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！
rush； frantically she threw her arms around him and clung to his hands
desperately。
Wetzel halted； frenzied as he was at the sight of his foe； he could not hurt a
woman。
〃Girl； let go！〃 he panted； and his broad breast heaved。
〃No； no； no！ Listen； Wetzel； you must not kill the chief。 He is a friend。〃
〃He is my great foe！〃
〃Listen； oh！ please listen！〃 pleaded Nell。 〃He warned me to flee from Girty；
he offered to guide us to Fort Henry。 He has saved my life。 For my sake；
Wetzel； do not kill him！ Don't let me be the cause of his murder！ Wetzel；
Wetzel； lower your arm； drop your hatchet。 For pity's sake do not spill more
blood。 Wingenund is a Christian！〃
Wetzel stepped back breathing heavily。 His white face resembled chiseled
marble。 With those little hands at his breast he hesitated in front of the
chief he had hunted for so many long years。
〃Would you kill a Christian？〃 pleaded Nell； her voice sweet and earnest。
〃I reckon not； but this Injun ain't one；〃 replied Wetzel slowly。
〃Put away your hatchet。 Let me have it。 Listen； and I will tell you； after
thanking you for this rescue。 Do you know of my marriage？ Come； please listen！
Forget for a moment your enmity。 Oh！ you must be merciful！ Brave men are
always merciful！〃
〃Injun； are you a Christian？〃 hissed Wetzel。
〃Oh！ I know he is！ I know he is！〃 cried Nell； still standing between Wetzel
and the chief。
Wingenund spoke no word。 He did not move。 His falcon eyes gazed tranquilly at
his white foe。 Christian or pagan； he would not speak one word to save his
life。
〃Oh！ tell him you are a Christian；〃 cried Nell； running to the chief。
〃Yellow…hair； the Delaware is true to his race。〃
As he spoke gently to Nell a noble dignity shone upon his dark face。
〃Injun； my back bears the scars of your braves' whips；〃 hissed Wetzel； once
more advancing。
〃Deathwind； your scars are deep； but the Delaware's are deeper；〃 came the calm
reply。 〃Wingenund's heart bears two scars。 His son lies under the moss and
ferns； Deathwind killed him； Deathwind alone knows his grave。 Wingenund's
daughter； the delight of his waning years； freed the Delaware's great foe； and
betrayed her father。 Can the Christian God tell Wingenund of his child？〃
Wetzel shook like a tree in a storm。 Justice cried out in the Indian's deep
voice。 Wetzel fought for mastery of himself。
〃Delaware； your daughter lays there； with her lover；〃 said Wetzel firmly； and
pointed into the spring。
〃Ugh！〃 exclaimed the Indian； bending over the dark pool。 He looked long into
its murky depths。 Then he thrust his arm down into the brown water。
〃Deathwind tells no lie；〃 said the chief； calmly； and pointed toward Girty。
The renegade had ceased struggling； his head was bowed upon his breast。 〃The
white serpent has stung the Delaware。〃
〃What does it mean？〃 cried Jim。
〃Your brother Joe and Whispering Winds lie in the spring；〃 answered Jonathan
Zane。 〃Girty murdered them； and Wetzel buried the two there。〃
〃Oh； is it true？〃 cried Nell。
〃True； lass；〃 whispered Jim； brokenly； holding out his arms to her。 Indeed；
he needed her strength as much as she needed his。 The girl gave one shuddering
glance at the spring； and then hid her face on her husband's shoulder。
〃Delaware； we are sworn foes；〃 cried Wetzel。
〃Wingenund asks no mercy。〃
〃Are you a Christian？〃
〃Wingenund is true to his race。〃
〃Delaware； begone！ Take these weapons an' go。 When your shadow falls shortest
on the ground； Deathwind starts on your trail。〃
〃Deathwind is the great white chief； he is the great Indian foe； he is as sure
as the panther in his leap； as swift as the wild goose in his northern flight。
Wingenund never felt fear。〃 The chieftain's sonorous reply rolled through the
quiet glade。 〃If Deathwind thirsts for Wingenund's blood； let him spill it
now； for when the Delaware goes into the forest his trail will fade。〃
〃Begone！〃 roared Wetzel。 The fever for blood was once more rising within him。
The chief picked up some weapons of the dead Indians； and with haughty stride
stalked from the glade。
〃Oh； Wetzel； thank you； I knew…〃 Nell's voice broke as she faced the hunter。
She recoiled from this changed man。
〃Come； we'll go；〃 said Jonathan Zane。 〃I'll guide you to Fort Henry。〃 He
lifted the pack； and led Nell and Jim out of the glade。
They looked back once to picture forever in their minds the lovely spot with
its ghastly quiet bodies； the dark； haunting spring； the renegade nailed to
the tree； and the tall figure of Wetzel as he watched his shadow on the
ground。
When Wetzel also had gone； only two living creatures remained in the
gladethe doomed renegade； and the white dog。 The gaunt beast watched the man
with hungry； mad eyes。
A long moan wailed through the forest。 It swelled mournfully on the air； and
died away。 The doomed man heard it。 He raised his ghastly face； his dulled
senses seemed to revive。 He gazed at the stiffening bodies of the Indians； at
the gory corpse of Deering； at the savage eyes of the dog。
Suddenly life seemed to surge strong within him。
〃Hell's fire！ I'm not done fer yet；〃 he gasped。 〃This damned knife can't kill
me； I'll pull it out。〃
He worked at the heavy knife hilt。 Awful curses passed his lips； but the blade
did not move。 Retribution had spoken his doom。
Suddenly he saw a dark shadow moving along the sunlit ground。 It swept past
him。 He looked up to see a great bird with wide wings sailing far above。 He
saw another still higher； and then a third。 He looked at the hilltop。 The
quiet； black birds had taken wing。 They were floating slowly； majestically
upward。 He watched their graceful flight。 How easily they swooped in wide
circles。 he remembered that they had fascinated him when a boy； long； long
ago； when he had a home。 Where was that home？ He had one once。 Ah！ the long；
cruel years have rolled back。 A youth blotted out by evil returned。 He saw a
little cottage； he saw the old Virginia homestead； he saw his brothers and his
mother。
〃Ah…h！〃 A cruel agony tore his heart。 He leaned hard against the knife。 With
the pain the present returned； but the past remained。 All his youth； all his
manhood flashed before him。 The long； bloody； merciless years faced him； and
his crimes crushed upon him with awful might。
Suddenly a rushing sound startled him。 He saw a great bird swoop down and
graze the tree tops。 Another followed； and another； and then a flock of them。
He saw their gray； spotted breasts and hooked beaks。
〃Buzzards；〃 he muttered； darkly eyeing the dead savages。 The carrion birds
were swooping to their feast。
〃By God！ He's nailed me fast for buzzards！〃 he screamed in sudden； awful
frenzy。 〃Nailed fast！ Ah…h！ Ah…h！ Ah…h！ Eaten alive by buzzards！ Ah…h！ Ah…h！
Ah…h！〃
He shrieked until his voice failed； and then he gasped。
Again the buzzards swooped overhead； this