the spirit of the border-第2节

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it　is：　Give　up　this　intention　of　yours　to　seek　adventure；　and　come　with　us。　It

seems　to　me　you　need　not　hunt　for　excitement　here；　it　will　come　unsought。〃



〃I　wish　I　were　Jim；〃　said　he；　suddenly。



〃Who　is　Jim？〃



〃My　brother。〃



〃Tell　me　of　him。〃



〃There's　nothing　much　to　tell。　He　and　I　are　all　that　are　left　of　our　people；

as　are　you　and　Kate　of　yours。　Jim's　a　preacher；　and　the　best　fellowoh！　I

cared　a　lot　for　Jim。〃



〃Then；　why　did　you　leave　him？〃



〃I　was　tired　of　WilliamsburgI　quarreled　with　a　fellow；　and　hurt　him。　

Besides；　I　wanted　to　see　the　West；　I'd　like　to　hunt　deer　and　bear　and　fight

Indians。　Oh；　I'm　not　much　good。〃



〃Was　Jim　the　only　one　you　cared　for？〃　asked　Nell；　smiling。　She　was　surprised

to　find　him　grave。



〃Yes；　except　my　horse　and　dog；　and　I　had　to　leave　them　behind；〃　answered　Joe；

bowing　his　head　a　little。



〃You'd　like　to　be　Jim　because　he's　a　preacher；　and　could　help　uncle　convert

the　Indians？〃



〃Yes；　partly　that；　but　mostly　becausesomehowsomething　you've　said　or　done

has　made　me　care　for　you　in　a　different　way；　and　I'd　like　to　be　worthy　of

you。〃



〃I　don't　think　I　can　believe　it；　when　you　say　you　are　'no　good；'〃　she　replied。



〃Nell；〃　he　cried；　and　suddenly　grasped　her　hand。



She　wrenched　herself　free；　and　leaped　away　from　him。　Her　face　was　bright　now；

and　the　promise　of　smiles　was　made　good。



〃Behave　yourself；　sir。〃　She　tossed　her　head　with　a　familiar　backward　motion　to

throw　the　chestnut　hair　from　her　face；　and　looked　at　him　with　eyes　veiled

slightly　under　their　lashes。　〃You　will　go　with　Kate　and　me？〃



Before　he　could　answer；　a　cry　from　some　one　on　the　plain　below　attracted　their

attention。　They　turned　and　saw　another　wagon…train　pulling　into　the

settlement。　The　children　were　shooting　and　running　alongside　the　weary　oxen；

men　and　women　went　forward　expectantly。



〃That　must　be　the　train　uncle　expected。　Let　us　go　down；〃　said　Nell。



Joe　did　not　answer；　but　followed　her　down　the　path。　When　they　gained　a　clump

of　willows　near　the　cabins　he　bent　forward　and　took　her　hand。　She　saw　the

reckless　gleam　in　his　eyes。



〃Don't。　They'll　see；〃　she　whispered。



〃If　that's　the　only　reason　you　have；　I　reckon　I　don't　care；〃　said　Joe。



〃What　do　you　mean？　I　didn't　sayI　didn't　telloh！　let　me　go！〃　implored　Nell。



She　tried　to　release　the　hand　Joe　had　grasped　in　his　broad　palm；　but　in　vain；

the　more　she　struggled　the　firmer　was　his　hold。　A　frown　wrinkled　her　brow　and

her　eyes。　sparkled　with　spirit。　She　saw　the　fur…tader's　wife　looking　out　of

the　window；　and　remembered　laughing　and　telling　the　good　woman　she　did　not

like　this　young　man；　it　was；　perhaps；　because　she　feared　those　sharp　eyes　that

she　resented　his　audacity。　She　opened　her　mouth　to　rebuke　him；　but　no　words

came。　Joe　had　bent　his　head　and　softly　closed　her　lips　with　his　own。



For　the　single　instant　during　which　Nell　stood　transfixed；　as　if　with

surprise；　and　looking　up　at　Joe；　she　was　dumb。　Usually　the　girl　was　ready　with

sharp　or　saucy　words　and　impulsive　in　her　movements；　but　now　the　bewilderment

of　being　kissed；　particularly　within　view　of　the　trader's　wife；　confused　her。

Then　she　heard　voices；　and　as　Joe　turned　away　with　a　smile　on　his　face；　the

unusual　warmth　in　her　heart　was　followed　by　an　angry　throbbing。



Joe's　tall　figure　stood　out　distinctly　as　he　leisurely　strolled　toward　the

incoming　wagon…train　without　looking　backward。　Flashing　after　him　a　glance

that　boded　wordy　trouble　in　the　future；　she　ran　into　the　cabin。



As　she　entered　the　door　it　seemed　certain　the　grizzled　frontiersman　sitting　on

the　bench　outside　had　grinned　knowingly　at　her；　and　winked　as　if　to　say　he

would　keep　her　secret。　Mrs。　Wentz；　the　fur…trader's　wife；　was　seated　by　the

open　window　which　faced　the　fort；　she　was　a　large　woman；　strong　of　feature；

and　with　that　calm　placidity　of　expression　common　to　people　who　have　lived

long　in　sparsely　populated　districts。　Nell　glanced　furtively　at　her　and

thought　she　detected　the　shadow　of　a　smile　in　the　gray　eyes。



〃I　saw　you　and　your　sweetheart　makin'　love　behind　the　willow；〃　Mrs。　Wentz　said

in　a　matter…of…fact　voice。　〃I　don't　see　why　you　need　hide　to　do　it。　We　folks

out　here　like　to　see　the　young　people　sparkin'。　Your　young　man　is　a

fine…appearin'　chap。　I　felt　certain　you　was　sweethearts；　for　all　you　allowed

you'd　known　him　only　a　few　days。　Lize　Davis　said　she　saw　he　was　sweet　on　you。

I　like　his　face。　Jake；　my　man；　says　as　how　he'll　make　a　good　husband　for　you；

and　he'll　take　to　the　frontier　like　a　duck　does　to　water。　I'm　sorry　you'll　not

tarry　here　awhile。　We　don't　see　many　lasses；　especially　any　as　pretty　as　you；

and　you'll　find　it　more　quiet　and　lonesome　the　farther　West　you　get。　Jake

knows　all　about　Fort　Henry；　and　Jeff　Lynn；　the　hunter　outside；　he　knows　Eb　and

Jack　Zane；　and　Wetzel；　and　all　those　Fort　Henry　men。　You'll　be　gettin'　married

out　there；　won't　you？〃



〃You　arequite　wrong；〃　said　Nell；　who　all　the　while　Mrs。　Wentz　was　speaking

grew　rosier　and　rosier。　〃We're　not　anything…〃



Then　Nell　hesitated　and　finally　ceased　speaking。　She　saw　that　denials　or

explanations　were　futile；　the　simple　woman　had　seen　the　kiss；　and　formed　her

own　conclusions。　During　the　few　days　Nell　had　spent　at　Fort　Pitt；　she　had　come

to　understand　that　the　dwellers　on　the　frontier　took　everything　as　a　matter　of

course。　She　had　seen　them　manifest　a　certain　pleasure；　but　neither　surprise；

concern；　nor　any　of　the　quick　impulses　so　common　among　other　people。　And　this

was　another　lesson　Nell　took　to　heart。　She　realized　that　she　was　entering　upon

a　life　absolutely　different　from　her　former　one；　and　the　thought　caused　her　to

shrink　from　the　ordeal。　　Yet　all　the　suggestions　regarding　her　future　home；

the　stories　told　about　Indians；　renegades；　and　of　the　wild　border…life；

fascinated　her。　These　people　who　had　settled　in　this　wild　region　were　simple；

honest　and　brave；　they　accepted　what　came　as　facts　not　to　be　questioned；　and

believed　what　looked　true。　Evidently　the　fur…trader's　wife　and　her　female

neighbors　had　settled　in　their　minds　the　relation　in　which　the　girl　stood　to

Joe。



This　latter　reflection　heightened　Nell's　resentment　toward　her　lover。　She

stood　with　her　face　turned　away　from　Mrs。　Wentz；　the　little　frown　deepened；

and　she　nervously　tapped　her　foot　on　the　floor。



〃Where　is　my　sister？〃　she　presently　asked。



〃She　went　to　see　the　wagon…train　come　in。　Everybody's　out　there。〃



Nell　deliberated　a　moment　and　then　went　into　the　open　air。　She　saw　a　number　of

canvas…covered　wagons　drawn　up　in　front　of　the　cabins；　the　vehicles　were　dusty

and　the　wheels　encrusted　with　yellow　mud。　The　grizzled　frontiersman　who　had

smiled　at　Nell　stood　leaning　on　his　gun；　talking　to　three　men；　whose

travel…stained　and　worn　homespun　clothes　suggested　a　long　and　toilsome

journey。　There　was　the　bustle　of　excitement　incident　to　the　arrival　of

strangers；　to　the　quick　exchange　of　greetings；　the　unloading　of　wagons　and

unharnessing　of　horses　and　oxen。



Nell　looked　here　and　there　for　her　sister。　Finally　she　saw　her　standing　near

her　uncle　while　he　conversed　with　one　of　the　teamsters。　The　girl　did　not

approach　them；　but　glanced　quickly　around　in　search　of　some　one　else。　　At

length　she　saw　Joe　unloading　goods　from　one　of　the　wagons；　his　back　was　turned

toward　her；　but　she　at　once　recognized　the　challenge　conveyed　by　the　broad

shoulders。　She　saw　no　other　person；　gave　heed　to　nothing　save　what　was　to　her；

righteous　indignation。



Hearing　her　footsteps；　the　young　man　turned；　glancing　at　her　admiringly；　said：



〃Good　evening；　Miss。〃



Nell　had　not　expected　such　a　matter…of…fact　greeting　from　Joe。　There　was　not

the　slightest　trace　of　repentance　in　his　calm　face；　and　he　placidly　continued

his　labor。



〃Aren't　you　sorry　youyou　treated　me　so？〃　burst　out　Nell。



His　coolness　was　exasperating。　Instead　of　the　contrition　and　apology　she　had

expected；　and　which　was　her　due；　he　evidently　intended　to　tease　her；　as　he　had

done　so　often。



The　young　man　dropped　a　blanket　and　stared。



〃I　don't　understand；〃　he　said；　gravely。　〃I　never　saw　you　before。〃



This　was　too　much　for　quick…tempered　Nell。　She　had　had　some　vague　idea　of

forgiving　him；　after　he　had　sued　sufficiently　for　pardon；　but　now；　forgetting

her　good　intentions　in　the　belief　that　he　was　making　sport　of　her　when　he

should　have　pleaded　for　forgiveness；　she　swiftly　raised　her　hand　and　slapped

him　smartly。



The　red　blood　flamed　to　the　young　man's　face；　as　he　staggered　backward　with

his　hand　to　his　cheek；　she　heard　a　smothered　exclamation　behind　her；　and　then

the　quick；　joyous　barking　of　a　dog。



When　Nell　turned　she　was　amazed　to　see　Joe　standing　beside　the　wagon；　while　a

big　white　dog　was　leaping　upon　him。　Suddenly　she　felt　faint。　　Bewildered；　she

looked　from　Joe　to　the　man　she　had　just　struck；　but　could　not　say　which　was

the　man　who　professed　to　love　her。



〃Jim！　So　you　followe