the　glade。



They　looked　back　once　to　picture　forever　in　their　minds　the　lovely　spot　with

its　ghastly　quiet　bodies；　the　dark；　haunting　spring；　the　renegade　nailed　to

the　tree；　and　the　tall　figure　of　Wetzel　as　he　watched　his　shadow　on　the

ground。





When　Wetzel　also　had　gone；　only　two　living　creatures　remained　in　the

gladethe　doomed　renegade；　and　the　white　dog。　The　gaunt　beast　watched　the　man

with　hungry；　mad　eyes。



A　long　moan　wailed　through　the　forest。　It　swelled　mournfully　on　the　air；　and

died　away。　The　doomed　man　heard　it。　He　raised　his　ghastly　face；　his　dulled

senses　seemed　to　revive。　He　gazed　at　the　stiffening　bodi