the scouts of the valley-第33节

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　red；　kings　of　their　kind；　confronted　each　other　across　the　marsh。

〃What　do　you　wish　with　me；　Timmendiquas？〃　asked　Henry。　　In　the　presence　of　the　great　Wyandot　chief　the　feeling　of　hate　and　revenge　that　had　held　his　heart　vanished。　　He　knew　that　Paul　and　Shif'less　Sol　would　have　sunk　under　the　ruthless　tomahawk　of　Queen　Esther；　if　it　had　not　been　for　White　Lightning。　　He　himself　had　owed　him　his　life　on　another　and　more　distant　occasion；　and　he　was　not　ungrateful。　　So　there　was　warmth　in　his　tone　when　he　spoke。

〃Let　us　meet　at　the　edge　of　the　solid　ground；〃　said　Timmendiquas；　〃I　have　things　to　say　that　are　important　and　that　you　will　be　glad　to　hear。〃

Henry　walked　without　hesitation　to　the　edge　of　the　swamp；　and　the　young　chief；　coming　forward；　met　him。　　Henry　held　out　his　hand　in　white　fashion；　and　the　young　chief　took　it。　　There　was　no　sound　either　from　the　swamp　or　from　those　who　lay　behind　the　logs　on　the　island；　but　some　of　the　eyes　of　those　hidden　in　the　swamps　watched　both　with　burning　hatred。

〃I　wish　to　tell　you；　Ware；〃　said　Timmendiquas；　speaking　with　the　dignity　becoming　a　great　chief；　〃that　it　was　not　I　who　led　the　pursuit　of　the　white　men's　women　and　children。　　I；　and　the　Wyandots　who　came　with　me；　fought　as　best　we　could　in　the　great　battle；　and　I　will　slay　my　enemies　when　I　can。　　We　are　warriors；　and　we　are　ready　to　face　each　other　in　battle；　but　we　do　not　seek　to　kill　the　squaw　in　the　tepee　or　the　papoose　in　its　birch…bark　cradle。〃

The　face　of　the　great　chief　seemed　stirred　by　some　deep　emotion；　which　impressed　Henry　all　the　more　because　the　countenance　of　Timmendiquas　was　usually　a　mask。

〃I　believe　that　you　tell　the　truth；〃　said　Henry　gravely。

〃I　and　my　Wyandots；〃　continued　the　chief；　〃followed　a　trail　through　the　woods。　　We　found　that　others；　Senecas　and　Mohawks；　led　by　Wyatt　and　Blackstaffe；　who　are　of　your　race；　had　gone　before；　and　when　we　came　up　there　had　just　been　a　battle。　　The　Mohawks　and　Senecas　had　been　driven　back。　　It　was　then　we　learned　that　the　trail　was　made　by　women　and　little　children；　save　you　and　your　comrades　who　stayed　to　fight　and　protect　them。〃

〃You　speak　true　words；　Timmendiquas；〃　said　Henry。

〃The　Wyandots　have　remained　in　the　East　to　fight　men；　not　to　kill　squaws　and　papooses；〃　continued　Timmendiquas。　　〃So　I　say　to　you；　go　on　with　those　who　flee　across　the　mountains。　　Our　warriors　shall　not　pursue　you　any　longer。　　We　will　turn　back　to　the　valley　from　which　we　come；　and　those　of　your　race；　Blackstaffe　and　Wyatt；　shall　go　with　us。〃

The　great　chief　spoke　quietly；　but　there　was　an　edge　to　his　tone　that　told　that　every　word　was　meant。　　Henry　felt　a　glow　of　admiration。　　The　true　greatness　of　Timmendiquas　spoke。

〃And　the　Iroquois？〃　he　said；　〃will　they　go　back　with　you？〃

〃They　will。　　They　have　killed　too　much。　　Today　all　the　white　people　in　the　valley　are　killed　or　driven　away。　　Many　scalps　have　been　taken；　those　of　women　and　children；　too；　and　men　have　died　at　the　stake。　　I　have　felt　shame　for　their　deeds；　Ware；　and　it　will　bring　punishment　upon　my　brethren；　the　Iroquois。　　It　will　make　so　great　a　noise　in　the　world　that　many　soldiers　will　come；　and　the　villages　of　the　Iroquois　will　cease　to　be。〃

〃I　think　it　is　so；　Timmendiquas；〃　said　Henry。　　〃But　you　will　be　far　away　then　in　your　own　land。〃

The　chief　drew　himself　up　a　little。

〃I　shall　remain　with　the　Iroquois；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　promised　to　help　them；　and　I　must　do　so。〃

〃I　can't　blame　you　for　that；〃　said　Henry；　〃but　I　am　glad　that　you　do　not　seek　the　scalps　of　women　and　children。　　We　are　at　once　enemies　and　friends；　Timmendiquas。〃

White　Lightning　bowed　gravely。　　He　and　Henry　touched　hands　again；　and　each　withdrew；　the　chief　into　the　morass；　while　Henry　walked　back　toward　his　comrades；　holding　himself　erect；　as　if　no　enemy　were　near。

The　four　rose　up　to　greet　him。　　They　had　heard　part　of　what　was　said；　and　Henry　quickly　told　them　the　rest。

〃He's　shorely　a　great　chief；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　He'll　keep　his　word；　too。　　Them　people　on　ahead　ain't　got　anything　more　to　fear　from　pursuit。〃

He's　a　statesman；　too；〃　said　Henry。　　〃He　sees　what　damage　the　deeds　of　Wyoming　Valley　will　do　to　those　who　have　done　them。　　He　thinks　our　people　will　now　send　a　great　army　against　the　Iroquois；　and　I　think　so；　too。〃

〃No　nation　can　stand　a　thing　like　that；〃　said　Paul；　and　I　didn't　dream　it　could　happen。〃

They　now　left　the　oasis；　and　went　swiftly　along　the　trail　left　by　the　fugitives。　　All　of　them　had　confidence　in　the　word　of　Timmendiquas。　　There　was　a　remote　chance　that　some　other　band　had　entered　the　swamp　at　a　different　point；　but　it　was　remote；　indeed；　and　it　did　not　trouble　them　much。

Night　was　now　over　the　great　swamp。　　The　sun　no　longer　came　through　the　gray　clouds；　but　here　and　there　were　little　flashes　of　flame　made　by　fireflies。　　Had　not　the　trail　been　so　broad　and　deep　it　could　easily　have　been　lost；　but；　being　what　it　was；　the　skilled　eyes　of　the　frontiersmen　followed　it　without　trouble。

〃Some　uv　'em　are　gittin'　pow'ful　tired；〃　said　Tom　Ross；　looking　at　the　tracks　in　the　mud。　　Then　he　suddenly　added：　〃Here's　whar　one's　quit　forever。〃

A　shallow　grave；　not　an　hour　old；　had　been　made　under　some　bushes；　and　its　length　indicated　that　a　woman　lay　there。　　They　passed　it　by　in　silence。　　Henry　now　appreciated　more　fully　than　ever　the　mercy　of　Timmendiquas。　　The　five　and　Carpenter　could　not　possibly　have　protected　the　miserable　fugitives　against　the　great　chief；　with　fifty　Wyandots　and　Iroquois　at　his　back。　　Timmendiquas　knew　this；　and　he　had　done　what　none　of　the　Indians　or　white　allies　around　him　would　have　done。

In　another　hour　they　saw　a　man　standing　among　some　vines；　but　watchful；　and　with　his　rifle　in　the　hollow　of　his　arm。　　It　was　Carpenter；　a　man　whose　task　was　not　less　than　that　of　the　five。　　They　were　in　the　thick　of　it　and　could　see　what　was　done；　but　he　had　to　lead　on　and　wait。　　He　counted　the　dusk　figures　as　they　approached　him；　one；　two；　three；　four；　five；　and　perhaps　no　man　ever　felt　greater　relief。　　He　advanced　toward　them　and　said　huskily：

〃There　was　no　fight！　　They　did　not　attack！〃

〃There　was　a　fight；〃　said　Henry；　〃and　we　beat　them　back；　then　a　second　and　a　larger　force　came　up；　but　it　was　composed　chiefly　of　Wyandots；　led　by　their　great　chief；　Timmendiquas。　　He　came　forward　and　said　that　they　would　not　pursue　women　and　children；　and　that　we　could　go　in　safety。〃

Carpenter　looked　incredulous。

〃It　is　true；〃　said　Henry；　〃every　word　of　it。〃

〃It　is　more　than　Brant　would　have　done；〃　said　Carpenter；　〃and　it　saves　us；　with　your　help。〃

〃You　were　first；　and　the　first　credit　is　yours；　Mr。　Carpenter；〃　said　Henry　sincerely。

They　did　not　tell　the　women　and　children　of　the　fight　at　the　oasis；　but　they　spread　the　news　that　there　would　be　no　more　pursuit；　and　many　drooping　spirits　revived。　　They　spent　another　day　in　the　Great　Dismal　Swamp；　where　more　lives　were　lost。　　On　the　day　after　their　emergence　from　the　marsh；　Henry　and　his　comrades　killed　two　deer；　which　furnished　greatly　needed　food；　and　on　the　day　after　that；　excepting　those　who　had　died　by　the　way；　they　reached　Fort　Penn；　where　they　were　received　into　shelter　and　safety。

The　night　before　the　fugitives　reached　Fort　Penn；　the　Iroquois　began　the　celebration　of　the　Thanksgiving　Dance　for　their　great　victory　and　the　many　scalps　taken　at　Wyoming。　　They　could　not　recall　another　time　when　they　had　secured　so　many　of　these　hideous　trophies；　and　they　were　drunk　with　the　joy　of　victory。　　Many　of　the　Tories；　some　in　their　own　clothes；　and　some　painted　and　dressed　like　Indians；　took　part　in　it。　

According　to　their　ancient　and　honored　custom　they　held　a　grand　council　to　prepare　for　it。　　All　the　leading　chiefs　were　present；　Sangerachte；　Hiokatoo；　and　the　others。　　Braxton　Wyatt；　Blackstaffe；　and　other　white　men　were　admitted。　　After　their　deliberations　a　great　fire　was　built　in　the　center　of　the　camp；　the　squaws　who　had　followed　the　army　feeding　it　with　brushwood　until　it　leaped　and　roared　and　formed　a　great　red　pyramid。　　Then　the　chiefs　sat　down　in　a　solemn　circle　at　some　distance；　and　waited。

Presently　the　sound　of　a　loud　chant　was　heard；　and　from　the　farthest　point　of　the　camp　emerged　a　long　line　of　warriors；　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　them；　all　painted　in　red　and　black　with　horrible　designs。　　They　were　naked　except　the　breechcloth　and　moccasins；　and　everyone　waved　aloft　a　tomahawk　as　he　sang。

Still　singing　and　brandishing　the　tomahawks；　which　gleamed　in　the　red　light；　the　long　procession　entered　the　open　space；　and　danced　and　wheeled　about　the　great　fire；　the　flames　casting　a　lurid　light　upon　faces　hideous　with　paint　or　the　intoxication　of　triumph。　　The　glare　of　their　black　eyes　was　like　those　of　Eastern　eaters　of　hasheesh　or　opium；　and　they　bounded　to　and　fro　as　if　their　muscles　were　springs　of　steel。　　They　sang：

　　We　have　met　the　Bostonians*　in　battle；　　　We　slew　them　with　our　rifles　and　tomahawks。　　　Few　there　are　who　escaped　our　warriors。　　　　Ever…victorious　is　the　League　of　the　Ho…de…no…sau…nee。

＇*Note：　All　the　Americans　were　often　called　Bostonians　by　the　Indians　as　late　as　the　Revolutionary　War。＇

　　Mighty　has　been　our　taking　of　scalps；　　　They　will　fill　all　the　lodges　of　the　Iroquois。　　　We　have　burned　the　ho