the scouts of the valley-第31章

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〃What　under　the　sun　is　she　about？〃　whispered　Shif'less　Sol。

〃It　is　a　fearful　face；〃　was　Paul's　only　reply。

Suddenly　the　woman；　without　stopping　her　chant；　made　a　gesture　to　the　warriors。　　Two　powerful　Senecas　seized　one　of　the　bound　prisoners；　dragged　him　to　his　feet；　and　held　him　up　before　her。　　She　uttered　a　shout；　whirled　the　great　tomahawk　about　her　head；　its　blade　glittering　in　the　moonlight；　and　struck　with　all　her　might。　　The　skull　of　the　prisoner　was　cleft　to　the　chin；　and　without　a　cry　he　fell　at　the　feet　of　the　woman　who　had　killed　him。　　Paul　uttered　a　shout　of　horror；　but　it　was　lost　in　the　joyful　yells　of　the　Iroquois；　who；　at　the　command　of　the　woman；　offered　a　second　victim。　　Again　the　tomahawk　descended；　and　again　a　man　fell　dead　without　a　sound。

Shif'less　Sol　and　Paul　wrenched　at　their　thongs；　but　they　could　not　move　them。　　Braxton　Wyatt　laughed　aloud。　　It　was　strange　to　see　how　fast　one　with　a　bad　nature　could　fall　when　the　opportunities　were　spread　before　him。　　Now　he　was　as　cruel　as　the　Indians　themselves。　　Wilder　and　shriller　grew　the　chant　of　the　savage　queen。　　She　was　intoxicated　with　blood。　　She　saw　it　everywhere。　　Her　tomahawk　clove　a　third　skull；　a　fourth；　a　fifth；　a　sixth；　a　seventh；　and　eighth。　　As　fast　as　they　fell　the　warriors　at　her　command　brought　up　new　victims　for　her　weapon。　　Paul　shut　his　eyes；　but　he　knew　by　the　sounds　what　was　passing。　　Suddenly　a　stern　voice　cried：

〃Hold；　woman！　　Enough　of　this！　　Will　your　tomahawk　never　be　satisfied？〃

Paul　understood　it　；　the　meaning；　but　not　the　words。　　He　opened　his　eyes　and　saw　the　great　figure　of　Timmendiquas　striding　forward；　his　hand　upraised　in　protest。

The　woman　turned　her　fierce　gaze　upon　the　young　chief。　　〃Timmendiquas；〃　she　said；　〃we　are　the　Iroquois；　and　we　are　the　masters。　　You　are　far　from　your　own　land；　a　guest　in　our　lodges；　and　you　cannot　tell　those　who　have　won　the　victory　how　they　shall　use　it。　　Stand　back！〃

A　loud　laugh　came　from　the　Iroquois。　　The　fierce　old　chiefs；　Hiokatoo　and　Sangerachte；　and　a　dozen　warriors　thrust　themselves　before　Timmendiquas。　　The　woman　resumed　her　chant；　and　a　hundred　throats　pealed　out　with　her　the　chorus：

Victory　and　glory　Aieroski　gives　to　his　children　The　mighty　Six　Nations；　greatest　of　men。

She　gave　the　signal　anew。　　The　ninth　victim　stood　before　her；　and　then　fell；　cloven　to　the　chin；　then　the　tenth；　and　the　eleventh；　and　the　twelfth；　and　the　thirteenth；　and　the　fourteenth；　and　the　fifteenth；　and　the　sixteenth…sixteen　bound　men　killed　by　one　woman　in　less　than　fifteen　minutes。　　The　four　in　that　group　who　were　left　had　all　the　while　been　straining　fearfully　at　their　bonds。　　Now　they　bad　slipped　or　broken　them；　and；　springing　to　their　feet；　driven　on　by　the　mightiest　of　human　impulses；　they　dashed　through　the　ring　of　Iroquois　and　into　the　forest。　　Two　were　hunted　down　by　the　warriors　and　killed；　but　the　other　two；　Joseph　Elliott　and　Lebbeus　Hammond；　escaped　and　lived　to　be　old　men；　feeling　that　life　could　never　again　hold　for　them　anything　so　dreadful　as　that　scene　at　〃The　Bloody　Rock。〃

A　great　turmoil　and　confusion　arose　as　the　prisoners　fled　and　the　Indians　pursued。　　Paul　and　Shif'less　Sol；　full　of　sympathy　and　pity　for　the　fugitives　and　having　felt　all　the　time　that　their　turn；　too；　would　come　under　that　dreadful　tomahawk；　struggled　to　their　feet。　　They　did　not　see　a　form　slip　noiselessly　behind　them；　but　a　sharp　knife　descended　once；　then　twice；　and　the　bands　of　both　fell　free。

〃Run！　run！〃　exclaimed　the　voice　of　Timmendiquas；　low　but　penetrating。　　〃I　would　save　you　from　this！〃

Amid　the　darkness　and　confusion　the　act　of　the　great　Wyandot　was　not　seen　by　the　other　Indians　and　the　renegades。　　Paul　flashed　him　one　look　of　gratitude；　and　then　he　and　Shif'less　Sol　darted　away；　choosing　a　course　that　led　them　from　the　crowd　in　pursuit　of　the　other　flying　fugitives。　

At　such　a　time　they　might　have　secured　a　long　lead　without　being　noticed；　had　it　not　been　for　the　fierce　swarm　of　old　squaws　who　were　first　in　cruelty　that　night。　　A　shrill　wild　howl　arose；　and　the　pointing　fingers　of　the　old　women　showed　to　the　warriors　the　two　in　flight。　　At　the　same　time　several　of　the　squaws　darted　forward　to　intercept　the　fugitives。

〃I　hate　to　hit　a　woman；〃　breathed　Shif'less　Sol　to　Paul；　〃but　I'm　goin'　to　do　it　now。〃

A　hideous　figure　sprang　before　them。　　Sol　struck　her　face　with　his　open　hand；　and　with　a　shriek　she　went　down。　　He　leaped　over　her；　although　she　clawed　at　his　feet　as　he　passed；　and　ran　on；　with　Paul　at　his　side。　　Shots　were　now　fired　at　him；　but　they　went　wild；　but　Paul；　casting　a　look　backward　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye；　saw　that　a　real　pursuit；　silent　and　deadly；　had　begun。　　Five　Mohawk　warriors；　running　swiftly；　were　only　a　few　hundred　yards　away。　　They　carried　rifle；　tomahawk；　and　knife；　and　Paul　and　Shif'less　Sol　were　unarmed。　　Moreover；　they　were　coming　fast；　spreading　out　slightly；　and　the　shiftless　one；　able　even　at　such　a　time　to　weigh　the　case　coolly；　saw　that　the　odds　were　against　them。　　Yet　he　would　not　despair。　　Anything　might　happen。　　It　was　night。　　There　was　little　organization　in　the　army　of　the　Indians　and　of　their　white　allies；　which　was　giving　itself　up　to　the　enjoyment　of　scalps　and　torture。　　Moreover；　he　and　Paul　were；　animated　by　the　love　of　life；　which　is　always　stronger　than　the　desire　to　give　death。　

Their　flight　led　them　in　a　diagonal　line　toward　the　mountains。　　Only　once　did　the　pursuers　give　tongue。　　Paul　tripped　over　a　root；　and　a　triumphant　yell　came　from　the　Mohawks。　　But　it　merely　gave　him　new　life。　　He　recovered　himself　in　an　instant　and　ran　faster。　　But　it　was　terribly　hard　work。　　He　could　hear　Shif'less　Sol's　sobbing　breath　by　his　side；　and　he　was　sure　that　his　own　must　have　the　same　sound　for　his　comrade。

〃At　any　rate　one　uv　'em　is　beat；〃　gasped　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃Only　four　are　ban…in'　on　now。〃

The　ground　rose　a　little　and　became　rougher。　　The　lights　from　the　Indian　fires　had　sunk　almost　out　of　sight　behind　them；　and　a　dense　thicket　lay　before　them。　　Something　stirred　in　the　thicket；　and　the　eyes　of　Shif'less　Sol　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　human　shoulder。　　His　heart　sank　like　a　plummet　in　a　pool。　　The　Indians　were　ahead　of　them。　　They　would　be　caught；　and　would　be　carried　back　to　become　the　victims　of　the　terrible　tomahawk。

The　figure　in　the　bushes　rose　a　little　higher；　the　muzzle　of　a　rifle　was　projected；　and　flame　leaped　from　the　steel　tube。

But　it　was　neither　Shif'less　Sol　nor　Paul　who　fell。　　They　heard　a　cry　behind　them；　and　when　Shif'less　Sol　took　a　hasty　glance　backward　he　saw　one　of　the　Mohawks　fall。　　The　three　who　were　left　hesitated　and　stopped。　　When　a　second　shot　was　fired　from　the　bushes　and　another　Mohawk　went　down；　the　remaining　two　fled。

Shif'less　Sol　understood　now；　and　he　rushed　into　the　bushes；　dragging　Paul　after　him。　　Henry；　Tom；　and　Long　Jim　rose　up　to　receive　them。

〃So　you　wuz　watchin'　over　us！　　〃exclaimed　the　shiftless　one　joyously。　　〃It　wuz　you　that　clipped　off　the　first　Mohawk；　an'　we　didn't　even　notice　the　shot。〃

〃Thank　God；　you　were　here！〃　exclaimed　Paul。　　〃You　don't　know　what　Sol　and　I　have　seen！〃

Overwrought；　he　fell　forward；　but　his　comrades　caught　him。




CHAPTER　XI

THE　MELANCHOLY　FLIGHT


Paul　revived　in　a　few　minutes。　　They　were　still　lying　in　the　bushes；　and　when　he　was　able　to　stand　up　again；　they　moved　at　an　angle　several　hundred　yards　before　they　stopped。　　One　pistol　was　thrust　into　Paul's　hand　and　another　into　that　of　Shif'less　Sol。

Keep　those　until　we　can　get　rifles　for　you；〃　said　Henry。　〃You　may　need　'em　to…night。〃

They　crouched　down　in　the　thicket　and　looked　back　toward　the　Indian　camp。　　The　warriors　whom　they　had　repulsed　were　not　returning　with　help；　and；　for　the　moment；　they　seemed　to　have　no　enemy　to　fear；　yet　they　could　still　see　through　the　woods　the　faint　lights　of　the　Indian　camps；　and　to　Paul；　at　least；　came　the　echoes　of　distant　cries　that　told　of　things　not　to　be　written。

〃We　saw　you　captured；　and　we　heard　Sol's　warning　cry；〃　said　Henry。　　〃　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　run。　　Then　we　hid　and　waited　a　chance　for　rescue。〃

〃It　would　never　have　come　if　it　had　not　been　for　Timmendiquas；〃　said　Paul。

〃Timmendiquas！〃　exclaimed　Henry。

〃Yes；　Timm