the red acorn-第32节
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As Dr。 Denslow had surmised； his faults were mainly superficial； and underneath them was a firm gristle of manhood； which would speedily harden into bone。 With the experience he had been having； days would mature this as rapidly as ordinary years。 He was himself hardly aware of the transformation； but only felt； as his physical exhaustion disappeared； a new eagerness to participate in the great work of the war。 He was gratified to know a little later that this was no transient feeling。 In the course of the evening Jim Fortner came back in； with Kent Edwards and Abe Bolton。 After they had all satisfied their hunger； Fortner informed Harry and Aunt Debby that the enemy had fallen back to London； from which point he was sending out wagons into the surrounding country； to gather up food； forage； arms； clothing； ammunition； etc。； with the double object of depriving the Union men of them； and adding the same to the Rebel resources。 A long train had also been sent out to the Goose Creek Salt Workstwenty…five miles northeast of Londonto bring away a lot of salt stored there； of which the Rebels had even more need than of food。
Fortner proposed to go out in the morning； and endeavor to capture some of these wagons。 It seemed altogether probably that a few might be caught in such a position that their guards could be killed or driven off。
All readily agreed to this plan； Aunt Debby leading off by volunteering to ride ahead on her mare； as a scout。
Harry suddenly remembered that he was weaponless。 〃What shall I do for a gun？〃 he asked； anxiously。
〃I declar； I done forgot all 'bout gittin' ye a gun；〃 said Fortner with real concern。 〃My mind was disturbed by other things；〃 he added with a suspicion of a grin at Edwards and Bolton； but they were leaning back in their chairs fast asleep。 Apple jack； fatigue and a hearty supper together made a narcotic too potent to resist。
Fortner rose； spread a few blankets on the floor； added a sack of bran for a pillow； and with some difficulty induced the two sleepers to lie down and take their slumbers in a more natural position。
〃I'll find ye a gun；〃 said Aunt Debby； as this operation was finished； and walking to a farther corner of the room； she came back bearing in her hand a rifle very similar to the one Fortner carried。
〃Thar；〃 she said； setting the delicately…curved brazen heel down upon the hearth； and holding the muzzle at arm's length while she gazed at the gun with the admiration one can not help feeling for a magnificent weapon； 〃is ez true a rifle ez ever a man put to his shoulder。 Ef I didn't b'lave ye ter be ez true ez steel ye shouldn't tech hit； fur hit b'longed ter the truest man in this livin' world。〃
〃Hit wuz her husband's；〃 explained Fortner； as her lips met firmly； as if choking down bitter memories。
〃I'm givin' hit ter ye ter use ez he'd a…used hit ef he war a…livin'；〃 she said； steadying her tones with a perceptible effort。 〃I'm glad thet my hands can put inter yours the means ter avenge him。〃
Harry tried in vain to make an appropriate response。
〃I'll clean hit up for ye；〃 she said to Harry； as she saw Fortner beginning to furbish up his own rifle for the next day's duties。
That she was no stranger to the work was shown by the skill with which she addressed herself to it。 Nothing that a Kentucky mountaineer does has more of the aspect of a labor of love； than his caring for a find rifle； and any of them would have been put to shame by the deftness of Aunt Debby's supple hands。 Removing the leathern hood which protected the lock； she carefully rubbed off the hammer and nipple with a wisp of soft fine tow； and picked out the tube with a needle。 Wrapping another bit of tow around the end of a wiping…stick； she moistened it slightly in her mouth； and carefully swabbed out of the inside of the barrel every suspicion of dust and dirt。 Each of the winding rifles was made clean and free along its whole course。 Then the tow swab was lightly touched with sweet； unsalted goose…fat； that it might spread a rust…preventing film over the interior surface。 She burnished the silver and brass ornaments； and rubbed the polished stock until it shone。 When not a suspicion of soil or dirt remained any where； the delicate double triggers were examined and set so that they would yield at the stroke of a hair； a tuft of lightly…oiled tow was placed over the nipple and another closed the muzzle。
〃Thar；〃 said Aunt Deby； setting the gun back against the logs； 〃is a rifle that'll allers do hits duty； ef the man a…holt of hit does his。 Let's see how the ammunition is。〃
The powder horn was found to be well filled with powder； and the box with caps； but there were only a few bullets。
〃I'll run ye some；〃 she said； taking from a shelf a small iron ladle； a few bars of lead； and a pair of bullet molds。 〃Fur more'n a hunderd years the women uv our fam'ly hev run all the bullets our menfolks shot。 They b'lieved hit made 'em lucky。 Granfather Fortner killed an Injun chief acrost the Maumee River at the battle of Fallen Timbers with a bullet thet Granmother hed run fur him an' markt with a little cross。 Afore the battle begun Franfather tuck the bullet outen his pouch an' put hit inter his mouth； until he could git a chance ter use hit on big game。 He brot the chief's scalp hum ter Granmother。〃
〃I believe the bullets you cast for me will do good service；〃 said Harry； with sincerity in his tones。
〃I'm sartin of hit；〃 she returned； confidently。 〃I hev adopted ye in my heart ez a son； an' I feel towards ye ez ef ye were raylly uv my own kin。 I know ye'll be a credit to yerself an' me。〃
While the lead was melting upon the bed of coals she drew out on the hearth； she sat in her low chair with her hands clasped about her knees； and her great gray eyes fixed upon the depths of a mass of glowing embers in the fireplace； as if she saw there vivid pictures of the past or revelations of the future。
〃How wonderfully bright an' glowin' hit is in thar；〃 she said musingly； 〃hit's purer an' brighter then ennything else on arth。 'Purified ez by fire；' the Book says。 My God； Thou has sent Thy fires upon me ez a sweepin' flood。 Hev they purified me ez Thou wisht？ How hit shines an' glows away in thar！ Hit seems so deep sometimes thet I kin skeercely see the end。 A million times purer an' brighter is the light thet shines from the Throne uv God。 THEY'RE lookin' at thet now； while I still tarry heah。 Husband an' son； when will I go to ye？ When will I finish the work the Lord hez fur me ter do？ When will the day uv my freedom come？ May…be to…morrermay…be to…morrer。〃
She began singing softly：
〃An' when a shadder falls acrost the winder Of my room； When I am workin' my app'inted task； I lift my head to watch the door an' ask If he is come； An' the angel answers sweetly In my home： 'Only a few more shadders An' He will come。'〃
〃Aunt Debby； honey；〃 said Fortner； rousing himself from a nap in his chair； 〃thet thar lead's burnin'。 Better run yer bullets。〃
She started as if waked from a trance； pressed her slender thin hands to her eyes for an instant； and then taking the molds up in herleft hand she raised the ladle with her right； filled them from it； knocked the molded balls out by a tap on the floor； and repeated the process with such dexterous quickness that she had made fifty bullets before harry realized that she was fairly at work。
〃Ye men hed better lay down an' git some sleep；〃 she said； as she replaced the molds and ladle on the shelf。 〃Ye'll need all yer strength to…morrer。 I'll neck these bullets； an' git together some vittles fur the trip； an' then I'll lay down a while。 We orter start airlysoon arter daybreak。〃
They did start early the next morning； with Aunt Debby riding upon the roads that wound around the mountain sides； while Fortner led the men through the shorter by…paths。
Noon had passed some hours； and yet they had come across no signs of wagons。 Aunt Debby was riding along a road cut out of the rocks about mid…way up the mountain。 To her right the descent was almost perpendicular for a hundred feet or more to where a creek ran at the bottom of a cliff。 To her left the hill rose up steeply to a great height。 Fortner and the others saw Aunt Debby galloping back； waving the red handkerchief which was her signal of the approach of a wagon。 After her galloped a Rebel Sergeant； with revolver drawn shouting to her to stop or he would fire。 Abe Bolton stepped forward impulsively to shoot the Rebel； missed his footing； and slid down the hill； landing in the orad with such force as to jar into unintelligibiliy a bitter imprecation he had constructed for the emergency。 He struck in front of the Sergeant； who instantly fired at Aunt Debby's mare； sending a bullet through the faithful animal； which sank to her knees； and threw her rider to the ground。 Without waiting to rise； and he was not certain that he could； Abe fired his musket； but missed both man and horse。 He scrambled to his feet； and ran furiously at the Rebel with raised gun。 The Sergeant fired wildly at him； when Bolton struck the animal a violent blow across the head。 It recoiled； slipped； and in another instant had
