betty zane-第6节

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Clarke　related　the　circumstances　in　a　few　hurried　words。　Calling　Sam　they　ran　quickly　down　to　the　river；　where　they　found　the　prostrate　figure　as　Clarke　had　left　it；　the　dog　still　crouched　close　by。

〃My　God！　It　is　Isaac！〃　exclaimed　Colonel　Zane；　when　he　saw　the　white　face。　〃Poor　boy；　he　looks　as　if　he　were　dead。　Are　you　sure　he　spoke？　Of　course　he　must　have　spoken　for　you　could　not　have　known。　Yes；　his　heart　is　still　beating。〃

Colonel　Zane　raised　his　head　from　the　unconscious　man's　breast；　where　he　had　laid　it　to　listen　for　the　beating　heart。

〃Clarke；　God　bless　you　for　saving　him；〃　said　he　fervently。　〃It　shall　never　be　forgotten。　He　is　alive；　and；　I　believe；　only　exhausted；　for　that　wound　amounts　to　little。　Let　us　hurry。〃

〃I　did　not　save　him。　It　was　the　dog；〃　Alfred　made　haste　to　answer。

They　carried　the　dripping　form　to　the　house；　where　the　door　was　opened　by　Mrs。　Zane。

〃Oh；　dear；　another　poor　man；〃　she　said；　pityingly。　Then；　as　she　saw　his　face；　〃Great　Heavens；　it　is　Isaac！　Oh！　don't　say　he　is　dead！〃

〃Yes；　it　is　Isaac；　and　he　is　worth　any　number　of　dead　men　yet；〃　said　Colonel　Zane；　as　they　laid　the　insensible　man　on　the　couch。　〃Bessie；　there　is　work　here　for　you。　He　has　been　shot。〃

〃Is　there　any　other　wound　beside　this　one　in　his　arm？〃　asked　Mrs。　Zane；　examining　it。

〃I　do　not　think　so；　and　that　injury　is　not　serious。　It　is　lose　of　blood；　exposure　and　starvation。　Clarke；　will　you　please　run　over　to　Captain　Boggs　and　tell　Betty　to　hurry　home！　Sam；　you　get　a　blanket　and　warm　it　by　the　fire。　That's　right；　Bessie；　bring　the　whiskey；〃　and　Colonel　Zane　went　on　giving　orders。

Alfred　did　not　know　in　the　least　who　Betty　was；　but；　as　he　thought　that　unimportant；　he　started　off　on　a　run　for　the　fort。　He　had　a　vague　idea　that　Betty　was　the　servant；　possibly　Sam's　wife；　or　some　one　of　the　Colonel's　several　slaves。

Let　us　return　to　Betty。　As　she　wheeled　her　pony　and　rode　away　from　the　scene　of　her　adventure　on　the　river　bluff；　her　state　of　mind　can　be　more　readily　imagined　than　described。　Betty　hated　opposition　of　any　kind；　whether　justifiable　or　not；　she　wanted　her　own　way；　and　when　prevented　from　doing　as　she　pleased　she　invariably　got　angry。　To　be　ordered　and　compelled　to　give　up　her　ride；　and　that　by　a　stranger；　was　intolerable。　To　make　it　all　the　worse　this　stranger　had　been　decidedly　flippant。　He　had　familiarly　spoken　to　her　as　〃a　pretty　little　girl。〃　Not　only　that；　which　was　a　great　offense；　but　he　had　stared　at　her；　and　she　had　a　confused　recollection　of　a　gaze　in　which　admiration　had　been　ill　disguised。　Of　course；　it　was　that　soldier　Lydia　had　been　telling　her　about。　Strangers　were　of　so　rare　an　occurrence　in　the　little　village　that　it　was　not　probable　there　could　be　more　than　one。

Approaching　the　house　she　met　her　brother　who　told　her　she　had　better　go　indoors　and　let　Sam　put　up　the　pony。　Accordingly；　Betty　called　the　negro；　and　then　went　into　the　house。　Bessie　had　gone　to　the　fort　with　the　children。　Betty　found　no　one　to　talk　to；　so　she　tried　to　read。　Finding　she　could　not　become　interested　she　threw　the　book　aside　and　took　up　her　embroidery。　This　also　turned　out　a　useless　effort；　she　got　the　linen　hopelessly　twisted　and　tangled；　and　presently　she　tossed　this　upon　the　table。　Throwing　her　shawl　over　her　shoulders；　for　it　was　now　late　in　the　afternoon　and　growing　chilly；　she　walked　downstairs　and　out　into　the　Yard。　She　strolled　aimlessly　to　and　fro　awhile；　and　then　went　over　to　the　fort　and　into　Captain　Bogg's　house；　which　adjoined　the　blockhouse。　Here　she　found　Lydia　preparing　flax。

〃I　saw　you　racing　by　on　your　pony。　Goodness；　how　you　can　ride！　I　should　be　afraid　of　breaking　my　neck；〃　exclaimed　Lydia；　as　Betty　entered。

〃My　ride　was　spoiled；〃　said　Betty；　petulantly。

〃Spoiled？　By　whatwhom？〃

〃By　a　man；　of　course；〃　retorted　Betty；　whose　temper　still　was　high。　〃It　is　always　a　man　that　spoils　everything。〃

〃Why；　Betty；　what　in　the　world　do　you　mean？　I　never　heard　you　talk　that　way；〃　said　Lydia；　opening　her　blue　eyes　in　astonishment。

〃Well；　Lyde；　I'll　tell　you。　I　was　riding　down　the　river　road　and　just　as　I　came　to　the　end　of　the　clearing　a　man　jumped　out　from　behind　some　bushes　and　grasped　Madcap's　bridle。　Imagine！　For　a　moment　I　was　frightened　out　of　my　wits。　I　instantly　thought　of　the　Girtys；　who；　I　have　heard；　have　evinced　a　fondness　for　kidnapping　little　girls。　Then　the　fellow　said　he　was　on　guard　and　ordered　me；　actually　commanded　me　to　go　home。〃

〃Oh；　is　that　all？〃　said　Lydia；　laughing。

〃No；　that　is　not　all。　Hehe　said　I　was　a　pretty　little　girl　and　that　he　was　sorry　I　could　not　have　my　own　way；　that　his　present　occupation　was　pleasant；　and　that　the　situation　had　its　charm。　The　very　idea。　He　was　most　impertinent；〃　and　Betty's　telltale　cheeks　reddened　again　at　the　recollection。

〃Betty；　I　do　not　think　your　experience　was　so　dreadful；　certainly　nothing　to　put　you　out　as　it　has；〃　said　Lydia；　laughing　merrily。　〃Be　serious。　You　know　we　are　not　in　the　backwoods　now　and　must　not　expect　so　much　of　the　men。　These　rough　border　men　know　little　of　refinement　like　that　with　which　you　have　been　familiar。　Some　of　them　are　quiet　and　never　speak　unless　addressed；　their　simplicity　is　remarkable；　Lew　Wetzel　and　your　brother　Jonathan；　when　they　are　not　fighting　Indians；　are　examples。　On　the　other　hand；　some　of　them　are　boisterous　and　if　they　get　anything　to　drink　they　will　make　trouble　for　you。　Why；　I　went　to　a　party　one　night　after　I　had　been　here　only　a　few　weeks　and　they　played　a　game　in　which　every　man　in　the　place　kissed　me。〃

〃Gracious！　Please　tell　me　when　any　such　games　are　likely　to　be　proposed　and　I'll　stay　home；〃　said　Betty。

〃I　have　learned　to　get　along　very　well　by　simply　making　the　best　of　it；〃　continued　Lydia。　〃And　to　tell　the　truth；　I　have　learned　to　respect　these　rugged　fellows。　They　are　uncouth；　they　have　no　manners；　but　their　hearts　are　honest　and　true；　and　that　is　of　much　greater　importance　in　frontiersmen　than　the　little　attentions　and　courtesies　upon　which　women　are　apt　to　lay　too　much　stress。〃

〃I　think　you　speak　sensibly　and　I　shall　try　and　be　more　reasonable　hereafter。　But；　to　return　to　the　man　who　spoiled　my　ride。　He；　at　least；　is　no　frontiersman；　notwithstanding　his　gun　and　his　buckskin　suit。　He　is　an　educated　man。　His　manner　and　accent　showed　that。　Then　he　looked　at　me　so　differently。　I　know　it　was　that　soldier　from　Fort　Pitt。〃

〃Mr。　Clarke？　Why；　of　course！〃　exclaimed　Lydia；　clapping　her　hands　in　glee。　〃How　stupid　of　me！〃

〃You　seem　to　be　amused；〃　said　Betty；　frowning。

〃Oh；　Betty；　it　is　such　a　good　joke。〃

〃Is　it？　I　fail　to　see　it。〃

〃But　I　can。　I　am　very　much　amused。　You　see；　I　heard　Mr。　Clarke　say；　after　papa　told　him　there　were　lots　of　pretty　girls　here；　that　he　usually　succeeded　in　finding　those　things　out　and　without　any　assistance。　And　the　very　first　day　he　has　met　you　and　made　you　angry。　It　is　delightful。〃

〃Lyde；　I　never　knew　you　could　be　so　horrid。〃

〃It　is　evident　that　Mr。　Clarke　is　not　only　discerning；　but　not　backward　in　expressing　his　thoughts。　Betty；　I　see　a　romance。〃

〃Don't　be　ridiculous；〃　retorted　Betty；　with　an　angry　blush。　〃Of　course；　he　had　a　right　to　stop　me；　and　perhaps　he　did　me　a　good　turn　by　keeping　me　inside　the　clearing；　though　I　cannot　imagine　why　he　hid　behind　the　bushes。　But　he　might　have　been　polite。　He　made　me　angry。　He　was　so　cool　andand〃

〃I　see；〃　interrupted　Lydia；　teasingly。　〃He　failed　to　recognize　your　importance。〃

〃Nonsense；　Lydia。　I　hope　you　do　not　think　I　am　a　silly　little　fool。　It　is　only　that　I　have　not　been　accustomed　to　that　kind　of　treatment；　and　I　will　not　have　it。〃

Lydia　was　rather　pleased　that　some　one　had　appeared　on　the　scene　who　did　not　at　once　bow　down　before　Betty；　and　therefore　she　took　the　young　man's　side　of　the　argument。

〃Do　not　be　hard　on　poor　Mr。　Clarke。　Maybe　he　mistook　you　for　an　Indian　girl。　He　is　handsome。　I　am　sure　you　saw　that。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　remember　how　he　looked；〃　said　Betty。　She　did　remember；　but　would　not　admit　it。

The　conversation　drifted　into　other　channels　after　this；　and　soon　twilight　came　stealing　down　on　them。　As　Betty　rose　to　go　there　came　a　hurried　tap　on　the　door。

〃I　wonder　who　would　knock　like　that；〃　said　Lydia；　rising　〃Betty；　wait　a　moment　while　I　open　the　door。〃

On　doing　this　she　discovered　Clarke　standing　on　the　step　with　his　cap　in　his　hand。

〃Why；　Mr。　Clarke！　Will　you　come　in？〃　exclaimed　Lydia。　〃Thank　you；　only　for　a　moment；〃　said　Alfred。　〃I　cannot　stay。　I　came　to　find　Betty。　Is　she　here？〃

He　had　not　observed　Betty；　who　had　stepped　back　into　the　shadow　of　the　darkening　room。　At　his　question　Lydia　became　so　embarrassed　she　did　not　know　what　to　say　or　do；　and　stood　looking　helplessly　at　him。

But　Betty　was　equal　to　the　occasion。　At　the　mention　of　her　first　name　in　such　a　familiar　manner　by　this　stranger；　who　had　already　grievously　offended　her　once　before　that　day；　Betty　stood　perfectly　still　a　moment；　speechless　with　surprise；　then　she　stepped　quickly　out　of　the　shadow。

Clarke　turned　as　he　heard　her　step　and　looked　straight　into　a　pair　of　dark；　scornful　eyes　and　a　face　pale　with　anger。

〃If　it　be　necessary　that　you　use　my　name；　and　I　do　not　see　how　that　can　be　possible；　will　you　please　have　courtesy　enough　to　say　Miss　Zane？〃　she　cried　h