the scouts of the valley-第37节

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hing　by　cautious　degrees　the　spot　where　they　knew　the　Indian　camp　lay。　　This　work　required　at　least　three　quarters　of　an　hour；　and　they　reached　a　point　where　they　could　see　the　embers　of　the　fire　and　the　dark　figures　lying　about　it。　　The　Indians；　their　suspicions　lulled；　had　put　out　no　sentinels；　and　all　were　asleep。　　But　the　five　knew　that；　at　the　first　shot；　they　would　be　as　wide　awake　as　if　they　had　never　slept；　and　as　formidable　as　tigers。　　Their　problem　seemed　as　great　as　ever。　　So　they　lay　in　the　bushes　and　held　a　whispered　conference。

〃It's　this；〃　said　Henry。　　〃　We　want　to　save　the　woman　and　the　children　from　the　tomahawks；　and　to　do　so　we　must　get　them　out　of　range　of　the　blade　before　the　battle　begins。〃　　　　〃How？〃　said　Tom　Ross。

〃I've　got　to　slip　up；　release　the　woman；　arm　her；　tell　her　to　run　for　the　woods　with　the　children；　and　then　you　four　must　do　the　most　of　the　rest。〃

〃Do　you　think　you　can　do　it；　Henry　？〃　asked　Shif'less　Sol。

I　can；　as　I　will　soon　show　you。　　I'm　going　to　steal　forward　to　the　woman；　but　the　moment　you　four　hear　an　alarm　open　with　your　rifles　and　pistols。　　You　can　come　a　little　nearer　without　being　heard。〃

All　of　them　moved　up　close　to　the　Indian　camp；　and　lay　hidden　in　the　last　fringe　of　bushes　except　Henry。　　He　lay　almost　flat　upon　the　ground；　carrying　his　rifle　parallel　with　his　side；　and　in　his　right　hand。　　He　was　undertaking　one　of　the　severest　and　most　dangerous　tests　known　to　a　frontiersman。　　He　meant　to　crawl　into　the　very　midst　of　a　camp　of　the　Iroquois；　composed　of　the　most　alert　woodsmen　in　the　world；　men　who　would　spring　up　at　the　slightest　crackle　in　the　brush。　　Woodmen　who；　warned　by　some　sixth　sense；　would　awaken　at　the　mere　fact　of　a　strange　presence。

The　four　who　remained　behind　in　the　bushes　could　not　keep　their　hearts　from　beating　louder　and　faster。　　They　knew　the　tremendous　risk　undertaken　by　their　comrade；　but　there　was　not　one　of　them　who　would　have　shirked　it；　had　not　all　yielded　it　to　the　one　whom　they　knew　to　be　the　best　fitted　for　the　task。

Henry　crept　forward　silently；　bringing　to　his　aid　all　the　years　of　skill　that　he　had　acquired　in　his　life　in　the　wilds。　　His　body　was　like　that　of　a　serpent；　going　forward；　coil　by　coil。　　He　was　near　enough　now　to　see　the　embers　of　the　fire　not　yet　quite　dead；　the　dark　figures　scattered　about　it；　sleeping　upon　the　grass　with　the　long　ease　of　custom；　and　then　the　outline　of　the　woman　apart　from　the　others　with　the　children　about　her。　　Henry　now　lay　entirely　flat；　and　his　motions　were　genuinely　those　of　a　serpent。　　It　was　by　a　sort　of　contraction　and　relaxation　of　the　body　that　he　moved　himself；　and　his　progress　was　absolutely　soundless。

The　object　of　his　advance　was　the　woman。　　He　saw　by　the　faint　light　of　the　moon　that　she　was　not　yet　asleep。　　Her　face；　worn　and　weather　beaten；　was　upturned　to　the　skies；　and　the　stony　look　of　despair　seemed　to　have　settled　there　forever。　　She　lay　upon　some　pine　boughs；　and　her　hands　were　tied　behind　her　for　the　night　with　deerskin。

Henry　contorted　himself　on；　inch　by　inch；　for　all　the　world　like　a　great　snake。　　Now　he　passed　the　sleeping　Senecas；　hideous　with　war　paint；　and　came　closer　to　the　woman。　　She　was　not　paying　attention　to　anything　about　her；　but　was　merely　looking　up　at　the　pale；　cold　stars；　as　if　everything　in　the　world　had　ceased　for　her。

Henry　crept　a　little　nearer。　　He　made　a　slight　noise；　as　of　a　lizard　running　through　the　grass；　but　the　woman　took　no　notice。　　He　crept　closer；　and。　there　he　lay　flat　upon　the　grass　within　six　feet　of　her；　his　figure　merely　a　slightly　darker　blur　against　the　dark　blur　of　the　earth。　　Then；　trusting　to　the　woman's　courage　and　strength　of　mind；　he　emitted　a　hiss　very　soft　and　low；　like　the　warning　of　a　serpent；　half　in　fear　and　half　in　anger。

The　woman　moved　a　little；　and　looked　toward　the　point　from　which　the　sound　had　come。　　It　might　have　been　the　formidable　hiss　of　a　coiling　rattlesnake　that　she　heard；　but　she　felt　no　fear。　　She　was　too　much　stunned；　too　near　exhaustion　to　be　alarmed　by　anything；　and　she　did　not　look　a　second　time。　　She　merely　settled　back　on　the　pine　boughs；　and　again　looked　dully　up　at　the　pale；　cold　stars　that　cared　so　little　for　her　or　hers。

Henry　crept　another　yard　nearer；　and　then　he　uttered　that　low　noise；　sibilant　and　warning；　which　the　woman；　the　product　of　the　border；　knew　to　be　made　by　a　human　being。　　She　raised　herself　a　little；　although　it　was　difficult　with　her　bound　hands　to　sit　upright；　and　saw　a　dark　shadow　approaching　her。　　That　dark　shadow　she　knew　to　he　the　figure　of　a　man。　　An　Indian　would　not　be　approaching　in　such　a　manner；　and　she　looked　again；　startled　into　a　sudden　acute　attention；　and　into　a　belief　that　the　incredible；　the　impossible；　was　about　to　happen。　　A　voice　came　from　the　figure；　and　its　quality　was　that　of　the　white　voice；　not　the　red。

〃Do　not　move；〃　said　that　incredible　voice　out　of　the　unknown。　　〃I　have　come　for　your　rescue；　and　others　who　have　come　for　the　same　purpose　are　near。　　Turn　on　one　side；　and　I　will　cut　the　bonds　that　hold　your　arms。〃

The　voice；　the　white　voice；　was　like　the　touch　of　fire　to　Mary　Newton。　　A　sudden　fierce　desire　for　life　and　for　the　lives　of　her　four　children　awoke　within　her　just　when　hope　had　gone　the　call　to　life　came。　　She　had　never　heard　before　a　voice　so　full　of　cheer　and　encouragement。　　It　penetrated　her　whole　being。　　Exhaustion　and　despair　fled　away。　　　　　　　　

〃Turn　a　little　on　your　side；〃　said　the　voice。

She　turned　obediently；　and　then　felt　the　sharp　edge　of　cold　steel　as　it　swept　between　her　wrists　and　cut　the　thongs　that　held　them　together。　　Her　arms　fell　apart；　and　strength　permeated　every　vein　of　her　being。

〃We　shall　attack　in　a　few　moments；〃　said　the　voice；　〃but　at　the　first　shots　the　Senecas　will　try　to　tomahawk　you　and　your　children。　　Hold　out　your　hands。〃

She　held　out　both　hands　obediently。　　The　handle　of　a　tomahawk　was　pressed　into　one；　and　the　muzzle　of　a　double…barreled　pistol　into　the　other。　　Strength　flowed　down　each　hand　into　her　body。

〃If　the　time　comes；　use　them；　you　are　strong；　and　you　know　how；〃　said　the　voice。　　Then　she　saw　the　dark　figure　creeping　away。



CHAPTER　XIV

THE　PURSUIT　ON　THE　RIVER


The　story　of　the　frontier　is　filled　with　heroines；　from　the　far　days　of　Hannah　Dustin　down　to　the　present；　and　Mary　Newton；　whom　the　unknown　figure　in　the　dark　had　just　aroused；　is　one　of　them。　　It　had　seemed　to　her　that　God　himself　had　deserted　her；　but　at　the　last　moment　he　had　sent　some　one。　　She　did　not　doubt；　she　could　not　doubt；　because　the　bonds　had　been　severed；　and　there　she　lay　with　a　deadly　weapon　in　either　hand。　　The　friendly　stranger　who　had　come　so　silently　was　gone　as　he　had　come；　but　she　was　not　helpless　now。　　Like　many　another　frontier　woman；　she　was　naturally　lithe　and　powerful；　and；　stirred　by　a　great　hope；　all　her　strength　had　returned　for　the　present。

Nobody　who　lives　in　the　wilderness　can　wholly　escape　superstition；　and　Mary　Newton　began　to　believe　that　some　supernatural　creature　had　intervened　in　her　behalf。　　She　raised　herself　just　a　little　on　one　elbow　and　surveyed　the　surrounding　thicket。　　She　saw　only　the　dead　embers　of　the　fire；　and　the　dark　forms　of　the　Indians　lying　upon　the　bare　ground。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　knife　and　pistol　in　her　hand；　she　could　have　believed　that　the　voice　was　only　a　dream。

There　was　a　slight　rustling　in　the　thicket；　and　a　Seneca　rose　quickly　to　his　knees；　grasping　his　rifle　in　both　hands。　　The　woman's　fingers　clutched　the　knife　and　pistol　more　tightly；　and　her　whole　gaunt　figure　trembled。　　The　Seneca　listened　only　a　moment。　　Then　he　gave　a　sharp　cry；　and　all　the　other　warriors　sprang　up。　　But　three　of　them　rose　only　to　fall　again；　as　the　rifles　cracked　in　the　bushes；　while　two　others　staggered　from　wounds。

The　triumphant　shout　of　the　frontiersmen　came　from　the　thicket；　and　then　they　rushed　upon　the　camp。　　Quick　as　a　flash　two　of　the　Senecas　started　toward　the　woman　and　children　with　their　tomahawks；　but　Mary　Newton　was　ready。　　Her　heart　had　leaped　at　the　shots　when　the　Senecas　fell；　and　she　kept　her　courage。　　Now　she　sprang　to　her　full　height；　and；　with　the　children　screaming　at　her　feet；　fired　one　barrel　of　the　pistol　directly　into　the　face　of　the　first　warrior；　and　served　the　second　in　the　same　way　with　the　other　barrel　when　he　was　less　than　four　feet　away。　　Then；　tomahawk　in　hand；　she　rushed　forward。　　In　judging　Mary　Newton；　one　must　consider　time　and　place。

But　happily　there　was　no　need　for　her　to　use　her　tomahawk。　　As　the　five　rushed　in；　four　of　them　emptied　their　double…barreled　pistols；　while　Henry　swung　his　clubbed　rifle　with　terrible　effect。　　It　was　too　much　for　the　Senecas。　　The　apparition　of　the　armed　woman；　whom　they　had　left　bound；　and　the　deadly　fire　from　the　five　figures　that　sprang　upon　them；　was　like　a　blow　from　the　hand　of　Aieroski。　　The　unhurt　and　wounded　fled　deep　into　the　forest；　leaving　their　dead　behind。　　Mary　Newton；　her　great　deed　done；　collapsed　from　emotion　and　weakness。　　The　screams　of　the　children　sank　in　a　few　moments　to　frightened　whimpers。　　But　the　oldest；　when　they　saw　the　white　faces；　knew　that　rescue　had　come。

Paul　brought　water　from　the　brook　in　his　cap；　and　Mary　Newton　was　revived；　Jim　was　reassuring　the