the scouts of the valley-第30节

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ad　to　be　carried　by　people　so　tired　that　they　could　scarcely　walk　themselves。　　There　was　nobody　in　the　line　who　had　not　lost　some　beloved　one　on　that　fatal　river　bank；　killed　in　battle；　or　tortured　to　death。　　As　they　slowly　ascended　the　green　slope　of　the　mountain　that　inclosed　a　side　of　the　valley；　they　looked　back　upon　ruin　and　desolation。　　The　whole　black　tragedy　was　being　consummated。　　They　could　see　the　houses　in　flames；　and　they　knew　that　the　Indian　war　parties　were　killing　and　scalping　everywhere。　　They　knew；　too；　that　other　bodies　of　fugitives；　as　stricken　as　their　own；　were　fleeing　into　the　mountains；　they　scarcely　knew　whither。

As　they　paused　a　few　moments　and　looked　back；　a　great　cry　burst　from　the　weakest　of　the　women　and　children。　　Then　it　became　a　sad　and　terrible　wail；　and　it　was　a　long　time　before　it　ceased。　　It　was　an　awful　sound；　so　compounded　of　despair　and　woe　and　of　longing　for　what　they　had　lost　that　Henry　choked；　and　the　tears　stood　in　Paul's　eyes。　　But　neither　the　five　nor　Carpenter　made　any　attempt　to　check　the　wailing。　　They　thought　it　best　for　them　to　weep　it　out；　but　they　hurried　the　column　as　much　as　they　could；　often　carrying　some　of　the　smaller　children　themselves。　　Paul　and　Long　Jim　were　the　best　as　comforters。　　The　two　knew　how；　each　in　his　own　way；　to　soothe　and　encourage。　　Carpenter；　who　knew　the　way　to　Fort　Penn；　led　doggedly　on；　scarcely　saying　a　word。　　Henry；　Shif'less　Sol；　and　Tom　were　the　rear　guard；　which　was；　in　this　case；　the　one　of　greatest　danger　and　responsibility。

Henry　was　thankful　that　it　was　only　early　summer　the　Fourth　of　July；　the　second　anniversary　of　the　Declaration　of　Independence…and　that　the　foliage　was　heavy　and　green　on　the　slopes　of　the　mountain。　　In　this　mass　of　greenery　the　desolate　column　was　now　completely　hidden　from　any　observer　in　the　valley；　and　he　believed　that　other　crowds　of　fugitives　would　be　hidden　in　the　same　manner。　　He　felt　sure　that　no　living　human　being　would　be　left　in　the　valley；　that　it　would　be　ravaged　from　end　to　end　and　then　left　to　desolation；　until　new　people；　protected　by　American　bayonets；　should　come　in　and　settle　it　again。

At　last　they　passed　the　crest　of　the　ridge；　and　the　fires　in　the　valley；　those　emblems　of　destruction；　were　hidden。　　Between　them　and　Fort　Penn；　sixty　miles　away；　stretched　a　wilderness　of　mountain；　forest；　and　swamp。　　But　the　five　welcomed　the　forest。　　A　foe　might　lie　there　in　ambush；　but　they　could　not　see　the　fugitives　at　a　distance。　　What　the　latter　needed　now　was　obscurity；　the　green　blanket　of　the　forest　to　hide　them。　　Carpenter　led　on　over　a　narrow　trail；　the　others　followed　almost　in　single　file　now；　while　the　five　scouted　in　the　woods　on　either　flank　and　at　the　rear。　　Henry　and　Shif'less　Sol　generally　kept　together；　and　they　fully　realized　the　overwhelming　danger　should　an　Indian　band；　even　as　small　as　ten　or　a　dozen　warriors；　appear。　　Should　the　latter　scatter；　it　would　be　impossible　to　protect　all　the　women　and　children　from　their　tomahawks。

The　day　was　warm；　but　the　forest　gave　them　coolness　as　well　as　shelter。　　Henry　and　Sol　were　seldom　so　far　back　that　they　could　not　see　the　end　of　the　melancholy　line；　now　moving　slowly；　overborne　by　weariness。　　The　shiftless　one　shook　his　head　sadly。

〃No　matter　what　happens；　some　uv　'em　will　never　get　out　o'　these　woods。〃

His　words　came　true　all　too　soon。　　Before　the　afternoon　closed；　two　women；　ill　before　the　flight；　died　of　terror　and　exhaustion；　and　were　buried　in　shallow　graves　under　the　trees。　　Before　dark　a　halt　was　made　at　the　suggestion　of　Henry；　and　all　except　Carpenter　and　the　scouts　sat　in　a　close；　drooping　group。　　Many　of　the　children　cried；　though　the　women　had　all　ceased　to　weep。　　They　had　some　food　with　them；　taken　in　the　hurried　flight；　and　now　the　men　asked　them　to　eat。　　Few　could　do　it；　and　others　insisted　on　saving　what　little　they　had　for　the　children。　　Long　Jim　found　a　spring　near　by；　and　all　drank　at　it。

The　six　men　decided　that；　although　night　had　not　yet　come；　it　would　be　best　to　remain　there　until　the　morning。　　Evidently　the　fugitives　were　in　no　condition；　either　mental　or　physical；　to　go　farther　that　day；　and　the　rest　was　worth　more　than　the　risk。

When　this　decision　was　announced　to　them；　most　of　the　women　took　it　apathetically。　　Soon　they　lay　down　upon　a　blanket；　if　one　was　to　be　had；　otherwise；　on　leaves　and　branches。　　Again　Henry　thanked　God　that　it　was　summer；　and　that　these　were　people　of　the　frontier；　who　could　sleep　in　the　open。　　No　fire　was　needed；　and；　outside　of　human　enemies；　only　rain　was　to　be　dreaded。

And　yet　this　band；　desperate　though　its　case；　was　more　fortunate　than　some　of　the　others　that　fled　from　the　Wyoming　Valley。　　It　had　now　to　protect　it　six　men　Henry　and　Paul；　though　boys　in　years；　were　men　in　strength　and　ability　…　five　of　whom　were　the　equals　of　any　frontiersmen　on　the　whole　border。　　Another　crowd　of　women　was　escorted　by　a　single　man　throughout　its　entire　flight。

Henry　and　his　comrades　distributed　themselves　in　a　circle　about　the　group。　　At　times　they　helped　gather　whortleberries　as　food　for　the　others；　but　they　looked　for　Indians　or　game；　intending　to　shoot　in　either　case。　　When　Paul　and　Henry　were　together　they　once　heard　a　light　sound　in　a　thicket；　which　at　first　they　were　afraid　was　made　by　an　Indian　scout；　but　it　was　a　deer；　and　it　bounded　away　too　soon　for　either　to　get　a　shot。　　They　could　not　find　other　game　of　any　kind；　and　they　came　back　toward　the　camp…if　a　mere　stop　in　the　woods；　without　shelter　of　any　kind；　could　be　called　a　camp。

The　sun　was　now　setting；　blood　red。　　It　tinged　the　forest　with　a　fiery　mist；　reminding　the　unhappy　group　of　all　that　they　had　seen。　　But　the　mist　was　gone　in　a　few　moments；　and　then　the　blackness　of　night　came　with　a　weird　moaning　wind　that　told　of　desolation。　　Most　of　the　children；　having　passed　through　every　phase　of　exhaustion　and　terror；　had　fallen　asleep。　　Some　of　the　women　slept；　also；　and　others　wept。　　But　the　terrible　wailing　note；　which　the　nerves　of　no　man　could　stand；　was　heard　no　longer。

The　five　gathered　again　at　a　point　near　by；　and　Carpenter　came　to　them。

〃Men；〃　he　said　simply；　〃don't　know　much　about　you；　though　I　know　you　fought　well　in　the　battle　that　we　lost；　but　for　what　you're　doin'　now　nobody　can　ever　repay　you。　　I　knew　that　I　never　could　get　across　the　mountains　with　all　these　weak　ones。〃

The　five　merely　said　that　any　man　who　was　a　man　would　help　at　such　a　time。　　Then　they　resumed　their　march　in　a　perpetual　circle　about　the　camp。

Some　women　did　not　sleep　at　all　that　night。　　It　is　not　easy　to　conceive　what　the　frontier　women　of　America　endured　so　many　thousands　of　times。　　They　had　seen　their　husbands；　brothers；　and　sons　killed　in　the　battle；　and　they　knew　that　the　worst　of　torture　had　been　practiced　in　the　Indian　camp。　　Many　of　them　really　did　not　want　to　live　any　longer。　　They　merely　struggled　automatically　for　life。　　The　darkness　settled　down　thicker　and　thicker；　the　blackness　in　the　forest　was　intense；　and　they　could　see　the　faces　of　one　another　only　at　a　little　distance。　　The　desolate　moan　of　the　wind　came　through　the　leaves；　and；　although　it　was　July；　the　night　grew　cold。　　The　women　crept　closer　together；　trying　to　cover　up　and　protect　the　children。　　The　wind；　with　its　inexpressibly　mournful　note；　was　exactly　fitted　to　their　feelings。　　Many　of　them　wondered　why　a　Supreme　Being　had　permitted　such　things。　　But　they　ceased　to　talk。　　No　sound　at　all　came　from　the　group；　and　any　one　fifty　yards　away；　not　forewarned；　could　not　have　told　that　they　were　there。

Henry　and　Paul　met　again　about　midnight；　and　sat　a　long　time　on　a　little　hillock。　　Theirs　had　been　the　most　dangerous　of　lives　on　the　most　dangerous　of　frontiers；　but　they　had　never　been　stirred　as　they　were　tonight。　　Even　Paul；　the　mildest　of　the　five；　felt　something　burning　within　him；　a　fire　that　only　one　thing　could　quench。

〃Henry；〃　said　he；　〃we're　trying　to　get　these　people　to　Fort　Penn；　and　we　may　get　some　of　them　there；　but　I　don't　think　our　work　will　be　ended　them。　　I　don't　think　I　could　ever　be　happy　again　if　we　went　straight　from　Fort　Penn　to　Kentucky。〃

Henry　understood　him　perfectly。

〃No；　Paul；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　want　to　go；　either；　and　I　know　the　others　don't。　　Maybe　you　are　not　willing　to　tell　why　we　want　to　stay；　but　it　is　vengeance。　　I　know　it's　Christian　to　forgive　your　enemies；　but　I　can't　see　what　I　have　seen；　and　hear　what　I　have　heard；　and　do　it。〃

〃When　the　news　of　these　things　spreads；〃　said　Paul；　〃they'll　send　an　army　from　the　east。　　Sooner　or　later　they'll　just　have　to　do　it　to　punish　the　Iroquois　and　their　white　allies；　and　we've　got　to　be　here　to　join　that　army。〃

〃I　feel　that　way；　too；　Paul；〃　said　Henry。

They　were　joined　later　by　the　other　three；　who　stayed　a　little　while；　and　they　were　in　accord　with　Henry　and　Paul。

Then　they　began　their　circles　about　the　camp　again；　always　looking　and　always　listening。　　About　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　they　heard　a　scream；　but　it　was　only　the　cry　of　a　panther。　　Before　day　there　were　clouds；　a　low　rumble　of　distant　thunder；　and　faint　far　flashes　of　lightning。　　Henry　was　in　dread　of　rain；　but　the　lightning　and　thunder　ceased；　and　the　clouds　went　away。　　Then　dawn　came；　rosy　and　bright；　and　all