betty zane-第27部分

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〃The　Eagle　can　be　happy　with　his　mate。　And　what　life　could　be　freer　than　a　Huron's？　I　hope　always　that　you　will　grow　content。〃

〃It　has　been　a　long　time　now；　Myeerah；　since　I　have　spoken　with　you　of　my　freedom。　Will　you　ever　free　me？　Or　must　I　take　again　those　awful　chances　of　escape？　I　cannot　always　live　here　in　this　way。　Some　day　I　shall　be　killed　while　trying　to　get　away；　and　then；　if　you　truly　love　me；　you　will　never　forgive　yourself。〃

〃Does　not　Myeerah　truly　love　you？〃　she　asked；　gazing　straight　into　his　eyes；　her　own　misty　and　sad。

〃I　do　not　doubt　that；　but　I　think　sometimes　that　it　is　not　the　right　kind　of　love。　It　is　too　savage。　No　man　should　be　made　a　prisoner　for　no　other　reason　than　that　he　is　loved　by　a　woman。　I　have　tried　to　teach　you　many　things；　the　language　of　my　people；　their　ways　and　thoughts；　but　I　have　failed　to　civilize　you。　I　cannot　make　you　understand　that　it　is　unwomanlydo　not　turn　away。　I　am　not　indifferent。　I　have　learned　to　care　for　you。　Your　beauty　and　tenderness　have　made　anything　else　impossible。〃

〃Myeerah　is　proud　of　her　beauty；　if　it　pleases　the　Eagle。　Her　beauty　and　her　love　are　his。　Yet　the　Eagle's　words　make　Myeerah　sad。　She　cannot　tell　what　she　feels。　The　pale　face's　words　flow　swiftly　and　smoothly　like　rippling　waters；　but　Myeerah's　heart　is　full　and　her　lips　are　dumb。〃

Myeerah　and　Isaac　stopped　under　a　spreading　elm　tree　the　branches　of　which　drooped　over　and　shaded　the　river。　The　action　of　the　high　water　had　worn　away　the　earth　round　the　roots　of　the　old　elm；　leaving　them　bare　and　dry　when　the　stream　was　low。　As　though　Nature　had　been　jealous　in　the　interest　of　lovers；　she　had　twisted　and　curled　the　roots　into　a　curiously　shaped　bench　just　above　the　water；　which　was　secluded　enough　to　escape　all　eyes　except　those　of　the　beaver　and　the　muskrat。　The　bank　above　was　carpeted　with　fresh；　dewy　grass；　blue　bells　and　violets　hid　modestly　under　their　dark　green　leaves；　delicate　ferns；　like　wonderful　fairy　lace；　lifted　their　dainty　heads　to　sway　in　the　summer　breeze。　In　this　quiet　nook　the　lovers　passed　many　hours。

〃Then；　if　my　White　Chief　has　learned　to　care　for　me；　he　must　not　try　to　escape；〃　whispered　Myeerah；　tenderly；　as　she　crept　into　Isaac's　arms　and　laid　her　head　on　his　breast。　〃I　love　you。　I　love　you。　What　will　become　of　Myeerah　if　you　leave　her？　Could　she　ever　be　happy？　Could　she　ever　forget？　No；　no；　I　will　keep　my　captive。〃

〃I　cannot　persuade　you　to　let　me　go？〃

〃If　I　free　you　I　will　come　and　lie　here；〃　cried　Myeerah；　pointing　to　the　dark　pool。

〃Then　come　with　me　to　my　home　and　live　there。〃

〃Go　with　you　to　the　village　of　the　pale　faces；　where　Myeerah　would　be　scorned；　pointed　at　as　your　captors　laughed　at　and　pitied？　No！　No！〃

〃But　you　would　not　be；〃　said　Isaac；　eagerly。　〃You　would　be　my　wife。　My　sister　and　people　will　love　you。　Come；　Myeerah　save　me　from　this　bondage；　come　home　with　me　and　I　will　make　you　happy。〃

〃It　can　never　be；〃　she　said；　sadly；　after　a　long　pause。　〃How　would　we　ever　reach　the　fort　by　the　big　river？　Tarhe　loves　his　daughter　and　will　not　give　her　up。　If　we　tried　to　get　away　the　braves　would　overtake　us　and　then　even　Myeerah　could　not　save　your　life。　You　would　be　killed。　I　dare　not　try。　No；　no；　Myeerah　loves　too　well　for　that。〃

〃You　might　make　the　attempt；〃　said　Isaac；　turning　away　in　bitter　disappointment。　〃If　you　loved　me　you　could　not　see　me　suffer。〃

〃Never　say　that　again；〃　cried　Myeerah；　pain　and　scorn　in　her　dark　eyes。　〃Can　an　Indian　Princess　who　has　the　blood　of　great　chiefs　in　her　veins　prove　her　love　in　any　way　that　she　has　not？　Some　day　you　will　know　that　you　wrong　me。　I　am　Tarhe's　daughter。　A　Huron　does　not　lie。〃

They　slowly　wended　their　way　back　to　the　camp；　both　miserable　at　heart；　Isaac　longing　to　see　his　home　and　friends；　and　yet　with　tenderness　in　his　heart　for　the　Indian　maiden　who　would　not　free　him；　Myeerah　with　pity　and　love　for　hind　and　a　fear　that　her　long　cherished　dream　could　never　be　realized。

One　dark；　stormy　night；　when　the　rain　beat　down　in　torrents　and　the　swollen　river　raged　almost　to　its　banks；　Isaac　slipped　out　of　his　lodge　unobserved　and　under　cover　of　the　pitchy　darkness　he　got　safely　between　the　lines　of　tepees　to　the　river。　He　had　just　the　opportunity　for　which　he　had　been　praying。　He　plunged　into　the　water　and　floating　down　with　the　swift　current　he　soon　got　out　of　sight　of　the　flickering　camp　fires。　Half　a　mile　below　he　left　the　water　and　ran　along　the　bank　until　he　came　to　a　large　tree；　a　landmark　he　remembered；　when　he　turned　abruptly　to　the　east　and　struck　out　through　the　dense　woods。　He　travelled　due　east　all　that　night　and　the　next　day　without　resting；　and　with　nothing　to　eat　except　a　small　piece　of　jerked　buffalo　meat　which　he　had　taken　the　precaution　to　hide　in　his　hunting　shirt。　He　rested　part　of　the　second　night　and　next　morning　pushed　on　toward　the　east。　He　had　expected　to　reach　the　Ohio　that　day；　but　he　did　not　and　he　noticed　that　the　ground　seemed　to　be　gradually　rising。　He　did　not　come　across　any　swampy　lands　or　saw　grass　or　vegetation　characteristic　of　the　lowlands。　He　stopped　and　tried　to　get　his　bearings。　The　country　was　unknown　to　him；　but　he　believed　he　knew　the　general　lay　of　the　ridges　and　the　water…courses。

The　fourth　day　found　Isaac　hopelessly　lost　in　the　woods。　He　was　famished；　having　eaten　but　a　few　herbs　and　berries　in　the　last　two　days；　his　buckskin　garments　were　torn　in　tatters；　his　moccasins　were　worn　out　and　his　feet　lacerated　by　the　sharp　thorns。

Darkness　was　fast　approaching　when　he　first　realized　that　he　was　lost。　He　waited　hopefully　for　the　appearance　of　the　north　starthat　most　faithful　of　hunter's　guidesbut　the　sky　clouded　over　and　no　stars　appeared。　Tired　out　and　hopeless　he　dragged　his　weary　body　into　a　dense　laurel　thicket　end　lay　down　to　wait　for　dawn。　The　dismal　hoot　of　an　owl　nearby；　the　stealthy　steps　of　some　soft…footed　animal　prowling　round　the　thicket；　and　the　mournful　sough　of　the　wind　in　the　treetops　kept　him　awake　for　hours；　but　at　last　he　fell　asleep。



CHAPTER　VII。

The　chilling　rains　of　November　and　December's　flurry　of　snow　had　passed　and　mid…winter　with　its　icy　blasts　had　set　in。　The　Black　Forest　had　changed　autumn's　gay　crimson　and　yellow　to　the　somber　hue　of　winter　and　now　looked　indescribably　dreary。　An　ice　gorge　had　formed　in　the　bend　of　the　river　at　the　head　of　the　island　and　from　bank　to　bank　logs；　driftwood；　broken　ice　and　giant　floes　were　packed　and　jammed　so　tightly　as　to　resist　the　action　of　the　mighty　current。　This　natural　bridge　would　remain　solid　until　spring　had　loosened　the　frozen　grip　of　old　winter。　The　hilly　surrounding　Fort　Henry　were　white　with　snow。　The　huge　drifts　were　on　a　level　with　Col。　Zane's　fence　and　in　some　places　the　top　rail　had　disappeared。　The　pine　trees　in　the　yard　were　weighted　down　and　drooped　helplessly　with　their　white　burden。

On　this　frosty　January　morning　the　only　signs　of　life　round　the　settlement　were　a　man　and　a　dog　walking　up　Wheeling　hill。　The　man　carried　a　rifle；　an　axe；　and　several　steel　traps。　His　snow…shoes　sank　into　the　drifts　as　he　labored　up　the　steep　hill。　All　at　once　he　stopped。　The　big　black　dog　had　put　his　nose　high　in　the　air　and　had　sniffed　at　the　cold　wind。

〃Well；　Tige；　old　fellow；　what　is　it？〃　said　Jonathan　Zane；　for　this　was　he。

The　dog　answered　with　a　low　whine。　Jonathan　looked　up　and　down　the　creek　valley　and　along　the　hillside；　but　he　saw　no　living　thing。　Snow；　snow　everywhere；　its　white　monotony　relieved　here　and　there　by　a　black　tree　trunk。　Tige　sniffed　again　and　then　growled。　Turning　his　ear　to　the　breeze　Jonathan　heard　faint　yelps　from　far　over　the　hilltop。　He　dropped　his　axe　and　the　traps　and　ran　the　remaining　short　distance　up　the　hill。　When　he　reached　the　summit　the　clear　baying　of　hunting　wolves　was　borne　to　his　ears。

The　hill　sloped　gradually　on　the　other　side；　ending　in　a　white；　unbroken　plain　which　extended　to　the　edge　of　the　laurel　thicket　a　quarter　of　a　mile　distant。　Jonathan　could　not　see　the　wolves；　but　he　heard　distinctly　their　peculiar；　broken　howls。　They　were　in　pursuit　of　something；　whether　quadruped　or　man　he　could　not　decide。　Another　moment　and　he　was　no　longer　in　doubt；　for　a　deer　dashed　out　of　the　thicket。　Jonathan　saw　that　it　was　a　buck　and　that　he　was　well　nigh　exhausted；　his　head　swung　low　from　side　to　side；　he　sank　slowly　to　his　knees；　and　showed　every　indication　of　distress。

The　next　instant　the　baying　of　the　wolves；　which　had　ceased　for　a　moment；　sounded　close　at　hand。　The　buck　staggered　to　his　feet；　he　turned　this　way　and　that。　When　he　saw　the　man　and　the　dog　he　started　toward　them　without　a　moment's　hesitation。

At　a　warning　word　from　Jonathan　the　dog　sank　on　the　snow。　Jonathan　stepped　behind　a　tree；　which；　however；　was　not　large　enough　to　screen　his　body。　He　thought　the　buck　would　pass　close　by　him　and　he　determined　to　shoot　at　the　most　favorable　moment。

The　buck；　however；　showed　no　intention　of　passing　by；　in　his　abject　terror　he　saw　in　the　man　and　the　dog　foes　less　terrible　than　those　which　were　yelping　on　his　trail。　He　came　on　in　a　lame　uneven　trot；　making　straight　for　the　tree。　When　he　reached　the　tree　he　crouched；　or　rather　fell；　on　the　ground　within　a　yard　of　Jonathan　and　his　dog。　He　quivered　and　twitched；　his　nostr