betty zane-第18节

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clusters　of　maiden…hair　fern　growing　on　it。　From　under　an　overhanging　rock　on　the　bank　a　spring　of　crystal　water　bubbled　forth。

Alfred　rigged　up　the　rods；　and　baiting　a　hook　directed　Betty　to　throw　her　line　well　out　into　the　current　and　let　it　float　down　into　the　eddy。　She　complied；　and　hardly　had　the　line　reached　the　circle　of　the　eddy；　where　bits　of　white　foam　floated　round　and　round；　when　there　was　a　slight　splash；　a　scream　from　Betty　and　she　was　standing　up　in　the　canoe　holding　tightly　to　her　rod。

〃Be　careful！〃　exclaimed　Alfred。　〃Sit　down。　You　will　have　the　canoe　upset　in　a　moment。　Hold　your　rod　steady　and　keep　the　line　taut。　That's　right。　Now　lead　him　round　toward　me。　There；〃　and　grasping　the　line　he　lifted　a　fine　rock　bass　over　the　side　of　the　canoe。

〃Oh！　I　always　get　so　intensely　excited；〃　breathlessly　cried　Betty。　〃I　can't　help　it。　Jonathan　always　declares　he　will　never　take　me　fishing　again。　Let　me　see　the　fish。　It's　a　goggle…eye。　Isn't　he　pretty？　Look　how　funny　he　bats　his　eyes；〃　and　she　laughed　gleefully　as　she　gingerly　picked　up　the　fish　by　the　tail　and　dropped　him　into　the　water。　〃Now；　Mr。　Goggle…eye；　if　you　are　wise；　in　future　you　will　beware　of　tempting　looking　bugs。〃

For　an　hour　they　had　splendid　sport。　The　pool　teemed　with　sunfish。　The　bait　would　scarcely　touch　the　water　when　the　little　orange　colored　fellows　would　rush　for　it。　Now　and　then　a　black　bass　darted　wickedly　through　the　school　of　sunfish　and　stole　the　morsel　from　them。　Or　a　sharp…nosed　fiery…eyed　pickerelvulture　of　the　waterrising　to　the　surface；　and；　supreme　in　his　indifference　to　man　or　fish；　would　swim　lazily　round　until　he　had　discovered　the　cause　of　all　this　commotion　among　the　smaller　fishes；　and　then；　opening　wide　his　jaws　would　take　the　bait　with　one　voracious　snap。

Presently　something　took　hold　of　Betty's　line　and　moved　out　toward　the　middle　of　the　pool。　She　struck　and　the　next　instant　her　rod　was　bent　double　and　the　tip　under　water。

〃Pull　your　rod　up！〃　shouted　Alfred。　〃Here；　hand　it　to　me。〃

But　it　was　too　late。　A　surge　right　and　left；　a　vicious　tug；　and　Betty's　line　floated　on　the　surface　of　the　water。

〃Now；　isn't　that　too　bad？　He　has　broken　my　line。　Goodness；　I　never　before　felt　such　a　strong　fish。　What　shall　I　do？〃

〃You　should　be　thankful　you　were　not　pulled　in。　I　have　been　in　a　state　of　fear　ever　since　we　commenced　fishing。　You　move　round　in　this　canoe　as　though　it　were　a　raft。　Let　me　paddle　out　to　that　little　ripple　and　try　once　there；　then　we　will　stop。　I　know　you　are　tired。〃

Near　the　center　of　the　pool　a　half　submerged　rock　checked　the　current　and　caused　a　little　ripple　of　the　water。　Several　times　Alfred　had　seen　the　dark　shadow　of　a　large　fish　followed　by　a　swirl　of　the　water；　and　the　frantic　leaping　of　little　bright…sided　minnows　in　all　directions。　As　his　hook；　baited　with　a　lively　shiner；　floated　over　the　spot；　a　long；　yellow　object　shot　from　out　that　shaded　lair。　There　was　a　splash；　not　unlike　that　made　by　the　sharp　edge　of　a　paddle　impelled　by　a　short；　powerful　stroke；　the　minnow　disappeared；　and　the　broad　tail　of　the　fish　flapped　on　the　water。　The　instant　Alfred　struck；　the　water　boiled　and　the　big　fish　leaped　clear　into　the　air；　shaking　himself　convulsively　to　get　rid　of　the　hook。　He　made　mad　rushes　up　and　down　the　pool；　under　the　canoe；　into　the　swift　current　and　against　the　rocks；　but　all　to　no　avail。　Steadily　Alfred　increased　the　strain　on　the　line　and　gradually　it　began　to　tell；　for　the　plunges　of　the　fish　became　shorter　and　less　frequent。　Once　again；　in　a　last　magnificent　effort；　he　leaped　straight　into　the　air；　and　failing　to　get　loose；　gave　up　the　struggle　and　was　drawn　gasping　and　exhausted　to　the　side　of　the　canoe。

〃Are　you　afraid　to　touch　him？〃　asked　Alfred。

〃Indeed　I　am　not；〃　answered　Betty。

〃Then　run　your　hand　gently　down　the　line；　slip　your　fingers　in　under　his　gills　and　lift　him　over　the　side　carefully。〃

〃Five　pounds；〃　exclaimed　Alfred；　when　the　fish　lay　at　his　feet。　〃This　is　the　largest　black　bass　I　ever　caught。　It　is　pity　to　take　such　a　beautiful　fish　out　of　his　element。〃

〃Let　him　go；　then。　May　I？〃　said　Betty。

〃No；　you　have　allowed　them　all　to　go；　even　the　pickerel　which　I　think　ought　to　be　killed。　We　will　keep　this　fellow　alive；　and　place　him　in　that　nice　clear　pool　over　in　the　fort…yard。〃

〃I　like　to　watch　you　play　a　fish；〃　said　Betty。　〃Jonathan　always　hauls　them　right　out。　You　are　so　skillful。　You　let　this　fish　run　so　far　and　then　you　checked　him。　Then　you　gave　him　a　line　to　go　the　other　way；　and　no　doubt　he　felt　free　once　more　when　you　stopped　him　again。〃

〃You　are　expressing　a　sentiment　which　has　been；　is；　and　always　will　be　particularly　pleasing　to　the　fair　sex；　I　believe；〃　observed　Alfred；　smiling　rather　grimly　as　he　wound　up　his　line。

〃Would　you　mind　being　explicit？〃　she　questioned。

Alfred　had　laughed　and　was　about　to　answer　when　the　whip…like　crack　of　a　rifle　came　from　the　hillside。　The　echoes　of　the　shot　reverberated　from　hill　to　hill　and　were　finally　lost　far　down　the　valley。

〃What　can　that　be？〃　exclaimed　Alfred　anxiously；　recalling　Colonel　Zane's　odd　manner　when　they　were　about　to　leave　the　house。

〃I　am　not　sure；　but　I　think　that　is　my　turkey；　unless　Lew　Wetzel　happened　to　miss　his　aim；〃　said　Betty；　laughing。　〃And　that　is　such　an　unprecedented　thing　that　it　can　hardly　be　considered。　Turkeys　are　scarce　this　season。　Jonathan　says　the　foxes　and　wolves　ate　up　the　broods。　Lew　heard　this　turkey　calling　and　he　made　little　Harry　Bennet；　who　had　started　out　with　his　gun；　stay　at　home　and　went　after　Mr。　Gobbler　himself。〃

〃Is　that　all？　Well；　that　is　nothing　to　get　alarmed　about；　is　it？　I　actually　had　a　feeling　of　fear；　or　a　presentiment；　we　might　say。〃

They　beached　the　canoe　and　spread　out　the　lunch　in　the　shade　near　the　spring。　Alfred　threw　himself　at　length　upon　the　grass　and　Betty　sat　leaning　against　the　tree。　She　took　a　biscuit　in　one　hand；　a　pickle　in　the　other；　and　began　to　chat　volubly　to　Alfred　of　her　school　life；　and　of　Philadelphia；　and　the　friends　she　had　made　there。　At　length；　remarking　his　abstraction；　she　said：　〃You　are　not　listening　to　me。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon。　My　thoughts　did　wander。　I　was　thinking　of　my　mother。　Something　about　you　reminds　me　of　her。　I　do　not　know　what；　unless　it　is　that　little　mannerism　you　have　of　pursing　up　your　lips　when　you　hesitate　or　stop　to　think。〃

〃Tell　me　of　her；〃　said　Betty；　seeing　his　softened　mood。

〃My　mother　was　very　beautiful；　and　as　good　as　she　was　lovely。　I　never　had　a　care　until　my　father　died。　Then　she　married　again；　and　as　I　did　not　get　on　with　my　step…father　I　ran　away　from　home。　I　have　not　been　in　Virginia　for　four　years。〃

〃Do　you　get　homesick？〃

〃Indeed　I　do。　While　at　Fort　Pitt　I　used　to　have　spells　of　the　blues　which　lasted　for　days。　For　a　time　I　felt　more　contented　here。　But　I　fear　the　old　fever　of　restlessness　will　come　over　me　again。　I　can　speak　freely　to　you　because　l　know　you　will　understand；　and　I　feel　sure　of　your　sympathy。　My　father　wanted　me　to　be　a　minister。　He　sent　me　to　the　theological　seminary　at　Princeton；　where　for　two　years　I　tried　to　study。　Then　my　father　died。　I　went　home　and　looked　after　things　until　my　mother　married　again。　That　changed　everything　for　me。　I　ran　away　and　have　since　been　a　wanderer。　I　feel　that　I　am　not　lazy；　that　I　am　not　afraid　of　work；　but　four　years　have　drifted　by　and　I　have　nothing　to　show　for　it。　I　am　discouraged。　Perhaps　that　is　wrong；　but　tell　me　how　I　can　help　it。　I　have　not　the　stoicism　of　the　hunter；　Wetzel；　nor　have　I　the　philosophy　of　your　brother。　I　could　not　be　content　to　sit　on　my　doorstep　and　smoke　my　pipe　and　watch　the　wheat　and　corn　grow。　And　then；　this　life　of　the　borderman；　environed　as　it　is　by　untold　dangers；　leads　me；　fascinates　me；　and　yet　appalls　me　with　the　fear　that　here　I　shall　fall　a　victim　to　an　Indian's　bullet　or　spear；　and　find　a　nameless　grave。〃

A　long　silence　ensued。　Alfred　had　spoken　quietly；　but　with　an　undercurrent　of　bitterness　that　saddened　Betty。　For　the　first　time　she　saw　a　shadow　of　pain　in　his　eyes。　She　looked　away　down　the　valley；　not　seeing　the　brown　and　gold　hills　boldly　defined　against　the　blue　sky；　nor　the　beauty　of　the　river　as　the　setting　sun　cast　a　ruddy　glow　on　the　water。　Her　companion's　words　had　touched　an　unknown　chord　in　her　heart。　When　finally　she　turned　to　answer　him　a　beautiful　light　shone　in　her　eyes；　a　light　that　shines　not　on　land　or　seathe　light　of　woman's　hope。

〃Mr。　Clarke；〃　she　said；　and　her　voice　was　soft　and　low；　〃I　am　only　a　girl；　but　I　can　understand。　You　are　unhappy。　Try　to　rise　above　it。　Who　knows　what　will　befall　this　little　settlement？　It　may　be　swept　away　by　the　savages；　and　it　may　grow　to　be　a　mighty　city。　It　must　take　that　chance。　So　must　you；　so　must　we　all　take　chances。　You　are　here。　Find　your　work　and　do　it　cheerfully；　honestly；　and　let　the　future　take　care　of　itself　And　let　me　saydo　not　be　offendedbeware　of　idleness　and　drink。　They　are　as　great　a　dangernay；　greater　than　the　Indians。〃

〃Miss　Zane；　if　you　were　to　ask　me　not　to　drink　I　would　never　touch　a　drop　again；〃　said　Alfred；　earnestly。

〃I　did　not　ask　that；〃　answered　Betty；　flushing　slightly。　〃But　I　shall　remember　it　as　a　promise　and　some　day　I　may　ask　it　of　you。〃

He　looked　wonderingly　at　the　girl　beside