betty zane-第34节

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〃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'll　send　Sam　up　to　the　cabin　and　have　him　fix　things　up　a　bit　and　make　it　more　habitable。

The　door　opened；　admitting　Col。　Zane's　elder　boy。　The　lad's　face　was　dirty；　his　nose　was　all　bloody；　and　a　big　bruise　showed　over　his　right　eye。

〃For　the　land's　sake！〃　exclaimed　his　mother。　〃Look　at　the　boy。　Noah；　come　here。　What　have　you　been　doing？〃

Noah　crept　close　to　his　mother　and　grasping　her　apron　with　both　hands　hid　his　face。　Mrs。　Zane　turned　the　boy　around　and　wiped　his　discolored　features　with　a　wet　towel。　She　gave　him　a　little　shake　and　said：　〃Noah；　have　you　been　fighting　again？〃

〃Let　him　go　and　I'll　tell　you　about　it；〃　said　the　Colonel；　and　when　the　youngster　had　disappeared　he　continued：　〃Right　after　breakfast　Noah　went　with　me　down　to　the　mill。　I　noticed　several　children　playing　in　front　of　Reihart's　blacksmith　shop。　I　went　in；　leaving　Noah　outside。　I　got　a　plow…share　which　I　had　left　with　Reihart　to　be　repaired。　He　came　to　the　door　with　me　and　all　at　once　he　said：　'look　at　the　kids。'　I　looked　and　saw　Noah　walk　up　to　a　boy　and　say　something　to　him。　The　lad　was　a　stranger；　and　I　have　no　doubt　belongs　to　these　new　people　I　told　you　about。　He　was　bigger　than　Noah。　At　first　the　older　boy　appeared　very　friendly　and　evidently　wanted　to　join　the　others　in　their　game。　I　guess　Noah　did　not　approve　of　this；　for　after　he　had　looked　the　stranger　over　he　hauled　away　and　punched　the　lad　soundly。　To　make　it　short　the　strange　boy　gave　Noah　the　worst　beating　he　ever　got　in　his　life。　I　told　Noah　to　come　straight　to　you　and　confess。〃

〃Well；　did　you　ever！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Zane。　〃Noah　is　a　bad　boy。　And　you　stood　and　watched　him　fight。　You　are　laughing　about　it　now。　Ebenezer　Zane；　I　would　not　put　it　beneath　you　to　set　Noah　to　fighting。　I　know　you　used　to　make　the　little　niggers　fight。　Anyway；　it　serves　Noah　right　and　I　hope　it　will　be　a　lesson　to　him。〃

〃I'll　make　you　a　bet；　Bessie；〃　said　the　Colonel；　with　another　laugh。　〃I'll　bet　you　that　unless　we　lock　him　up；　Noah　will　fight　that　boy　every　day　or　every　time　he　meets　him。〃

〃I　won't　bet；〃　said　Mrs。　Zane；　with　a　smile　of　resignation。

〃Where's　Betts？　I　haven't　seen　her　this　morning。　I　am　going　over　to　Short　Creek　to…morrow　or　next　day；　and　think　I'll　take　her　with　me。　You　know　I　am　to　get　a　commission　to　lay　out　several　settlements　along　the　river；　and　I　want　to　get　some　work　finished　at　Short　Creek　this　spring。　Mrs。　Raymer'll　be　delighted　to　have　Betty。　Shall　I　take　her？

〃By　all　means。　A　visit　there　will　brighten　her　up　and　do　her　good。〃

〃Well；　what　on　earth　have　you　been　doing？〃　cried　the　Colonel。　His　remark　had　been　called　forth　by　a　charming　vision　that　had　entered　by　the　open　door。　Bettyfor　it　was　shewore　a　little　red　cap　set　jauntily　on　her　black　hair。　Her　linsey　dress　was　crumpled　and　covered　with　hayseed。

〃I've　been　in　the　hay…mow；〃　said　Betty；　waving　a　small　basket。　〃For　a　week　that　old　black　hen　has　circumvented　me；　but　at　last　I　have　conquered。　I　found　the　nest　in　the　farthest　corner　under　the　hay。〃

〃How　did　you　get　up　in　the　loft？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Zane。

〃Bessie；　I　climbed　up　the　ladder　of　course。　I　acknowledge　being　unusually　light…hearted　and　happy　this　morning；　but　I　have　not　as　yet　grown　wings。　Sam　said　I　could　not　climb　up　that　straight　ladder；　but　I　found　it　easy　enough。〃

〃You　should　not　climb　up　into　the　loft；〃　said　Mrs。　Zane；　in　a　severe　tone。　〃Only　last　fall　Hugh　Bennet's　little　boy　slid　off　the　hay　down　into　one　of　the　stalls　and　the　horse　kicked　him　nearly　to　death。〃

〃Oh；　fiddlesticks；　Bessie；　I　am　not　a　baby；〃　said　Betty；　with　vehemence。　〃There　is　not　a　horse　in　the　barn　but　would　stand　on　his　hind　legs　before　he　would　step　on　me；　let　alone　kick　me。〃

〃I　don't　know；　Betty；　but　I　think　that　black　horse　Mr。　Clarke　left　here　would　kick　any　one；〃　remarked　the　Colonel。

〃Oh；　no；　he　would　not　hurt　me。〃

〃Betty；　we　have　had　pleasant　weather　for　about　three　days；〃　said　the　Colonel；　gravely。　〃In　that　time　you　have　let　out　that　crazy　bear　of　yours　to　turn　everything　topsy…turvy。　Only　yesterday　I　got　my　hands　in　the　paint　you　have　put　on　your　canoe。　If　you　had　asked　my　advice　I　would　have　told　you　that　painting　your　canoe　should　not　have　been　done　for　a　month　yet。　Silas　told　me　you　fell　down　the　creek　hill；　Sam　said　you　tried　to　drive　his　team　over　the　bluff；　and　so　on。　We　are　happy　to　see　you　get　back　your　old　time　spirits；　but　could　you　not　be　a　little　more　careful？　Your　versatility　is　bewildering。　We　do　not　know　what　to　look　for　next。　I　fully　expect　to　see　you　brought　to　the　house　some　day　maimed　for　life；　or　all　that　beautiful　black　hair　gone　to　decorate　some　Huron's　lodge。〃

〃I　tell　you　I　am　perfectly　delighted　that　the　weather　is　again　so　I　can　go　out。　I　am　tired　to　death　of　staying　indoors。　This　morning　I　could　have　cried　for　very　joy。　Bessie　will　soon　be　lecturing　me　about　Madcap。　I　must　not　ride　farther　than　the　fort。　Well；　I　don't　care。　I　intend　to　ride　all　over。〃

〃Betty；　I　do　not　wish　you　to　think　I　am　lecturing　you；〃　said　the　Colonel's　wife。　〃But　you　are　as　wild　as　a　March　hare　and　some　one　must　tell　you　things。　Now　listen。　My　brother；　the　Major；　told　me　that　Simon　Girty；　the　renegade；　had　been　heard　to　say　that　he　had　seen　Eb　Zane's　little　sister　and　that　if　he　ever　got　his　hands　on　her　he　would　make　a　squaw　of　her。　I　am　not　teasing　you。　I　am　telling　you　the　truth。　Girty　saw　you　when　you　were　at　Fort　Pitt　two　years　ago。　Now　what　would　you　do　if　he　caught　you　on　one　of　your　lonely　rides　and　carried　you　off　to　his　wigwam？　He　has　done　things　like　that　before。　James　Girty　carried　off　one　of　the　Johnson　girls。　Her　brothers　tried　to　rescue　her　and　lost　their　lives。　It　is　a　common　trick　of　the　Indians。〃

〃What　would　I　do　if　Mr。　Simon　Girty　tried　to　make　a　squaw　of　me？〃　exclaimed　Betty；　her　eyes　flashing　fire。　〃Why；　I'd　kill　him！〃

〃I　believe　it；　Betts；　on　my　word　I　do；〃　spoke　up　the　Colonel。　〃But　let　us　hope　you　may　never　see　Girty。　All　I　ask　is　that　you　be　careful。　I　am　going　over　to　Short　Creek　to…morrow。　Will　you　go　with　me？　I　know　Mrs。　Raymer　will　be　pleased　to　see　you。〃

〃Oh；　Eb；　that　will　be　delightful！〃

〃Very　well；　get　ready　and　we　shall　start　early　in　the　morning。

Two　weeks　later　Betty　returned　from　Short　Creek　and　seemed　to　have　profited　much　by　her　short　visit。　Col。　Zane　remarked　with　satisfaction　to　his　wife　that　Betty　had　regained　all　her　former　cheerfulness。

The　morning　after　Betty's　return　was　a　perfect　spring　morningthe　first　in　that　month　of　May…days。　The　sun　shone　bright　and　warm；　the　mayflowers　blossomed；　the　trailing　arbutus　scented　the　air；　everywhere　the　grass　and　the　leaves　looked　fresh　and　green；　swallows　flitted　in　and　out　of　the　barn　door；　the　blue…birds　twittered；　a　meadow…lark　caroled　forth　his　pure　melody；　and　the　busy　hum　of　bees　came　from　the　fragrant　apple…blossoms。

〃Mis'　Betty；　Madcap　'pears　powerfo'　skittenish；〃　said　old　Sam；　when　he　had　led　the　pony　to　where　Betty　stood　on　the　hitching　block。　〃Whoa；　dar；　you　rascal。〃

Betty　laughed　as　she　leaped　lightly　into　the　saddle；　and　soon　she　was　flying　over　the　old　familiar　road；　down　across　the　creek　bridge；　past　the　old　grist…mill；　around　the　fort　and　then　out　on　the　river　bluff。　The　Indian　pony　was　fiery　and　mettlesome。　He　pranced　and　side…stepped；　galloped　and　trotted　by　turns。　He　seemed　as　glad　to　get　out　again　into　the　warm　sunshine　as　was　Betty　herself。　He　tore　down　the　road　a　mile　at　his　best　speed。　Coming　back　Betty　pulled　him　into　a　walk。　Presently　her　musings　were　interrupted　by　a　sharp　switch　in　the　face　from　a　twig　of　a　tree。　She　stopped　the　pony　and　broke　off　the　offending　branch。　As　she　looked　around　the　recollection　of　what　had　happened　to　her　in　that　very　spot　flashed　into　her　mind。　It　was　here　that　she　had　been　stopped　by　the　man　who　had　passed　almost　as　swiftly　out　of　her　life　as　he　had　crossed　her　path　that　memorable　afternoon。　She　fell　to　musing　on　the　old　perplexing　question。　After　all　could　there　not　have　been　some　mistake？　Perhaps　she　might　have　misjudged　him？　And　then　the　old　spirit；　which　resented　her　thinking　of　him　in　that　softened　mood；　rose　and　fought　the　old　battle　over　again。　But　as　often　happened　the　mood　conquered；　and　Betty　permitted　herself　to　sink　for　the　moment　into　the　sad　thoughts　which　returned　like　a　mournful　strain　of　music　once　sung　by　beloved　voices；　now　forever　silent。

She　could　not　resist　the　desire　to　ride　down　to　the　old　sycamore。　The　pony　turned　into　the　bridle…path　that　led　down　the　bluff　and　the　sure…footed　beast　picked　his　way　carefully　over　the　roots　and　stones。　Betty's　heart　beat　quicker　when　she　saw　the　noble　tree　under　whose　spreading　branches　she　had　spent　the　happiest　day　of　her　life。　The　old　monarch　of　the　forest　was　not　one　whit　changed　by　the　wild　winds　of　winter。　The　dew　sparkled　on　the　nearly　full　grown　leaves；　the　little　sycamore　balls　were　already　as　large　as　marbles。

Betty　drew　rein　at　the　top　of　the　bank　and　looked　absently　at　the　tree　and　into　the　foam　covered　pool　beneath。　At　that　moment　her　eyes　saw　nothing　physical。　They　held　the　faraway　light　of　the　dreamer；　the　look　that　sees　so　much　of　the　past　and　nothi