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the spirit of the border-第49章

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The missionaries laid him beside Edwards; and then stood in shuddering

silence。 A smile shone on Young's pale face; a stream of dark blood welled

from his breast。 His lips moved; he whispered:



〃I ask no moreGod's will。〃



Jim looked down once at his brother missionaries; then with blanched face; but

resolute and stern; he marched toward the platform。



Heckewelder ran after him; and dragged him back。



〃No! no! no! My God! Would you be killed? Oh! I tried to prevent this!〃 cried

Heckewelder; wringing his hands。



One long; fierce; exultant yell pealed throughout the grove。 It came from

those silent breasts in which was pent up hatred; it greeted this action which

proclaimed victory over the missionaries。



All eyes turned on Half King。 With measured stride he paced to and fro before

the Christian Indians。



Neither cowering nor shrinking marked their manner; to a man; to a child; they

rose with proud mien; heads erect and eyes flashing。 This mighty chief with

his blood…thirsty crew could burn the Village of Peace; could annihilate the

Christians; but he could never change their hope and trust in God。



〃Blinded fools!〃 cried Half King。 〃The Huron is wise; he tells no lies。  Many

moons ago he told the Christians they were sitting half way between two angry

gods; who stood with mouths open wide and looking ferociously at each other。

If they did not move back out of the road they would be ground to powder by

the teeth of one or the other; or both。 Half King urged them to leave the

peaceful village; to forget the paleface God; to take their horses; and

flocks; and return to their homes。 The Christians scorned the Huron King's

counsel。 The sun has set for the Village of Peace。 The time has come。 Pipe and

the Huron are powerful。 They will not listen to the paleface God。 They will

burn the Village of Peace。  Death to the Christians!〃



Half King threw the black war…club with a passionate energy on the grass

before the Indians。



They heard this decree of death with unflinching front。 Even the children were

quiet。 Not a face paled; not an eye was lowered。



Half King cast their doom in their teeth。 The Christians eyed him with

unspoken scorn。



〃My God! My God! It is worse than I thought!〃 moaned Heckewelder。 〃Utter ruin!

Murder! Murder!〃



In the momentary silence which followed his outburst; a tiny cloud of

blue…white smoke came from the ferns overhanging a cliff。



Crack!



All heard the shot of a rifle; all noticed the difference between its clear;

ringing intonation and the loud reports of the other two。 All distinctly heard

the zip of a bullet as it whistled over their heads。



All? No; not all。 One did not hear that speeding bullet。 He who was the

central figure in this tragic scene; he who had doomed the Christians might

have seen that tiny puff of smoke which heralded his own doom; but before the

ringing report could reach his ears a small blue hole appeared; as if by

magic; over his left eye; and pulse; and sense; and life had fled forever。



Half King; great; cruel chieftain; stood still for an instant as if he had

been an image of stone; his haughty head lost its erect poise; the fierceness

seemed to fade from his dark face; his proud plume waved gracefully as he

swayed to and fro; and then fell before the Christians; inert and lifeless。



No one moved; it was as if no one breathed。 The superstitious savages awaited

fearfully another rifle shot; another lightning stroke; another visitation

from the paleface's God。



But Jim Girty; with a cunning born of his terrible fear; had recognized the

ring of that rifle。 He had felt the zip of a bullet which could just as

readily have found his brain as Half King's。 He had stood there as fair a mark

as the cruel Huron; yet the Avenger had not chosen him。 Was he reserved for a

different fate? Was not such a death too merciful for the frontier Deathshead?

He yelled in his craven fear:



〃Le vent de la Mort!〃



The well known; dreaded appellation aroused the savages from a fearful stupor

into a fierce manifestation of hatred。 A tremendous yell rent the air。

Instantly the scene changed。







Chapter XXVI。



In the confusion the missionaries carried Young and Edwards into Mr。 Wells'

cabin。 Nell's calm; white face showed that she had expected some such

catastrophe as this; but she of all was the least excited。 Heckewelder left

them at the cabin and hurried away to consult Captain Williamson。  While

Zeisberger; who was skilled in surgery; attended to the wounded men; Jim

barred the heavy door; shut the rude; swinging windows; and made the cabin

temporarily a refuge from prowling savages。



Outside the clamor increased。 Shrill yells rent the air; long; rolling

war…cries sounded above all the din。 The measured stamp of moccasined feet;

the rush of Indians past the cabin; the dull thud of hatchets struck hard into

the treesall attested to the excitement of the savages; and the imminence of

terrible danger。



In the front room of Mr。 Wells' cabin Edwards lay on a bed; his face turned to

the wall; and his side exposed。 There was a bloody hole in his white skin。

Zeisberger was probing for the bullet。 He had no instruments; save those of

his own manufacture; and they were darning needles with bent points; and a

long knife…blade ground thin。



〃There; I have it;〃 said Zeisberger。 〃Hold still; Dave。 There!〃 As Edwards

moaned Zeisberger drew forth the bloody bullet。 〃Jim; wash and dress this

wound。 It isn't bad。 Dave will be all right in a couple of days。 Now I'll look

at George。〃



Zeisberger hurried into the other room。 Young lay with quiet face and closed

eyes; breathing faintly。 Zeisberger opened the wounded man's shirt and exposed

the wound; which was on the right side; rather high up。 Nell; who had followed

Zeisberger that she might be of some assistance if needed; saw him look at the

wound and then turn a pale face away for a second。  That hurried; shuddering

movement of the sober; practical missionary was most significant。 Then he bent

over Young and inserted on of the probes into the wound。 He pushed the steel

an inch; two; three; four inches into Young's breast; but the latter neither

moved nor moaned。 Zeisberger shook his head; and finally removed the

instrument。 He raised the sufferer's shoulder to find the bed saturated with

blood。 The bullet wound extended completely through the missionary's body; and

was bleeding from the back。  Zeisberger folded strips of linsey cloth into

small pads and bound them tightly over both apertures of the wound。



〃How is he?〃 asked Jim; when the amateur surgeon returned to the other room;

and proceeded to wash the blood from his hands。



Zeisberger shook his head gloomily。



〃How is George?〃 whispered Edwards; who had heard Jim's question。



〃Shot through the right lung。 Human skill can not aid him! Only God can save。〃



〃Didn't I hear a third shot?〃 whispered Dave; gazing round with sad;

questioning eyes。 〃Heckewelder?〃



〃Is safe。 He has gone to see Williamson。 You did hear a third shot。 Half King

fell dead with a bullet over his left eye。 He had just folded his arms in a

grand pose after his death decree to the Christians。〃



〃A judgment of God!〃



〃It does seem so; but it came in the form of leaden death from Wetzel's

unerring rifle。 Do you hear all that yelling? Half King's death has set the

Indians wild。〃



There was a gentle knock at the door; and then the word; 〃Open;〃 in

Heckewelder's voice。



Jim unbarred the door。 Heckewelder came in carrying over his shoulder what

apparently was a sack of meal。 He was accompanied by young Christy。 

Heckewelder put the bag down; opened it; and lifted out a little Indian boy。

The child gazed round with fearful eyes。



〃Save Benny! Save Benny!〃 he cried; running to Nell; and she clasped him

closely in her arms。



Heckewelder's face was like marble as he asked concerning Edwards' condition。



〃I'm not badly off;〃 said the missionary with a smile。



〃How's George?〃 whispered Heckewelder。



No one answered him。 Zeisberger raised his hands。 All followed Heckewelder

into the other room; where Young lay in the same position as when first

brought in。 Heckewelder stood gazing down into the wan face with its terribly

significant smile。



〃I brought him out here。 I persuaded him to come!〃 whispered Heckewelder。 

〃Oh; Almighty God!〃 he cried。 His voice broke; and his prayer ended with the

mute eloquence of clasped hands and uplifted; appealing face。



〃Come out;〃 said Zeisberger; leading him into the larger room。 The others

followed; and Jim closed the door。



〃What's to be done?〃 said Zeisberger; with his practical common sense。 〃What

did Williamson say? Tell us what you learned?〃



〃Waitdirectly;〃 answered Heckewelder; sitting down and covering his face

with his hands。 There was a long silence。 At length he raised his white face

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