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〃Silvertip！ Girty！〃 exclaimed Jim； in a low voice。
〃Girty I knew； of course； but I was not sure the other was the Shawnee who
captured you and your brother；〃 replied Heckewelder； drawing Jim into another
room。
〃What do they mean by loitering around the village？ Inquired Jim；
apprehensively。 Whenever he heard Girty's name mentioned； or even thought of
him； he remembered with a shudder the renegade's allusion to the buzzards。 Jim
never saw one of these carrion birds soaring overhead but his thoughts
instantly reverted to the frontier ruffian and his horrible craving。
〃I don't know；〃 answered Heckewelder。 〃Girty has been here several times of
late。 I saw him conferring with Pipe at Goshhocking。 I hope there's no
deviltry afoot。 Pipe is a relentless enemy of all Christians； and Girty is a
fiend； a hyena。 I think； perhaps； it will be well for you and the girls to
stay indoors while Girty and Silvertip are in the village。〃
That evening the entire missionary party were gathered in Mr。 Wells' room。
Heckewelder told stories of Indian life； Nell sang several songs； and Kate
told many amusing things said and done by the little Indian boys in her class
at the school。 Thus the evening passed pleasantly for all。
〃So next Wednesday I am to perform the great ceremony；〃 remarked Heckewelder；
laying his hand kindly on Young's knee。 〃We'll celebrate the first white
wedding in the Village of Peace。〃
Young looked shyly down at his boots； Edwards crossed one leg over the other；
and coughed loudly to hide his embarrassment。 Kate wore； as usual； her pensive
smile； Nell's eyes twinkled； and she was about to speak； when Heckewelder's
quizzical glance in her direction made her lips mute。
〃I hope I'll have another wedding on my hands soon；〃 he said placidly。
This ordinary remark had an extraordinary effect。 Nell turned with burning
cheeks and looked out of the window。 Jim frowned fiercely and bit his lips。
Edwards began to laugh； and even Mr。 Wells' serious face lapsed into a smile。
〃I mean I've picked out a nice little Delaware squaw for Dave；〃 said
Heckewelder； seeing his badinage had somehow gone amiss。
〃Oh…h！〃 suddenly cried Nell； in shuddering tones。
They all gazed at her in amazement。 Every vestige of color had receded from
her face； leaving it marblelike。 Her eves were fixed in startled horror。
Suddenly she relaxed her grasp on the windowsill and fell back limp and
senseless。
Heckewelder ran to the door lo look out； while the others bent over the
unconscious girl； endeavoring to revive her。 Presently a fluttering breath and
a quivering of her dark lashes noted a return of suspended life。 Then her
beautiful eyes opened wide to gaze with wonder and fear into the grave faces
bent so anxiously over her。
〃Nell； dearest； you are safe。 What was it？ What frightened you so？〃 said Kate；
tenderly。
〃Oh； it was fearful！〃 gasped Nell； sitting up。 She clung to her sister with
one hand； while the other grasped Jim's sleeve。
〃I was looking out into the dark； when suddenly I beheld a face； a terrible
face！〃 cried Nell。 Those who watched her marveled at the shrinking； awful fear
in her eyes。 〃It was right by the window。 I could have touched it。 Such a
greedy； wolfish face； with a long； hooked nose！ The eyes； oh！ the eyes！ I'll
never forget them。 They made me sick； they paralyzed me。 It wasn't an Indian's
face。 It belonged to that white man； that awful white man！ I never saw him
before； but I knew him。〃
〃Girty！〃 said Heckewelder； who had come in with his quiet step。 〃He looked in
at the window。 Calm yourself； Nellie。 The renegade has gone。〃
The incident worried them all at the time； and made Nell nervous for several
days； but as Girty had disappeared； and nothing more was heard of him；
gradually they forgot。 Kate's wedding day dawned with all the little party
well and happy。 Early in the afternoon Jim and Nell； accompanied by Kate and
her lover； started out into the woods just beyond the clearing for the purpose
of gathering wild flowers to decorate the cabin。
〃We are both thinking ofhim；〃 Jim said； after he and Nell had walked some
little way in silence。
〃Yes；〃 answered Nell； simply。
〃I hopeI pray Joe comes back； but if he doesn'tNellwon't you care a
little for me？〃
He received no answer。 But Nell turned her face away。
〃We both loved him。 If he's gone forever our very love for him should bring us
together。 I knowI know he would have wished that。〃
〃Jim； don't speak of love to me now；〃 she whispered。 Then she turned to the
others。 Come quickly； here are great clusters of wild clematis and goldenrod。
How lovely！ Let us gather a quantity。〃
The young men had almost buried the girls under huge masses of the beautiful
flowers； when the soft tread of moccasined feet caused them all to turn in
surprise。 Six savages stood waist…deep in the bushes； where they had lain
concealed。 Fierce； painted visages scowled from behind leveled rifles。
〃Don't yell！〃 cried a hoarse voice in English。 Following the voice came a
snapping of twigs； and then two other figures came into view。 They were Girty
and Silvertip。
〃Don't yell； er I'll leave you layin' here fer the buzzards；〃 said the
renegade。 He stepped forward and grasped Young； at the same time speaking in
the Indian language and pointing to a nearby tree。 Strange to relate； the
renegade apparently wanted no bloodshed。 While one of the savages began to tie
Young to the tree； Girty turned his gaze on the girls。 His little； yellow eyes
glinted； he stroked his chin with a bony hand； and his dark； repulsive face
was wreathed in a terrible； meaning smile。
〃I've been layin' fer you；〃 he croaked； eyeing Nell。 〃Ye're the purtiest lass；
'ceptin' mebbe Bet Zane； I ever seed on the border。 I got cheated outen her；
but I've got you； arter I feed yer Injun preacher to ther buzzards mebbe ye'll
larn to love me。〃
Nell gazed one instant into the monster's face。 Her terror…stricken eyes were
piteous to behold。 She tried to speak； but her voice failed。 Then； like
stricken bird； she fell on the grass。
Chapter XIV。
Not many miles from the Village of Peace rose an irregular chain of hills； the
first faint indications of the grand Appalachian Mountain system。 These
ridges were thickly wooded with white oak； poplar and hickory； among which a
sentinel pine reared here and there its evergreen head。 There were clefts in
the hills； passes lined by gray…stoned cliffs； below which ran clear brooks；
tumbling over rocks in a hurry to meet their majestic father； the Ohio。
One of these valleys； so narrow that the sun seldom brightened the merry
brook； made a deep cut in the rocks。 The head of this valley tapered until the
walls nearly met； it seemed to lose itself in the shade of fern…faced cliffs；
shadowed as they were by fir trees leaning over the brink； as though to search
for secrets of the ravine。 So deep and dark and cool was