the spirit of the border-第35节

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〃As　many　as　you　like。　Who　are　you？〃



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



〃I　am　not　a　renegade　any　more　than　you　are。　I　was　rescued　by　the　Indian　girl；

who　took　me　as　her　husband；〃　said　Joe　coldly。　He　was　surprised；　and　did　not

know　what　to　make　of　Zane's　manner。



〃Good！　I'm　glad　to　meet　you；〃　instantly　replied　Zane；　his　tone　and　expression

changing。　He　extended　his　hand　to　Joe。　〃I　wanted　to　be　sure。　I　never　saw　the

renegade　Deering。　He　is　here　now。　I　am　on　my　way　to　the　Wyandot　town。　I　have

been　to　Fort　Henry；　where　my　brother　told　me　of　you　and　the　missionaries。　When

I　arrived　here　I　heard　your　story　from　Simon　Girty。　If　you　can；　you　must　get

away　from　here。　If　I　dared　I'd　take　you　to　the　Huron　village；　but　it's

impossible。　Go；　while　you　have　a　chance。〃



〃Zane；　I　thank　you。　I've　suspected　something　was　wrong。　What　is　it？〃



〃Couldn't　be　worse；〃　whispered　Zane；　glancing　round　to　see　if　they　were

overheard。　〃Girty　and　Elliott；　backed　by　this　Deering；　are　growing　jealous　of

the　influence　of　Christianity　on　the　Indians。　They　are　plotting　against　the

Village　of　Peace。　Tarhe；　the　Huron　chief；　has　been　approached；　and　asked　to

join　in　a　concerted　movement　against　religion。　Seemingly　it　is　not　so　much　the

missionaries　as　the　converted　Indians；　that　the　renegades　are　fuming　over。

They　know　if　the　Christian　savages　are　killed；　the　strength　of　the

missionaries'　hold　will　be　forever　broken。　Pipe　is　wild　for　blood。　These

renegades　are　slowly　poisoning　the　minds　of　the　few　chiefs　who　are　favorably

disposed。　The　outlook　is　bad！　bad！〃



〃What　can　I　do？〃



〃Cut　out　for　yourself。　Get　away；　if　you　can；　with　a　gun。　Take　the　creek　below；

follow　the　current　down　to　the　Ohio；　and　then　make　east　for　Fort　Henry。



〃But　I　want　to　rescue　the　white　girl　Jim　Girty　has　concealed　here　somewhere。〃



〃Impossible！　Don't　attempt　it　unless　you　want　to　throw　your　life　away。　

Buzzard　Jim；　as　we　call　Girty；　is　a　butcher；　he　has　probably　murdered　the

girl。〃



〃I　won't　leave　without　trying。　And　there's　my　wife；　the　Indian　girl　who　saved

me。　Zane；　she's　a　Christian。　She　wants　to　go　with　me。　I　can't　leave　her。〃



〃I　am　warning　you；　that's　all。　If　I　were　you　I'd　never　leave　without　a　try　to

find　the　white　girl；　and　I'd　never　forsake　my　Indian　bride。　I've　been　through

the　same　thing。　You　must　be　a　good　woodsman；　or　Wetzel　wouldn't　have　let　you

stay　with　him。　Pick　out　a　favorable　time　and　make　the　attempt。　I　suggest　you

make　your　Indian　girl　show　you　where　Girty　is。　　She　knows；　but　is　afraid　to

tell　you；　for　she　fears　Girty。　Get　your　dog　and　horse　from　the　Shawnee。　That's

a　fine　horse。　He　can　carry　you　both　to　safety。　Take　him　away　from　Silvertip。〃



〃How？〃



〃Go　right　up　and　demand　your　horse　and　dog。　Most　of　these　Delawares　are

honest；　for　all　their　blood…shedding　and　cruelty。　With　them　might　is　right。

The　Delawares　won't　try　to　get　your　horse　for　you；　but　they'll　stick　to　you

when　you　assert　your　rights。　They　don't　like　the　Shawnee；　anyhow。　If　Silvertip

refuses　to　give　you　the　horse；　grab　him　before　he　can　draw　a　weapon；　and　beat

him　good。　You're　big　enough　to　do　it。　　The　Delawares　will　be　tickled　to　see

you　pound　him。　He's　thick　with　Girty；　that's　why　he　lays　round　here。　Take　my

word；　it's　the　best　way。　　Do　it　openly；　and　no　one　will　interfere。〃



〃By　Heavens；　Zane；　I'll　give　him　a　drubbing。　I　owe　him　one；　and　am　itching　to

get　hold　of　him。〃



〃I　must　go　now。　I　shall　send　a　Wyandot　runner　to　your　brother　at　the　village。

They　shall　be　warned。　Good…by。　Good　luck。　May　we　meet　again。〃



Joe　watched　Zane　ride　swiftly　down　the　land　and　disappear　in　the　shrubbery。　

Whispering　Winds　came　to　the　door　of　the　lodge。　She　looked　anxiously　at　him。

He　went　within；　drawing　her　along　with　him；　and　quickly　informed　her　that　he

had　learned　the　cause　of　the　council；　that　he　had　resolved　to　get　away；　and

she　must　find　out　Girty's　hiding　place。　Whispering　Winds　threw　herself　into

his　arms；　declaring　with　an　energy　and　passion　unusual　to　her；　that　she　would

risk　anything　for　him。　She　informed　Joe　that　she　knew　the　direction　from　which

Girty　always　returned　to　the　village。　No　doubt　she　could　find　his　retreat。

With　a　cunning　that　showed　her　Indian　nature；　she　suggested　a　plan　which　Joe

at　once　saw　was　excellent。　After　Joe　got　his　horse；　she　would　ride　around　the

village；　then　off　into　the　woods；　where　she　could　leave　the　horse　and　return

to　say　he　had　run　away　from　her。　As　was　their　custom　during　afternoons；　they

would　walk　leisurely　along　the　brook；　and；　trusting　to　the　excitement　created

by　the　councils；　get　away　unobserved。　Find　the　horse；　if　possible　rescue　the

prisoner；　and　then　travel　east　with　all　speed。



Joe　left　the　lodge　at　once　to　begin　the　working　out　of　the　plan。　Luck　favored

him　at　the　outset；　for　he　met　Silvertip　before　the　council　lodge。　　The　Shawnee

was　leading　Lance；　and　the　dog　followed　at　his　heels。　The　spirit　of　Mose　had

been　broken。　Poor　dog；　Joe　thought；　he　had　been　beaten　until　he　was　afraid　to

wag　his　tail　at　his　old　master。　Joe's　resentment　blazed　into　fury；　but　he　kept

cool　outwardly。



Right　before　a　crowd　of　Indians　waiting　for　the　council　to　begin；　Joe　planted

himself　in　front　of　the　Shawnee；　barring　his　way。



〃Silvertip　has　the　paleface's　horse　and　dog；〃　said　Joe；　in　a　loud　voice。



The　chief　stared　haughtily　while　the　other　Indians　sauntered　nearer。　They　all

knew　how　the　Shawnee　had　got　the　animals；　and　now　awaited　the　outcome　of　the

white　man's　challenge。



〃Palefaceheapliar；〃　growled　the　Indian。　His　dark　eyes　glowed　craftily；

while　his　hand　dropped；　apparently　in　careless　habit；　to　the　haft　of　his

tomahawk。



Joe　swung　his　long　arm；　his　big　fist　caught　the　Shawnee　on　the　jaw；　sending

him　to　the　ground。　Uttering　a　frightful　yell；　Silvertip　drew　his　weapon　and

attempted　to　rise；　but　the　moment's　delay　in　seizing　the　hatchet；　was　fatal　to

his　design。　Joe　was　upon　him　with　tigerlike　suddenness。　One　kick　sent　the

tomahawk　spinning；　another　landed　the　Shawnee　again　on　the　ground。　Blind　with

rage；　Silvertip　leaped　up；　and　without　a　weapon　rushed　at　his　antagonist；　but

the　Indian　was　not　a　boxer；　and　he　failed　to　get　his　hands　on　Joe。　Shifty　and

elusive；　the　lad　dodged　around　the　struggling　savage。　One；　two；　three　hard

blows　staggered　Silvertip；　and　a　fourth；　delivered　with　the　force　of　Joe's

powerful　arm；　caught　the　Indian　when　he　was　off　his　balance；　and　felled　him；

battered　and　bloody；　on　the　grass。　The　surrounding　Indians　looked　down　at　the

vanquished　Shawnee；　expressing　their　approval　in　characteristic　grunts。



With　Lance　prancing　proudly；　and　Mose　leaping　lovingly　beside　him；　Joe　walked

back　to　his　lodge。　Whispering　Winds　sprang　to　meet　him　with　joyful　face。　She

had　feared　the　outcome　of　trouble　with　the　Shawnee；　but　no　queen　ever　bestowed

upon　returning　victorious　lord　a　loftier　look　of　pride；　a　sweeter　glance　of

love；　than　the　Indian　maiden　bent　upon　her　lover。



Whispering　Winds　informed　Joe　that　an　important　council　was　to　be　held　that

afternoon。　It　would　be　wise　for　them　to　make　the　attempt　to　get　away

immediately　after　the　convening　of　the　chiefs。　Accordingly　she　got　upon　Lance

and　rode　him　up　and　down　the　village　lane；　much　to　the　pleasure　of　the

watching　Indians。　She　scattered　the　idle　crowds　on　the　grass　plots；　she　dashed

through　the　side　streets；　and　let　every　one　in　the　encampment　see　her　clinging

to　the　black　stallion。　Then　she　rode　him　out　along　the　creek。　Accustomed　to

her　imperious　will；　the　Indians　thought　nothing　unusual。　When　she　returned　an

hour　later；　with　flying　hair　and　disheveled　costume；　no　one　paid　particular

attention　to　her。



That　afternoon　Joe　and　his　bride　were　the　favored　of　fortune。　With　Mose

running　before　them；　they　got　clear　of　the　encampment　and　into　the　woods。　

Once　in　the　forest　Whispering　Winds　rapidly　led　the　way　east。　When　they

climbed　to　the　top　of　a　rocky　ridge　she　pointed　down　into　a　thicket　before

her；　saying　that　somewhere　in　this　dense　hollow　was　Girty's　hut。　Joe　hesitated

about　taking　Mose。　He　wanted　the　dog；　but　in　case　he　had　to　run　it　was

necessary　Whispering　Winds　should　find　his　trail；　and　for　this　he　left　the　dog

with　her。



He　started　down　the　ridge；　and　had　not　gone　a　hundred　paces　when　over　some

gray　boulders　he　saw　the　thatched　roof　of　a　hut。　So　wild　and　secluded　was　the

spot；　that　he　would　never　have　discovered　the　cabin　from　any　other　point　than

this；　which　he　had　been　so　fortunate　as　to　find。



His　study　and　practice　under　Wetzel　now　stood　him　in　good　stead。　He　picked　out

the　best　path　over　the　rough　stones　and　through　the　brambles；　always　keeping

under　cover。　He　stepped　as　carefully　as　if　the　hunter　was　behind　him。　Soon　he

reached　level　ground。　A　dense　laurel　thicket　hid　the　cabin；　but　he　knew　the

direction　in　which　it　lay。　Throwing　himself　flat　on　the　ground；　he　wormed　his

way　through　the　thicket；　carefully；　yet　swiftly；　because　he　knew