the spirit of the border-第50节
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with his hands。 There was a long silence。 At length he raised his white face
and spoke calmly:
〃Gentlemen; the Village of Peace is doomed。 I entreated Captain Williamson to
help us; but he refused。 Said he dared not interfere。 I prayed that he would
speak at least a word to Girty; but he denied my request。〃
〃Where are the converts?〃
〃Imprisoned in the church; every one of them except Benny。 Mr。 Christy and I
hid the child in the meal sack and were thus able to get him here。 We must
save him。〃
〃Save him?〃 asked Nell; looking from Heckewelder to the trembling Indian boy。
〃Nellie; the savages have driven all our Christians into the church; and shut
them up there; until Girty and his men shall give the word to complete their
fiendish design。 The converts asked but one favoran hour in which to pray。
It was granted。 The savages intend to murder them all。〃
〃Oh! Horrible! Monstrous!〃 cried Nell。 〃How can they be so inhuman?〃 She
lifted Benny up in her arms。 〃They'll never get you; my boy。 We'll save
youI'll save you!〃 The child moaned and clung to her neck。
〃They are scouring the clearing now for Christians; and will search all the
cabins。 I'm positive。〃
〃Will they come here?〃 asked Nell; turning her blazing eyes on Heckewelder。
〃Undoubtedly。 We must try to hide Benny。 Let me think; where would be a good
place? We'll try a dark corner of the loft。〃
〃No; no;〃 cried Nell。
〃Put Benny in Young's bed;〃 suggested Jim。
〃No; no;〃 cried Nell。
〃Put him in a bucket and let him down in the well;〃 whispered Edwards; who had
listened intently to the conversation。
〃That's a capital place;〃 said Heckewelder。 〃But might he not fall out and
drown?〃
〃Tie him in the bucket;〃 said Jim。
〃No; no; no;〃 cried Nell。
〃But Nellie; we must decide upon a hiding place; and in a hurry。〃
〃I'll save Benny。〃
〃You? Will you stay here to face those men? Jim Girty and Deering are
searching the cabins。 Could you bear it to see them? You couldn't。〃
〃Oh! No; I believe it would kill me! That man! that beast! will he come here?〃
Nell grew ghastly pale; and looked as if about to faint。 She shrunk in horror
at the thought of again facing Girty。 〃For God's sake; Heckewelder; don't let
him see me! Don't let him come in! Don't!〃
Even as the imploring voice ceased a heavy thump sounded on the door。
〃Who's there?〃 demanded Heckewelder。
Thump! Thump!
The heavy blows shook the cabin。 The pans rattled on the shelves。 No answer
came from without。
〃Quick! Hide Benny! It's as much as our lives are worth to have him found
here;〃 cried Heckewelder in a fierce whisper; as he darted toward the door。
〃All right; all right; in a moment;〃 he called out; fumbling over the bar。
He opened the door a moment later and when Jim Girty and Deering entered he
turned to his friends with a dread uncertainty in his haggard face。
Edwards lay on the bed with wide…open eyes staring at the intruders。 Mr。 Wells
sat with bowed head。 Zeisberger calmly whittled a stick; and Jim stood bolt
upright; with a hard light in his eyes。
Nell leaned against the side of a heavy table。 Wonderful was the change that
had transformed her from a timid; appealing; fear…agonized girl to a woman
whose only evidence of unusual excitement were the flame in her eyes and the
peculiar whiteness of her face。
Benny was gone!
Heckewelder's glance returned to the visitors。 He thought he had never seen
such brutal; hideous men。
〃Wal; I reckon a preacher ain't agoin' to lie。 Hev you seen any Injun
Christians round here?〃 asked Girty; waving a heavy sledge…hammer。
〃Girty; we have hidden no Indians here;〃 answered Heckewelder; calmly。
〃Wal; we'll hev a look; anyway;〃 answered the renegade。
Girty surveyed the room with wolfish eyes。 Deering was so drunk that he
staggered。 Both men; in fact; reeked with the vile fumes of rum。 Without
another word they proceeded to examine the room; by looking into every box;
behind a stone oven; and in the cupboard。 They drew the bedclothes from the
bed; and with a kick demolished a pile of stove wood。 Then the ruffians passed
into the other apartments; where they could be heard making thorough search。
At length both returned to the large room; when Girty directed Deering to
climb a ladder leading to the loft; but because Deering was too much under the
influence of liquor to do so; he had to go himself。 He rummaged around up
there for a few minutes; and then came down。
〃Wal; I reckon you wasn't lyin' about it;〃 said Girty; with his ghastly leer。
He and his companion started to go out。 Deering had stood with bloodshot eyes
fixed on Nell while Girty searched the loft; and as they passed the girl on
their way to the open air; the renegade looked at Girty as he motioned with
his head toward her。 His besotted face expressed some terrible meaning。
Girty had looked at Nell when he first entered; but had not glanced twice at
her。 As he turned now; before going out of the door; he fixed on her his
baleful glance。 His aspect was more full of meaning than could have been any
words。 A horrible power; of which he was boastfully conscious; shone from his
little; pointed eyes。 His mere presence was deadly。 Plainly as if he had
spoken was the significance of his long gaze。 Any one could have translated
that look。
Once before Nell had faced it; and fainted when its dread meaning grew clear
to her。 But now she returned his gaze with one in which flashed lightning
scorn; and repulsion; in which glowed a wonderful defiance。
The cruel face of this man; the boastful barbarity of his manner; the long;
dark; bloody history which his presence recalled; was; indeed; terrifying
without the added horror of his intent toward her; but not the
self…forgetfulness of a true woman sustained her。
Girty and Deering backed out of the door。 Heckewelder closed it; and dropped
the bar in place。
Nell fell over the table with a long; low gasp。 Then with one hand she lifted
her skirt。 Benny walked from under it。 His big eyes were bright。 The young
woman clasped him again in her arms。 Then she released him; and; laboring
under intense excitement; ran to the window。
〃There he goes! Oh; the horrible beast! If I only had a gun and could shoot!
Oh; if only I were a man! I'd kill him。 To think of poor Kate! Ah! he intends
the same for me!〃
Suddenly she fell upon the floor in a faint。 Mr。 Wells and Jim lifted her on
the bed beside Edwards; where they endeavored to revive her。 It was some
moments before she opened her eyes。
Jim sat holding Nell's hand。 Mr。 Wells again bowed his head。 Zeisberger
continued to whittle a stick; and Heckewelder paced the floor。 Christy stood
by with every evidence of sympathy for this distracted group。 Outside the
clamor increased。
〃Just listen!〃 cried Heckewelder。 〃Did you ever hear the like? All drunk;
crazy; fiendish! They drank every drop of liquor the French traders had。
Curses on the vagabond dealers! Rum has made these renegades and savages wild。
Oh! my poor; innocent Christians!〃
Heckewelder leaned his head against the mantle…shelf。 He had broken down at
last。 Racking sobs shook his frame。
〃Are you all right again?〃 asked Jim of Nell。
〃Yes。〃
〃I am going out; first to see Williamson; and then the Christians;〃 he said;
rising very pale; but calm。
〃Don't go!〃 cried Heckewelder。 〃I have tried everything。 It was all of no
use。〃
〃I will go;〃 answered Jim。
〃Yes; Jim; go;〃 whispered Nell; looking up into his eyes。 It was an earnest
gaze in which a faint hope shone。
Jim unbarred the door and went out。
〃Wait; I'll go along;〃 cried Zeisberger; suddenly dropping his knife and
stick。
As the two men went out a fearful spectacle met their eyes。 The clearing was
alive with Indians。 But such Indians! They were painted demons; maddened by
rum。 Yesterday they had been silent; if they moved at all it had been with
deliberation and dignity。 To…day they were a yelling; running; blood…seeking
mob。
〃Awful! Did you ever see human beings like these?〃 asked Zeisberger。
〃No; no!〃
〃I saw such a frenzy once before; but; of course; only in a small band of
savages。 Many times have I seen Indians preparing for the war…path; in search
of both white men and redskins。 They were fierce then; but nothing like this。
Every one of these frenzied fiends is honest。 Think of that! Every man feels
it his duty to murder these Christians。 Girty has led up to this by cunning;
and now the time is come to let them loose。〃
〃It means death for all。〃
〃I have given up any thought of escaping;〃 said Zeisberger; with the calmness
that had characterized his manner since he returned to the village。 〃I shall
try to get into the church。〃
〃I'll join you there as soon as I see Williamson。〃
Jim walked rapidly across