the spirit of the border-第57节

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because　his　one　shot　must　be　for　another。　　Again　had　that　lofty；　haughty

figure　stood　before　him；　calm；　disdainful；　arrogant；　and　he　yielded　to　a

woman's　prayer。



The　Delaware's　life　was　his　to　take；　and　he　swore　he　would　have　it！　He

trembled　in　the　ecstasy　of　his　triumphant　passion；　his　great　muscles　rippled

and　quivered；　for　the　moment　was　entirely　beyond　his　control。　Then　his　passion

calmed。　Such　power　for　vengeance　had　he　that　he　could　almost　still　the　very

beats　of　his　heart　to　make　sure　and　deadly　his　fatal　aim。　Slowly　he　raised

himself；　his　eyes　of　cold　fire　glittered；　slowly　he　raised　the　black　rifle。



Wingenund　stood　erect　in　his　old；　grand　pose；　with　folded　arms；　but　his　eyes；

instead　of　being　fixed　on　the　distant　hills；　were　lowered　to　the　ground。



An　Indian　girl；　cold　as　marble；　lay　at　his　feet。　Her　garments　were　wet；　and

clung　to　her　slender　form。　her　sad　face　was　frozen　into　an　eternal　rigidity。



By　her　side　was　a　newly　dig　grave。



The　bead　on　the　front　sight　of　the　rifle　had　hardly　covered　the　chief's　dark

face　when　Wetzel's　eye　took　in　these　other　details。　He　had　been　so　absorbed　in

his　purpose　that　he　did　not　dream　of　the　Delaware's　reason　for　returning　to

the　Beautiful　Spring。



Slowly　Wetzel's　forefinger　stiffened；　slowly　he　lowered　the　black　rifle。



Wingenund　had　returned　to　bury　Whispering　Winds。



Wetzel's　teethe　clenched；　an　awful　struggle　tore　his　heart。　Slowly　the　rifle

rose；　wavered　and　fell。　It　rose　again；　wavered　and　fell。　　Something　terrible

was　wrong　with　him；　something　awful　was　awakening　in　his　soul。



Wingenund　had　not　made　a　fool　of　him。　The　Delaware　had　led　him　a　long　chase；

had　given　him　the　slip　in　the　forest；　not　to　boast　of　it；　but　to　hurry　back　to

give　his　daughter　Christian　burial。



Wingenund　was　a　Christian！



Had　he　not　been；　once　having　cast　his　daughter　from　him；　he　would　never　have

looked　upon　her　face　again。



Wingenund　was　true　to　his　race；　but　he　was　a　Christian。



Suddenly　Wetzel's　terrible　temptation；　his　heart…racking　struggle　ceased。　　He

lowered　the　long；　black　rifle。　He　took　one　last　look　at　the　chieftain's　dark；

powerful　face。



Then　the　Avenger　fled　like　a　shadow　through　the　forest。







Chapter　XXX。



It　was　late　afternoon　at　Fort　Henry。　The　ruddy　sun　had　already　sunk　behind　the

wooded　hill；　and　the　long　shadows　of　the　trees　lengthened　on　the　green　square

in　front　of　the　fort。



Colonel　Zane　stood　in　his　doorway　watching　the　river　with　eager　eyes。　A　few

minutes　before　a　man　had　appeared　on　the　bank　of　the　island　and　hailed。　The

colonel　had　sent　his　brother　Jonathan　to　learn　what　was　wanted。　The　latter　had

already　reached　the　other　shore　in　his　flatboat；　and　presently　the　little　boat

put　out　again　with　the　stranger　seated　at　the　stern。



〃I　thought；　perhaps；　it　might　be　Wetzel；〃　mused　the　colonel；　〃though　I　never

knew　of　Lew's　wanting　a　boat。〃



Jonathan　brought　the　man　across　the　river；　and　up　the　winding　path　to　where

Colonel　Zane　was　waiting。



〃Hello！　It's　young　Christy！〃　exclaimed　the　colonel；　jumping　off　the　steps；　and

cordially　extending　his　hand。　〃Glad　to　see　you！　Where's　Williamson。　　How　did

you　happen　over　here？〃



〃Captain　Williamson　and　his　men　will　make　the　river　eight　or　ten　miles　above；〃

answered　Christy。　〃I　came　across　to　inquire　about　the　young　people　who　left

the　Village　of　Peace。　Was　glad　to　learn　from　Jonathan　they　got　out　all　right。〃



〃Yes；　indeed；　we're　all　glad。　Come　and　sit　down。　Of　course　you'll　stay　over

night。　You　look　tired　and　worn。　Well；　no　wonder；　when　you　saw　that　Moravian

massacre。　You　must　tell　me　about　it。　I　saw　Sam　Brady　yesterday；　and　he　spoke

of　seeing　you　over　there。　Sam　told　me　a　good　deal。　Ah！　here's　Jim　now。〃



The　young　missionary　came　out　of　the　open　door；　and　the　two　young　men　greeted

each　other　warmly。



〃How　is　she？〃　asked　Christy；　when　the　first　greetings　had　been　exchanged。



〃Nell's　just　beginning　to　get　over　the　shock。　She'll　be　glad　to　see　you。〃



〃Jonathan　tells　me　you　got　married　just　before　Girty　came　up　with　you　at

Beautiful　Spring。〃



〃Yes；　it　is　true。　In　fact；　the　whole　wonderful　story　is　true；　yet　I　cannot

believe　as　yet。　You　look　thin　and　haggard。　When　we　last　met　you　were　well。〃



〃That　awful　time　pulled　me　down。　I　was　an　unwilling　spectator　of　all　that

horrible　massacre；　and　shall　never　get　over　it。　I　can　still　see　the　fiendish

savages　running　about　with　the　reeking　scalps　of　their　own　people。　I　actually

counted　the　bodies　of　forty…nine　grown　Christians　and　twenty…seven　children。

An　hour　after　you　left　us　the　church　was　in　ashes；　and　the　next　day　I　saw　the

burned　bodies。　Oh！　the　sickening　horror　of　the　scene！　It　haunts　me！　That

monster　Jim　Girty　killed　fourteen　Christians　with　his　sledge…hammer。〃



〃Did　you　hear　of　his　death？〃　asked　Colonel　Zane。



〃Yes；　and　a　fitting　end　it　was　to　the　frontier　'Skull　and　Cross…bones'。〃



〃It　was　like　Wetzel　to　think　of　such　a　vengeance。〃



〃Has　Wetzel　come　in　since？〃



〃No。　Jonathan　says　he　went　after　Wingenund；　and　there's　no　telling　when　he'll

return。〃



〃I　hoped　he　would　spare　the　Delaware。〃



〃Wetzel　spare　an　Indian！〃



〃But　the　chief　was　a　friend。　He　surely　saved　the　girl。〃



〃I　am　sorry；　too；　because　Wingenund　was　a　fine　Indian。　But　Wetzel　is

implacable。〃



〃Here's　Nell；　and　Mrs。　Clarke　too。　Come　out；　both　of　you；〃　cried　Jim。



Nell　appeared　in　the　doorway　with　Colonel　Zane's　sister。　The　two　girls　came

down　the　steps　and　greeted　the　young　man。　The　bride's　sweet　face　was　white　and

thin；　and　there　was　a　shadow　in　her　eyes。



〃I　am　so　glad　you　got　safely　away　fromfrom　there；〃　said　Christy；　earnestly。



〃Tell　me　of　Benny？〃　asked　Nell；　speaking　softly。



〃Oh；　yes；　I　forgot。　Why；　Benny　is　safe　and　well。　He　was　the　only　Christian

Indian　to　escape　the　Christian　massacre。　Heckewelder　hid　him　until　it　was　all

over。　He　is　going　to　have　the　lad　educated。〃



〃Thank　Heaven！〃　murmured　Nell。



〃And　the　missionaries？〃　inquired　Jim；　earnestly。



〃Were　all　well　when　I　left；　except；　of　course；　Young。　He　was　dying。　　The

others　will　remain　out　there；　and　try　to　get　another　hold；　but　I　fear　it's

impossible。〃



〃It　is　impossible；　not　because　the　Indian　does　not　want　Christianity；　but

because　such　white　men　as　the　Girty's　rule。　The　beautiful　Village　of　Peace

owes　its　ruin　to　the　renegades；〃　said　Colonel　Zane　impressively。



〃Captain　Williamson　could　have　prevented　the　massacre；〃　remarked　Jim。



〃Possibly。　It　was　a　bad　place　for　him；　and　I　think　he　was　wrong　not　to　try；〃

declared　the　colonel。



〃Hullo！〃　cried　Jonathan　Zane；　getting　up　from　the　steps　where　he　sat　listening

to　the　conversation。



A　familiar　soft…moccasined　footfall　sounded　on　the　path。　All　turned　to　see

Wetzel　come　slowly　toward　them。　His　buckskin　hunting　costume　was　ragged　and

worn。　He　looked　tired　and　weary；　but　the　dark　eyes　were　calm。



It　was　the　Wetzel　whom　they　all　loved。



They　greeted　him　warmly。　Nell　gave　him　her　hands；　and　smiled　up　at　him。



〃I'm　so　glad　you've　come　home　safe；〃　she　said。



〃Safe　an'　sound；　lass；　an'　glad　to　find　you　well；〃　answered　the　hunter；　as　he

leaned　on　his　long　rifle；　looking　from　Nell　to　Colonel　Zane's　sister。　　〃Betty；

I　allus　gave　you　first　place　among　border　lasses；　but　here's　one　as　could　run

you　most　any　kind　of　a　race；〃　he　said；　with　the　rare　smile　which　so　warmly

lighted　his　dark；　stern　face。



〃Lew　Wetzel　making　compliments！　Well；　of　all　things！〃　exclaimed　the　colonel's

sister。



Jonathan　Zane　stood　closely　scanning　Wetzel's　features。　Colonel　Zane；

observing　his　brother's　close　scrutiny　of　the　hunter；　guessed　the　cause；　and

said：



〃Lew；　tell　us；　did　you　see　Wingenund　over　the　sights　of　your　rifle？〃



〃Yes；〃　answered　the　hunter　simply。



A　chill　seemed　to　strike　the　hearts　of　the　listeners。　That　simple　answer；

coming　from　Wetzel；　meant　so　much。　Nell　bowed　her　head　sadly。　Jim　turned　away

biting　his　lip。　Christy　looked　across　the　valley。　Colonel　Zane　bent　over　and

picked　up　some　pebbles　which　he　threw　hard　at　the　cabin　wall。　Jonathan　Zane

abruptly　left　the　group；　and　went　into　the　house。



But　the　colonel's　sister　fixed　her　large；　black　eyes　on　Wetzel's　face。



〃Well？〃　she　asked；　and　her　voice　rang。



Wetzel　was　silent　for　a　moment。　He　met　here　eyes　with　that　old；　inscrutable

smile　in　his　own。　A　slight　shade　flitted　across　his　face。



〃Betty；　I　missed　him；〃　he　said；　calmly；　and；　shouldering　his　long　rifle；　he

strode　away。





Nell　and　Jim　walked　along　the　bluff　above　the　river。　Twilight　was　deepening。

The　red　glow　in　the　west　was　slowly　darkening　behind　the　boldly　defined　hills。



〃So　it's　all　settled；　Jim；　that　we　stay　here；〃　said　Nell。



〃Yes；　dear。　Colonel　Zane　has　offered　me　work；　and　a　church　besides。　We　are

very　fortunate；　and　should　be　contented。　I　am　happy　because　you're　my　wife；

and　yet　I　am　sad　when　I　think　ofhim。　Poor　Joe！〃



〃Don'