betty zane-第28部分

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　and　twitched；　his　nostrils　flared；　at　every　pant　drops　of　blood　flecked　the　snow；　his　great　dark　eyes　had　a　strained　and　awful　look；　almost　human　in　its　agony。

Another　yelp　from　the　thicket　and　Jonathan　looked　up　in　time　to　see　five　timber　wolves；　gaunt；　hungry　looking　beasts；　burst　from　the　bushes。　With　their　noses　close　to　the　snow　they　followed　the　trail。　When　they　came　to　the　spot　where　the　deer　had　fallen　a　chorus　of　angry；　thirsty　howls　filled　the　air。

〃Well；　if　this　doesn't　beat　me！　I　thought　I　knew　a　little　about　deer；〃　said　Jonathan。　〃Tige；　we　will　save　this　buck　from　those　gray　devils　if　it　costs　a　leg。　Steady　now；　old　fellow；　wait。〃

When　the　wolves　were　within　fifty　yards　of　the　tree　and　coming　swiftly　Jonathan　threw　his　rifle　forward　and　yelled　with　all　the　power　of　his　strong　lungs：

〃Hi！　Hi！　Hi！　Take　'em；　Tige！〃

In　trying　to　stop　quickly　on　the　slippery　snowcrust　the　wolves　fell　all　over　themselves。　One　dropped　dead　and　another　fell　wounded　at　the　report　of　Jonathan's　rifle。　The　others　turned　tail　and　loped　swiftly　off　into　the　thicket。　Tige　made　short　work　of　the　wounded　one。

〃Old　White　Tail；　if　you　were　the　last　buck　in　the　valley；　I　would　not　harm　you；〃　said　Jonathan；　looking　at　the　panting　deer。　〃You　need　have　no　farther　fear　of　that　pack　of　cowards。〃

So　saying　Jonathan　called　to　Tige　and　wended　his　way　down　the　hill　toward　the　settlement。

An　hour　afterward　he　was　sitting　in　Col。　Zane's　comfort　able　cabin；　where　all　was　warmth　and　cheerfulness。　Blazing　hickory　logs　roared　and　crackled　in　the　stone　fireplace。

〃Hello；　Jack；　where　did　you　come　from？〃　said　Col。　Zane；　who　had　just　come　in。　〃Haven't　seen　you　since　we　were　snowed　up。　Come　over　to　see　about　the　horses？　If　I　were　you　I　would　not　undertake　that　trip　to　Fort　Pitt　until　the　weather　breaks。　You　could　go　in　the　sled；　of　course；　but　if　you　care　anything　for　my　advice　you　will　stay　home。　This　weather　will　hold　on　for　some　time。　Let　Lord　Dunmore　wait。〃

〃I　guess　we　are　in　for　some　stiff　weather。〃

〃Haven't　a　doubt　of　it。　I　told　Bessie　last　fall　we　might　expect　a　hard　winter。　Everything　indicated　it。　Look　at　the　thick　corn…husks。　The　hulls　of　the　nuts　from　the　shells　bark　here　in　the　yard　were　larger　and　tougher　than　I　ever　saw　them。　Last　October　Tige　killed　a　raccoon　that　had　the　wooliest　kind　of　a　fur。　I　could　have　given　you　a　dozen　signs　of　a　hard　winter。　We　shall　still　have　a　month　or　six　weeks　of　it。　In　a　week　will　be　ground…hog　day　and　you　had　better　wait　and　decide　after　that。〃

〃I　tell　you；　Eb；　I　get　tired　chopping　wood　and　hanging　round　the　house。〃

〃Aha！　another　moody　spell；〃　said　Col。　Zane；　glancing　kindly　at　his　brother。　〃Jack；　if　you　were　married　you　would　outgrow　those　'blue…devils。'　I　used　to　have　them。　It　runs　in　the　family　to　be　moody。　I　have　known　our　father　to　take　his　gun　and　go　into　the　woods　and　stay　there　until　he　had　fought　out　the　spell。　I　have　done　that　myself；　but　once　I　married　Bessie　I　have　had　no　return　of　the　old　feeling。　Get　married；　Jack；　and　then　you　will　settle　down　and　work。　You　will　not　have　time　to　roam　around　alone　in　the　woods。〃

〃I　prefer　the　spells；　as　you　call　them；　any　day；〃　answered　Jonathan；　with　a　short　laugh。　〃A　man　with　my　disposition　has　no　right　to　get　married。　This　weather　is　trying；　for　it　keeps　me　indoors。　I　cannot　hunt　because　we　do　not　need　the　meat。　And　even　if　I　did　want　to　hunt　I　should　not　have　to　go　out　of　sight　of　the　fort。　There　were　three　deer　in　front　of　the　barn　this　morning。　They　were　nearly　starved。　They　ran　off　a　little　at　sight　of　me；　but　in　a　few　moments　came　back　for　the　hay　I　pitched　out　of　the　loft。　This　afternoon　Tige　and　I　saved　a　big　buck　from　a　pack　of　wolves。　The　buck　came　right　up　to　me。　I　could　have　touched　him。　This　storm　is　sending　the　deer　down　from　the　hills。〃

〃You　are　right。　It　is　too　bad。　Severe　weather　like　this　will　kill　more　deer　than　an　army　could。　Have　you　been　doing　anything　with　your　traps？〃

〃Yes；　I　have　thirty　traps　out。〃

〃If　you　are　going；　tell　Sam　to　fetch　down　another　load　of　fodder　before　he　unhitches。〃

〃Eb；　I　have　no　patience　with　your　brothers；〃　said　Col。　Zane's　wife　to　him　after　he　had　closed　the　door。　〃They　are　all　alike；　forever　wanting　to　be　on　the　go。　If　it　isn't　Indians　it　is　something　else。　The　very　idea　of　going　up　the　river　in　this　weather。　If　Jonathan　doesn't　care　for　himself　he　should　think　of　the　horses。〃

〃My　dear；　I　was　just　as　wild　and　discontented　as　Jack　before　I　met　you；〃　remarked　Col。　Zane。　〃You　may　not　think　so；　but　a　home　and　pretty　little　woman　will　do　wonders　for　any　man。　My　brothers　have　nothing　to　keep　them　steady。〃

〃Perhaps。　I　do　not　believe　that　Jonathan　ever　will　get　married。　Silas　may；　he　certainly　has　been　keeping　company　long　enough　with　Mary　Bennet。　You　are　the　only　Zane　who　has　conquered　that　adventurous　spirit　and　the　desire　to　be　always　roaming　the　woods　in　search　of　something　to　kill。　Your　old　boy；　Noah；　is　growing　up　like　all　the　Zanes。　He　fights　with　all　the　children　in　the　settlement。　I　cannot　break　him　of　it。　He　is　not　a　bully；　for　I　have　never　known　him　to　do　anything　mean　or　cruel。　It　is　just　sheer　love　of　fighting。〃

〃Ha！　Ha！　I　fear　you　will　not　break　him　of　that；〃　answered　Col。　Zane。　〃It　is　a　good　joke　to　say　he　gets　it　all　from　the　Zanes。　How　about　the　McCollochs？　What　have　you　to　say　of　your　father　and　the　Major　and　John　McColloch？　They　are　not　anything　if　not　the　fighting　kind。　It's　the　best　trait　the　youngster　could　have；　out　here　on　the　border。　He'll　need　it　all。　Don't　worry　about　him。　Where　is　Betty？〃

〃I　told　her　to　take　the　children　out　for　a　sled　ride。　Betty　needs　exercise。　She　stays　indoors　too　much；　and　of　late　she　looks　pale。〃

〃What！　Betty　not　looking　well！　She　was　never　ill　in　her　life。　I　have　noticed　no　change　in　her。〃

〃No；　I　daresay　you　have　not。　You　men　can't　see　anything。　But　I　can；　and　I　tell　you；　Betty　is　very　different　from　the　girl　she　used　to　be。　Most　of　the　time　she　sits　and　gazes　out　of　her　window。　She　used　to　be　so　bright；　and　when　she　was　not　romping　with　the　children　she　busied　herself　with　her　needle。　Yesterday　as　I　entered　her　room　she　hurriedly　picked　up　a　book；　and；　I　think；　intentionally　hid　her　face　behind　it。　I　saw　she　had　been　crying。〃

〃Come　to　think　of　it；　I　believe　I　have　missed　Betty；〃　said　Col。　Zane；　gravely。　〃She　seems　more　quiet。　Is　she　unhappy？　When　did　you　first　see　this　change？〃

〃I　think　it　a　little　while　after　Mr。　Clarke　left　here　last　fall。〃

〃Clarke！　What　has　he　to　do　with　Betty？　What　are　you　driving　at？〃　exclaimed　the　Colonel；　stopping　in　front　of　his　wife。　His　faced　had　paled　slightly。　〃I　had　forgotten　Clarke。　Bess；　you　can't　mean〃

〃Now；　Eb；　do　not　get　that　look　on　your　face。　You　always　frighten　me；〃　answered　his　wife；　as　she　quietly　placed　her　hand　on　his　arm。　〃I　do　not　mean　anything　much；　certainly　nothing　against　Mr。　Clarke。　He　was　a　true　gentleman。　I　really　liked　him。〃

〃So　did　I；〃　interrupted　the　Colonel。

〃I　believe　Betty　cared　for　Mr。　Clarke。　She　was　always　different　with　him。　He　has　gone　away　and　has　forgotten　her。　That　is　strange　to　us；　because　we　cannot　imagine　any　one　indifferent　to　our　beautiful　Betty。　Nevertheless；　no　matter　how　attractive　a　woman　may　be　men　sometimes　love　and　ride　away。　I　hear　the　children　coming　now。　Do　not　let　Betty　see　that　we　have　been　talking　about　her。　She　is　as　quick　as　a　steel　trap。〃

A　peal　of　childish　laughter　came　from　without。　The　door　opened　and　Betty　ran　in；　followed　by　the　sturdy；　rosy…checked　youngsters。　All　three　were　white　with　snow。

〃We　have　had　great　fun；〃　said　Betty。　〃We　went　over　the　bank　once　and　tumbled　off　the　sled　into　the　snow。　Then　we　had　a　snow…balling　contest；　and　the　boys　compelled　me　to　strike　my　colors　and　fly　for　the　house。〃

Col。　Zane　looked　closely　at　his　sister。　Her　cheeks　were　flowing　with　health；　her　eyes　were　sparkling　with　pleasure。　Failing　to　observe　any　indication　of　the　change　in　Betty　which　his　wife　had　spoken；　he　concluded　that　women　were　better　qualified　to　judge　their　own　sex　than　were　men。　He　had　to　confess　to　himself　that　the　only　change　he　could　see　in　his　sister　was　that　she　grew　prettier　every　day　of　her　life

〃Oh；　papa。　I　hit　Sam　right　in　the　head　with　a　big　snow…ball；　and　I　made　Betty　run　into　the　house；　and　I　slid　down　to　all　by　myself。　Sam　was　afraid；〃　said　Noah　to　his　father。

〃Noah；　if　Sammy　saw　the　danger　in　sliding　down　the　hill　he　was　braver　than　you。　Now　both　of　you　run　to　Annie　and　have　these　wet　things　taken　off。〃

〃I　must　go　get　on　dry　clothes　myself；〃　said　Betty。　〃I　am　nearly　frozen。　It　is　growing　colder。　I　saw　Jack　come　in。　Is　he　going　to　Fort　Pitt？〃

〃No。　He　has　decided　to　wait　until　good　weather。　I　met　Mr。　Filler　over　at　the　garrison　this　afternoon　and　he　wants　you　to　go　on　the　sled…ride　to…night。　There　is　to　be　a　dance　down　at　Watkins'　place。　All　the　young　people　are　going。　It　is　a　long　ride；　but　I　guess　it　will　be　perfectly　safe。　Silas　and　Wetzel　are　going。　Dress　yourself　warmly　and　go　with　them。　You　have　never　seen　old　Grandma　Watkins。〃

〃I　shall　be　pleased　to　go；〃　said　Betty。

Betty's　room　was　very　cozy；　considering　that　it　was　in　a　pioneer's　cabin。　It　had　two　windows；　the　larger　of　which　opened　on　the　side　toward　the　river。　The　walls　had　been　smoothly　plastered　and　covered　with　whi