betty zane-第26节

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ess。　But　when　the　long；　dreary　winter　days　came　with　their　ice…laden　breezes；　enforcing　idleness　on　the　Indians；　he　became　restless。　Sometimes　for　days　he　would　be　morose　and　gloomy；　keeping　beside　his　own　tent　and　not　mingling　with　the　Indians。　At　such　times　Myeerah　did　not　question　him。

Even　in　his　happier　hours　his　diversions　were　not　many。　He　never　tired　of　watching　and　studying　the　Indian　children。　When　he　had　an　opportunity　without　being　observed；　which　was　seldom；　he　amused　himself　with　the　papooses。　The　Indian　baby　was　strapped　to　a　flat　piece　of　wood　and　covered　with　a　broad　flap　of　buckskin。　The　squaws　hung　these　primitive　baby　carriages　up　on　the　pole　of　a　tepee；　on　a　branch　of　a　tree；　or　threw　them　round　anywhere。　Isaac　never　heard　a　papoose　cry。　He　often　pulled　down　the　flap　of　buckskin　and　looked　at　the　solemn　little　fellow；　who　would　stare　up　at　him　with　big；　wondering　eyes。

Isaac's　most　intimate　friend　was　a　six…year…old　Indian　boy；　whom　he　called　Captain　Jack。　He　was　the　son　of　Thundercloud；　the　war…chief　of　the　Hurons。　Jack　made　a　brave　picture　in　his　buckskin　hunting　suit　and　his　war　bonnet。　Already　he　could　stick　tenaciously　on　the　back　of　a　racing　mustang　and　with　his　little　bow　he　could　place　arrow　after　arrow　in　the　center　of　the　target。　Knowing　Captain　Jack　would　some　day　be　a　mighty　chief；　Isaac　taught　him　to　speak　English。　He　endeavored　to　make　Jack　love　him；　so　that　when　the　lad　should　grow　to　be　a　man　he　would　remember　his　white　brother　and　show　mercy　to　the　prisoners　who　fell　into　his　power。

Another　of　Isaac's　favorites　was　a　half…breed　Ottawa　Indian；　a　distant　relative　of　Tarhe's。　This　Indian　was　very　old；　no　one　knew　how　old；　his　face　was　seamed　and　scarred　and　wrinkled。　Bent　and　shrunken　was　his　form。　He　slept　most　of　the　time；　but　at　long　intervals　he　would　brighten　up　and　tell　of　his　prowess　when　a　warrior。

One　of　his　favorite　stories　was　of　the　part　he　had　taken　in　the　events　of　that　fatal　and　memorable　July　2；　1755；　when　Gen。　Braddock　and　his　English　army　were　massacred　by　the　French　and　Indians　near　Fort　Duquesne。

The　old　chief　told　how　Beaujeu　with　his　Frenchmen　and　his　five　hundred　Indians　ambushed　Braddock's　army；　surrounded　the　soldiers；　fired　from　the　ravines；　the　trees；　the　long　grass；　poured　a　pitiless　hail　of　bullets　on　the　bewildered　British　soldiers；　who；　unaccustomed　to　this　deadly　and　unseen　foe；　huddled　under　the　trees　like　herds　of　frightened　sheep；　and　were　shot　down　with　hardly　an　effort　to　defend　themselves。

The　old　chief　related　that　fifteen　years　after　that　battle　he　went　to　the　Kanawha　settlement　to　see　the　Big　Chief；　Gen。　George　Washington；　who　was　travelling　on　the　Kanawha。　He　told　Gen。　Washington　how　he　had　fought　in　the　battle　of　Braddock's　Fields；　how　he　had　shot　and　killed　Gen。　Braddock；　how　he　had　fired　repeatedly　at　Washington；　and　had　killed　two　horses　under　him；　and　how　at　last　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　Washington　was　protected　by　the　Great　Spirit　who　destined　him　for　a　great　future。

　　　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*

Myeerah　was　the　Indian　name　for　a　rare　and　beautiful　birdthe　white　cranecommonly　called　by　the　Indians；　Walk…in…the…Water。　It　had　been　the　name　of　Tarhe's　mother　and　grandmother。　The　present　Myeerah　was　the　daughter　of　a　French　woman；　who　had　been　taken　captive　at　a　very　early　age；　adopted　into　the　Huron　tribe；　and　married　to　Tarhe。　The　only　child　of　this　union　was　Myeerah。　She　grew　to　be　beautiful　woman　and　was　known　in　Detroit　and　the　Canadian　forts　as　Tarhe's　white　daughter。　The　old　chief　often　visited　the　towns　along　the　lake　shore；　and　so　proud　was　he　of　Myeeah　that　he　always　had　her　accompany　him。　White　men　travelled　far　to　look　at　the　Indian　beauty。　Many　French　soldiers　wooed　her　in　vain。　Once；　while　Tarhe　was　in　Detroit；　a　noted　French　family　tried　in　every　way　to　get　possession　of　Myeerah。

The　head　of　this　family　believed　he　saw　in　Myeerah　the　child　of　his　long　lost　daughter。　Tarhe　hurried　away　from　the　city　and　never　returned　to　the　white　settlement。

Myeerah　was　only　five　years　old　at　the　time　of　the　capture　of　the　Zane　brothers　and　it　was　at　this　early　age　that　she　formed　the　attachment　for　Isaac　Zane　which　clung　to　her　all　her　life。　She　was　seven　when　the　men　came　from　Detroit　to　ransom　the　brothers；　and　she　showed　such　grief　when　she　learned　that　Isaac　was　to　be　returned　to　his　people　that　Tarhe　refused　to　accept　any　ransom　for　Isaac。　As　Myeerah　grew　older　her　childish　fancy　for　the　white　boy　deepened　into　an　intense　love。

But　while　this　love　tendered　her　inexorable　to　Isaac　on　the　question　of　giving　him　his　freedom；　it　undoubtedly　saved　his　life　as　well　as　the　lives　of　other　white　prisoners；　on　more　than　one　occasion。

To　the　white　captives　who　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　Hurons；　she　was　kind　and　merciful；　many　of　the　wounded　she　had　tended　with　her　own　hands；　and　many　poor　wretches　she　had　saved　from　the　gauntlet　and　the　stake。　When　her　efforts　to　persuade　her　father　to　save　any　one　were　unavailing　she　would　retire　in　sorrow　to　her　lodge　and　remain　there。

Her　infatuation　for　the　White　Eagle；　the　Huron　name　for　Isaac；　was　an　old　story；　it　was　known　to　all　the　tribes　and　had　long　ceased　to　be　questioned。　At　first　some　of　the　Delawares　and　the　Shawnee　braves；　who　had　failed　to　win　Myeerah's　love；　had　openly　scorned　her　for　her　love　for　the　pale　face。　The　Wyandot　warriors　to　a　man　worshipped　her；　they　would　have　marched　straight　into　the　jaws　of　death　at　her　command；　they　resented　the　insults　which　had　been　cast　on　their　princess；　and　they　had　wiped　them　out　in　blood：　now　none　dared　taunt　her。

In　the　spring　following　Isaac's　recapture　a　very　serious　accident　befell　him。　He　had　become　expert　in　the　Indian　game　of　ball；　which　is　a　game　resembling　the　Canadian　lacrosse；　and　from　which；　in　fact；　it　had　been　adopted。　Goals　were　placed　at　both　ends　of　a　level　plain。　Each　party　of　Indians　chose　a　goal　which　they　endeavored　to　defend　and　at　the　same　time　would　try　to　carry　the　ball　over　their　opponent's　line。

A　well　contested　game　of　Indian　ball　presented　a　scene　of　wonderful　effort　and　excitement。　Hundreds　of　strong　and　supple　braves　could　be　seen　running　over　the　plain；　darting　this　way　and　that；　or　struggling　in　a　yelling；　kicking；　fighting　mass；　all　in　a　mad　scramble　to　get　the　ball。

As　Isaac　had　his　share　of　the　Zane　swiftness　of　foot；　at　times　his　really　remarkable　fleetness　enabled　him　to　get　control　of　the　ball。　In　front　of　the　band　of　yelling　savages　he　would　carry　it　down　the　field；　and　evading　the　guards　at　the　goal；　would　throw　it　between　the　posts。　This　was　a　feat　of　which　any　brave　could　be　proud。

During　one　of　these　games　Red　Fox；　a　Wyandot　brave；　who　had　long　been　hopelessly　in　love　with　Myeerah；　and　who　cordially　hated　Isaac；　used　this　opportunity　for　revenge。　Red　Fox；　who　was　a　swift　runner；　had　vied　with　Isaac　for　the　honors；　but　being　defeated　in　the　end；　he　had　yielded　to　his　jealous　frenzy　and　had　struck　Isaac　a　terrible　blow　on　the　head　with　his　bat。

It　happened　to　be　a　glancing　blow　or　Isaac's　life　would　have　been　ended　then　and　there。　As　it　was　he　had　a　deep　gash　in　his　head。　The　Indians　carried　him　to　his　lodge　and　the　medicine　men　of　the　tribe　were　summoned。

When　Isaac　recovered　consciousness　he　asked　for　Myeerah　and　entreated　her　not　to　punish　Red　Fox。　He　knew　that　such　a　course　would　only　increase　his　difficulties；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　if　he　saved　the　life　of　the　Indian　who　had　struck　him　in　such　a　cowardly　manner　such　an　act　would　appeal　favorably　to　the　Indians。　His　entreaties　had　no　effect　on　Myeerah；　who　was　furious；　and　who　said　that　if　Red　Fox；　who　had　escaped；　ever　returned　he　would　pay　for　his　unprovoked　assault　with　his　life；　even　if　she　had　to　kill　him　herself。　Isaac　knew　that　Myeerah　would　keep　her　word。　He　dreaded　every　morning　that　the　old　squaw　who　prepared　his　meals　would　bring　him　the　new　that　his　assailant　had　been　slain。　Red　Fox　was　a　popular　brave；　and　there　were　many　Indians　who　believed　the　blow　he　had　struck　Isaac　was　not　intentional。　Isaac　worried　needlessly；　however；　for　Red　Fox　never　came　back；　and　nothing　could　be　learned　as　to　his　wherabouts。

It　was　during　his　convalescence　that　Isaac　learned　really　to　love　the　Indian　maiden。　She　showed　such　distress　in　the　first　days　after　his　injury；　and　such　happiness　when　he　was　out　of　danger　and　on　the　road　to　recovery　that　Isaac　wondered　at　her。　She　attended　him　with　anxious　solicitude；　when　she　bathed　and　bandaged　his　wound　her　every　touch　was　a　tender　caress；　she　sat　by　him　for　hours；　her　low　voice　made　soft　melody　as　she　sang　the　Huron　love　songs。　The　moments　were　sweet　to　Isaac　when　in　the　gathering　twilight　she　leaned　her　head　on　his　shoulder　while　they　listened　to　the　evening　carol　of　the　whip…poor…will。　Days　passed　and　at　length　Isaac　was　entirely　well。　One　day　when　the　air　was　laden　with　the　warm　breath　of　summer　Myeerah　and　Isaac　walked　by　the　river。

〃You　are　sad　again；〃　said　Myeerah。

〃I　am　homesick。　I　want　to　see　my　people。　Myeerah；　you　have　named　me　rightly。　The　Eagle　can　never　be　happy　unless　he　is　free。〃

〃The　Eagle　can　be　happy　with　his　mate。　And　what　life　could　be　freer　than　a　Huron's？　I　hope　always　that　you　will　grow　content。〃

〃It　has　been　a　long　time　now；　Myeerah；　since