the scouts of the valley-第50章

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less　a　dozen　generations　of　Iroquois　children　had　played　here　on　the　grass。　　He　walked　toward　the　northern　end　of　the　village；　and　saw　fields　there　from　which　recent　corn　had　been　taken；　but　behind　him　the　cry；　〃Wyoming！〃　was　repeated　louder　and　oftener　now。　　Then　he　saw　men　running　here　and　there　with　torches；　and　presently　smoke　and　flame　burst　from　the　houses。　　He　examined　the　fields　and　forest　for　a　little　distance　to　see　if　any　ambushed　foe　might　still　lie　among　them；　but　all　the　while　the　flame　and　smoke　behind　him　were　rising　higher。

Henry　turned　back　and　joined　his　comrades。　　Oghwaga　was　perishing。　　The　flames　leaped　from　house　to　house；　and　then　from　lodge　to　lodge。　　There　was　no　need　to　use　torches　any　more。　　The　whole　village　was　wrapped　in　a　mass　of　fire　that　grew　and　swelled　until　the　flames　rose　above　the　forest；　and　were　visible　in　the　clear　night　miles　away。

So　great　was　the　heat　that　Colonel　Butler　and　the　soldiers　and　scouts　were　compelled　to　withdraw　to　the　edge　of　the　forest。　　The　wind　rose　and　the　flames　soared。　　Sparks　flew　in　myriads；　and　ashes　fell　dustily　on　the　dry　leaves　of　the　trees。　　Bob　Taylor；　with　his　hands　clenched　tightly；　muttered　under　his　breath；　〃Wyoming！　　Wyoming！〃

〃It　is　the　Iroquois　who　suffer　now；〃　said　Heemskerk；　as　he　revolved　slowly　away　from　a　heated　point。

Crashes　came　presently　as　the　houses　fell　in；　and　then　the　sparks　would　leap　higher　and　the　flames　roar　louder。　　The　barns；　too；　were　falling　down；　and　the　grain　was　destroyed。　　The　grapevines　were　trampled　under　foot；　and　the　gardens　were　ruined。　　Oghwaga；　a　great　central　base　of　the　Six　Nations；　was　vanishing　forever。　　For　four　hundred　years；　ever　since　the　days　of　Hiawatha；　the　Iroquois　had　waxed　in　power。　　They　had　ruled　over　lands　larger　than　great　empires。　　They　had　built　up　political　and　social　systems　that　are　the　wonder　of　students。　　They　were　invincible　in　war；　because　every　man　had　been　trained　from　birth　to　be　a　warrior；　and　now　they　were　receiving　their　first　great　blow。

From　a　point　far　in　the　forest；　miles　away；　Thayendanegea；　Timmendiquas；　Hiokatoo；　Sangerachte；　〃Indian〃　Butler；　Walter　Butler；　Braxton　Wyatt；　a　low；　heavybrowed　Tory　named　Coleman；　with　whom　Wyatt　had　become　very　friendly；　and　about　sixty　Iroquois　and　twenty　Tories　were　watching　a　tower　of　light　to　the　south　that　had　just　appeared　above　the　trees。　　It　was　of　an　intense；　fiery　color；　and　every　Indian　in　that　gloomy　band　knew　that　it　was　Oghwaga；　the　great；　the　inviolate；　the　sacred；　that　was　burning；　and　that　the　men　who　were　doing　it　were　the　white　frontiersmen；　who；　his　red…coated　allies　had　told　him；　would　soon　be　swept　forever　from　these　woods。　　And　they　were　forced　to　stand　and　see　it；　not　daring　to　attack　so　strong　and　alert　a　force。

They　sat　there　in　the　darkness　among　the　trees；　and　watched　the　column　of　fire　grow　and　grow　until　it　seemed　to　pierce　the　skies。　　Timmendiquas　never　said　a　word。　　In　his　heart；　Indian　though　he　was；　he　felt　that　the　Iroquois　had　gone　too　far。　　In　him　was　the　spirit　of　the　farseeing　Hiawatha。　　He　could　perceive　that　great　cruelty　always　brought　retaliation；　but　it　was　not　for　him；　almost　an　alien；　to　say　these　things　to　Thayendanegea；　the　mighty　war　chief　of　the　Mohawks　and　the　living　spirit　of　the　Iroquois　nation。

Thayendanegea　sat　on　the　stump　of　a　tree　blown　down　by　winter　storms。　　His　arms　were　folded　across　his　breast；　and　he　looked　steadily　toward　that　red　threatening　light　off　there　in　the　south。　　Some　such　idea　as　that　in　the　mind　of　Timmendiquas　may　have　been　passing　in　his　own。　　He　was　an　uncommon　Indian；　and　he　had　had　uncommon　advantages。　　He　had　not　believed　that　the　colonists　could　make　head　against　so　great　a　kingdom　as　England；　aided　by　the　allied　tribes；　the　Canadians；　and　the　large　body　of　Tories　among　their　own　people。　　But　he　saw　with　his　own　eyes　the　famous　Oghwaga　of　the　Iroquois　going　down　under　their　torch。

〃Tell　me；　Colonel　John　Butler；〃　he　said　bitterly；　where　is　your　great　king　now？　　Is　his　arm　long　enough　to　reach　from　London　to　save　our　town　of　Oghwaga；　which　is　perhaps　as　much　to　us　as　his　great　city　of　London　is　to　him？〃

The　thickset　figure　of　〃Indian〃　Butler　moved；　and　his　swart　face　flushed　as　much　as　it　could。

〃You　know　as　much　about　the　king　as　I　do；　Joe　Brant；〃　he　replied。　　〃We　are　fighting　here　for　your　country　as　well　as　his；　and　you　cannot　say　that　Johnson's　Greens　and　Butler's　Rangers　and　the　British　and　Canadians　have　not　done　their　part。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Thayendanegea；　〃but　it　is　true；　also；　that　one　must　fight　with　wisdom。　　Perhaps　there　was　too　much　burning　of　living　men　at　Wyoming。　　The　pain　of　the　wounded　bear　makes　him　fight　the　harder；　and　it；　is　because　of　Wyoming　that　Oghwaga　yonder　burns。　　Say；　is　it　not　so；　Colonel　John　Butler　？〃

〃Indian〃　Butler　made　no　reply；　but　sat；　sullen　and　lowering。　　The　Tory；　Coleman；　whispered　to　Braxton　Wyatt；　but　Timmendiquas　was　the　only　one　who　spoke　aloud。

〃Thayendanegea；〃　he　said；　〃I；　and　the　Wyandots　who　are　with　me；　have　come　far。　　We　expected　to　return　long　ago　to　the　lands　on　the　Ohio；　but　we　were　with　you　in　your　village；　and　now；　when　Manitou　has　turned　his　face　from　you　for　the　time；　we　will　not　leave　you。　　We　stay　and　fight　by　your　side。〃

Thayendanegea　stood　up；　and　Timmendiquas　stood　up；　also。

〃You　are　a　great　chief；　White　Lightning　of　the　Wyandots　〃　he　said；　〃　and　you　and　I　are　brothers。　　I　shall　be　proud　and　happy　to　have　such　a　mighty　leader　fighting　with　me。　　We　will　have　vengeance　for　this。　　The　power　of　the　Iroquois　is　as　great　as　ever。〃

He　raised　himself　to　his　full　height；　pointing　to　the　fire；　and　the　flames　of　hate　and　resolve　burned　in　his　eyes。　　Old　Hiokatoo；　the　most　savage　of　all　the　chiefs；　shook　his　tomahawk；　and　a　murmur　passed　through　the　group　of　Indians。

Braxton　Wyatt　still　talked　in　whispers　to　his　new　friend；　Coleman；　the　Tory；　who　was　more　to　his　liking　than　the　morose　and　savage　Walter　Butler；　whom　he　somewhat　feared。　　Wyatt　was　perhaps　the　least　troubled　of　all　those　present。　　Caring　for　himself　only；　the　burning　of　Oghwaga　caused　him　no　grief。　　He　suffered　neither　from　the　misfortune　of　friend　nor　foe。　　He　was　able　to　contemplate　the　glowing　tower　of　light　with　curiosity　only。　　　　　　　　Braxton　Wyatt　knew　that　the　Iroquois　and　their　allies　would　attempt　revenge　for　the　burning　of　Oghwaga；　and　he　saw　profit　for　himself　in　such　adventures。　　His　horizon　had　broadened　somewhat　of　late。　The　renegade；　Blackstaffe；　had　returned　to　rejoin　Simon　Girty；　but　be　had　found　a　new　friend　in　Coleman。　　He　was　coming　now　more　into　touch　with　the　larger　forces　in　the　East；　nearer　to　the　seat　of　the　great　war；　and　he　hoped　to　profit　by　it。

〃This　is　a　terrible　blow　to　Brant；〃　Coleman　whispered　to　him。　　〃The　Iroquois　have　been　able　to　ravage　the　whole　frontier；　while　the　rebels；　occupied　with　the　king's　troops；　have　not　been　able　to　send　help　to　their　own。　　But　they　have　managed　to　strike　at　last；　as　you　see。〃

〃I　do　see；〃　said　Wyatt；　〃and　on　the　whole；　Coleman；　I'm　not　sorry。　　Perhaps　these　chiefs　won't　be　so　haughty　now；　and　they'll　soon　realize　that　they　need　likely　chaps　such　as　you　and　me；　eh；　Coleman。〃

〃You're　not　far　from　the　truth；〃　said　Coleman；　laughing　a　little；　and　pleased　at　the　penetration　of　his　new　friend。　　They　did　not　talk　further；　although　the　agreement　between　them　was　well　established。　　Neither　did　the　Indian　chiefs　or　the　Tory　leaders　say　any　more。　　They　watched　the　tower　of　fire　a　long　time；　past　midnight；　until　it　reached　its　zenith　and　then　began　to　sink。　　They　saw　its　crest　go　down　behind　the　trees；　and　they　saw　the　luminous　cloud　in　the　south　fade　and　go　out　entirely；　leaving　there　only　the　darkness　that　reined　everywhere　else。

Then　the　Indian　and　Tory　leaders　rose　and　silently　marched　northward。　　It　was　nearly　dawn　when　Henry　and　his　comrades　lay　down　for　the　rest　that　they　needed　badly。　　They　spread　their　blankets　at　the　edge　of　the　open；　but　well　back　from　the　burned　area；　which　was　now　one　great　mass　of　coals　and　charred　timbers；　sending　up　little　flame　but　much　smoke。　　Many　of　the　troops　were　already　asleep；　but　Henry；　before　lying　down；　begged　William　Gray　to　keep　a　strict　watch　lest　the　Iroquois　attack　from　ambush。　　He　knew　that　the