the past, why, all may be well yet. I can see that the border is the place for

me. But now, Jim, for once in your life take a word of advice from me. We're



out on the frontier, where every man looks after himself. Your being a

minister won't protect you here where every man wears a knife and a tomahawk,



and where most of them are desperadoes. Cut out that soft voice and most of

your gentle ways, and be a little more like your brother. Be as kind as you



like, and preach all you want to; but when some of these buckskin-legged

frontiermen try to walk all over you, as they will, take your own part in a



way you have never taken it before. I had my lesson the first few days out

with that wagon-train. It was a case of four fights; but I'm all right now."



"Joe, I won't run, if that's what you mean," answered Jim, with a laugh.

"Yes, I understand that a new life begins here, and I am content. If I can



find my work in it, and remain with you, I shall be happy."

"Ah! old Mose! I'm glad to see you," Joe cried to the big dog who came nosing



round him. "You've brought this old fellow; did you bring the horses?"

"Look behind the wagon."



With the dog bounding before him, Joe did as he was directed, and there found

two horses tethered side by side. Little wonder that his eyes gleamed with



delight. One was jet-black; the other iron-gray and in every line the

clean-limbed animals showed the thoroughbred. The black threw up his slim head



and whinnied, with affection clearly shining in his soft, dark eyes as he

recognized his master.



"Lance, old fellow, how did I ever leave you!" murmured Joe, as he threw his

arm over the arched neck. Mose stood by looking up, and wagging his tail in



token of happiness at the reunion of the three old friends. There were tears

in Joe's eyes when, with a last affectionate caress, he turned away from his



pet.

"Come, Jim, I'll take you to Mr. Wells."



They stated across the little square, while Mose went back under the wagon;

but at a word from Joe he bounded after them, trotting contentedly at their



heels. Half way to the cabins a big, raw-boned teamster, singing in a drunken

voice, came staggering toward them. Evidently he had just left the group of



people who had gathered near the Indians.

"I didn't expect to see drunkenness out here," said Jim, in a low tone.



"There's lots of it. I saw that fellow yesterday when he, couldn't walk.

Wentz told me he was a bad customer."



The teamster, his red face bathed in perspiration, and his sleeves rolled up,

showing brown, knotty arms, lurched toward them. As they met he aimed a kick



at the dog; but Mose leaped nimbly aside, avoiding the heavy boot. He did not

growl, nor show his teeth; but the great white head sank forward a little, and



the lithe body crouched for a spring.

"Don't touch that dog; he'll tear your leg off!" Joe cried sharply.



"Say, pard, cum an' hev' a drink," replied the teamster, with a friendly leer.

"I don't drink," answered Joe, curtly, and moved on.



The teamster growled something of which only the word "parson" was

intelligible to the brothers. Joe stopped and looked back. His gray eyes



seemed to contract; they did not flash, but shaded and lost their warmth. Jim

saw the change, and, knowing what it signified, took Joe's arm as he gently



urged him away. The teamster's shrill voice could be heard until they entered

the fur-trader's cabin.



An old man with long, white hair flowing from beneath his wide-brimmed hat,

sat near the door holding one of Mrs. Wentz's children on his knee. His face



was deep-lined and serious; but kindness shone from his mild blue eyes.

"Mr. Wells, this is my brother James. He is a preacher, and has come in place



of the man you expected from Williamsburg."

The old minister arose, and extended his hand, gazing earnestly at the



new-comer meanwhile. Evidently he approved of what he saw in his quick

scrutiny of the other's face, for his lips were wreathed with a smile of



welcome.

"Mr. Downs, I am glad to meet you, and to know you will go with me. I thank



God I shall take into the wilderness one who is young enough to carry on the

work when my days are done."



"I will make it my duty to help you in whatsoever way lies in my power,"

answered Jim, earnestly.



"We have a great work before us. I have heard many scoffers who claim that it

is worse than folly to try to teach these fierce savages Christianity; but I



know it can be done, and my heart is in the work. I have no fear; yet I would

not conceal from you, young man, that the danger of going among these hostile



Indians must be great."

"I will not hesitate because of that. My sympathy is with the redman. I have



had an opportunity of studying Indian nature and believe the race inherently

noble. He has been driven to make war, and I want to help him into other



paths."

• frontier [´frʌntiə] n.国境；边疆；边界 (初中英语单词)


• awhile [ə´wail] ad.少顷；片刻 (初中英语单词)


• hunter [´hʌntə] n.猎人；猎狗；猎马 (初中英语单词)


• absolutely [´æbsəlu:tli] ad.绝对地；确实 (初中英语单词)


• evidently [´evidəntli] ad.明显地 (初中英语单词)


• reflection [ri´flekʃən] n.反射；映象；想法 (初中英语单词)


• presently [´prezəntli] ad.不久；目前 (初中英语单词)


• excitement [ik´saitmənt] n.兴奋；骚动；煽动 (初中英语单词)


• incident [´insidənt] n.小事件；事变 (初中英语单词)


• arrival [ə´raivəl] n.到达；到达的人(物) (初中英语单词)


• standing [´stændiŋ] n.持续 a.直立的 (初中英语单词)


• challenge [´tʃælindʒ] n.&vt.向….挑战；怀疑 (初中英语单词)


• gravely [´greivli] ad.庄重地，严肃地 (初中英语单词)


• sufficiently [sə´fiʃəntli] ad.充分地，足够地 (初中英语单词)


• pardon [´pɑ:dən] n.&vt.原谅；饶恕；赦免 (初中英语单词)


• belief [bi´li:f] n.相信；信仰，信条 (初中英语单词)


• swiftly [´swiftli] ad.迅速地，敏捷地 (初中英语单词)


• backward [´bækwəd] ad.向后 a.向后的 (初中英语单词)


• moisture [´mɔistʃə] n.潮湿；温度；水份 (初中英语单词)


• medium [´mi:diəm] n.中间；平均 a.中等的 (初中英语单词)


• height [hait] n.高度；顶点；卓越 (初中英语单词)


• strongly [´strɔŋli] ad.强烈地；强有力地 (初中英语单词)


• convert [kən´və:t, ´kɔnvə:t] v.转变 n.改变信仰者 (初中英语单词)


• preach [pri:tʃ] v.宣扬；鼓吹 n.训诫 (初中英语单词)


• slightly [´slaitli] ad.轻微地；细长的 (初中英语单词)


• departure [di´pɑ:tʃə] n.离开，出发 (初中英语单词)


• mission [´miʃən] n.代表团；使馆vt.派遣 (初中英语单词)


• fortunate [´fɔ:tʃənət] a.幸运的，侥幸的 (初中英语单词)


• knowing [´nəuiŋ] a.会意的，心照不宣的 (初中英语单词)


• compass [´kʌmpəs] n.指南针；圆规 (初中英语单词)


• affection [ə´fekʃən] n.友爱；慈爱 (初中英语单词)


• yesterday [´jestədi] n.&ad.昨天；前不久 (初中英语单词)


• warmth [wɔ:mθ] n.温暖；热情；激动 (初中英语单词)


• minister [´ministə] n.部长；大臣 v.伺候 (初中英语单词)


• meanwhile [´mi:n´wail] n.&ad.其间；同时 (初中英语单词)


• wilderness [´wildənis] n.荒地，荒野 (初中英语单词)


• fierce [fiəs] a.残忍的；强烈的 (初中英语单词)


• conceal [kən´si:l] vt.藏；隐瞒 (初中英语单词)


• hesitate [´heziteit] vi.犹豫，踌躇 (初中英语单词)


• sympathy [´simpəθi] n.同情，怜悯 (初中英语单词)


• indian [´indiən] a.印度的 n.印度人 (初中英语单词)


• driven [´driv(ə)n] drive 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)


• lonesome [´ləunsəm] a.孤独的；冷清清的 (高中英语单词)


• manifest [´mænifest] a.明显的 v.表明 (高中英语单词)


• regarding [ri´gɑ:diŋ] prep.关于 (高中英语单词)


• resentment [ri´zentmənt] n.不满；怨恨；忿恨 (高中英语单词)


• bustle [´bʌsəl] v.(使)匆忙 n.匆忙 (高中英语单词)


• forgiveness [fə´givnis] n.原谅，饶恕；宽仁 (高中英语单词)


• joyous [´dʒɔiəs] a.充满快乐的 (高中英语单词)


• apparently [ə´pærəntli] ad.显然，表面上地 (高中英语单词)


• vengeance [´vendʒəns] n.报复，复仇 (高中英语单词)


• learned [´lə:nid] a.有学问的，博学的 (高中英语单词)


• preacher [´pri:tʃə] n.讲道者，传教士 (高中英语单词)


• affectionate [ə´fekʃənit] a.亲爱的 (高中英语单词)


• caress [kə´res] n.&vt.爱抚；接吻 (高中英语单词)


• shrill [ʃril] a.(声音)尖锐的 (高中英语单词)


• earnestly [´ə:nistli] ad.认真地；急切地 (高中英语单词)


• christianity [,kristi´æniti] n.基督教；基督精神 (高中英语单词)


• futile [´fju:tail] a.无用的，无益的 (英语四级单词)


• nervously [´nə:vəsli] ad.神经质地；胆怯地 (英语四级单词)


• apology [ə´pɔlədʒi] n.道歉(的话)；辩解 (英语四级单词)


• exclamation [,eksklə´meiʃən] n.喊(惊)叫；感叹词 (英语四级单词)


• cruelly [´kruəli] ad.残酷地；极，非常 (英语四级单词)


• trivial [´triviəl] a.琐碎的；不重要的 (英语四级单词)


• whatsoever [,wɔtsəu´evə] (强势语)=whatever (英语四级单词)


• speaking [´spi:kiŋ] n.说话 a.发言的 (英语六级单词)


• ordeal [ɔ:´di:l] n.严峻考验；折磨 (英语六级单词)


• homespun [´həumspʌn] a.家里(织)的 (英语六级单词)


• matter-of-fact [mætərɔv´fækt] a.实事求是的 (英语六级单词)


• repentance [ri´pentəns] n.悔悟，悔改；忏悔 (英语六级单词)


• coolness [´ku:lnis] n.凉，凉爽；冷静 (英语六级单词)


• humiliation [hju:,mili´eiʃən] n.羞辱，屈辱 (英语六级单词)


• untrue [ʌn´tru:] a.不真(忠)实的 (英语六级单词)


• arched [´ɑ:tʃid] a.弓形(结构)的 (英语六级单词)


• reunion [ri:´ju:njən] n.再结合；再联合；团聚 (英语六级单词)


• holding [´həuldiŋ] n.保持，固定，存储 (英语六级单词)


• extended [iks´tendid] a.伸长的；广大的 (英语六级单词)