the scouts of the valley-第49节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Although　the　night　had　come　out　rather　clear；　with　many　cold　stars　twinkling　in　the　blue；　the　line　of　smoke　was　no　longer　visible。　　But　Henry　did　not　expect　it　to　be；　nor　did　he　need　it。　　He　had　marked　its　base　too　clearly　in　his　mind　to　make　any　mistake；　and　he　advanced　with　certainty。　　He　came　presently　into　an　open　space；　and　he　stopped　with　amazement。　　Around　him　were　the　stumps　of　a　clearing　made　recently；　and　near　him　were　some　yards　of　rough　rail　fence。

He　crouched　against　the　fence；　and　saw　on　the　far　side　of　the　clearing　the　dim　outlines　of　several　buildings；　from　the　chimneys　of　two　of　which　smoke　was　rising。　　It　was　his　first　thought　that　he　had　come　upon　a　little　settlement　still　held　by　daring　borderers；　but　second　thought　told　him　that　it　was　impossible。　　Another　and　more　comprehensive　look　showed　many　signs　of　ruin。　　He　saw　remains　of　several　burned　houses；　but　clothing　all　was　the　atmosphere　of　desolation　and　decay　that　tells　when　a　place　is　abandoned。　　The　two　threads　of　smoke　did　not　alter　this　impression。

Henry　divined　it　all。　　The　builders　of　this　tiny　village　in　the　wilderness　bad　been　massacred　or　driven　away。　　A　part　of　the　houses　had　been　destroyed；　some　were　left　standing；　and　now　there　were　visitors。　　He　advanced　without　noise；　keeping　behind　the　rail　fence；　and　approaching　one　of　the　houses　from　the　chimneys　of　which　the　smoke　came。　　Here　be　crouched　a　long　time；　looking　and　listening　attentively；　but　it　seemed　that　the　visitors　had　no　fears。　　Why　should　they；　when　there　was　nothing　that　they　need　fear　in　this　frozen　wilderness？

Henry　stole　a　little　nearer。　　It　had　been　a　snug；　trim　little　settlement。　　Perhaps　twenty…five　or　thirty　people　had　lived　there；　literally　hewing　a　home　out　of　the　forest。　　His　heart　throbbed　with　a　fierce　hatred　and；　anger　against　those　who　had　spoiled　all　this；　and　his　gloved　finger　crept　to　the　hammer　of　his　rifle。

The　night　was　intensely　cold。　　The　mercury　was　far　below　zero；　and　a　wind　that　had　begun　to　rise　cut　like　the　edge　of　a　knife。　　Even　the　wariest　of　Indians　in　such　desolate　weather　might　fail　to　keep　a　watch。　　But　Henry　did　not　suffer。　　The　fur　cap　was　drawn　farther　over　chin　and　ears；　and　the　buckskin　gloves　kept　his　fingers　warm　and　flexible。　　Besides；　his　blood　was　uncommonly　hot　in　his　veins。

His　comprehensive　eye　told　him　that；　while　some　of　the　buildings　had　not　been　destroyed；　they　were　so　ravaged　and　damaged　that　they　could　never　be　used　again；　save　as　a　passing　shelter；　just　as　they　were　being　used　now。　　He　slid　cautiously　about　the　desolate　place。　　He　crossed　a　brook；　frozen　almost　solidly　in　its　bed；　and　he　saw　two　or　three　large　mounds　that　had　been　haystacks；　now　covered　with　snow。

Then　he　slid　without　noise　back　to　the　nearest　of　the　houses　from　which　the　smoke　came。　　It　was　rather　more　pretentious　than　the　others；　built　of　planks　instead　of　logs；　and　with　shingles　for　a　roof。　　The　remains　of　a　small　portico　formed　the　approach　to　the　front　door。　　Henry　supposed　that　the　house　had　been　set　on　fire　and　that　perhaps　a　heavy　rain　had　saved　a　part　of　it。

A　bar　of　light　falling　across　the　snow　attracted　his　attention。　　He　knew　that　it　was　the　glow　of　a　fire　within　coming　through　a　window。　　A　faint　sound　of　voices　reached　his　ears；　and　he　moved　forward　slowly　to　the　window。　　It　was　an　oaken　shutter　originally　fastened　with　a　leather　strap；　but　the　strap　was　gone；　and　now　some　one　had　tied　it；　though　not　tightly；　with　a　deer　tendon。　　The　crack　between　shutter　and　wall　was　at　least　three　inches；　and　Henry　could　see　within　very　well。

He　pressed　his　side　tightly　to　the　wall　and　put　his　eyes　to　the　crevice。　　What　he　saw　within　did　not　still　any　of　those　primitive　feelings　that　had　risen　so　strongly　in　his　breast。

A　great　fire　had　been　built　in　the　log　fireplace；　but　it　was　burning　somewhat　low　now；　having　reached　that　mellow　period　of　least　crackling　and　greatest　heat。　　The　huge　bed　of　coals　threw　a　mass　of　varied　and　glowing　colors　across　the　floor。　　Large　holes　had　been　burned　in　the　side　of　the　room　by　the　original　fire；　but　Indian　blankets　had　been　fastened　tightly　over　them。

In　front　of　the　fire　sat　Braxton　Wyatt　in　a　Loyalist　uniform；　a　three…cornered　hat　cocked　proudly　on　his　head；　and　a　small　sword　by　his　side。　　He　had　grown　heavier；　and　Henry　saw　that　the　face　had　increased　much　in　coarseness　and　cruelty。　　It　had　also　increased　in　satisfaction。　　He　was　a　great　man　now；　as　he　saw　great　men；　and　both　face　and　figure　radiated　gratification　and　pride　as　he　lolled　before　the　fire。　　At　the　other　corner；　sitting　upon　the　floor　and　also　in　a　Loyalist　uniform；　was　his　lieutenant；　Levi　Coleman；　older；　heavier；　and　with　a　short；　uncommonly　muscular　figure。　　His　face　was　dark　and　cruel；　with　small　eyes　set　close　together。　　A　half　dozen　other　white　men　and　more　than　a　dozen　Indians　were　in　the　room。　　All　these　lay　upon　their　blankets　on　the　floor；　because　all　the　furniture　had　been　destroyed。　　Yet　they　had　eaten；　and　they　lay　there　content　in　the　soothing　glow　of　the　fire；　like　animals　that　had　fed　well。　　Henry　was　so　near　that　he　could　hear　every　word　anyone　spoke。

〃It　was　well　that　the　Indians　led　us　to　this　place；　eh；　Levi？〃　said　Wyatt。

〃I'm　glad　the　fire　spared　a　part　of　it；〃　said　Coleman。　　〃Looks　as　if　it　was　done　just　for　us；　to　give　us　a　shelter　some　cold　winter　night　when　we　come　along。　　I　guess　the　Iroquois　Aieroski　is　watching　over　us。〃

Wyatt　laughed。

〃You're　a　man　that　I　like；　Levi；〃　he　said。　　〃You　can　see　to　the　inside　of　things。　　It　would　be　a　good　idea　to　use　this　place　as　a　base　and　shelter；　and　make　a　raid　on　some　of　the　settlements　east　of　the　hills；　eh；　Levi？〃

〃It　could　be　done；〃　said　Coleman。　　〃But　just　listen　to　that　wind；　will　you！　　On　a　night　like　this　it　must　cut　like　a　saber's　edge。　　Even　our　Iroquois　are　glad　to　be　under　a　roof。〃

Henry　still　gazed　in　at　the　crack　with　eyes　that　were　lighted　up　by　an　angry　fire。　　So　here　was　more　talk　of　destruction　and　slaughter！　　His　gaze　alighted　upon　an　Indian　who　sat　in　a　corner　engaged　upon　a　task。　　Henry　looked　more　closely；　and　saw　that　he　was　stretching　a　blonde…haired　scalp　over　a　small　hoop。　　A　shudder　shook　his　whole　frame。　　Only　those　who　lived　amid　such　scenes　could　understand　the　intensity　of　his　feelings。　　He　felt；　too；　a　bitter　sense　of　injustice。　　The　doers　of　these　deeds　were　here　in　warmth　and　comfort；　while　the　innocent　were　dead　or　fugitives。　　He　turned　away　from　the　window；　stepping　gently　upon　the　snowshoes。　　He　inferred　that　the　remainder　of　Wyatt's　band　were　quartered　in　the　other　house　from　which　he　had　seen　the　smoke　rising。　　It　was　about　twenty　rods　away；　but　he　did　not　examine　it；　because　a　great　idea　had　been　born　suddenly　in　his　brain。　　The　attempt　to　fulfill　the　idea　would　be　accompanied　by　extreme　danger；　but　he　did　not　hesitate　a　moment。　　He　stole　gently　to　one　of　the　half…fallen　outhouses　and　went　inside。　　Here　he　found　what　he　wanted；　a　large　pine　shelf　that　had　been　sheltered　from　rain　and　that　was　perfectly　dry。　　He　scraped　off　a　large　quantity　of　the　dry　pine　until　it　formed　almost　a　dust；　and　he　did　not　cease　until　he　had　filled　his　cap　with　it。　　Then　he　cut　off　large　splinters；　until　he　had　accumulated　a　great　number；　and　after　that　he　gathered　smaller　pieces　of　half…burned　pine。　

He　was　fully　two　hours　doing　this　work；　and　the　night　advanced　far；　but　he　never　faltered。　　His　head　was　bare；　but　he　was　protected　from　the　wind　by　a　fragment　of　the　outhouse　wall。　　Every　two　or　three　minutes　he　stopped　and　listened　for　the　sound　of　a　creaking；　sliding　footstep　on　the　snow；　but；　never　hearing　any；　he　always　resumed　his　work　with　the　same　concentration。　　All　the　while　the　wind　rose　and　moaned　through　the　ruins　of　the　little　village。　　When　Henry　chanced　to　raise　his　head　above　the　sheltering　wall；　it　was　like　the　slash　of　a　knife　across　his　cheek。

Finally　he　took　half　of　the　pine　dust　in　his　cap　and　a　lot　of　the　splinters　under　his　arm；　and　stole　back　to　the　house　from　which　the　light　had　shone。　　He　looked　again　through　the　crevice　at　the　window。　　The　light　had　died　down　much　more；　and　both　Wyatt　and　Coleman　were　asleep　on　the　floor。　　But　several　of　the　Iroquois　were　awake；　although　they　sat　as　silent　and　motionless　as　stones　against　the　wall。

Henry　moved　from　the　window　and　selected　a　sheltered　spot　beside　the　plank　wall。　　There　he　put　the　pine　dust　in　a　little　heap　on　the　snow　and　covered　it　over　with　pine　splinters；　on　top　of　which　he　put　larger　pieces　of　pine。　　Then　he　went　back　for　the　remainder　of　the　pine　dust；　and　built　a　similar　pyramid　against　a　sheltered　side　of　the　second　house。

The　most　delicate　part　of　his　task　had　now　come；　one　that　good　fortune　only　could　aid　him　in　achieving；　but　the　brave　youth；　his　heart　aflame　with　righteous　anger　against　those　inside；　still　pursued　the　work。　　His　heart　throbbed；　but　hand　and　eye　were　steady。

Now　came　the　kindly　stroke　of　fortune　for　which　he　had　hoped。　　The　wind　rose　much　higher　and　roared　harder　against　the　house。　　It　would　prevent　the　Iroquois　within；　keen　of　ear　as　they　were；　from　hearing　a　light　sound　without。　　Then　he　drew　forth　his　flint　and　steel　and　struck　them　together　with　a　hand　so　strong　and　swift　that　sparks　quickly　leaped　forth　and　set　fire　to　the　pine