the scouts of the valley-第50节

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he　pine　tinder。　　Henry　paused　only　long　enough　to　see　the　flame　spread　to　the　splinters；　and　then　he　ran　rapidly　to　the　other　house；　where　the　task　was　repeated…he　intended　that　his　job　should　be　thorough。

Pursuing　this　resolve　to　make　his　task　complete；　he　came　back　to　the　first　house　and　looked　at　his　fire。　　It　had　already　spread　to　the　larger　pieces　of　pine；　and　it　could　not　go　out　now。　　The　sound　made　by　the　flames　blended　exactly　with　the　roaring　of　the　wind；　and　another　minute　or　two　might　pass　before　the　Iroquois　detected　it。

Now　his　heart　throbbed　again；　and　exultation　was　mingled　with　his　anger。　　By　the　time　the　Iroquois　were　aroused　to　the　danger　the　flames　would　be　so　high　that　the　wind　would　reach　them。　　Then　no　one　could　put　them　out。

It　might　have　been　safer　for　him　to　flee　deep　into　the　forest　at　once；　but　that　lingering　desire　to　make　his　task　complete　and；　also；　the　wish　to　see　the　result　kept　him　from　doing　it。　　He　merely　walked　across　the　open　space　and　stood　behind　a　tree　at　the　edge　of　the　forest。

Braxton　Wyatt　and　his　Tories　and　Iroquois　were　very　warm；　very　snug；　in　the　shelter　of　the　old　house　with　the　great　bed　of　coals　before　them。　　They　may　even　have　been　dreaming　peaceful　and　beautiful　dreams；　when　suddenly　an　Iroquois　sprang　to　his　feet　and　uttered　a　cry　that　awoke　all　the　rest。

〃I　smell　smoke！〃　he　exclaimed　in　his　tongue；　〃and　there　is　fire；　too！　　I　hear　it　crackle　outside！〃

Braxton　Wyatt　ran　to　the　window　and　jerked　it　open。　　Flame　and　smoke　blew　in　his　face。　　He　uttered　an　angry　cry；　and　snatched　at　the　pistol　in　his　belt。

〃The　whole　side　of　the　house　is　on　fire！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Whose　neglect　has　done　this？〃

Coleman；　shrewd　and　observing；　was　at　his　elbow。

〃The　fire　was　set　on　the　outside；〃　he　said。　　〃It　was　no　carelessness　of　our　men。　　Some　enemy　has　done　this！〃

〃It　is　true！〃　exclaimed　Wyatt　furiously。　　〃Out；　everybody！　　The　house　burns　fast！〃

There　was　a　rush　for　the　door。　　Already　ashes　and　cinders　were　falling　about　their　heads。　　Flames　leaped　high；　were　caught　by　the　roaring　winds；　and　roared　with　them。　　The　shell　of　the　house　would　soon　be　gone；　and　when　Tories　and　Iroquois　were　outside　they　saw　the　remainder　of　their　band　pouring　forth　from　the　other　house；　which　was　also　in　flames。

No　means　of　theirs　could　stop　so　great　a　fire；　and　they　stood　in　a　sort　of　stupefaction；　watching　it　as　it　was　fanned　to　greatest　heights　by　the　wind。

All　the　remaining　outbuildings　caught；　also；　and　in　a　few　moments　nothing　whatever　would　be　left　of　the　tiny　village。　　Braxton　Wyatt　and　his　band　must　lie　in　the　icy　wilderness；　and　they　could　never　use　this　place　as　a　basis　for　attack　upon　settlements。

〃How　under　the　sun　could　it　have　happened？〃　exclaimed　Wyatt。

〃It　didn't　happen。　　It　was　done；〃　said　Coleman。　　〃Somebody　set　these　houses　on　fire　while　we　slept　within。　　Hark　to　that！〃

An　Iroquois　some　distance　from　the　houses　was　bending　over　the　snow　where　it　was　not　yet　melted　by　the　heat。　　He　saw　there　the　track　of　snowshoes；　and　suddenly；　looking　toward　the　forest；　whither　they　led；　he　saw　a　dark　figure　flit　away　among　the　trees。




CHAPTER　XVIII

HENRY'S　SLIDE


Henry　Ware；　lingering　at　the　edge　of　the　clearing；　his　body　hidden　behind　one　of　the　great　tree　trunks；　had　been　watching　the　scene　with　a　fascinated　interest　that　would　not　let　him　go。　　He　knew　that　his　work　there　was　done　already。　　Everything　would　be　utterly　destroyed　by　the　flames　which；　driven　by　the　wind；　leaped　from　one　half…ruined　building　to　another。　　Braxton　Wyatt　and　his　band　would　have　enough　to　do　sheltering　themselves　from　the　fierce　winter；　and　the　settlements　could　rest　for　a　while　at　least。　　Undeniably　he　felt　exultation　as　be　witnessed　the　destructive　work　of　his　hand。　　The　border；　with　its　constant　struggle　for…life　and　terrible　deeds；　bred　fierce　passions。

In　truth；　although　he　did　not　know　it　himself；　he　stayed　there　to　please　his　eye　and　heart。　　A　new　pulse　beat　triumphantly　every　time　a　timber；　burned　through；　fell　in；　or　a　crash　came　from　a　falling　roof。　　He　laughed　inwardly　as　the　flames　disclosed　the　dismay　on　the　faces　of　the　Iroquois　and　Tories；　and　it　gave　him　deep　satisfaction　to　see　Braxton　Wyatt；　his　gaudy　little　sword　at　his　thigh；　stalking　about　helpless。　　It　was　while　he　was　looking；　absorbed　in　such　feelings；　that　the　warrior　of　the　alert　eye　saw　him　and　gave　the　warning　shout。

Henry　turned　in　an　instant；　and　darted　away　among　the　trees；　half　running；　half　sliding　over　the　smooth；　icy　covering　of　the　snow。　　After　him　came　warriors　and　some　Tories　who　had　put　on　their　snowshoes　preparatory　to　the　search　through　the　forest　for　shelter。　　Several　bullets　were　fired；　but　he　was　too　far　away　for　a　good　aim。　　He　heard　one　go　zip　against　a　tree；　and　another　cut　the　surface　of　the　ice　near　him；　but　none　touched　him；　and　he　sped　easily　on　his　snowshoes　through　the　frozen　forest。　　But　Henry　was　fully　aware　of　one　thing　that　constituted　his　greatest　danger。　　Many　of　these　Iroquois　had　been　trained　all　their　lives　to　snowshoes；　while　he；　however　powerful　and　agile；　was　comparatively　a　beginner。　　He　glanced　back　again　and　saw　their　dusky　figures　running　among　the　trees；　but　they　did　not　seem　to　be　gaining。　　If　one　should　draw　too　near；　there　was　his　rifle；　and　no　man；　white　or　red；　in　the　northern　or　southern　forests；　could　use　it　better。　　But　for　the　present　it　was　not　needed。　　He　pressed　it　closely；　almost　lovingly；　to　his　side；　this　best　friend　of　the　scout　and　frontiersman。

He　had　chosen　his　course　at　the　first　leap。　　It　was　southward；　toward　the　lake；　and　he　did　not　make　the　mistake　of　diverging　from　his　line；　knowing　that　some　part　of　the　wide　half　circle　of　his　pursuers　would　profit　by　it。

Henry　felt　a　great　upward　surge。　　He　had　been　the　victor　in　what　he　meant　to　achieve；　and　he　was　sure　that　he　would　escape。　　The　cold　wind；　whistling　by；　whipped　his　blood　and　added　new　strength　to　his　great　muscles。　　His　ankles　were　not　chafed　or　sore；　and　he　sped　forward　on　the　snowshoes；　straight　and　true。　　Whenever　he　came　to　a　hill　the　pursuers　would　gain　as　he　went　up　it；　but　when　he　went　down　the　other　side　it　was　he　who　gained。　　He　passed　brooks；　creeks；　and　once　a　small　river；　but　they　were　frozen　over；　many　inches　deep；　and　he　did　not　notice　them。　　Again　it　was　a　lake　a　mile　wide；　but　the　smooth　surface　there　merely　increased　his　speed。　　Always　he　kept　a　wary　look　ahead　for　thickets　through　which　he　could　not　pass　easily；　and　once　he　sent　back　a　shout　of　defiance；　which　the　Iroquois　answered　with　a　yell　of　anger。

He　was　fully　aware　that　any　accident　to　his　snowshoes　would　prove　fatal；　the　slipping　of　the　thongs　on　his　ankles　or　the　breaking　of　a　runner　would　end　his　flight；　and　in　a　long　chase　such　an　accident　might　happen。　　It　might　happen；　too；　to　one　or　more　of　the　Iroquois；　but　plenty　of　them　would　be　left。　　Yet　Henry　had　supreme　confidence　in　his　snowshoes。　　He　had　made　them　himself；　he　had　seen　that　every　part　was　good；　and　every　thong　had　been　fastened　with　care。

The　wind　which　bad　been　roaring　so　loudly　at　the　time　of　the　fire　sank　to　nothing。　　The　leafless　trees　stood　up；　the　branches　unmoving。　　The　forest　was　bare　and　deserted。　　All　the　animals；　big　and　little；　had　gone　into　their　lairs。　　Nobody　witnessed　the　great　pursuit　save　pursuers　and　pursued。　　Henry　kept　his　direction　clear　in　his　mind；　and　allowed　the　Iroquois　to　take　no　advantage　of　a　curve　save　once。　　Then　he　came　to　a　thicket　so　large　that　he　was　compelled　to　make　a　considerable　circle　to　pass　it。　　He　turned　to　the　right；　hence　the　Indians　on　the　right　gained；　and　they　sent　up　a　yell　of　delight。　　He　replied　defiantly　and　increased　his　speed。

But　one　of　the　Indians；　a　flying　Mohawk；　had　come　dangerously　near…near　enough；　in　fact；　to　fire　a　bullet　that　did　not　miss　the　fugitive　much。　　It　aroused　Henry's　anger。　　He　took　it　as　an　indignity　rather　than　a　danger；　and　he　resolved　to　avenge　it。　　So　far　as　firing　was　concerned；　he　was　at　a　disadvantage。　　He　must　stop　and　turn　around　for　his　shot；　while　the　Iroquois；　without　even　checking　speed；　could　fire　straight　at　the　flying　target；　ahead。

Nevertheless；　he　took　the　chance。　　He　turned　deftly　on　the　snowshoes；　fired　as　quick　as　lightning　at　the　swift　Mohawk；　saw　him　fall；　then　Whirled　and　resumed　his　flight。　　He　had　lost　ground；　but　he　had　inspired　respect。　　A　single　man　could　not　afford　to　come　too　near　to　a　marksman　so　deadly；　and　the　three　or　four　who　led　dropped　back　with　the　main　body。

Now　Henry　made　his　greatest　effort。　　He　wished　to　leave　the　foe　far　behind；　to　shake　off　his　pursuit　entirely。　　He　bounded　over　the　ice　and　snow　with　great　leaps；　and　began　to　gain。　　Yet　he　felt　at　last　the　effects　of　so　strenuous　a　flight。　　His　breath　became　shorter；　despite　the　intense　cold；　perspiration　stood　upon　his　face；　and　the　straps　that　fastened　the　snowshoes　were　chafing　his　ankles。　　An　end　must　come　even　to　such　strength　as　his。　　Another　backward　look；　and　he　saw　that　the　foe　was　sinking　into　the　darkness。　　If　he　could　only　increase　his　speed　again；　be　might　leave　the　Iroquois　now。　　He　made　a　new　call　upon　the　will；　and　the　body　responded。　　For　a　few　minutes　his　speed　became　greater。　　A　disappointed　shout　arose　behind　him；　and　several　shots　w