betty zane-第33节

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y　holdin'　'em　up。　I　hid　in　some　bulrushes　and　waited。　Pretty　soon　along　comes　three　Injuns；　and　when　they　saw　where　I　had　taken　to　the　water　they　stopped　and　held　a　short　pow…wow。　Then　they　all　took　to　the　water。　This　was　what　I　was　waitin'　for。　When　they　got　nearly　acrosst　I　shot　the　first　redskin；　and　loadin'　quick　got　a　bullet　into　the　others。　The　last　Injun　did　not　sink。　I　watched　him　go　floatin'　down　stream　expectin'　every　minute　to　see　him　go　under　as　he　was　hurt　so　bad　he　could　hardly　keep　his　head　above　water。　He　floated　down　a　long　ways　and　the　current　carried　him　to　a　pile　of　driftwood　which　had　lodged　against　a　little　island。　I　saw　the　Injun　crawl　up　on　the　drift。　I　went　down　stream　and　by　keepin'　the　island　between　me　and　him　I　got　out　to　where　he　was。　I　pulled　my　tomahawk　and　went　around　the　head　of　the　island　and　found　the　redskin　leanin'　against　a　big　log。　He　was　a　young　brave　and　a　fine　lookin　strong　feller。　He　was　tryin'　to　stop　the　blood　from　my　bullet…hole　in　his　side。　When　he　saw　me　he　tried　to　get　up；　but　he　was　too　weak。　He　smiled；　pointed　to　the　wound　and　said：　'Deathwind　not　heap　times　bad　shot。'　Then　he　bowed　his　head　and　waited　for　the　tomahawk。　Well；　I　picked　him　up　and　carried　him　ashore　and　made　a　shack　by　a　spring。　I　staid　there　with　him。　When　he　got　well　enough　to　stand　a　few　days'　travel　I　got　him　across　the　river　and　givin'　him　a　hunk　of　deer　meat　I　told　him　to　go；　and　if　I　ever　saw　him　again　I'd　make　a　better　shot。

〃A　year　afterwards　I　trailed　two　Shawnees　into　Wingenund's　camp　and　got　surrounded　and　captured。　The　Delaware　chief　is　my　great　enemy。　They　beat　me；　shot　salt　into　my　legs；　made　me　run　the　gauntlet；　tied　me　on　the　back　of　a　wild　mustang。　Then　they　got　ready　to　burn　me　at　the　stake。　That　night　they　painted　my　face　black　and　held　the　usual　death　dances。　Some　of　the　braves　got　drunk　and　worked　themselves　into　a　frenzy。　I　allowed　I'd　never　see　daylight。　I　seen　that　one　of　the　braves　left　to　guard　me　was　the　young　feller　I　had　wounded　the　year　before。　He　never　took　no　notice　of　me。　In　the　gray　of　the　early　mornin'　when　all　were　asleep　and　the　other　watch　dozin'　I　felt　cold　steel　between　my　wrists　and　my　buckskin　thongs　dropped　off。　Then　my　feet　were　cut　loose。　I　looked　round　and　in　the　dim　light　I　seen　my　young　brave。　He　handed　me　my　own　rifle；　knife　and　tomahawk；　put　his　finger　on　his　lips　and　with　a　bright　smile；　as　if　to　say　he　was　square　with　me；　he　pointed　to　the　east。　I　was　out　of　sight　in　a　minute。〃

〃How　noble　of　him！〃　exclaimed　Betty；　her　eyes　all　aglow。　〃He　paid　his　debt　to　you；　perhaps　at　the　price　of　his　life。〃

〃I　have　never　known　an　Indian　to　forget　a　promise；　or　a　kind　action；　or　an　injury；〃　observed　Col。　Zane。

〃Are　the　Indians　half　as　bad　as　they　are　called？〃　asked　Betty。　〃I　have　heard　as　many　stories　of　their　nobility　as　of　their　cruelty。〃

〃The　Indians　consider　that　they　have　been　robbed　and　driven　from　their　homes。　What　we　think　hideously　inhuman　is　war　to　them；〃　answered　Col。　Zane。

〃When　I　came　here　from　Fort　Pitt　I　expected　to　see　and　fight　Indians　every　day；〃　said　Capt。　Boggs。　〃I　have　been　here　at　Wheeling　for　nearly　two　years　and　have　never　seen　a　hostile　Indian。　There　have　been　some　Indians　in　the　vicinity　during　that　time　but　not　one　has　shown　himself　to　me。　I'm　not　up　to　Indian　tricks；　I　know；　but　I　think　the　last　siege　must　have　been　enough　for　them。　I　don't　believe　we　shall　have　any　more　trouble　from　them。〃

〃Captain；〃　called　out　Col。　Zane；　banging　his　hand　on　the　table。　〃I'll　bet　you　my　best　horse　to　a　keg　of　gunpowder　that　you　see　enough　Indians　before　you　are　a　year　older　to　make　you　wish　you　had　never　seen　or　heard　of　the　western　border。〃

〃And　I'll　go　you　the　same　bet；〃　said　Major　McColloch。

〃You　see；　Captain；　you　must　understand　a　little　of　the　nature　of　the　Indian；〃　continued　Col。　Zane。　〃We　have　had　proof　that　the　Delawares　and　the　Shawnees　have　been　preparing　for　an　expedition　for　months。　We　shall　have　another　siege　some　day　and　to　my　thinking　it　will　be　a　longer　and　harder　one　than　the　last。　What　say　you；　Wetzel？〃

〃I　ain't　sayin'　much；　but　I　don't　calkilate　on　goin'　on　any　long　hunts　this　summer；〃　answered　the　hunter。

〃And　do　you　think　Tarhe；　Wingenund；　Pipe；　Cornplanter；　and　all　those　chiefs　will　unite　their　forces　and　attack　us？〃　asked　Betty　of　Wetzel。

〃Cornplanter　won't。　He　has　been　paid　for　most　of　his　land　and　he　ain't　so　bitter。　Tarhe　is　not　likely　to　bother　us。　But　Pipe　and　Wingenund　and　Red　Foxthey　all　want　blood。〃

〃Have　you　seen　these　chiefs？〃　said　Betty。

〃Yes；　I　know　'em　all　and　they　all　know　me；〃　answered　the　hunter。　〃I've　watched　over　many　a　trail　waitin'　for　one　of　'em。　If　I　can　ever　get　a　shot　at　any　of　'em　I'll　give　up　Injuns　and　go　farmin'。　Good　night；　Betty。〃

〃What　a　strange　man　is　Wetzel；〃　mused　Betty；　after　the　visitors　had　gone。　〃Do　you　know；　Eb；　he　is　not　at　all　like　any　one　else。　I　have　seen　the　girls　shudder　at　the　mention　of　his　name　and　I　have　heard　them　say　they　could　not　look　in　his　eyes。　He　does　not　affect　me　that　way。　It　is　not　often　I　can　get　him　to　talk；　but　sometimes　he　tells　me　beautiful　thing　about　the　woods；　how　he　lives　in　the　wilderness；　his　home　under　the　great　trees；　how　every　leaf　on　the　trees　and　every　blade　of　grass　has　its　joy　for　him　as　well　as　its　knowledge；　how　he　curls　up　in　his　little　bark　shack　and　is　lulled　to　sleep　by　the　sighing　of　the　wind　through　the　pine　tops。　He　told　me　he　has　often　watched　the　stars　for　hours　at　a　time。　I　know　there　is　a　waterfall　back　in　the　Black　Forest　somewhere　that　Lewis　goes　to；　simply　to　sit　and　watch　the　water　tumble　over　the　precipice。〃

〃Wetzel　is　a　wonderful　character；　even　to　those　who　know　him　only　as　an　Indian　slayer　and　a　man　who　wants　no　other　occupation。　Some　day　he　will　go　off　on　one　of　these　long　jaunts　and　will　never　return。　That　is　certain。　The　day　is　fast　approaching　when　a　man　like　Wetzel　will　be　of　no　use　in　life。　Now；　he　is　a　necessity。　Like　Tige　he　can　smell　Indians。　Betty；　I　believe　Lewis　tells　you　so　much　and　is　so　kind　and　gentle　toward　you　because　he　cares　for　you。〃

〃Of　course　Lew　likes　me。　I　know　he　does　and　I　want　him　to；〃　said　Betty。　〃But　he　does　not　care　as　you　seem　to　think。　Grandmother　Watkins　said　the　same。　I　am　sure　both　of　you　are　wrong。〃

〃Did　Dan's　mother　tell　you　that？　Well；　she's　pretty　shrewd。　It's　quite　likely；　Betty；　quite　likely。　It　seems　to　me　you　are　not　so　quick　witted　as　you　used　to　be。〃

〃Why　so？〃　asked　Betty；　quickly。

〃Well；　you　used　to　be　different　somehow；〃　said　her　brother；　as　he　patted　her　hand。

〃Do　you　mean　I　am　more　thoughtful？〃

〃Yes；　and　sometimes　you　seem　sad。〃

〃I　have　tried　to　be　brave　andand　happy；〃　said　Betty；　her　voice　trembling　slightly。

〃Yes；　yes；　I　know　you　have；　Betty。　You　have　done　wonderfully　well　here　in　this　dead　place。　But　tell　me；　don't　be　angry；　don't　you　think　too　much　of　some　one？〃

〃You　have　no　right　to　ask　me　that；〃　said　Betty；　flushing　and　turning　away　toward　the　stairway。

〃Well；　well；　child；　don't　mind　me。　I　did　not　mean　anything。　There；　good　night；　Betty。〃

Long　after　she　had　gone　up…stairs　Col。　Zane　sat　by　his　fireside。　From　time　to　time　he　sighed。　He　thought　of　the　old　Virginia　home　and　of　the　smile　of　his　mother。　It　seemed　only　a　few　short　years　since　he　had　promised　her　that　he　would　take　care　of　the　baby　sister。　How　had　he　kept　that　promise　made　when　Betty　was　a　little　thing　bouncing　on　his　knee？　It　seemed　only　yesterday。　How　swift　the　flight　of　time！　Already　Betty　was　a　woman；　her　sweet；　gay　girlhood　had　passed；　already　a　shadow　had　fallen　on　her　face；　the　shadow　of　a　secret　sorrow。

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March　with　its　blustering　winds　had　departed；　and　now　April's　showers　and　sunshine　were　gladdening　the　hearts　of　the　settlers。　Patches　of　green　freshened　the　slopes　of　the　hills；　the　lilac　bushes　showed　tiny　leaves；　and　the　maple…buds　were　bursting。　Yesterday　a　blue…birdsurest　harbinger　of　springhad　alighted　on　the　fence…post　and　had　sung　his　plaintive　song。　A　few　more　days　and　the　blossoms　were　out　mingling　their　pink　and　white　with　the　green；　the　red…bud。　the　Hawthorne；　and　the　dog…wood　were　in　bloom；　checkering　the　hillsides。

〃Bessie；　spring　is　here；〃　said　Col。　Zane；　as　he　stood　in　the　doorway。　〃The　air　is　fresh；　the　sun　shines　warm；　the　birds　are　singing；　it　makes　me　feel　good。〃

〃Yes；　it　is　pleasant　to　have　spring　with　us　again；〃　answered　his　wife。　〃I　think；　though；　that　in　winter　I　am　happier。　In　summer　I　am　always　worried。　I　am　afraid　for　the　children　to　be　out　of　my　sight；　and　when　you　are　away　on　a　hunt　I　am　distraught　until　you　are　home　safe。〃

〃Well；　if　the　redskins　let　us　alone　this　summer　it　will　be　something　new；〃　he　said；　laughing。　〃By　the　way；　Bess；　some　new　people　came　to　the　fort　last　night。　They　rafted　down　from　the　Monongahela　settlements。　Some　of　the　women　suffered　considerably。　I　intend　to　offer　them　the　cabin　on　the　hill　until　they　can　cut　the　timber　and　run　up　a　house。　Sam　said　the　cabin　roof　leaked　and　the　chimney　smoked；　but　with　a　little　work　I　think　they　can　be　made　more　comfortable　there　than　at　the　block…house。〃

〃It　is　the　only　vacant　cabin　in　the　settlement。　I　can　accommodate　the　women　folks　here。〃

〃Well；　we'll　see　about　it。　I　don't　want　you　and　Betty　inconvenienced。　I'l