betty zane-第60节

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And　he　turned　and　walked　slowly　up　the　path。　He　had　taken　perhaps　a　dozen　steps　when　she　called　him。

〃Mr。　Clarke；　come　back。〃

Alfred　retraced　his　steps　and　stood　before　her　again。　Then　he　saw　a　different　Betty。　The　haughty　poise　had　disappeared。　Her　head　was　bowed。　Her　little　hands　were　tightly　pressed　over　a　throbbing　bosom。

〃Well；〃　said　Alfred；　after　a　moment。

〃Whywhy　are　you　in　such　a　hurry　to　go？〃

〃I　have　learned　what　I　wanted　to　know。　And　after　that　I　do　not　imagine　I　would　be　very　agreeable。　I　am　going　back。　Are　you　coming？〃

〃I　did　not　mean　quite　what　I　said；〃　whispered　Betty。

〃Then　what　did　you　mean？〃　asked　Alfred；　in　a　stern　voice。

〃I　don't　know。　Please　don't　speak　so。〃

〃Betty；　forgive　my　harshness。　Can　you　expect　a　man　to　feel　as　I　do　and　remain　calm？　You　know　I　love　you。　You　must　not　trifle　any　longer。　You　must　not　fight　any　longer。〃

〃But　I　can't　help　fighting。〃

〃Look　at　me；〃　said　Alfred；　taking　her　hands。　〃Let　me　see　your　eyes。　I　believe　you　care　a　little　for　me；　or　else　you　wouldn't　have　called　me　back。　I　love　you。　Can　you　understand　that？〃

〃Yes；　I　can；　and　I　think　you　should　love　me　a　great　deal　to　make　up　for　what　you　made　me　suffer。〃

〃Betty；　look　at　me。〃

Slowly　she　raised　her　head　and　lifted　the　downcast　eyes。　Those　telltale　traitors　no　longer　hid　her　secret。　With　a　glad　cry　Alfred　caught　her　in　his　arms。　She　tried　to　hide　her　face；　but　he　got　his　hand　under　her　chin　and　held　it　firmly　so　that　the　sweet　crimson　lips　were　very　near　his　own。　Then　he　slowly　bent　his　head。

Betty　saw　his　intention；　closed　her　eyes　and　whispered。

〃Alfred；　please　don'tit's　not　fairI　beg　of　youOh！〃

That　kiss　was　Betty's　undoing。　She　uttered　a　strange　little　cry。　Then　her　dark　head　found　a　hiding　place　over　his　heart；　and　her　slender　form；　which　a　moment　before　had　resisted　so　fiercely；　sank　yielding　into　his　embrace。

〃Betty；　do　you　dare　tell　me　now　that　you　do　not　care　for　me？〃　Alfred　whispered　into　the　dusky　hair　which　rippled　over　his　breast。

Betty　was　brave　even　in　her　surrender。　Her　hands　moved　slowly　upward　along　his　arms；　slipped　over　his　shoulders；　and　clasped　round　his　neck。　Then　she　lifted　a　flushed　and　tearstained　face　with　tremulous　lips　and　wonderful　shining　eyes。

〃Alfred；　I　do　love　youwith　my　whole　heart　I　love　you。　I　never　knew　until　now。〃

The　hours　flew　apace。　The　prolonged　ringing　of　the　dinner　bell　brought　the　lovers　back　to　earth；　and　to　the　realization　that　the　world　held　others　than　themselves。　Slowly　they　climbed　the　familiar　path；　but　this　time　as　never　before。　They　walked　hand　in　hand。　From　the　blur　they　looked　back。　They　wanted　to　make　sure　they　were　not　dreaming。　The　water　rushed　over　the　fall　more　musically　than　ever　before；　the　white　patches　of　foam　floated　round　and　round　the　shady　pool；　the　leaves　of　the　sycamore　rustled　cheerily　in　the　breeze。　On　a　dead　branch　a　wood…packer　hammered　industriously。

〃Before　we　get　out　of　sight　of　that　dear　old　tree　I　want　to　make　a　confession；〃　said　Betty；　as　she　stood　before　Alfred。　She　was　pulling　at　the　fringe　on　his　hunting…coat。

〃You　need　not　make　confessions　to　me。〃

〃But　this　was　dreadful；　it　preys　on　my　conscience。〃

〃Very　well；　I　will　be　your　judge。　Your　punishment　shall　be　slight。〃

〃One　day　when　you　were　lying　unconscious　from　your　wound；　Bessie　sent　me　to　watch　you。　I　nursed　you　for　hours；　andanddo　not　think　badly　of　meII　kissed　you。〃

〃My　darling；〃　cried　the　enraptured　young　man。

When　they　at　last　reached　the　house　they　found　Col。　Zane　on　the　doorstep。

〃Where　on　earth　have　you　been？〃　he　said。　〃Wetzel　was　here。　He　said　he　would　not　wait　to　see　you。　There　he　goes　up　the　hill。　He　is　behind　that　laurel。〃

They　looked　and　presently　saw　the　tall　figure　of　the　hunter　emerge　from　the　bushes。　He　stopped　and　leaned　on　his　rifle。　For　a　minute　he　remained　motionless。　Then　he　waved　his　hand　and　plunged　into　the　thicket。　Betty　sighed　and　Alfred　said：

〃Poor　Wetzel！　ever　restless；　ever　roaming。〃

〃Hello；　there！〃　exclaimed　a　gay　voice。　The　lovers　turned　to　see　the　smiling　face　of　Isaac；　and　over　his　shoulder　Myeerah's　happy　face　beaming　on　them。　〃Alfred；　you　are　a　lucky　dog。　You　can　thank　Myeerah　and　me　for　this；　because　if　I　had　not　taken　to　the　river　and　nearly　drowned　myself　to　give　you　that　opportunity　you　would　not　wear　that　happy　face　to…day。　Blush　away；　Betts；　it　becomes　you　mightily。〃

〃Bessie；　here　they　are！〃　cried　Col。　Zane；　in　his　hearty　voice。　〃She　is　tamed　at　last。　No　excuses；　Alfred；　in　to　dinner　you　go。〃

Col。　Zane　pushed　the　young　people　up　the　steps　before　him；　and　stopping　on　the　threshold　while　he　knocked　the　ashes　from　his　pipe；　he　smiled　contentedly。



AFTERWORD。

Betty　lived　all　her　after　life　on　the　scene　of　her　famous　exploit。　She　became　a　happy　wife　and　mother。　When　she　grew　to　be　an　old　lady；　with　her　grandchildren　about　her　knee；　she　delighted　to　tell　them　that　when　girl　she　had　run　the　gauntlet　of　the　Indians。

Col。　Zane　became　the　friend　of　all　redmen。　He　maintained　a　trading…post　for　many　years；　and　his　dealings　were　ever　kind　and　honorable。　After　the　country　got　settled　he　received　from　time　to　time　various　marks　of　distinction　from　the　State；　Colonial；　and　National　governments。　His　most　noted　achievement　was　completed　about　1796。　President　Washington；　desiring　to　open　a　National　road　from　Fort　Henry　to　Maysville；　Kentucky；　paid　a　great　tribute　to　Col。　Zane's　ability　by　employing　him　to　undertake　the　arduous　task。　His　brother　Jonathan　and　the　Indian　guide；　Tomepomehala；　rendered　valuable　aid　in　blazing　out　the　path　through　the　wilderness。　This　road；　famous　for　many　years　as　Zane's　Trace；　opened　the　beautiful　Ohio　valley　to　the　ambitious　pioneer。　For　this　service　Congress　granted　Col。　Zane　the　privilege　of　locating　military　warrants　upon　three　sections　of　land；　each　a　square　mile　in　extent；　which　property　the　government　eventually　presented　to　him。　Col。　Zane　was　the　founder　of　Wheeling；　Zanesville；　Martin's　Ferry；　and　Bridgeport。　He　died　in　1811。

Isaac　Zane　received　from　the　government　a　patent　of　ten　thousand　acres　of　land　on　Mad　river。　He　established　his　home　in　the　center　of　this　tract；　where　he　lived　with　the　Wyandot　until　his　death。　A　white　settlement　sprang　up；　prospered；　and　grew；　and　today　it　is　the　thriving　city　of　Zanesfield。

Jonathan　Zane　settled　down　after　peace　was　declared　with　the　Indians；　found　himself　a　wife；　and　eventually　became　an　influential　citizen。　However；　he　never　lost　his　love　for　the　wild　woods。　At　times　he　would　take　down　the　old　rifle　and　disappear　for　two　or　three　days。　He　always　returned　cheerful　and　happy　from　these　lonely　hunts。

Wetzel　alone　did　not　take　kindly　to　the　march　of　civilization；　but　then　he　was　a　hunter；　not　a　pioneer。　He　kept　his　word　of　peace　with　his　old　enemies；　the　Hurons；　though　he　never　abandoned　his　wandering　and　vengeful　quests　after　the　Delawares。

As　the　years　passed　Wetzel　grew　more　silent　and　taciturn。　From　time　to　time　he　visited　Ft。　Henry；　and　on　these　visits　he　spent　hours　playing　with　Betty's　children。　But　he　was　restless　in　the　settlement；　and　his　sojourns　grew　briefer　and　more　infrequent　as　time　rolled　on。　True　to　his　conviction　that　no　wife　existed　on　earth　for　him；　he　never　married。　His　home　was　the　trackless　wilds；　where　he　was　true　to　his　callinga　foe　to　the　redman。

Wonderful　to　relate　his　long；　black　hair　never　adorned　the　walls　of　an　Indian's　lodge；　where　a　warrior　might　point　with　grim　pride　and　say：　〃No　more　does　the　Deathwind　blow　over　the　hills　and　vales。〃　We　could　tell　of　how　his　keen　eye　once　again　saw　Wingenund　over　the　sights　of　his　fatal　rifle；　and　how　he　was　once　again　a　prisoner　in　the　camp　of　that　lifelong　foe；　but　that's　another　story；　which；　perhaps；　we　may　tell　some　day。

To…day　the　beautiful　city　of　Wheeling　rises　on　the　banks　of　the　Ohio；　where　the　yells　of　the　Indians　once　blanched　the　cheeks　of　the　pioneers。　The　broad；　winding　river　rolls　on　as　of　yore；　it　alone　remains　unchanged。　What　were　Indians　and　pioneers；　forts　and　cities　to　it？　Eons　of　time　before　human　beings　lived　it　flowed　slowly　toward　the　sea；　and　ages　after　men　and　their　works　are　dust；　it　will　roll　on　placidly　with　its　eternal　scheme　of　nature。

Upon　the　island　still　stand　noble　beeches；　oaks；　and　chestnutstrees　that　long　ago　have　covered　up　their　bullet…scars；　but　they　could　tell；　had　they　the　power　to　speak；　many　a　wild　thrilling　tale。　Beautiful　parks　and　stately　mansions　grace　the　island；　and　polished　equipages　roll　over　the　ground　that　once　knew　naught　save　the　soft　tread　of　the　deer　and　the　moccasin。

McColloch's　Rock　still　juts　boldly　out　over　the　river　as　deep　and　rugged　as　when　the　brave　Major　leaped　to　everlasting　fame。　Wetzel's　Cave；　so　named　to　this　day；　remains　on　the　side　of　the　bluff　overlooking　the　creek。　The　grapevines　and　wild　rose…bushes　still　cluster　round　the　cavern…entrance；　where；　long　ago；　the　wily　savage　was　wont　to　lie　in　wait　for　the　settler；　lured　there　by　the　false　turkey…call。　The　boys　visit　the　cave　on　Saturday　afternoons　and　play　〃Injuns。〃

Not　long　since　the　writer　spent　a　quiet　afternoon　there；　listening　to　the　musical　flow　of　the　brook；　and　dreaming　of　those　who　had　lived　and　loved；　fought　and　died　by　that　stream　one　hundred　and　twenty　years　ago。　The　c