betty zane-第29部分

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hich　opened　on　the　side　toward　the　river。　The　walls　had　been　smoothly　plastered　and　covered　with　white　birch…bark。　They　were　adorned　with　a　few　pictures　and　Indian　ornaments。　A　bright　homespun　carpet　covered　the　floor。　A　small　bookcase　stood　in　the　corner。　The　other　furniture　consisted　of　two　chairs；　a　small　table；　a　bureau　with　a　mirror；　and　a　large　wardrobe。　It　was　in　this　last　that　Betty　kept　the　gowns　which　she　had　brought　from　Philadelphia；　and　which　were　the　wonder　of　all　the　girls　in　the　village。

〃I　wonder　why　Eb　looked　so　closely　at　me；〃　mused　Betty；　as　she　slipped　on　her　little　moccasins。　〃Usually　he　is　not　anxious　to　have　me　go　so　far　from　the　fort；　and　now　he　seemed　to　think　I　would　enjoy　this　dance　to…night。　I　wonder　what　Bessie　has　been　telling　him。〃

Betty　threw　some　wood　on　the　smouldering　fire　in　the　little　stone　grate　and　sat　down　to　think。　Like　every　one　who　has　a　humiliating　secret；　Betty　was　eternally　suspicious　and　feared　the　very　walls　would　guess　it。　Swift　as　light　came　the　thought　that　her　brother　and　his　wife　had　suspected　her　secret　and　had　been　talking　about　her；　perhaps　pitying　her　With　this　thought　came　the　fear　that　if　she　had　betrayed　herself　to　the　Colonel's　wife　she　might　have　done　so　to　others。　The　consciousness　that　this　might　well　be　true　and　that　even　now　the　girls　might　be　talking　and　laughing　at　her　caused　her　exceeding　shame　and　bitterness。

Many　weeks　had　passed　since　that　last　night　that　Betty　and　Alfred　Clarke　had　been　together。

In　due　time　Col。　Zane's　men　returned　and　Betty　learned　from　Jonathan　that　Alfred　had　left　them　at　Ft。　Pitt；　saying　he　was　going　south　to　his　old　home。　At　first　she　had　expected　some　word　from　Alfred；　a　letter；　or　if　not　that；　surely　an　apology　for　his　conduct　on　that　last　evening　they　had　been　together。　But　Jonathan　brought　her　no　word；　and　after　hoping　against　hope　and　wearing　away　the　long　days　looking　for　a　letter　that　never　came；　she　ceased　to　hope　and　plunged　into　despair。

The　last　few　months　had　changed　her　life；　changed　it　as　only　constant　thinking；　and　suffering　that　must　be　hidden　from　the　world；　can　change　the　life　of　a　young　girl。　She　had　been　so　intent　on　her　own　thoughts；　so　deep　in　her　dreams　that　she　had　taken　no　heed　of　other　people。　She　did　not　know　that　those　who　loved　her　were　always　thinking　of　her　welfare　and　would　naturally　see　even　a　slight　change　in　her。　With　a　sudden　shock　of　surprise　and　pain　she　realized　that　to…day　for　the　first　time　in　a　month　she　had　played　with　the　boys。　Sammy　had　asked　her　why　she　did　not　laugh　any　more。　Now　she　understood　the　mad　antics　of　Tige　that　morning；　Madcap's　whinney　of　delight；　the　chattering　of　the　squirrels；　and　Caesar's　pranks　in　the　snow。　She　had　neglected　her　pets。　She　had　neglected　her　work；　her　friends；　the　boys'　lessons；　and　her　brother。　For　what？　What　would　her　girl　friends　say？　That　she　was　pining　for　a　lover　who　had　forgotten　her。　They　would　say　that　and　it　would　be　true。　She　did　think　of　him　constantly。

With　bitter　pain　she　recalled　the　first　days　of　the　acquaintance　which　now　seemed　so　long　past；　how　much　she　had　disliked　Alfred；　how　angry　she　had　been　with　him　and　how　contemptuously　she　had　spurned　his　first　proffer　of　friendship；　how；　little　by　little；　her　pride　had　been　subdued；　then　the　struggle　with　her　heart。　And；　at　last；　after　he　had　gone；　came　the　realization　that　the　moments　spent　with　him　had　been　the　sweetest　of　her　life。　She　thought　of　him　as　she　used　to　see　him　stand　before　her；　so　good　to　look　at；　so　strong　and　masterful；　and　yet　so　gentle。

〃Oh；　I　cannot　bear　it；〃　whispered　Betty　with　a　half　sob；　giving　up　to　a　rush　of　tender　feeling。　〃I　love　him。　I　love　him；　and　I　cannot　forget　him。　Oh；　I　am　so　ashamed。〃

Betty　bowed　her　head　on　her　knees。　Her　slight　form　quivered　a　while　and　then　grew　still。　When　a　half　hour　later　she　raised　her　head　her　face　was　pale　and　cold。　It　bore　the　look　of　a　girl　who　had　suddenly　become　a　woman；　a　woman　who　saw　the　battle　of　life　before　her　and　who　was　ready　to　fight。　Stern　resolve　gleamed　from　her　flashing　eyes；　there　was　no　faltering　in　those　set　lips。

Betty　was　a　Zane　and　the　Zanes　came　of　a　fighting　race。　Their　blood　had　ever　been　hot　and　passionate；　the　blood　of　men　quick　to　love　and　quick　to　hate。　It　had　flowed　in　the　veins　of　daring；　reckless　men　who　had　fought　and　died　for　their　country；　men　who　had　won　their　sweethearts　with　the　sword；　men　who　had　had　unconquerable　spirits。　It　was　this　fighting　instinct　that　now　rose　in　Betty；　it　gave　her　strength　and　pride　to　defend　her　secret；　the　resolve　to　fight　against　the　longing　in　her　heart。

〃I　will　forget　him！　I　will　tear　him　out　of　my　heart！〃　she　exclaimed　passionately。　〃He　never　deserved　my　love。　He　did　not　care。　I　was　a　little　fool　to　let　him　amuse　himself　with　me。　He　went　away　and　forgot。　I　hate　him。〃

At　length　Betty　subdued　her　excitement；　and　when　she　went　down　to　supper　a　few　minutes　later　she　tried　to　maintain　a　cheerful　composure　of　manner　and　to　chat　with　her　old…time　vivacity。

〃Bessie；　I　am　sure　you　have　exaggerated　things；〃　remarked　Col。　Zane　after　Betty　had　gone　upstairs　to　dress　for　the　dance。　〃Perhaps　it　is　only　that　Betty　grows　a　little　tired　of　this　howling　wilderness。　Small　wonder　if　she　does。　You　know　she　has　always　been　used　to　comfort　and　many　young　people；　places　to　go　and　all　that。　This　is　her　first　winter　on　the　frontier。　She'll　come　round　all　right。〃

〃Have　it　your　way；　Ebenezer；〃　answered　his　wife　with　a　look　of　amused　contempt　on　her　face。　〃I　am　sure　I　hope　you　are　right。　By　the　way；　what　do　you　think　of　this　Ralfe　Miller？　He　has　been　much　with　Betty　of　late。〃

〃I　do　not　know　the　fellow；　Bessie。　He　seems　agreeable。　He　is　a　good…looking　young　man。　Why　do　you　ask？〃

〃The　Major　told　me　that　Miller　had　a　bad　name　at　Pitt；　and　that　he　had　been　a　friend　of　Simon　Girty　before　Girty　became　a　renegade。〃

〃Humph！　I'll　have　to　speak　to　Sam。　As　for　knowing　Girty；　there　is　nothing　terrible　in　that。　All　the　women　seem　to　think　that　Simon　is　the　very　prince　of　devils。　I　have　known　all　the　Girtys　for　years。　Simon　was　not　a　bad　fellow　before　he　went　over　to　the　Indians。　It　is　his　brother　James　who　has　committed　most　of　those　deeds　which　have　made　the　name　of　Girty　so　infamous。〃

〃I　don't　like　Miller；〃　continued　Mrs。　Zane　in　a　hesitating　way。　〃I　must　admit　that　I　have　no　sensible　reason　for　my　dislike。　He　is　pleasant　and　agreeable；　yes；　but　behind　it　there　is　a　certain　intensity。　That　man　has　something　on　his　mind。〃

〃If　he　is　in　love　with　Betty；　as　you　seem　to　think；　he　has　enough　on　his　mind。　I'll　vouch　for　that；〃　said　Col。　Zane。　〃Betty　is　inclined　to　be　a　coquette。　If　she　liked　Clarke　pretty　well；　it　may　be　a　lesson　to　her。〃

〃I　wish　she　were　married　and　settled　down。　It　may　have　been　no　great　harm　for　Betty　to　have　kind　many　admirers　while　in　Philadelphia；　but　out　here　on　the　border　it　will　never　do。　These　men　will　not　have　it。　There　will　be　trouble　come　of　Betty's　coquettishness。〃

〃Why；　Bessie；　she　is　only　a　child。　What　would　you　have　her　do？　Marry　the　first　man　who　asked　her？〃

〃The　clod…hoppers　are　coming；〃　said　Mrs。　Zane　as　the　jingling　of　sleigh　bells　broke　the　stillness。

Col。　Zane　sprang　up　and　opened　the　door。　A　broad　stream　of　light　flashed　from　the　room　and　lighted　up　the　road。　Three　powerful　teams　stood　before　the　door。　They　were　hitched　to　sleds；　or　clod…hoppers；　which　were　nothing　more　than　wagon…beds　fastened　on　wooden　runners。　A　chorus　of　merry　shouts　greeted　Col。　Zane　as　he　appeared　in　the　doorway。

〃All　right！　all　right！　Here　she　is；〃　he　cried；　as　Betty　ran　down　the　steps。

The　Colonel　bundled　her　in　a　buffalo　robe　in　a　corner　of　the　foremost　sled。　At　her　feet　he　placed　a　buckskin　bag　containing　a　hot　stone　Mrs。　Zane　thoughtfully　had　provided。

〃All　ready　here。　Let　them　go；〃　called　the　Colonel。　〃You　will　have　clear　weather。　Coming　back　look　well　to　the　traces　and　keep　a　watch　for　the　wolves。〃

The　long　whips　cracked；　the　bells　jingled；　the　impatient　horses　plunged　forward　and　away　they　went　over　the　glistening　snow。　The　night　was　clear　and　cold；　countless　stars　blinked　in　the　black　vault　overhead；　the　pale　moon　cast　its　wintry　light　down　on　a　white　and　frozen　world。　As　the　runners　glided　swiftly　and　smoothly　onward　showers　of　dry　snow　like　fine　powder　flew　from　under　the　horses'　hoofs　and　soon　whitened　the　black…robed　figures　in　the　sleds。　The　way　led　down　the　hill　past　the　Fort；　over　the　creek　bridge　and　along　the　road　that　skirted　the　Black　Forest。　The　ride　was　long；　it　led　up　and　down　hills；　and　through　a　lengthy　stretch　of　gloomy　forest。　Sometimes　the　drivers　walked　the　horses　up　a　steep　climb　and　again　raced　them　along　a　level　bottom。　Making　a　turn　in　the　road　they　saw　a　bright　light　in　the　distance　which　marked　their　destination。　In　five　minutes　the　horses　dashed　into　a　wide　clearing。　An　immense　log　fire　burned　in　front　of　a　two…story　structure。　Streams　of　light　poured　from　the　small　windows；　the　squeaking　of　fiddles；　the　shuffling　of　many　feet；　and　gay　laughter　came　through　the　open　door。

The　steaming　horses　were　unhitched；　covered　carefully　with　robes　and　led　into　sheltered　places；　while　the　merry　party　disappeared　into　the　house。

The　occasion　was　the　celebration　of　the　birthday　of　old　Dan　Watkins'　daught