betty zane-第14部分

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　left　your　fortune　behind　you。　Well；　your　motive　has　the　element　of　nobility。　Mine　has　nothing　but　that　of　recklessness。　I　would　like　to　read　the　future。〃

〃I　do　not　think　it　is　right　to　have　such　a　wish。　With　the　veil　rolled　away　could　you　work　as　hard；　accomplish　as　much？　I　do　not　want　to　know　the　future。　Perhaps　some　of　it　will　be　unhappy。　I　have　made　my　choice　and　will　cheerfully　abide　by　it。　I　rather　envy　your　being　a　man。　You　have　the　world　to　conquer。　A　womanwhat　can　she　do？　She　can　knead　the　dough；　ply　the　distaff；　and　sit　by　the　lattice　and　watch　and　wait。〃

〃Let　us　postpone　such　melancholy　thoughts　until　some　future　day。　I　have　not　as　yet　said　anything　that　I　intended　I　wish　to　tell　you　how　sorry　I　am　that　I　acted　in　such　a　rude　way　the　night　your　brother　came　home。　I　do　not　know　what　made　me　do　so；　but　I　know　I　have　regretted　it　ever　since。　Will　you　forgive　me　and　may　we　not　be　friends？〃

〃II　do　not　know；〃　said　Betty；　surprised　and　vaguely　troubled　by　the　earnest　light　in　his　eyes。

〃But　why？　Surely　you　will　make　some　little　allowance　for　a　naturally　quick　temper；　and　you　know　you　did　notthat　you　were〃

〃Yes；　I　remember　I　was　hasty　and　unkind。　But　I　made　amends；　or　at　least；　I　tried　to　do　so。〃

〃Try　to　overlook　my　stupidity。　I　will　not　give　up　until　you　forgive　me。　Consider　how　much　you　can　avoid　by　being　generous。〃

〃Very　well；　then；　I　will　forgive　you；〃　said　Betty；　who　had　arrived　at　the　conclusion　that　this　young　man　was　one　of　determination。

〃Thank　you。　I　promise　you　shall　never　regret　it。　And　the　sprained　ankle？　It　must　be　well；　as　I　noticed　you　danced　beautifully。〃

〃I　am　compelled　to　believe　what　the　girls　saythat　you　are　inclined　to　the　language　of　compliment。　My　ankle　is　nearly　well；　thank　you。　It　hurts　a　little　now　and　then。〃

〃Speaking　of　your　accident　reminds　me　of　the　day　it　happened；〃　said　Alfred；　watching　her　closely。　He　desired　to　tease　her　a　little；　but　he　was　not　sure　of　his　ground。　〃I　had　been　all　day　in　the　woods　with　nothing　but　my　thoughtsmostly　unhappy　onesfor　company。　When　I　met　you　I　pretended　to　be　surprised。　As　a　matter　of　fact　I　was　not；　for　I　had　followed　your　dog。　He　took　a　liking　to　me　and　I　was　extremely　pleased；　I　assure　you。　Well；　I　saw　your　face　a　moment　before　you　knew　I　was　as　near　you。　When　you　heard　my　footsteps　you　turned　with　a　relieved　and　joyous　cry。　When　you　saw　whom　it　was　your　glad　expression　changed；　and　if　I　had　been　a　hostile　Wyandot　you　could　not　have　looked　more　unfriendly。　Such　a　woeful；　tear…stained　face　I　never　saw。〃

〃Mr。　Clarke；　please　do　not　speak　any　more　of　that；〃　said　Betty　with　dignity。　〃I　desire　that　you　forget　it。〃

〃I　will　forget　all　except　that　it　was　I　who　had　the　happiness　of　finding　you　and　of　helping　you。　I　cannot　forget　that。　I　am　sure　we　should　never　have　been　friends　but　for　that　accident。〃

〃There　is　Isaac。　He　is　looking　for　me；〃　answered　Betty；　rising。

〃Wait　a　moment　longerplease。　He　will　find　you；〃　said　Alfred；　detaining　her。　〃Since　you　have　been　so　kind　I　have　grown　bolder。　May　I　come　over　to　see　you　to…morrow？〃

He　looked　straight　down　into　the　dark　eyes　which　wavered　and　fell　before　he　had　completed　his　question。

〃There　is　Isaac。　He　cannot　see　me　here。　I　must　go。〃

〃But　not　before　telling　me。　What　is　the　good　of　your　forgiving　me　if　I　may　not　see　you。　Please　say　yes。〃

〃You　may　come；〃　answered　Betty；　half　amused　and　half　provoked　at　his　persistence。　〃I　should　think　you　would　know　that　such　permission　invariably　goes　with　a　young　woman's　forgiveness。〃

〃Hello；　here　you　are。　What　a　time　I　have　had　in　finding　you；〃　said　Isaac；　coming　up　with　flushed　face　and　eyes　bright　with　excitement。　〃Alfred；　what　do　you　mean　by　hiding　the　belle　of　the　dance　away　like　this？　I　want　to　dance　with　you；　Betts。　I　am　having　a　fine　time。　I　have　not　danced　anything　but　Indian　dances　for　ages。　Sorry　to　take　her　away；　Alfred。　I　can　see　she　doesn't　want　to　go。　Ha！　Ha！〃　and　with　a　mischievous　look　at　both　of　them　he　led　Betty　away。

Alfred　kept　his　seat　awhile　lost　in　thought。　Suddenly　he　remembered　that　it　would　look　strange　if　he　did　not　make　himself　agreeable；　so　he　got　up　and　found　a　partner。　He　danced　with　Alice；　Lydia；　and　the　other　young　ladies。　After　an　hour　he　slipped　away　to　his　room。　He　wished　to　be　alone。　He　wanted　to　think；　to　decide　whether　it　would　be　best　for　him　to　stay　at　the　fort；　or　ride　away　in　the　darkness　and　never　return。　With　the　friendly　touch　of　Betty's　hand　the　madness　with　which　he　had　been　battling　for　weeks　rushed　over　him　stronger　than　ever。　The　thrill　of　that　soft　little　palm　remained　with　him；　and　he　pressed　the　hand　it　had　touched　to　his　lips。

For　a　long　hour　he　sat　by　his　window。　He　could　dimly　see　the　broad　winding　river；　with　its　curtain　of　pale　gray　mist；　and　beyond；　the　dark　outline　of　the　forest。　A　cool　breeze　from　the　water　fanned　his　heated　brow；　and　the　quiet　and　solitude　soothed　him。



CHAPTER　IV。

〃Good　morning；　Harry。　Where　are　you　going　so　early？〃　called　Betty　from　the　doorway。

A　lad　was　passing　down　the　path　in　front　of　Colonel　Zane's　house　as　Betty　hailed　him。　He　carried　a　rifle　almost　as　long　as　himself。

〃Mornin'；　Betty。　I　am　goin'　'cross　the　crick　fer　that　turkey　I　hear　gobblin'；〃　he　answered；　stopping　at　the　gate　and　smiling　brightly　at　Betty。

〃Hello；　Harry　Bennet。　Going　after　that　turkey？　I　have　heard　him　several　mornings　and　he　must　be　a　big；　healthy　gobbler；〃　said　Colonel　Zane；　stepping　to　the　door。　〃You　are　going　to　have　company。　Here　comes　Wetzel。〃

〃Good　morning；　Lew。　Are　you　too　off　on　a　turkey　hunt？〃　said　Betty。

〃Listen；〃　said　the　hunter；　as　he　stopped　and　leaned　against　the　gate。　They　listened。　All　was　quiet　save　for　the　tinkle　of　a　cow…bell　in　the　pasture　adjoining　the　Colonel's　barn。　Presently　the　silence　was　broken　by　a　long；　shrill；　peculiar　cry。

〃Chug…a…lug；　chug…a…lug；　chug…a…lug；　chug…a…lug…chug。〃

〃Well；　it's　a　turkey；　all　right；　and　I'll　bet　a　big　gobbler；〃　remarked　Colonel　Zane；　as　the　cry　ceased。

〃Has　Jonathan　heard　it？〃　asked　Wetzel。

〃Not　that　I　know　of。　Why　do　you　ask？〃　said　the　Colonel；　in　a　low　tone。　〃Look　here；　Lew；　is　that　not　a　genuine　call？〃

〃Goodbye；　Harry；　be　sure　and　bring　me　a　turkey；〃　called　Betty；　as　she　disappeared。

〃I　calkilate　it's　a　real　turkey；〃　answered　the　hunter；　and　motioning　the　lad　to　stay　behind；　he　shouldered　his　rifle　and　passed　swiftly　down　the　path。

Of　all　the　Wetzel　familya　family　noted　from　one　end　of　the　frontier　to　the　otherLewis　was　as　the　most　famous。

The　early　history　of　West　Virginia　and　Ohio　is　replete　with　the　daring　deeds　of　this　wilderness　roamer；　this　lone　hunter　and　insatiable　Nemesis；　justly　called　the　greatest　Indian　slayer　known　to　men。

When　Lewis　was　about　twenty　years　old；　and　his　brothers　John　and　Martin　little　older；　they　left　their　Virginia　home　for　a　protracted　hunt。　On　their　return　they　found　the　smoking　ruins　of　the　home；　the　mangled　remains　of　father　and　mother；　the　naked　and　violated　bodies　of　their　sisters；　and　the　scalped　and　bleeding　corpse　of　a　baby　brother。

Lewis　Wetzel　swore　sleepless　and　eternal　vengeance　on　the　whole　Indian　race。　Terribly　did　he　carry　out　that　resolution。　From　that　time　forward　he　lived　most　of　the　time　in　the　woods；　and　an　Indian　who　crossed　his　trail　was　a　doomed　man。　The　various　Indian　tribes　gave　him　different　names。　The　Shawnees　called　him　〃Long　Knife；〃　the　Hurons；　〃Destroyer；〃　the　Delawares；　〃Death　Wind；〃　and　any　one　of　these　names　would　chill　the　heart　of　the　stoutest　warrior。

To　most　of　the　famed　pioneer　hunters　of　the　border；　Indian　fighting　was　only　a　side　issuegenerally　a　necessary　onebut　with　Wetzel　it　was　the　business　of　his　life。　He　lived　solely　to　kill　Indians。　He　plunged　recklessly　into　the　strife；　and　was　never　content　unless　roaming　the　wilderness　solitudes；　trailing　the　savages　to　their　very　homes　and　ambushing　the　village　bridlepath　like　a　panther　waiting　for　his　prey。　Often　in　the　gray　of　the　morning　the　Indians；　sleeping　around　their　camp　fire；　were　awakened　by　a　horrible；　screeching　yell。　They　started　up　in　terror　only　to　fall　victims　to　the　tomahawk　of　their　merciless　foe；　or　to　hear　a　rifle　shot　and　get　a　glimpse　of　a　form　with　flying　black　hair　disappearing　with　wonderful　quickness　in　the　forest。　Wetzel　always　left　death　behind　him；　and　he　was　gone　before　his　demoniac　yell　ceased　to　echo　throughout　the　woods。　Although　often　pursued；　he　invariably　eluded　the　Indians；　for　he　was　the　fleetest　runner　on　the　border。

For　many　years　he　was　considered　the　right　hand　of　the　defense　of　the　fort。　The　Indians　held　him　in　superstitious　dread；　and　the　fact　that　he　was　known　to　be　in　the　settlement　had　averted　more　than　one　attack　by　the　Indians。

Many　regarded　Wetzel　as　a　savage；　a　man　who　was　mad　for　the　blood　of　the　red　men；　and　without　one　redeeming　quality。　But　this　was　an　unjust　opinion。　When　that　restless　fever　for　revenge　left　himit　was　not　always　with　himhe　was　quiet　and　peaceable。　To　those　few　who　knew　him　well　he　was　even　amiable。　But　Wetzel；　although　known　to　everyone；　cared　for　few。　He　spent　little　time　in　the　settlements　and　rarely　spoke　except　when　addressed。

Nature　had　singularly　fitted　him　for　his　pre…eminent　position　among　scouts　and　hunters。　He　was　tall　and　broad　across　the　shoulders；　his　stre