the path of the king-第41节

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to　think　deep；　and　there'll　be　plenty　selfish　and　short…sighted　folk　that　won't　think　at　all。　I　reckon　she'll　have　to　set　her　house　in　order　with　a　hickory　stick。　But　if　she　wins　through　that　all　right；　she'll　be　a　country　for　our　children　to　be　proud　of　and　happy　in。'〃

〃Children？　Has　he　any　belongings？〃　Squire　Boone

Daniel　looked　puzzled。　〃I've　heerd　it　said　he　had　a　wife；　though　he　never　telled　nie　of　her。〃

〃I've　seed　her；〃　Neely　put　in。　〃She　was　one　of　Jake　Early's　daughters　up　to　Walsing　Springs。　She　didn't　live　no　more　than　a　couple　of　years　after　they　was　wed。　She　left　a　gal　behind　her；　a　mighty　finelooking　gal。　They　tell　me　she's　married　on　young　Abe　Hanks；　I　did　hear　that　Abe　was　thinking　of　coming　west；　but　them　as　told　me　allowed　that　Abe　hadn't　got　the　right　kinder　wife　for　the　Border。　Polly　Hanker　they　called　her；　along　of　her　being　Polly　Hanks；　and　likewise　wantin'　more　than　other　folks　had　to　get　along　with。　See？〃

This　piece　of　news　woke　Daniel　Boone　to　attention。　〃Tell　me　about　Jim's　gal；〃　he　demanded。

〃Pretty　as　a　peach；〃　said　Neely　〃Small；　not　higher　nor　Abe's　shoulder；　and　as　light　on　her　feet　as　a　deer。　She　had　a　softish　laughing　look　in　her　eyes　that　made　the　lads　wild　for　her。　But　she　wasn't　for　them　and　I　reckon　she　wasn't　for　Abe　neither。　She　was　nicely　eddicated；　though　she　had　jest　had　field…schooling　like　the　rest；　for　her　dad　used　to　read　books　and　tell　her　about　'em。　One　time　he　took　her　to　Richmond　for　the　better　part　of　a　winter；　where　she　larned　dancing　and　music。　The　neighbours　allowed　that　turned　her　head。　Ye　couldn't　please　her　with　clothes；　for　she　wouldn't　look　at　the　sun…bonnets　and　nettle…linen　that　other　gals　wore。　She　must　have　a　neat　little　bonnet　and　send　to　town　for　pretty　dresses。　。　。　。　　The　women　couldn't　abide　her；　for　she　had　a　high　way　of　looking　at　'em　and　talking　at　'em　as　if　they　was　jest　black　trash。　But　the　men　'ud　walk　miles　to　see　her　on　a　Sunday。　。　。　。　　I　never　could　jest　understand　why　she　took　Abe　Hanks。　'Twasn't　for　lack　of　better　offers。〃

〃I　reckon　that's　women's　ways；〃　said　Boone　meditatively。　〃She　must　ha'　favoured　Jim；　though　he　wasn't　partickler　about　his　clothes。　Discontented；　ye　say　she　was？〃

〃Aye。　Discontented。　She　was　meant　for　a　fine　lady；　I　reckon。　I　dunno　what　she　wanted；　but　anyhow　it　was　something　that　Abe　Hanks　ain't　likely　to　give　her。　I　can't　jest　picture　her　in　Kaintuck'！〃

Squire　Boone　was　asleep；　and　Daniel　drew　the　flap　of　his　buffalo　robe　over　his　head　and　prepared　to　follow　suit。　His　last　act　was　to　sniff　the　air。　〃Please　God　the　weather　mends；〃　he　muttered。　〃I've　got　to　find　old　Jim。〃

Very　early　next　morning　there　was　a　consultation。　Lovelle　had　not　appeared　and　hunting　was　impossible　on　two　shoots　of　powder。　It　was　arranged　that　two　of　them　should　keep　camp　that　day　by　the　limestone　cliff　while　Daniel　Boone　went　in　search　of　the　missing　man；　for　it　was　possible　that　Jim　Lovelle　had　gone　to　seek　ammunition　from　friendly　Indians。　If　he　did　not　turn　up　or　if　he　returned　without　powder；　there　would　be　nothing　for　it　but　to　send　a　messenger　back　through　the　Gap　for　supplies。

The　dawn　was　blue　and　cloudless　and　the　air　had　the　freshness　of　a　second　spring。　The　autumn　colour　glowed　once　more；　only　a　little　tarnished；　the　gold　was　now　copper；　the　scarlet　and　vermilion　were　dulling　to　crimson。　Boone　took　the　road　at　the　earliest　light　and　made　for　the　place　where　the　day　before　he　had　parted　from　Lovelle。　When　alone　he　had　the　habit　of　talking　to　himself　in　an　undertone。　〃Jim　was　hunting　down　the　west　bank　of　that　there　crick；　and　I　heard　a　shot　about　noon　beyond　them　big　oaks；　so　I　reckon　he'd　left　the　water　and　gotten　on　the　ridge。〃　He　picked　up　the　trail　and　followed　it　with　difficulty；　for　the　rain　had　flattened　out　the　prints。　At　one　point　he　halted　and　considered。　〃That's　queer；〃　he　muttered。　〃Jim　was　running　here。　It　wasn't　game；　neither；　for　there's　no　sign　of　their　tracks。〃　He　pointed　to　the　zig…zag　of　moccasin　prints　in　a　patch　of　gravel。　〃That's　the　way　a　man　sets　his　feet　when　he's　in　a　hurry；〃

A　little　later　he　stood　and　sniffed；　with　his　brows　wrinkled。　He　made　an　epic　figure　as　he　leaned　forward；　every　sense　strained；　every　muscle　alert；　slim　and　shapely　as　a　Greekthe　eternal　pathfinder。　Very　gently　he　smelled　the　branches　of　a　mulberry　thicket。

〃There's　been　an　Indian　here；〃　he　meditated。　〃I　kinder　smell　the　grease　on　them　twigs。　In　a　hurry；　too；　or　he　wouldn't　have　left　his　stink　behind。　。　。　。　　In　war　trim；　I　reckon。〃　And　he　took　a　tiny　wisp　of　scarlet　feather　from　a　fork。

Like　a　hound　he　nosed　about　the　ground　till　he　found　something。　〃Here's　his　print；〃　he　said　〃He　was　a…followin'　Jim；　for　see！　he　has　his　foot　in　Jim's　track。　I　don't　like　it。　I'm　fear'd　of　what's　comin'。〃

Slowly　and　painfully　he　traced　the　footing；　which　led　through　the　thicket　towards　a　long　ridge　running　northward。　In　an　open　grassy　place　he　almost　cried　out。　〃The　redskin　and　Jim　was　friends。　See；　here's　their　prints　side　by　side；　going　slow。　What　in　thunder　was　old　Jim　up　to？〃

The　trail　was　plainer　now；　and　led　along　the　scarp　of　the　ridge　to　a　little　promontory　which　gave　a　great　prospect　over　the　flaming　forests　and　yellow　glades。　Boone　found　a　crinkle　of　rock　where　he　flung　himself　down。　〃It's　plain　enough；〃　he　said。　〃They　come　up　here　to　spy。　They　were　fear'd　of　something；　and　whatever　it　was　it　was　coming　from　the　west。　See；　they　kep'　under　the　east　side　of　this　ridge　so　as　not　to　be　seen；　and　they　settled　down　to　spy　whar　they　couldn't　be　obsarved　from　below。　I　reckon　Jim　and　the　redskin　had　a　pretty　good　eye　for　cover。〃

He　examined　every　inch　of　the　eyrie；　sniffing　like。　a　pointer　dog。　〃I'm　plumb　puzzled　about　this　redskin；〃　he　confessed。　〃Shawnee；　Cherokee；　Chickasawit　ain't　likely　Jim　would　have　dealings　with　'em。　It　might　be　one　of　them　Far　Indians。〃

It　appeared　as　if　Lovelle　had　spent　most　of　the　previous　afternoon　on　the　ridge；　for　he　found　the　remains　of　his　night's　fire　half　way　down　the　north　side　in　a　hollow　thatched　with　vines。　It　was　now　about　three　o'clock。　Boone；　stepping　delicately；　examined　the　ashes；　and　then　sat　himself　on　the　ground　and　brooded。

When　at　last　he　lifted　his　eyes　his　face　was　perplexed。

〃I　can't　make　it　out　nohow。　Jim　and　this　Indian　was　good　friends。　They　were　feelin'　pretty　safe；　for　they　made　a　mighty　careless　fire　and　didn't　stop　to　tidy　it　up。　But　likewise　they　was　restless；　for　they　started　out　long　before　morning。　。　。　。　　I　read　it　this　way。　Jim　met　a　redskin　that　he　knowed　before　and　thought　he　could　trust　anyhow；　and　he's　gone　off　with　him　seeking　powder。　It'd　be　like　Jim　to　dash　off　alone　and　play　his　hand　like　that。　He　figured　he'd　come　back　to　us　with　what　we　needed　and　that　we'd　have　the　sense　to　wait　for　him。　I　guess　that's　right。　But　I　m　uneasy　about　the　redskin。　If　he's　from　north　of　the　river；　there's　a　Mingo　camp　somewhere　about　and　they've　gone　there。　。　。　。　　I　never　had　much　notion　of　Seneca　Indians；　and　I　reckon　Jim's　took　a　big　risk。〃

All　evening　he　followed　the　trail；　which　crossed　the　low　hills　into　the　corn…brakes　and　woodlands　of　a　broader　valley。　Presently　he　saw　that　he　had　been　right；　and　that　Lovelle　and　the　Indian　had　begun　their　journey　in　the　night；　for　the　prints　showed　like　those　of　travellers　in　darkness。　Before　sunset　Boone　grew　very　anxious。　He　found　traces　converging；　till　a　clear　path　was　worn　in　the　grass　like　a　regulation　war　trail。　It　was　not　one　of　the　known　trails；　so　it　had　been　made　for　a　purpose；　he　found　on　tree　trunks　the　tiny　blazons　of　the　scouts　who　had　been　sent　ahead　to　survey　it。　It　was　a　war　party　of　Mingos；　or　whoever　they　might　be；　and　he　did　not　like　it。　He　was　puzzled　to　know　what　purchase　Jim　could　have　with　those　outland　folk。　。　。　。　　And　yet　he　had　been　on　friendly　terms　with　the　scout　he　had　picked　up。　。　。　。　　Another　fact　disturbed　him。　Lovelle's　print　had　been　clear　enough　till　the　other　Indians　joined　him。　The　light　was　bad；　but　now　that　print　seemed　to　have　disappeared。　It　might　be　due　to　the　general　thronging　of　marks　in　the　trail；　but　it　might　be　that　Jim　was　a　prisoner；　trussed　and　helpless。

He　supped　off　cold　jerked　bear's　meat　and　slept　two　hours　in　the　canes；　waiting　on　the　moonrise。　He　had　bad　dreams；　for　he　seemed　to　hear　drums　beating　the　eerie　tattoo　which　he　remembered　long　ago　in　Border　raids。　He　woke　in　a　sweat；　and　took　the　road　again　in　the　moonlight。　It　was　not　hard　to　follow；　and　it　seemed　to　be　making　north　for　the　Ohio。　Dawn　came　on　him　in　a　grassy　bottom；　beyond　which　lay　low　hills　that　he　knew　alone　separated　him　from　the　great　river。　Once　in　the　Indian　Moon　of　Blossom　he　had　been　thus　far；　and　had　gloried　in　the　riches　of　the　place；　where　a　man　walked　knee　deep　in　honeyed　clover。　〃The　dark　and　bloody　land！〃　He　remembered　how　he　had　repeated　the　name　to　himself；　and　had　concluded　that　Lovelle　had　been　right　and　that　it　was　none　of　the　Almighty's　giving。　Now　in　the　sharp　autumn　morning　he　felt　its　justice。　A　cloud　had　come　over　his　cheerful　soul。　〃If　only　I　knowed　about　Jim；〃　he　muttered　〃I　wonder　if　I'll　ever　clap　eyes　or　his　old　face　again。〃　Never　before　had　he　known　such　acute　anxiety。　Pioneers　are　wont　to　trust　each　other　and　in　their　wild　risks　assume　that　the　odd　chance　is　on　their　side。