the spirit of the border-第39节

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listless　languor。　She　swallowed　the　nourishing　drink　an　old　Indian　nurse

forced　between　her　teeth；　she　even　smiled　weakly　when　the　missionaries　spoke

to　her；　but　she　said　nothing　nor　seemed　to　rally　from　her　terrible　shock。　A

dark　shadow　lay　always　before　her；　conscious　of　nothing　present；　living　over

again　her　frightful　experience。　Again　she　seemed　sunk　in　dull　apathy。



〃Dave；　we're　going　to　loose　Nell。　She's　fading　slowly；〃　said　George；　one

evening；　several　days　after　the　girl's　return。　〃Wetzel　said　she　was　unharmed；

yet　she　seems　to　have　received　a　hurt　more　fatal　than　a　physical　one。　It's　her

mindher　mind。　If　we　cannot　brighten　her　up　to　make　her　forget；　she'll　die。〃



〃We've　done　all　within　our　power。　If　she　could　only　be　brought　out　of　this

trance！　She　lies　there　all　day　long　with　those　staring　eyes。　I　can't　look　into

them。　They　are　the　eyes　of　a　child　who　has　seen　murder。〃



〃We　must　try　in　some　way　to　get　her　out　of　this　stupor；　and　I　have　an　idea。

Have　you　noticed　that　Mr。　Wells　has　failed　very　much　in　the　last　few　weeks？〃



〃Indeed　I　have；　and　I'm　afraid　he's　breaking　down。　He　has　grown　so　thin；　eats

very　little；　and　doesn't　sleep。　He　is　old；　you　know；　and；　despite　his　zeal；

this　border　life　is　telling　on　him。〃



〃Dave；　I　believe　he　knows　it。　Poor；　earnest　old　man！　He　never　says　a　word

about　himself；　yet　he　must　know　he　is　going　down　hill。　Well；　we　all　begin；

sooner　or　later；　that　descent　which　ends　in　the　grave。　I　believe　we　might　stir

Nellie　by　telling　her　Mr。　Wells'　health　is　breaking。〃



〃Let　us　try。〃



A　hurried　knock　on　the　door　interrupted　their　conversation。



〃Come　in；〃　said　Edwards。



The　door　opened　to　admit　a　man；　who　entered　eagerly。



〃Jim！　Jim！〃　exclaimed　both　missionaries；　throwing　themselves　upon　the

newcomer。



It　was；　indeed；　Jim；　but　no　answering　smile　lighted　his　worn；　distressed　face

while　he　wrung　his　friends'　hands。



〃You're　not　hurt？〃　asked　Dave。



〃No；　I'm　uninjured。〃



〃Tell　us　all。　Did　you　escape？　Did　you　see　your　brother？　Did　you　know　Wetzel

rescued　Nell？〃



〃Wingenund　set　me　free　in　spite　of　many　demands　for　my　death。　He　kept　Joe　a

prisoner；　and　intends　to　kill　him；　for　the　lad　was　Wetzel's　companion。　I　saw

the　hunter　come　into　the　glade　where　we　camped；　break　through　the　line　of

fighting　Indians　and　carry　Nell　off。〃



〃Kate？〃　faltered　Young；　with　ashen　face。



〃George；　I　wish　to　God　I　could　tell　you　she　is　dead；〃　answered　Jim；　nervously

pacing　the　room。　〃But　she　was　well　when　I　last　saw　her。　　She　endured　the　hard

journey　better　than　either　Nell　or　I。　Girty　did　not　carry　her　into　the

encampment；　as　Silvertip　did　Joe　and　me；　but　the　renegade　left　us　on　the

outskirts　of　the　Delaware　town。　There　was　a　rocky　ravine　with　dense

undergrowth　where　he　disappeared　with　his　captive。　I　suppose　he　has　his　den

somewhere　in　that　ravine。〃



George　sank　down　and　buried　his　face　in　his　arms；　neither　movement　nor　sound

betokened　consciousness。



〃Has　Wetzel　come　in　with　Nell？　Joe　said　he　had　a　cave　where　he　might　have

taken　her　in　case　of　illness　or　accident。〃



〃Yes；　he　brought　her　back；〃　answered　Edwards；　slowly。



〃I　want　to　see　her；〃　said　Jim；　his　haggard　face　expressing　a　keen　anxiety。　

〃She's　not　wounded？　hurt？　ill？〃



〃No；　nothing　like　that。　It's　a　shock　which　she　can't　get　over；　can't　forget。〃



〃I　must　see　her；〃　cried　Jim；　moving　toward　the　door。



〃Don't　go；〃　replied　Dave；　detaining　him。　〃Wait。　We　must　see　what's　best　to　be

done。　Wait　till　Heckewelder　comes。　He'll　be　here　soon。　Nell　thinks　you're

dead；　and　the　surprise　might　be　bad　for　her。〃



Heckewelder　came　in　at　that　moment；　and　shook　hands　warmly　with　Jim。



〃The　Delaware　runner　told　me　you　were　here。　I　am　overjoyed　that　Wingenund

freed　you；〃　said　the　missionary。　〃It　is　a　most　favorable　sign。　I　have　heard

rumors　from　Goshocking　and　Sandusky　that　have　worried　me。　This　good　news　more

than　offsets　the　bad。　I　am　sorry　about　your　brother。　　Are　you　well？〃



〃Well；　but　miserable。　I　want　to　see　Nell。　Dave　tells　me　she　is　not　exactly

ill；　but　something　is　wrong　with　her。　Perhaps　I　ought　not　to　see　her　just

yet。〃



〃It'll　be　exactly　the　tonic　for　her；〃　replied　Heckewelder。　〃She'll　be

surprised　out　of　herself。　She　is　morbid；　apathetic；　and；　try　as　we　may；　we

can't　interest　her。　Come　at　once。〃



Heckewelder　had　taken　Jim's　arm　and　started　for　the　door　when　he　caught　sight

of　Young；　sitting　bowed　and　motionless。　Turning　to　Jim　he　whispered：



〃Kate？〃



〃Girty　did　not　take　her　into　the　encampment；〃　answered　Jim；　in　a　low　voice。　

〃I　hoped　he　would；　because　the　Indians　are　kind；　but　he　didn't。　He　took　her　to

his　den。〃



Just　then　Young　raised　his　face。　The　despair　in　it　would　have　melted　a　heart

of　stone。　It　had　become　the　face　of　an　old　man。



〃If　only　you'd　told　me　she　had　died；〃　he　said　to　Jim；　〃I'd　have　been　man

enough　to　stand　it；　butthisthis　kills　meI　can't　breathe！〃



He　staggered　into　the　adjoining　room；　where　he　flung　himself　upon　a　bed。



〃It's　hard；　and　he　won't　be　able　to　stand　up　under　it；　for　he's　not　strong；〃

whispered　Jim。



Heckewelder　was　a　mild；　pious　man；　in　whom　no　one　would　ever　expect　strong

passion；　but　now　depths　were　stirred　within　his　heart　that　had　ever　been

tranquil。　He　became　livid；　and　his　face　was　distorted　with　rage。



〃It's　bad　enough　to　have　these　renegades　plotting　and　working　against　our

religion；　to　have　them　sow　discontent；　spread　lies；　make　the　Indians　think　we

have　axes　to　grind；　to　plant　the　only　obstacle　in　our　pathall　this　is　bad；

but　to　doom　an　innocent　white　woman　to　worse　than　death！　What　can　I　call　it！〃



〃What　can　we　do？〃　asked　Jim。



〃Do？　That's　the　worst　of　it。　We　can　do　nothing；　nothing。　We　dare　not　move。〃



〃Is　there　no　hope　of　getting　Kate　back？〃



〃Hope？　None。　That　villain　is　surrounded　by　his　savages。　He'll　lie　low　now　for

a　while。　I've　heard　of　such　deeds　many　a　time；　but　it　never　before　came　so

close　home。　Kate　Wells　was　a　pure；　loving　Christian　woman。　She'll　live　an

hour；　a　day；　a　week；　perhaps；　in　that　snake's　clutches；　and　then　she'll　die。

Thank　God！〃



〃Wetzel　has　gone　on　Girty's　trail。　I　know　that　from　his　manner　when　he　left

us；〃　said　Edwards。



〃Wetzel　may　avenge　her；　but　he　can　never　save　her。　It's　too　late。　　Hello…〃



The　exclamation　was　called　forth　by　the　appearance　of　Young；　who　entered　with

a　rifle　in　his　hands。



〃George；　where　are　you　going　with　that　gun？〃　asked　Edwards；　grasping　his

friend　by　the　arm。



〃I'm　going　after　her；〃　answered　George　wildly。　He　tottered　as　he　spoke；　but

wrenched　himself　free　from　Dave。



〃Come；　George；　listen；　listen　to　reason；〃　interposed　Heckewelder；　laying　hold

of　Young。　〃You　are　frantic　with　grief　now。　So　are　all　of　us。　　But　calm

yourself。　Why；　man；　you're　a　preacher；　not　a　hunter。　You'd　be　lost；　you'd

starve　in　the　woods　before　getting　half　way　to　the　Indian　town。　This　is

terrible　enough；　don't　make　it　worse　by　throwing　your　life　away。　Think　of　us；

your　friends；　think　of　your　Indian　pupils　who　rely　so　much　on　you。　Think　of

the　Village　of　Peace。　We　can　pray；　but　we　can't　prevent　these　border　crimes。

With　civilization；　with　the　spread　of　Christianity；　they　will　pass　away。　Bear

up　under　this　blow　for　the　sake　of　your　work。　Remember　we　alone　can　check　such

barbarity。　But　we　must　not　fight。　We　must　sacrifice　all　that　men　hold　dear；

for　the　sake　of　the　future。〃



He　took　the　rifle　away　from　George；　and　led　him　back　into　the　little；　dark

room。　Closing　the　door　he　turned　to　Jim　and　Dave。



〃He　is　in　a　bad　way；　and　we　must　carefully　watch　him　for　a　few　days。〃



〃Think　of　George　starting　out　to　kill　Girty！〃　exclaimed　Dave。　〃I　never　fired　a

gun；　but　yet　I'd　go　too。〃



〃So　would　we　all；　if　we　did　as　our　hearts　dictate；〃　retorted　Heckewelder；

turning　fiercely　upon　Dave　as　if　stung。　〃Man！　we　have　a　village　full　of

Christians　to　look　after。　What　would　become　of　them？　I　tell　you　we've　all　we

can　do　here　to　outwit　these　border　ruffians。　Simon　Girty　is　plotting　our　ruin。

I　heard　it　to…day　from　the　Delaware　runner　who　is　my　friend。　　He　is　jealous　of

our　influence；　when　all　we　desire　is　to　save　these　poor　Indians。　And；　Jim；

Girty　has　killed　our　happiness。　Can　we　ever　recover　from　the　misery　brought

upon　us　by　poor　Kate's　fate？〃



The　missionary　raised　his　hand　as　if　to　exhort　some　power　above。



〃Curse　the　Girty's！〃　he　exclaimed　in　a　sudden　burst　of　uncontrollable　passion。

〃Having　conquered　all　other　obstacles；　must　we　fail　because　of　wicked　men　of

our　own　race？　Oh；　curse　them！〃



〃Come；〃　he　said；　presently；　in　a　voice　which　trembled　with　the　effort　he　made

to　be　calm。　〃We'll　go　in　to　Nellie。〃



The　three　men　entered　Mr。　Wells'　cabin。　The　old　missionary；　with　bowed　head

and　hands　clasped　behind　his　back；　was　pacing　to　and　fro。　He　greeted　Jim　with

glad　surprise。



〃We　want　Nellie　to　see　him；〃　whispered　Heckewelder。　〃We　think　the　surprise

will　do　her　good。〃



〃