tales of trail and town-第14节

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Peter　and　Lady　Elfrida　were　advancing　towards　them。　　The　scrutiny

of　a　dozen　pairs　of　eyeswondering；　mischievous；　critical；

impertinent；　or　resentfulwould　have　been　a　trying　ordeal　to　any

errant　couple；　but　there　was　little　if　any　change　in　Peter's　grave

and　gentle　demeanor；　albeit　his　dark　eyes　were　shining　with　a

peculiar　light；　and　Lady　Elfrida　had　only　the　animation；　color；　and

slight　excitability　that　became　the　responsible　leader　of　the

little　party。　　They　neither　apologized　or　alluded　to　their　delay。

They　had　selected　a　spot　on　the　other　side　of　the　copse；　and　the

baskets　could　be　sent　around　by　the　wagon；　they　had　seen　a　slight

haze　on　the　plain　towards　the　east　which　betokened　the　vicinity　of

the　rest　of　the　party；　and　they　were　about　to　propose　that　as　the

gentlemen　were　so　near　they　had　better　postpone　the　picnic　until

they　came　up。　　Lady　Runnybroke　smiled　affably；　the　only　thing　she

had　noticed　was　that　Lady　Elfrida　in　joining　them　had　gone　directly

to　the　side　of　the　abstracted　Jenny；　and　placed　her　arm　around　her

waist。　　At　which　Lady　Runnybroke　airily　joined　them。



The　surmises　of　Peter　and　Friddy　appeared　to　be　correct。　　The

transfer　of　the　provisions　and　the　party　to　the　other　side　was

barely　concluded　before　they　could　see　the　gentlemen　coming；　they

were　riding　a　little　more　rapidly　than　when　they　had　set　out；　and

were　arriving　fully　three　hours　before　their　time。　　They　burst　upon

the　ladies　a　little　boisterously　but　gayly；　they　had　had　a　glorious

time；　but　little　sport；　they　had　hurried　back　to　join　the　ladies　so

as　to　be　able　to　return　with　them　betimes。　　They　were　ravenously

hungry；　they　wanted　to　fall　to　at　once。　　Only　the　officers'　wives

noticed　that　the　two　files　of　troopers　DID　NOT　DISMOUNT；　but　filed

slowly　before　the　entrance　to　the　woods。　　Lady　Elfrida　as　hostess

was　prettily　distressed　by　it；　but　was　told　by　Captain　Joyce　that

it　was　〃against　rules；〃　and　that　she　could　〃feed〃　them　at　the　fort。

The　officers'　wives　put　a　few　questions　in　whispers；　and　were

promptly　frowned　down。　　Nevertheless；　the　luncheon　was　a　successful

festivity：　the　gentlemen　were　loud　in　the　praises　of　their　gracious

hostess；　the　delicacies　she　had　provided　by　express　from　distant

stations；　and　much　that　was　distinctly　English　and　despoiled　from

her　own　stores；　were　gratefully　appreciated　by　the　officers　of　a

remote　frontier　garrison。　　Lady　Elfrida's　health　was　toasted　by　the

gallant　colonel　in　a　speech　that　was　the　soul　of　chivalry。　　Lord

Runnybroke　responded；　perhaps　without　the　American　abandon；　but

with　the　steady　conscientiousness　of　an　hereditary　legislator；　but

the　M。　P。　summed　up　a　slightly　exaggerated　but　well　meaning　episode

by　pointing　out　that　it　was　on　occasions　like　this　that　the　two

nations　showed　their　common　ancestry　by　standing　side　by　side。

Only　one　thing　troubled　the　rosy；　excited；　but　still　clear…headed

Friddy；　the　plates　were　whisked　away　like　magic　after　each

delicacy；　by　the　military　servants；　and　vanished；　the　tables　were

in　the　same　mysterious　way　cleared　as　rapidly　as　they　were　set；　and

any　attempt　to　recall　a　dish　was　met　by　the　declaration　that　it　was

already　packed　away　in　the　wagon。　　As　they　at　last　rose　from　the

actually　empty　board；　and　saw　even　the　tables　disappear；　Lady

Elfrida　plaintively　protested　that　she　felt　as　if　she　had　been

presiding　over　an　Arabian　Nights　entertainment；　served　by　genii；

and　she　knew　that　they　would　all　awaken　hungry　when　they　were　well

on　their　way　back。　　Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　this　expedition；　the

officers　lounged　about　smoking　until　every　trace　of　the　festivity

had　vanished。　　Reggy　found　himself　standing　near　Peter。　　〃You

know；〃　he　said；　confidentially；　〃I　don't　think　the　colonel　has　a

very　high　opinion　of　your　pets；the　Indians。　　And；　by　Jove；　if　the

'friendlies'　are　as　nasty　towards　you　as　they　were　to　us　this

morning；　I　wonder　what　you　call　the　'hostile'　tribes。〃



〃Did　you　have　any　difficulty　with　them？〃　said　Peter　quickly。



〃No；　not　exactly；　don't　you　knowwe　were　too　many；　I　fancy；　but；

by　Jove；　the　beggars　whenever　we　met　them；and　we　met　one　or　two

gypsy　bands　of　them；you　know；　they　seemed　to　look　upon　us　as

TRESPASSERS；　don't　you　know。〃



〃And　you　were；　in　point　of　fact；〃　said　Peter；　smiling　grimly。



〃Oh；　I　say；　come　now！〃　said　Reggy；　opening　his　eyes。　　After　a

moment　he　laughed。　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　seeof　course；　looking　at　it　from

their　point　of　view。　　By　Jove；　I　dare　say　the　beggars　were　right；

you　know；　all　the　same；don't　you　see；YOUR　people　were　poaching

too。〃



〃So　we　were；〃　said　Peter　gravely。



But　here；　at　a　word　from　the　major；　the　whole　party　debouched　from

the　woods。　　Everything　appeared　to　be　awaiting　them；the　large

covered　carryall　for　the　guests；　and　the　two　saddle　horses　for　Mrs。

Lascelles　and　Lady　Elfrida；　who　had　ridden　there　together。　　Peter；

also　mounted；　accompanied　the　carryall　with　two　of　the　officers；

the　troopers　and　wagons　brought　up　the　rear。



It　was　very　hot；　with　little　or　no　wind。　　On　this　part　of　the　plain

the　dust　seemed　lighter　and　finer；　and　rose　with　the　wheels　of　the

carryall　and　the　horses　of　the　escort；　trailing　a　white　cloud　over

the　cavalcade　like　the　smoke　of　an　engine　over　a　train。　　It　was

with　difficulty　the　troopers　could　be　kept　from　opening　out　on　both

sides　of　the　highway　to　escape　it。　　The　whole　atmosphere　seemed

charged　with　it；　it　even　appeared　in　a　long　bank　to　the　right；

rising　and　obscuring　the　declining　sun。　　But　they　were　already

within　sight　of　the　fort　and　the　little　copse　beside　it。　　Then

trooper　Cassidy　trotted　up　to　the　colonel；　who　was　riding　in　a

dusty　cloud　beside　the　carryall；　〃Captain　Fleetwood's　compliments；

sorr；　and　there　are　two　sthragglers；Mrs。　Lascelles　and　the

English　lady。〃　　He　pointed　to　the　rapidly　flying　figures　of　Jenny

and　Friddy　making　towards　the　wood。



The　colonel　made　a　movement　of　impatience。　　〃Tell　Mr。　Forsyth　to

bring　them　back　at　once；〃　he　said。



But　here　a　feminine　chorus　of　excuses　and　expostulations　rose　from

the　carryall。　　〃It's　only　Mrs。　Lascelles　going　to　show　Friddy　where

the　squaws　and　children　bathe；〃　said　Lady　Runnybroke；　〃it's　near

the　fort；　and　they'll　be　there　as　quick　as　we　shall。〃



〃One　moment；　colonel；〃　said　Peter；　with　mortified　concern。　　〃It's

another　folly　of　my　sister's！　pray　let　me　take　it　upon　myself　to

bring　them　back。〃



〃Very　well；　but　see　you　don't　linger；　and；〃　turning　to　Cassidy；　as

Peter　galloped　away；　he　added；　〃you　follow　him。〃



Peter　kept　the　figures　of　the　two　women　in　view；　but　presently　saw

them　disappear　in　the　wood。　　He　had　no　fear　for　their　safety；　but

he　was　indignant　at　this　last　untimely　caprice　of　his　sister。　　He

knew　the　idea　had　originated　with　her；　and　that　the　officers　knew

it；　and　yet　she　had　made　Lady　Elfrida　bear　an　equal　share　of　the

blame。　　He　reached　the　edge　of　the　copse；　entered　the　first

opening；　but　he　had　scarcely　plunged　into　its　shadow　and　shut　out

the　plain　behind　him　before　he　felt　his　arms　and　knees　quickly

seized　from　behind。　　So　sudden　and　unexpected　was　the　attack　that

he　first　thought　his　horse　had　stumbled　against　a　coil　of　wild

grapevine　and　was　entangled；　but　the　next　moment　he　smelled　the

rank　characteristic　odor　and　saw　the　brown　limbs　of　the　Indian　who

had　leaped　on　his　crupper；　while　another　rose　at　his　horse's　head。

Then　a　warning　voice　in　his　ear　said　in　the　native　tongue：



〃If　the　great　white　medicine　man　calls　to　his　fighting　men；　the

pale…faced　girl　and　the　squaw　he　calls　his　sister　die！　　They　are

here；　he　understands。〃



But　Peter　had　neither　struggled　nor　uttered　a　cry。　　At　that　touch；

and　with　the　accents　of　that　tongue　in　his　ears；　all　his　own　Indian

blood　seemed　to　leap　and　tingle　through　his　veins。　　His　eyes

flashed；　pinioned　as　he　was　he　drew　himself　erect　and　answered

haughtily　in　his　captor's　own　speech：



〃Good！　　The　great　white　medicine　man　obeys；　for　he　and　his　sister

have　no　fear。　　But　if　the　pale…face　girl　is　not　sent　back　to　her

people　before　the　sun　sets；　then　the　yellow　jackets　will　swarm　the

woods；　and　they　will　follow　her　trail　to　the　death。　　My　brother　is

wise；　let　the　girl　go。　　I　have　spoken。〃



〃My　brother　is　very　cunning　too。　　He　would　call　to　his　fighting　men

through　the　lips　of　the　pale…face　girl。〃



〃He　will　not。　　The　great　white　medicine　man　does　not　lie　to　his　red

brother。　　He　will　tell　the　pale…face　girl　to　say　to　the　chief　of

the　yellow　jackets　that　he　and　his　sister　are　with　his　brothers；

and　all　is　peace。　　But　the　pale…face　girl　must　not　see　the　great

white　medicine　man　in　these　bonds；　nor　as　a　captive！　　I　have

spoken。〃



The　two　Indians　fell　back。　　There　was　so　much　of　force　and　dignity

in　the　man；　so　much　of　their　own　stoic　calmness；　that　they　at　once

mechanically　loosened　the　thongs　of　plaited　deer　hide　with　which

they　had　bound　him；　and　side　by　side　led　him　into　the　recesses　of

the　wood。



　　　　　　　　。