betty zane-第5部分

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could　not　be　observed　from　the　fort　windows。　The　river　was　high　from　the　recent　rains　and　brush　heaps　and　logs　and　debris　of　all　descriptions　were　floating　down　with　the　swift　current。　Rabbits　and　other　small　animals；　which　had　probably　been　surrounded　on　some　island　and　compelled　to　take　to　the　brush　or　drown；　crouched　on　floating　logs　and　piles　of　driftwood。　Happening　to　glance　down　the　road；　Clarke　saw　a　horse　galloping　in　his　direction　At　first　he　thought　it　was　a　messenger　for　himself；　but　as　it　neared　him　he　saw　that　the　horse　was　an　Indian　pony　and　the　rider　a　young　girl；　whose　long；　black　hair　was　flying　in　the　wind。

〃Hello！　I　wonder　what　the　deuce　this　is？　Looks　like　an　Indian　girl；〃　said　Clarke　to　himself。　〃She　rides　well；　whoever　she　may　be。〃

He　stepped　behind　a　clump　of　laurel　bushes　near　the　roadside　and　waited。　Rapidly　the　horse　and　rider　approached　him。　When　they　were　but　a　few　paces　distant　he　sprang　out　and；　as　the　pony　shied　and　reared　at　sight　of　him；　he　clutched　the　bridle　and　pulled　the　pony's　head　down。　Looking　up　he　encountered　the　astonished　and　bewildered　gaze　from　a　pair　of　the　prettiest　dark　eyes　it　had　ever　been　his　fortune；　or　misfortune；　to　look　into。

Betty；　for　it　was　she；　looked　at　the　young　man　in　amazement；　while　Alfred　was　even　more　surprised　and　disconcerted。　For　a　moment　they　looked　at　each　other　in　silence。　But　Betty；　who　was　scarcely　ever　at　a　loss　for　words；　presently　found　her　voice。

〃Well；　sir！　What　does　this　mean？〃　she　asked　indignantly。

〃It　means　that　you　must　turn　around　and　go　back　to　the　fort；〃　answered　Alfred；　also　recovering　himself。

Now　Betty's　favorite　ride　happened　to　be　along　this　road。　It　lay　along　the　top　of　the　bluff　a　mile　or　more　and　afforded　a　fine　unobstructed　view　of　the　river。　Betty　had　either　not　heard　of　the　Captain's　order；　that　no　one　was　to　leave　the　fort；　or　she　had　disregarded　it　altogether；　probably　the　latter；　as　she　generally　did　what　suited　her　fancy。

〃Release　my　pony's　head！〃　she　cried；　her　face　flushing；　as　she　gave　a　jerk　to　the　reins。　〃How　dare　you？　What　right　have　you　to　detain　me？〃

The　expression　Betty　saw　on　Clarke's　face　was　not　new　to　her；　for　she　remembered　having　seen　it　on　the　faces　of　young　gentlemen　whom　she　had　met　at　her　aunt's　house　in　Philadelphia。　It　was　the　slight；　provoking　smile　of　the　man　familiar　with　the　various　moods　of　young　women；　the　expression　of　an　amused　contempt　for　their　imperiousness。　But　it　was　not　that　which　angered　Betty。　It　was　the　coolness　with　which　he　still　held　her　pony　regardless　of　her　commands。

〃Pray　do　not　get　excited；〃　he　said。　〃I　am　sorry　I　cannot　allow　such　a　pretty　little　girl　to　have　her　own　way。　I　shall　hold　your　pony　until　you　say　you　will　go　back　to　the　fort。〃

〃Sir！〃　exclaimed　Betty；　blushing　a　bright…red。　〃Youyou　are　impertinent！〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　answered　Alfred；　with　a　pleasant　laugh。　〃I　am　sure　I　do　not　intend　to　be。　Captain　Boggs　did　not　acquaint　me　with　full　particulars　or　I　might　have　declined　my　present　occupation：　not；　however；　that　it　is　not　agreeable　just　at　this　moment。　He　should　have　mentioned　the　danger　of　my　being　run　down　by　Indian　ponies　and　imperious　young　ladies。〃

〃Will　you　let　go　of　that　bridle；　or　shall　I　get　off　and　walk　back　for　assistance？〃　said　Betty；　getting　angrier　every　moment。

〃Go　back　to　the　fort　at　once；〃　ordered　Alfred；　authoritatively。　〃Captain　Boggs'　orders　are　that　no　one　shall　be　allowed　to　leave　the　clearing。〃

〃Oh！　Why　did　you　not　say　so？　I　thought　you　were　Simon　Girty；　or　a　highwayman。　Was　it　necessary　to　keep　me　here　all　this　time　to　explain　that　you　were　on　duty？〃

〃You　know　sometimes　it　is　difficult　to　explain；〃　said　Alfred；　〃besides；　the　situation　had　its　charm。　No；　I　am　not　a　robber；　and　I　don't　believe　you　thought　so。　I　have　only　thwarted　a　young　lady's　whim；　which　I　am　aware　is　a　great　crime。　I　am　very　sorry。　Goodbye。〃

Betty　gave　him　a　withering　glance　from　her　black　eyes；　wheeled　her　pony　and　galloped　away。　A　mellow　laugh　was　borne　to　her　ears　before　she　got　out　of　hearing；　and　again　the　red　blood　mantled　her　cheeks。

〃Heavens！　What　a　little　beauty；〃　said　Alfred　to　himself；　as　he　watched　the　graceful　rider　disappear。　〃What　spirit！　Now；　I　wonder　who　she　can　be。　She　had　on　moccasins　and　buckskin　gloves　and　her　hair　tumbled　like　a　tomboy's；　but　she　is　no　backwoods　girl；　I'll　bet　on　that。　I'm　afraid　I　was　a　little　rude；　but　after　taking　such　a　stand　I　could　not　weaken；　especially　before　such　a　haughty　and　disdainful　little　vixen。　It　was　too　great　a　temptation。　What　eyes　she　had！　Contrary　to　what　I　expected；　this　little　frontier　settlement　bids　fair　to　become　interesting。〃

The　afternoon　wore　slowly　away；　and　until　late　in　the　day　nothing　further　happened　to　disturb　Alfred's　meditations；　which　consisted　chiefly　of　different　mental　views　and　pictures　of　red　lips　and　black　eyes。　Just　as　he　decided　to　return　to　the　fort　for　his　supper　he　heard　the　barking　of　a　dog　that　he　had　seen　running　along　the　road　some　moments　before。　The　sound　came　from　some　distance　down　the　river　bank　and　nearer　the　fort。　Walking　a　few　paces　up　the　bluff　Alfred　caught　sight　of　a　large　black　dog　running　along　the　edge　of　the　water。　He　would　run　into　the　water　a　few　paces　and　then　come　out　and　dash　along　the　shore。　He　barked　furiously　all　the　while。　Alfred　concluded　that　he　must　have　been　excited　by　a　fox　or　perhaps　a　wolf；　so　he　climbed　down　the　steep　bank　and　spoke　to　the　dog。　Thereupon　the　dog　barked　louder　and　more　fiercely　than　ever；　ran　to　the　water；　looked　out　into　the　river　and　then　up　at　the　man　with　almost　human　intelligence。

Alfred　understood。　He　glanced　out　over　the　muddy　water；　at　first　making　out　nothing　but　driftwood。　Then　suddenly　he　saw　a　log　with　an　object　clinging　to　it　which　he　took　to　be　a　man；　and　an　Indian　at　that。　Alfred　raised　his　rifle　to　his　shoulder　and　was　in　the　act　of　pressing　the　trigger　when　he　thought　he　heard　a　faint　halloo。　Looking　closer；　he　found　he　was　not　covering　the　smooth　polished　head　adorned　with　the　small　tuft　of　hair；　peculiar　to　a　redskin　on　the　warpath；　but　a　head　from　which　streamed　long　black　hair。

Alfred　lowered　his　rifle　and　studied　intently　the　log　with　its　human　burden。　Drifting　with　the　current　it　gradually　approached　the　bank；　and　as　it　came　nearer　he　saw　that　it　bore　a　white　man；　who　was　holding　to　the　log　with　one　hand　and　with　the　other　was　making　feeble　strokes。　He　concluded　the　man　was　either　wounded　or　nearly　drowned；　for　his　movements　were　becoming　slower　and　weaker　every　moment。　His　white　face　lay　against　the　log　and　barely　above　water。　Alfred　shouted　encouraging　words　to　him。

At　the　bend　of　the　river　a　little　rocky　point　jutted　out　a　few　yards　into　the　water。　As　the　current　carried　the　log　toward　this　point；　Alfred；　after　divesting　himself　of　some　of　his　clothing；　plunged　in　and　pulled　it　to　the　shore。　The　pallid　face　of　the　man　clinging　to　the　log　showed　that　he　was　nearly　exhausted；　and　that　he　had　been　rescued　in　the　nick　of　time。　When　Alfred　reached　shoal　water　he　slipped　his　arm　around　the　man；　who　was　unable　to　stand；　and　carried　him　ashore。

The　rescued　man　wore　a　buckskin　hunting　shirt　and　leggins　and　moccasins　of　the　same　material；　all　very　much　the　worse　for　wear。　The　leggins　were　torn　into　tatters　and　the　moccasins　worn　through。　His　face　was　pinched　with　suffering　and　one　arm　was　bleeding　from　a　gunshot　wound　near　the　shoulder。

〃Can　you　not　speak？　Who　are　you？〃　asked　Clarke；　supporting　the　limp　figure。

The　man　made　several　efforts　to　answer；　and　finally　said　something　that　to

Alfred　sounded　like　〃Zane；〃　then　he　fell　to　the　ground　unconscious。

All　this　time　the　dog　had　acted　in　a　most　peculiar　manner；　and　if　Alfred　had　not　been　so　intent　on　the　man　he　would　have　noticed　the　animal's　odd　maneuvers。　He　ran　to　and　fro　on　the　sandy　beach；　he　scratched　up　the　sand　and　pebbles；　sending　them　flying　in　the　air；　he　made　short；　furious　dashes；　he　jumped；　whirled；　and；　at　last；　crawled　close　to　the　motionless　figure　and　licked　its　hand。

Clarke　realized　that　he　would　not　be　able　to　carry　the　inanimate　figure；　so　he　hurriedly　put　on　his　clothes　and　set　out　on　a　run　for　Colonel　Zane's　house。　The　first　person　whom　he　saw　was　the　odd　negro　slave；　who　was　brushing　one　of　the　Colonel's　horses。

Sam　was　deliberate　and　took　his　time　about　everything。　He　slowly　looked　up　and　surveyed　Clarke　with　his　rolling　eyes。　He　did　not　recognize　in　him　any　one　he　had　ever　seen　before；　and　being　of　a　sullen　and　taciturn　nature；　especially　with　strangers；　he　seemed　in　no　hurry　to　give　the　desired　information　as　to　Colonel　Zane's　whereabouts。

〃Don't　stare　at　me　that　way；　you　damn　nigger；〃　said　Clarke；　who　was　used　to　being　obeyed　by　negroes。　〃Quick；　you　idiot。　Where　is　the　Colonel？〃

At　that　moment　Colonel　Zane　came　out　of　the　barn　and　started　to　speak；　when　Clarke　interrupted　him。

〃Colonel；　I　have　just　pulled　a　man　out　of　the　river　who　says　his　name　is　Zane；　or　if　he　did　not　mean　that；　he　knows　you；　for　he　surely　said　'Zane。'〃

〃What！〃　ejaculated　the　Colonel；　letting　his　pipe　fall　from　his　mouth。

Clarke　related　the　circumstances　in　a　few　hurried　words。　Calling　Sam　they　ran　quickly　down　to　the　river；　where　they　found　the　prostrate　figure　as　Clarke　had　left　it；　the　dog　still　c