the spirit of the border-第34节

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the　old　steely　flash；　the　indomitable　spiritwhile　there　was　life　there　was

hope。



〃Let　the　Shawnee　chief　paint　his　prisoner　black；〃　commanded　Wingenund。



When　the　missionary　left　the　lodge　with　the　runner；　Whispering　Winds　had

smiled；　for　she　had　saved　him　whom　she　loved　to　hear　speak；　but　the　dread

command　that　followed　paled　her　cheek。　Black　paint　meant　hideous　death。　　She

saw　this　man　so　like　the　white　father。　Her　piteous　gaze　tried　to　turn　from

that　white　face；　but　the　cold；　steely　eyes　fascinated　her。



She　had　saved　one　only　to　be　the　other's　doom！



She　had　always　been　drawn　toward　white　men。　Many　prisoners　had　she　rescued。

She　had　even　befriended　her　nation's　bitter　foe；　Deathwind。　　She　had　listened

to　the　young　missionary　with　rapture；　she　had　been　his　savior。　And　now　when

she　looked　into　the　eyes　of　this　young　giant；　whose　fate　had　rested　on　her　all

unwitting　words；　she　resolved　to　save　him。



She　had　been　a　shy；　shrinking　creature；　fearing　to　lift　her　eyes　to　a

paleface's；　but　now　they　were　raised　clear　and　steadfast。



As　she　stepped　toward　the　captive　and　took　his　hand；　her　whole　person　radiated

with　conscious　pride　in　her　power。　It　was　the　knowledge　that　she　could　save。

When　she　kissed　his　hand；　and　knelt　before　him；　she　expressed　a　tender

humility。



She　had　claimed　questionable　right　of　an　Indian　maiden；　she　asked　what　no

Indian　dared　refuse　a　chief's　daughter；　she　took　the　paleface　for　her　husband。



Her　action　was　followed　by　an　impressive　silence。　She　remained　kneeling。　

Wingenund　resumed　his　slow　march　to　and　fro。　Silvertip　retired　to　his　corner

with　gloomy　face。　The　others　bowed　their　heads　as　if　the　maiden's　decree　was

irrevocable。



Once　more　the　chieftain's　sonorous　command　rang　out。　An　old　Indian；　wrinkled

and　worn；　weird　of　aspect；　fanciful　of　attire；　entered　the　lodge　and　waved　his

wampum　wand。　He　mumbled　strange　words；　and　departed　chanting　a　long　song。



Whispering　Winds　arose；　a　soft；　radiant　smile　playing　over　her　face；　and；

still　holding　Joe's　hand；　she　led　him　out　of　the　lodge；　through　long　rows　of

silent　Indians；　down　a　land　bordered　by　teepees；　he　following　like　one　in　a

dream。



He　expected　to　awaken　at　any　minute　to　see　the　stars　shining　through　the

leaves。　Yet　he　felt　the　warm；　soft　pressure　of　a　little　hand。　Surely　this

slender；　graceful　figure　was　real。



She　bade　him　enter　a　lodge　of　imposing　proportions。　Still　silent；　in　amazement

and　gratitude；　he　obeyed。



The　maiden　turned　to　Joe。　Though　traces　of　pride　still　lingered；　all　her　fire

had　vanished。　Her　bosom　rose　with　each　quick…panting　breath；　her　lips

quivered；　she　trembled　like　a　trapped　doe。



But　at　last　the　fluttering　lashes　rose。　Joe　saw　two　velvety　eyes　dark　with

timid　fear；　yet　veiling　in　their　lustrous　depths　an　unuttered　hope　and　love。



〃Whispering　Windssavepaleface；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice　low　and　tremulous。　

〃Fearfather。　FeartellWingenundsheChristian。〃





Indian　summer；　that　enchanted　time；　unfolded　its　golden；　dreamy　haze　over　the

Delaware　village。　The　forests　blazed　with　autumn　fire；　the　meadows　boomed　in

rich　luxuriance。　All　day　low　down　in　the　valleys　hung　a　purple　smoke　which

changed；　as　the　cool　evening　shades　crept　out　of　the　woodland；　into　a　cloud　of

white　mist。　All　day　the　asters　along　the　brooks　lifted　golden…brown　faces　to

the　sun　as　if　to　catch　the　warning　warmth　of　his　smile。　All　day　the　plains　and

forests　lay　in　melancholy　repose。　The　sad　swish　of　the　west　wind　over　the　tall

grass　told　that　he　was　slowly　dying　way　before　his　enemy；　the　north　wind。　The

sound　of　dropping　nuts　was　heard　under　the　motionless　trees。



For　Joe　the　days　were　days　of　enchantment。　His　wild　heart　had　found　its　mate。

A　willing　captive　he　was　now。　All　his　fancy　for　other　women；　all　his　memories

faded　into　love　for　his　Indian　bride。



Whispering　Winds　charmed　the　eye；　mind；　and　heart。　Every　day　her　beauty　seemed

renewed。　She　was　as　apt　to　learn　as　she　was　quick　to　turn　her　black…crowned

head；　but　her　supreme　beauty　was　her　loving；　innocent　soul。　　Untainted　as　the

clearest　spring；　it　mirrored　the　purity　and　simplicity　of　her　life。　Indian　she

might　be；　one　of　a　race　whose　morals　and　manners　were　alien　to　the　man　she

loved；　yet　she　would　have　added　honor　to　the　proudest　name。



When　Whispering　Winds　raised　her　dark　eyes　they　showed　radiant　as　a　lone　star；

when　she　spoke　low　her　voice　made　music。



〃Beloved；〃　she　whispered　one　day　to　him；　〃teach　the　Indian　maiden　more　love

for　you；　and　truth；　and　God。　Whispering　Winds　yearns　to　go　to　the　Christians；

but　she　fears　her　stern　father。　Wingenund　would　burn　the　Village　of　Peace。　The

Indian　tribes　tremble　before　the　thunder　of　his　wrath。　Be　patient；　my　chief。

Time　changes　the　leaves；　so　it　will　the　anger　of　the　warriors。　Whispering

Winds'　will　set　you　free；　and　be　free　herself　to　go　far　with　you　toward　the

rising　sun；　where　dwell　your　people。　She　will　love；　and　be　constant；　as　the

northern　star。　Her　love　will　be　an　eternal　spring　where　blossoms　bloom　ever

anew；　and　fresh；　and　sweet。　She　will　love　your　people；　and　raise　Christian

children；　and　sit　ever　in　the　door　of　your　home　praying　for　the　west　wind　to

blow。　Or；　if　my　chief　wills；　we　shall　live　the　Indian　life；　free　as　two　eagles

on　their　lonely　crag。〃



Although　Joe　gave　himself　up　completely　to　his　love　for　his　bride；　he　did　not

forget　that　Kate　was　in　the　power　of　the　renegade；　and　that　he　must　rescue

her。　Knowing　Girty　had　the　unfortunate　girls　somewhere　near　the　Delaware

encampment；　he　resolved　to　find　the　place。　Plans　of　all　kinds　he　resolved　in

his　mind。　The　best　one　he　believed　lay　through　Whispering　Winds。　First　to　find

the　whereabouts　of　Girty；　kill　him　if　possible；　or　at　least　free　Kate；　and

then　get　away　with　her　and　his　Indian　bride。　Sanguine　as　he　invariably　was；　he

could　not　but　realize　the　peril　of　this　undertaking。　If　Whispering　Winds

betrayed　her　people；　it　meant　death　to　her　as　well　as　to　him。　He　would　far

rather　spend　the　remaining　days　of　his　life　in　the　Indian　village；　than　doom

the　maiden　whose　love　had　saved　him。　Yet　he　thought　he　might　succeed　in

getting　away　with　her；　and　planned　to　that　end。　His　natural　spirit；　daring；

reckless；　had　gained　while　he　was　associated　with　Wetzel。



Meanwhile　he　mingled　freely　with　the　Indians；　and　here；　as　elsewhere；　his

winning　personality；　combined　with　his　athletic　prowess；　soon　made　him　well

liked。　He　was　even　on　friendly　terms　with　Pipe。　The　swarthy　war　chief　liked

Joe　because；　despite　the　animosity　he　had　aroused　in　some　former　lovers　of

Whispering　Winds；　he　actually　played　jokes　on　them。　In　fact；　Joe's　pranks

raised　many　a　storm；　but　the　young　braves　who　had　been　suitors　for　Wingenund's

lovely　daughter；　feared　the　muscular　paleface；　and　the　tribe's　ridicule　more；

so　he　continued　his　trickery　unmolested。　Joe's　idea　was　to　lead　the　savages　to

believe　he　was　thoroughly　happy　in　his　new　life；　and　so　he　was；　but　it　suited

him　better　to　be　free。　He　succeeded　in　misleading　the　savages。　At　first　he　was

closely　watched；　the　the　vigilance　relaxed；　and　finally　ceased。



This　last　circumstance　was　owing；　no　doubt；　to　a　ferment　of　excitement　that

had　suddenly　possessed　the　Delawares。　Council　after　council　was　held　in　the

big　lodge。　The　encampment　was　visited　by　runner　after　runner。　Some　important

crisis　was　pending。



Joe　could　not　learn　what　it　all　meant；　and　the　fact　that　Whispering　Winds

suddenly　lost　her　gladsome　spirit　and　became　sad　caused　him　further　anxiety。

When　he　asked　her　the　reason　for　her　unhappiness；　she　was　silent。　　Moreover；

he　was　surprised　to　learn；　when　he　questioned　her　upon　the　subject　of　their

fleeing　together；　that　she　was　eager　to　go　immediately。　　While　all　this

mystery　puzzled　Joe；　it　did　not　make　any　difference　to　him　or　in　his　plans。　It

rather　favored　the　latter。　He　understood　that　the　presence　of　Simon　Girty　and

Elliott；　with　several　other　renegades　unknown　to　him；　was　significant　of

unrest　among　the　Indians。　These　presagers　of　evil　were　accustomed　to　go　from

village　to　village；　exciting　the　savages　to　acts　of　war。　Peace　meant　the

downfall　and　death　of　these　men。　They　were　busy　all　day　and　far　into　the

night。　Often　Joe　heard　Girty's　hoarse　voice　lifted　in　the　council　lodge。　Pipe

thundered　incessantly　for　war。　　But　Joe　could　not　learn　against　whom。

Elliott's　suave；　oily　oratory　exhorted　the　Indians　to　vengeance。　But　Joe　could

not　guess　upon　whom。　　He　was；　however；　destined　to　learn。



The　third　day　of　the　councils　a　horseman　stopped　before　Whispering　Winds'

lodge；　and　called　out。　Stepping　to　the　door；　Joe　saw　a　white　man；　whose　dark；

keen；　handsome　face　seemed　familiar。　Yet　Joe　know　he　had　never　seen　this

stalwart　man。



〃A　word　with　you；〃　said　the　stranger。　His　tone　was　curt；　authoritative；　as

that　of　a　man　used　to　power。



〃As　many　as　you　like。　Who　are　you？〃



〃I　am　Isaac　Zane。　Are　you　Wetzel's　companion；　or　the　renegade　Deering？〃



〃I　am　n