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The Spirit of the Border-Part31_Zane Gray(1872-1939)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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The converted Indians sat with bowed heads. Half King raised his war-club, and



threw it on the ground in front of them.

"He's announcin' the death decree!" hissed Wetzel.



"Well! if he ain't!"

Jonathan looked at Wetzel's face. Then he rose to his knees, as had Wetzel,



and tightened his belt. He knew that in another instant they would be speeding

away through the forest.



"Lew, my rifle's no good fer that distance. But mebbe yours is. You ought to

know. It's not sense, because there's Simon Girty, and there's Jim, the men



we're after. If you can hit one, you can another. But go ahead, Lew. Plug

that cowardly redskin!"



Wetzel knelt on one knee, and thrust the black rifle forward through the fern

leaves. Slowly the fatal barrel rose to a level, and became as motionless as



the immovable stones.

Jonathan fixed his keen gaze on the haughtycountenance of Half King as he



stood with folded arms and scornful mien in front of the Christians he had

just condemned.



Even as the short, stinging crack of Wetzel's rifle broke the silence,

Jonathan saw the fierce expression of Half King's dark face change to one of



vacant wildness. His arms never relaxed from their folded position. He fell,

as falls a monarch of the forest trees, a dead weight.



Chapter XXV.

"Please do not preach to-day," said Nell, raising her eyes imploringly to



Jim's face.

"Nellie, I must conduct the services as usual. I can not shirk my duty, nor



let these renegades see I fear to face them."

"I have such a queer feeling. I am afraid. I don't want to be left alone.



Please do not leave me."

Jim strodenervously up and down the length of the room. Nell's worn face, her



beseeching eyes and trembling hands touched his heart. Rather than almost

anything else, he desired to please her, to strengthen her; yet how could he



shirk his duty?

"Nellie, what is it you fear?" he asked, holding her hands tightly.



"Oh, I don't know what--everything. Uncle is growing weaker every day. Look

at Mr. Young; he is only a shadow of his former self, and this anxiety is



wearing Mr. Heckewelder out. He is more concerned than he dares admit. You

needn't shake your head, for I know it. Then those Indians who are waiting,



waiting--for God only knows what! Worse than all to me, I saw that renegade,

that fearful beast who made way with poor dear Kate!"



Nell burst into tears, and leaned sobbing on Jim's shoulder.

"Nell, I've kept my courage only because of you," replied Jim, his voice



trembling slightly.

She looked up quickly. Something in the pale face which was bent over her told



that now, if ever, was the time for a woman to forget herself, and to cheer,

to inspire those around her.



"I am a silly baby, and selfish!" she cried, freeing herself from his hold.

"Always thinking of myself." She turned away and wiped the tears from her



eyes. "Go, Jim, do you duty; I'll stand by and help you all a woman can."

The missionaries were consulting in Heckewelder's cabin. Zeisberger had



returned that morning, and his aggressive, dominating spirit was just what

they needed in an hour like this. He raised the downcast spirits of the



ministers.

"Hold the service? I should say we will," he declared, waving his hands.



"What have we to be afraid of?"

"I do not know," answered Heckewelder, shaking his head doubtfully. "I do not



know what to fear. Girty himself told me he bore us no ill will; but I hardly

believe him. All this silence, this ominouswaiting perplexes, bewilders me."



"Gentlemen, our duty at least is plain," said Jim, impressively. "The faith of

these Christian Indians in us is so absolute that they have no fear. They



believe in God, and in us. These threatening savages have failed signally to

impress our Christians. If we do not hold the service they will think we fear



Girty, and that might have a bad influence."

"I am in favor of postponing the preaching for a few days. I tell you I am



afraid of Girty's Indians, not for myself, but for these Christians whom we

love so well. I am afraid." Heckewelder's face bore testimony to his anxious



dread.

"You are our leader; we have but to obey," said Edwards. "Yet I think we owe



it to our converts to stick to our work until we are forced by violence to

desist."



"Ah! What form will that violence take?" cried Heckewelder, his face white.

"You cannot tell what these savages mean. I fear! I fear!"



"Listen, Heckewelder, you must remember we had this to go through once

before," put in Zeisberger earnestly. "In '78 Girty came down on us like a






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