the spirit of the border-第46节

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lover。　This　done；　he　tied　one　end　of　the　grapevine　around　the　stone；　and　wound

the　other　about　the　dead　bodies。



He　pushed　them　off　the　bank　into　the　spring。　As　the　lovers　sank　into　the　deep

pool　they　turned；　exposing　first　Winds'　sad　face；　and　then　Joe's。　Then　they

sank　out　of　sight。　Little　waves　splashed　on　the　shore　of　the　pool；　the　ripple

disappeared；　and　the　surface　of　the　spring　became　tranquil。



Wetzel　stood　one　moment　over　the　watery　grave　of　the　maiden　who　had　saved　him；

and　the　boy　who　had　loved　him。　In　the　gathering　gloom　his　stalwart　form

assumed　gigantic　proportions；　and　when　he　raised　his　long　arm　and　shook　his

clenched　fist　toward　the　west；　he　resembled　a　magnificent　statue　of　dark

menace。



With　a　single　bound　he　cleared　the　pool；　and　then　sped　out　of　the　glade。　　He

urged　the　dog　on　Girty's　trail；　and　followed　the　eager　beast　toward　the　west。

As　he　disappeared；　a　long；　low　sound　like　the　sigh　of　the　night　wind　swelled

and　moaned　through　the　gloom。







Chapter　XXIV。



When　the　first　ruddy　rays　of　the　rising　sun　crimsoned　the　eastern　sky；　Wetzel

slowly　wound　his　way　down　a　rugged　hill　far　west　of　Beautiful　Spring。　A　white

dog；　weary　and　footsore；　limped　by　his　side。　Both　man　and　beast　showed

evidence　of　severe　exertion。



The　hunter　stopped　in　a　little　cave　under　a　projecting　stone；　and；　laying

aside　his　rifle；　began　to　gather　twigs　and　sticks。　He　was　particular　about

selecting　the　wood；　and　threw　aside　many　pieces　which　would　have　burned　well；

but　when　he　did　kindle　a　flame　it　blazed　hotly；　yet　made　no　smoke。



He　sharpened　a　green　stick；　and；　taking　some　strips　of　meat　from　his　pocket；

roasted　them　over　the　hot　flame。　He　fed　the　dog　first。　Mose　had　crouched　close

on　the　ground　with　his　head　on　his　paws；　and　his　brown　eyes　fastened　upon　the

hunter。



〃He　had　too　big　a　start　fer　us；〃　said　Wetzel；　speaking　as　if　the　dog　were

human。　It　seemed　that　Wetzel's　words　were　a　protest　against　the　meaning　in

those　large；　sad　eyes。



Then　the　hunter　put　out　the　fire；　and；　searching　for　a　more　secluded　spot；

finally　found　one　on　top　of　the　ledge；　where　he　commanded　a　good　view　of　his

surroundings。　The　weary　dog　was　asleep。　Wetzel　settled　himself　to　rest；　and

was　soon　wrapped　in　slumber。



About　noon　he　awoke。　He　arose；　stretched　his　limbs；　and　then　took　an　easy

position　on　the　front　of　the　ledge；　where　he　could　look　below。　　Evidently　the

hunter　was　waiting　for　something。　The　dog　slept　on。　　It　was　the　noonday　hour；

when　the　stillness　of　the　forest　almost　matched　that　of　midnight。　The　birds

were　more　quiet　than　at　any　other　time　during　daylight。



Wetzel　reclined　there　with　his　head　against　the　stone；　and　his　rifle　resting

across　his　knees。



He　listened　now　to　the　sounds　of　the　forest。　The　soft　breeze　fluttering　among

the　leaves；　the　rain…call　of　the　tree　frog；　the　caw　of　crows　from　distant

hilltops；　the　sweet　songs　of　the　thrush　and　oriole；　were　blended　together

naturally；　harmoniously。



But　suddenly　the　hunter　raised　his　head。　A　note；　deeper　than　the　others；　a

little　too　strong；　came　from　far　down　the　shaded　hollow。　To　Wetzel's　trained

ear　it　was　a　discord。　He　manifested　no　more　than　this　attention；　for　the

birdcall　was　the　signal　he　had　been　awaiting。　He　whistled　a　note　in　answer

that　was　as　deep　and　clear　as　the　one　which　had　roused　him。



Moments　passed。　There　was　no　repetition　of　the　sound。　The　songs　of　the　other

birds　had　ceased。　Besides　Wetzel　there　was　another　intruder　in　the　woods。



Mose　lifted　his　shaggy　head　and　growled。　The　hunter　patted　the　dog。　In　a　few

minutes　the　figure　of　a　tall　man　appeared　among　the　laurels　down　the　slope。　He

stopped　while　gazing　up　at　the　ledge。　Then；　with　noiseless　step；　he　ascended

the　ridge；　climbed　the　rocky　ledge；　and　turned　the　corner　of　the　stone　to　face

Wetzel。　The　newcomer　was　Jonathan　Zane。



〃Jack；　I　expected　you　afore　this；〃　was　Wetzel's　greeting。



〃I　couldn't　make　it　sooner；〃　answered　Zane。　〃After　we　left　Williamson　and

separated；　I　got　turned　around　by　a　band　of　several　hundred　redskins　makin'

for　the　Village　of　Peace。　I　went　back　again；　but　couldn't　find　any　sign　of　the

trail　we're　huntin'。　Then　I　makes　for　this　meetin'　place。　I've　been　goin'　for

some　ten　hours；　and　am　hungry。〃



〃I've　got　some　bar　ready　cooked；〃　said　Wetzel；　handing　Zane　several　strips　of

meat。



〃What　luck　did　you　have？〃



〃I　found　Girty's　trail；　an　old　one；　over　here　some　eighteen　or　twenty　miles；

an'　follered　it　until　I　went　almost　into　the　Delaware　town。　It　led　to　a　hut　in

a　deep　ravine。　I　ain't　often　surprised；　but　I　wus　then。　　I　found　the　dead　body

of　that　girl；　Kate　Wells；　we　fetched　over　from　Fort　Henry。　Thet's　sad；　but　it

ain't　the　surprisin'　part。　I　also　found　Silvertip；　the　Shawnee　I've　been

lookin'　fer。　He　was　all　knocked　an'　cut　up；　deader'n　a　stone。　There'd　been

somethin'　of　a　scrap　in　the　hut。　　I　calkilate　Girty　murdered　Kate；　but　I

couldn't　think　then　who　did　fer　Silver；　though　I　allowed　the　renegade　might

hev　done　thet；　too。　I　watched　round　an'　seen　Girty　come　back　to　the　hut。　He

had　ten　Injuns　with　him；　an'　presently　they　all　made　fer　the　west。　I　trailed

them；　but　didn't　calkilate　it'd　be　wise　to　tackle　the　bunch　single…handed；　so

laid　back。　　A　mile　or　so　from　the　hut　I　came　across　hoss　tracks　minglin'　with

the　moccasin…prints。　About　fifteen　mile　or　from　the　Delaware　town；　Girty　left

his　buckskins；　an'　they　went　west；　while　he　stuck　to　the　hoss　tracks。　　I　was

onto　his　game　in　a　minute。　I　cut　across　country　fer　Beautiful　Spring；　but　I

got　there　too　late。　I　found　the　warm　bodies　of　Joe　and　thet　Injun　girl；　Winds。

The　snake　hed　murdered　them。〃



〃I　allow　Joe　won　over　Winds；　got　away　from　the　Delaware　town　with　her；　tried

to　rescue　Kate；　and　killed　Silver　in　the　fight。　Girty　probably　was　surprised；

an'　run　after　he　had　knifed　the　girl。〃



〃'Pears　so　to　me。　Joe　had　two　knife　cuts；　an'　one　was　an　old　wound。〃



〃You　say　it　was　a　bad　fight？〃



〃Must　hev　been。　The　hut　was　all　knocked　in；　an'　stuff　scattered　about。　　Wal；

Joe　could　go　some　if　he　onct　got　started。〃



〃I'll　bet　he　could。　He　was　the　likeliest　lad　I've　seen　for　many　a　day。〃



〃If　he'd　lasted；　he'd　been　somethin'　of　a　hunter　an'　fighter。〃



〃Too　bad。　But　Lord！　you　couldn't　keep　him　down；　no　more　than　you　can　lots　of

these　wild　young　chaps　that　drift　out　here。〃



〃I'll　allow　he　had　the　fever　bad。〃



〃Did　you　hev　time　to　bury　them？〃



〃I　hedn't　time　fer　much。　I　sunk　them　in　the　spring。〃



〃It's　a　pretty　deep　hole；〃　said　Zane；　reflectively。　〃Then；　you　and　the　dog

took　Girty's　trail；　but　couldn't　catch　up　with　him。　He's　now　with　the　renegade

cutthroats　and　hundreds　of　riled　Indians　over　there　in　the　Village　of　Peace。〃



〃I　reckon　you're　right。〃



A　long　silence　ensued；。　Jonathan　finished　his　simple　repast；　drank　from　the

little　spring　that　trickled　under　the　stone；　and；　sitting　down　by　the　dog；

smoothed　out　his　long　silken　hair。



〃Lew；　we're　pretty　good　friends；　ain't　we？〃　he　asked；　thoughtfully。



〃Jack；　you　an'　the　colonel　are　all　the　friends　I　ever　hed；　'ceptin'　that　boy

lyin'　quiet　back　there　in　the　woods。〃



〃I　know　you　pretty　well；　and　ain't　sayin'　a　word　about　your　runnin'　off　from

me　on　many　a　hunt；　but　I　want　to　speak　plain　about　this　fellow　Girty。〃



〃Wal？〃　said　Wetzel；　as　Zane　hesitated。



〃Twice　in　the　last　few　years　you　and　I　have　had　it　in　for　the　same　men；　both

white…livered　traitors。　You　remember？　First　it　was　Miller；　who　tried　to　ruin

my　sister　Betty；　and　next　it　was　Jim　Girty；　who　murdered　our　old　friend；　as

good　an　old　man　as　ever　wore　moccasins。　Wal；　after　Miller　ran　off　from　the

fort；　we　trailed　him　down　to　the　river；　and　I　points　across　and　says；　'You　or

me？'　and　you　says；　'Me。'　You　was　Betty's　friend；　and　I　knew　she'd　be　avenged。

Miller　is　lyin'　quiet　in　the　woods；　and　violets　have　blossomed　twice　over　his

grave；　though　you　never　said　a　word；　but　I　know　it's　true　because　I　know　you。〃



Zane　looked　eagerly　into　the　dark　face　of　his　friend；　hoping　perhaps　to　get

some　verbal　assurance　there　that　his　belief　was　true。　But　Wetzel　did　not

speak；　and　he　continued：



〃Another　day　not　so　long　ago　we　both　looked　down　at　an　old　friend；　and　saw　his

white　hair　matted　with　blood。　He'd　been　murdered　for　nothin'。　　Again　you　and

me　trailed　a　coward　and　found　him　to　be　Jim　Girty。　I　knew　you'd　been　huntin'

him　for　years；　and　so　I　says；　'Lew；　you　or　me？'　and　you　says；　'Me。'〃　I　give　in

to　you；　for　I　knew　you're　a　better　man　than　me；　and　because　I　wanted　you　to

have　the　satisfaction。　Wal；　the　months　have　gone　by；　and　Jim　Girty's　still

livin'　and　carryin'　on。　Now　he's　over　there　after　them　poor　preachers。　I　ain't

sayin'；　Lew；　that　you　haven't　more　agin　him　than　me；　but　I　do　say；　let　me　in

on　it　with　you。　He　always　has　a　gang　of　redskins　with　him；　he's　afraid　to

travel　alone；　else　you'd　had　him　long　ago。　Two　of　us'll　have　more　chance　to

get　him。　Let　me　go　with　you。　When　it　co