the scouts of the valley-第42章

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　second　time。　　She　merely　settled　back　on　the　pine　boughs；　and　again　looked　dully　up　at　the　pale；　cold　stars　that　cared　so　little　for　her　or　hers。

Henry　crept　another　yard　nearer；　and　then　he　uttered　that　low　noise；　sibilant　and　warning；　which　the　woman；　the　product　of　the　border；　knew　to　be　made　by　a　human　being。　　She　raised　herself　a　little；　although　it　was　difficult　with　her　bound　hands　to　sit　upright；　and　saw　a　dark　shadow　approaching　her。　　That　dark　shadow　she　knew　to　he　the　figure　of　a　man。　　An　Indian　would　not　be　approaching　in　such　a　manner；　and　she　looked　again；　startled　into　a　sudden　acute　attention；　and　into　a　belief　that　the　incredible；　the　impossible；　was　about　to　happen。　　A　voice　came　from　the　figure；　and　its　quality　was　that　of　the　white　voice；　not　the　red。

〃Do　not　move；〃　said　that　incredible　voice　out　of　the　unknown。　　〃I　have　come　for　your　rescue；　and　others　who　have　come　for　the　same　purpose　are　near。　　Turn　on　one　side；　and　I　will　cut　the　bonds　that　hold　your　arms。〃

The　voice；　the　white　voice；　was　like　the　touch　of　fire　to　Mary　Newton。　　A　sudden　fierce　desire　for　life　and　for　the　lives　of　her　four　children　awoke　within　her　just　when　hope　had　gone　the　call　to　life　came。　　She　had　never　heard　before　a　voice　so　full　of　cheer　and　encouragement。　　It　penetrated　her　whole　being。　　Exhaustion　and　despair　fled　away。　　　　　　　　

〃Turn　a　little　on　your　side；〃　said　the　voice。

She　turned　obediently；　and　then　felt　the　sharp　edge　of　cold　steel　as　it　swept　between　her　wrists　and　cut　the　thongs　that　held　them　together。　　Her　arms　fell　apart；　and　strength　permeated　every　vein　of　her　being。

〃We　shall　attack　in　a　few　moments；〃　said　the　voice；　〃but　at　the　first　shots　the　Senecas　will　try　to　tomahawk　you　and　your　children。　　Hold　out　your　hands。〃

She　held　out　both　hands　obediently。　　The　handle　of　a　tomahawk　was　pressed　into　one；　and　the　muzzle　of　a　double…barreled　pistol　into　the　other。　　Strength　flowed　down　each　hand　into　her　body。

〃If　the　time　comes；　use　them；　you　are　strong；　and　you　know　how；〃　said　the　voice。　　Then　she　saw　the　dark　figure　creeping　away。



CHAPTER　XIV

THE　PURSUIT　ON　THE　RIVER


The　story　of　the　frontier　is　filled　with　heroines；　from　the　far　days　of　Hannah　Dustin　down　to　the　present；　and　Mary　Newton；　whom　the　unknown　figure　in　the　dark　had　just　aroused；　is　one　of　them。　　It　had　seemed　to　her　that　God　himself　had　deserted　her；　but　at　the　last　moment　he　had　sent　some　one。　　She　did　not　doubt；　she　could　not　doubt；　because　the　bonds　had　been　severed；　and　there　she　lay　with　a　deadly　weapon　in　either　hand。　　The　friendly　stranger　who　had　come　so　silently　was　gone　as　he　had　come；　but　she　was　not　helpless　now。　　Like　many　another　frontier　woman；　she　was　naturally　lithe　and　powerful；　and；　stirred　by　a　great　hope；　all　her　strength　had　returned　for　the　present。

Nobody　who　lives　in　the　wilderness　can　wholly　escape　superstition；　and　Mary　Newton　began　to　believe　that　some　supernatural　creature　had　intervened　in　her　behalf。　　She　raised　herself　just　a　little　on　one　elbow　and　surveyed　the　surrounding　thicket。　　She　saw　only　the　dead　embers　of　the　fire；　and　the　dark　forms　of　the　Indians　lying　upon　the　bare　ground。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　knife　and　pistol　in　her　hand；　she　could　have　believed　that　the　voice　was　only　a　dream。

There　was　a　slight　rustling　in　the　thicket；　and　a　Seneca　rose　quickly　to　his　knees；　grasping　his　rifle　in　both　hands。　　The　woman's　fingers　clutched　the　knife　and　pistol　more　tightly；　and　her　whole　gaunt　figure　trembled。　　The　Seneca　listened　only　a　moment。　　Then　he　gave　a　sharp　cry；　and　all　the　other　warriors　sprang　up。　　But　three　of　them　rose　only　to　fall　again；　as　the　rifles　cracked　in　the　bushes；　while　two　others　staggered　from　wounds。

The　triumphant　shout　of　the　frontiersmen　came　from　the　thicket；　and　then　they　rushed　upon　the　camp。　　Quick　as　a　flash　two　of　the　Senecas　started　toward　the　woman　and　children　with　their　tomahawks；　but　Mary　Newton　was　ready。　　Her　heart　had　leaped　at　the　shots　when　the　Senecas　fell；　and　she　kept　her　courage。　　Now　she　sprang　to　her　full　height；　and；　with　the　children　screaming　at　her　feet；　fired　one　barrel　of　the　pistol　directly　into　the　face　of　the　first　warrior；　and　served　the　second　in　the　same　way　with　the　other　barrel　when　he　was　less　than　four　feet　away。　　Then；　tomahawk　in　hand；　she　rushed　forward。　　In　judging　Mary　Newton；　one　must　consider　time　and　place。

But　happily　there　was　no　need　for　her　to　use　her　tomahawk。　　As　the　five　rushed　in；　four　of　them　emptied　their　double…barreled　pistols；　while　Henry　swung　his　clubbed　rifle　with　terrible　effect。　　It　was　too　much　for　the　Senecas。　　The　apparition　of　the　armed　woman；　whom　they　had　left　bound；　and　the　deadly　fire　from　the　five　figures　that　sprang　upon　them；　was　like　a　blow　from　the　hand　of　Aieroski。　　The　unhurt　and　wounded　fled　deep　into　the　forest；　leaving　their　dead　behind。　　Mary　Newton；　her　great　deed　done；　collapsed　from　emotion　and　weakness。　　The　screams　of　the　children　sank　in　a　few　moments　to　frightened　whimpers。　　But　the　oldest；　when　they　saw　the　white　faces；　knew　that　rescue　had　come。

Paul　brought　water　from　the　brook　in　his　cap；　and　Mary　Newton　was　revived；　Jim　was　reassuring　the　children；　and　the　other　three　were　in　the　thickets；　watching　lest　the　surviving　Senecas　return　for　attack。

〃I　don't　know　who　you　are；　but　I　think　the　good　God　himself　must　have　sent　you　to　our　rescue；〃　said　Mary　Newton　reverently。

〃We　don't　know；〃　said　Paul；　〃but　we　are　doing　the　best　we　can。　　Do　you　think　you　can　walk　now？〃

〃Away　from　the　savages？　　Yes！〃　she　said　passionately。　　She　looked　down　at　the　dead　figures　of　the　Senecas；　and　she　did　not　feel　a　single　trace　of　pity　for　them。　　Again　it　is　necessary　to　consider　time　and　place。

〃Some　of　my　strength　came　back　while　I　was　lying　here；〃　she　said；　〃and　much　more　of　it　when　you　drove　away　the　Indians。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　Henry；　who　had　returned　to　the　dead　camp　fire　with　his　comrades；　〃we　must　start　on　the　back　trail　at　once。　　The　surviving　Senecas；　joined　by　other　Iroquois；　will　certainly　pursue；　and　we　need　all　the　start　that　we　can　get。〃

Long　Jim　picked　up　one　of　the　two　younger　children　and　flung　him　over　his　shoulder；　Tom　Ross　did　as　much　for　the　other；　but　the　older　two　scorned　help。　　They　were　full　of　admiration　for　the　great　woodsmen；　mighty　heroes　who　had　suddenly　appeared　out　of　the　air；　as　it　were；　and　who　had　swept　like　a　tornado　over　the　Seneca　band。　　It　did　not　seem　possible　now　that　they；　could　be　retaken。

But　Mary　Newton；　with　her　strength　and　courage；　had　also　recovered　her　forethought。

〃Maybe　it　will　not　be　better　to　go　on　the　back　trail；〃　she　said。　　〃One　of　the　Senecas　told　me　to…day　that　six　or　seven　miles　farther　on　was　a　river　flowing　into　the　Susquehanna；　and　that　they　would　cross　this　river　on　a　boat　now　concealed　among　bushes　on　the　bank。　　The　crossing　was　at　a　sudden　drop　between　high　banks。　　Might　not　we　go　on；　find　the　boat；　and　come　back　in　it　down　the　river　and　into　the　Susquehanna？〃

〃That　sounds　mighty　close　to　wisdom　to　me；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃Besides；　it's　likely　to　have　the　advantage　o'　throwin'　the　Iroquois　off　our　track。　　They'll　think；　o'　course；　that　we've　gone　straight　back；　an'　we'll　pass　'em　ez　we're　going　forward。〃

〃It's　certainly　the　best　plan；〃　said　Henry；　〃and　it's　worth　our　while　to　try　for　that　hidden　boat　of　the　Iroquois。　　Do　you　know　the　general　direction？〃

〃Almost　due　north。〃

〃Then　we'll　make　a　curve　to　the　right；　in　order　to　avoid　any　Iroquois　who　may　be　returning　to　this　camp；　and　push　for　it。〃

Henry　led　the　way　over　hilly；　rough　ground；　and　the　others　followed　in　a　silent　file；　Long　Jim　and　Tom　still　carrying　the　two　smallest　children；　who　soon　fell　asleep　on　their　shoulders。　　Henry　did　not　believe　that　the　returning　Iroquois　could　follow　their　trail　on　such　a　dark　night；　and　the　others　agreed　with　him。

After　a　while　they　saw　the　gleam　of　water。　　Henry　knew　that　it　must　be　very　near；　or　it　would　have　been　wholly　invisible　on　such　a　dark　night。

〃I　think；　Mrs。　Newton；〃　he　said；　〃that　this　is　the　river　of　which　you　spoke；　and　the　cliffs　seem　to　drop　down　just　as　you　said　they　would。〃

The　woman　smiled。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃you've　done　well　with　my　poor　guess；　and　the　bo