osc.am2.redprophet-第41部分

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lumb　scared　to　death；　looking　this　way　and　that；　waiting　to　see　a　Red　man　flitch　an　arrow　at　him。　Kind　of　an　idiot；　Measure　decided；　since　there　wasn't　no　chance　of　seeing　a　Red　man　in　the　woods　till　his　arrow　was　already　in　you。
　　The　soldier　didn't　e　right　to　him。　He　circled　around；　got　beside　him。　Then　he　looped　a　rope　and　tossed　it　to　Measure。　〃You　hitch　this　around　your　chest；　under　your　arms；〃　said　the　soldier。
　　〃What　for？〃
　　〃So　I　can　lead　you　along。〃
　　〃The　hell　I　will；〃　said　Measure。　〃If　I　thought　you　were　going　to　drag　me　along　by　a　rope　in　the　middle　of　a　creek；　I'd've　stayed　on　dry　land　and　walked　home　myself。〃
　　〃If　you　don't　put　this　rope　around　you　in　five　seconds；　them　boys　are　going　to　blow　your　head　off。〃
　　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　Measure　demanded。　〃I'm　Measure　Miller。　I　was　captured　with　my　little　brother；　Alvin；　almost　a　week　ago；　and　I'm　just　going　home　to　Vigor　Church。〃
　　〃Well；　ain't　that　a　real　pretty　story？〃　said　the　soldier。　He　drew　back　the　rope；　sopping　wet；　and　cast　it　again。　This　time　it　hit　Measure　in　the　face。　Measure　caught　at　it；　held　it　in　his　hand。　The　soldier　drew　his　sword。　〃Get　ready　to　shoot；　boys！〃　shouted　the　soldier。　〃It's　that　renegade；　all　right！〃
　　〃Renegade！　I〃　Then　it　finally　occurred　to　Measure　that　something　had　gone　real　bad　with　this。　They　knew　who　he　was；　and　they　still　wanted　to　take　him　prisoner。
　　With　three　muskets　and　a　sword　close　by；　they　had　a　fair　chance　of　maybe　even　killing　him　if　he　tried　to　run　away。　This　was　the　U。S。　Army；　wasn't　it？　Once　they　got　him　to　an　officer；　he　could　explain　and　all　this　would　get　cleared　up。　So　he　put　the　rope　over　his　head；　and　pulled　the　loop　around　his　chest。
　　It　wasn't　too　bad　as　long　as　they　were　in　the　water；　sometimes　he　just　floated　along。　But　pretty　soon　they　got　out　and　then　they　made　him　walk　along　behind　as　they　picked　their　waythrough　the　woods。　They　were　looping　east；　around　behind　Vigor　Church。
　　Measure　tried　talking；　but　they　told　him　to　shut　up。　〃I　tell　you；　we　been　told　we　can　bring　in　renegades　like　you　alive　or　dead。　White　man　dressed　like　a　Red　　we　know　what　you　are。〃
　　From　their　conversation　he　was　able　to　gather　a　few　things。　They　were　on　a　scout…around　from　General　Harrison。　It　made　Measure　sick；　to　think　things　had　got　to　the　point　where　they'd　call　on　that　likker…dealing　scoundrel　to　e　north。　And　he　got　here　awful　fast；　too。
　　They　spent　the　night　camped　in　a　clearing。　They　made　so　much　noise　that　Measure　thought　it　was　a　wonder　they　didn't　have　every　Red　in　the　whole　country　nosing　around　before　morning。
　　The　next　day；　he　flat　refused　to　be　dragged　along　on　a　rope。　〃I'm　near　naked；　I　got　no　weapons；　and　you　can　kill　me　or　let　me　ride。〃　They　could　talk　about　bringing　him　in　alive　or　dead　and　not　caring　which；　but　he　knew　that　that　was　talk。　These　were　a　crude　bunch；　but　they　didn't　hanker　much　after　killing　white　men　in　cold　blood。　So　he　ended　up　on　horseback；　holding　one　of　them　around　the　waist。　Pretty　soon　they　reached　country　that　had　some　roads　and　trails；　and　they　made　good　time。
　　Just　after　noon　they　reached　an　army　camp。　Not　much　of　an　army；　maybe　a　hundred　in　uniform　and　another　two　hundred　marching　and　drilling　on　a　parade　ground　that　used　to　be　a　pasture。　Measure　couldn't　remember　the　name　of　the　family　that　lived　here。　They　were　new　folks；　just　e　up　from　the　area　around　Carthage。　Turned　out　it　didn't　matter　who　they　were；　though。　It　was　General　Harrison　had　their　house　for　his　headquarters；　and　these　scouts　led　him　straight　to　Harrison。
　　〃Ah；〃　said　Harrison。　〃One　of　the　renegades。〃
　　〃I'm　no　renegade；〃　said　Measure。　〃They　been　treating　me　like　a　prisoner　this　whole　way。　I　swear　the　Reds　treated　me　better　than　your　White　soldiers。〃
　　〃I　ain't　surprised　much；〃　said　Harrison。　〃They　treated　you　real　nice；　I'm　sure。　Where's　the　other　renegade？〃
　　〃Other　renegade？　You　mean　my　brother　Alvin？　You　know　who　I　am；　and　you　ain't　letting　me　go　home？〃
　　〃You　answer　my　questions；　and　then　I'll　give　some　thought　to　answering　yours。〃
　　〃My　brother　Alvin　ain't　here；　and　he　ain't　ing；　and　from　what　I　see　before　me　I'm　real　glad　he　didn't　e。〃
　　〃Alvin？　Ah；　yes；　they　told　me　you　were　claiming　to　be　Measure　Miller。　Well；　we　know　that　Measure　Miller　was　murdered　by　Ta…Kurnsaw　and　the　Prophet。〃
　　Measure　spat　on　the　floor。　〃You　know　that？　From　a　few　tore…up　bloody　clothes？　Well　you　don't　fool　me。　Do　you　think　I　don't　see　what　you're　doing？〃
　　〃Take　him　to　the　cellar；〃　said　Harrison。　〃Be　real　gentle　with　him。〃
　　〃You　don't　want　folks　to　know　I'm　alive；　cause　then　they'll　see　they　don't　need　you　up　here！〃　shouted　Measure。　〃I　wouldn't　be　surprised　if　you　got　them　Chok…Taw　to　capture　us　in　the　first　place！〃
　　〃If　that's　true；〃　said　Harrison；　〃then　if　I　were　you　I'd　watch　how　I　talked　and　what　I　said。　I'd　be　real　worried　about　getting　home　alive；　ever。　Now　look　at　yourself；　boy。　Skin　red　as　a　redbird；　wearing　a　loincloth；　looking　wild　as　a　real　bad　dream。　No；　I　reckon　if　it　turned　out　you　was　shot　dead　by　mistake；　nobody'd　blame　us；　not　a　soul。〃
　　〃My　father'd　know；〃　said　Measure。　〃You　can't　fool　him　with　a　lie　like　that；　Harrison。　And　Armor…of…God；　he'll〃
　　〃Armor…of…God？　That　pathetic　weakling？　The　one　who　keeps　telling　people　that　Ta…Kumsaw　and　the　Prophet　are　innocent；　and　we　shouldn't　be　getting　ready　to　wipe　them　out？　Nobody　listens　to　him　no　more；　Measure。〃
　　〃They　will。　Alvin's　alive；　and　you'll　never　catch　him。〃
　　〃Why　not？〃
　　〃Cause　he's　with　Ta…Kumsaw。〃
　　〃Ah；　and　where　is　that？〃
　　〃Not　around　here；　you　can　bet。〃
　　〃You've　seen　him？　And　the　Prophet？〃
　　The　hungry　look　in　Harrison's　eyes　made　Measure　kind　of　step　back　and　hold　his　tongue。　〃I　seen　what　I　seen；〃　said　Measure。　〃And　I'll　say　what　I　say。〃
　　〃Say　what　I　ask；　or　you'll　be　dead；〃　said　Harrison。
　　〃Kill　me；　and　I　won't　say　nothing　at　all。　But　I'll　tell　you　this。　I　saw　the　Prophet　call　a　tornado　out　of　a　storm。　I　saw　him　walk　on　water。　I　saw　him　prophesy；　and　his　prophecies　all　e　true。　He　knows　everything　you　plan　to　do。　You　think　you're　doing　what　you　want；　but　you'll　end　up　serving　his　purpose；　you　watch　and　see。〃
　　〃What　an　idea；〃　said　Harrison；　chuckling。　〃By　that　reckoning；　boy；　it　serves　his　purpose　for　you　to　be　in　my　hands；　don't　it？〃　He　waved　his　hands；　and　the　soldiers　dragged　him　out　of　the　house　and　down　into　the　root　cellar。　They　treated　him　real　gentle　on　the　way　　kicked　him　and　knocked　him　down　and　all　they　could　before　they　threw　him　down　the　steps　and　barred　the　door　behind　him。
　　Since　these　folks　came　from　Carthage　country；　the　cellar　door　had　a　lock；　as　well　as　the　bar。　Down　with　the　carrots；　potatoes；　and　spiders；　Measure　tested　that　door　as　best　he　could。　His　whole　body　was　one　big　ache。　All　the　scratches　and　the　sunburn　were　nothing　pared　to　the　raw　skin　inside　his　thighs　from　riding　behind　with　bare　legs。　And　that　was　nothing　pared　to　the　pain　from　the　kicks　and　bashes　they　gave　him　on　the　way　here。
　　Measure　didn't　waste　no　more　time。　He　knew　what　was　going　on　well　enough　to　know　Harrison　couldn't　let　him　out　alive。　He　had　those　scouts　out　looking　for　him　and　Alvin。　If　they　turned　up　alive；　it　would　undo　all　his　plans；　and　that'd　be　a　real　shame；　cause　things　were　going　just　right　for　Harrison。　After　all　these　years；　here　he　was　at　Vigor　Church；　training　the　local　men　to　be　soldiers；　while　nobody　was　listening　to　Armor…of…God　at　all。　Measure　didn't　much　like　the　Prophet；　but　pared　to　Harrison　the　Prophet　was　a　saint。
　　Or　was　he？　The　Prophet　had　him　wait　for　the　gatlopp　　why？　So　he'd　leave　in　the　afternoon　two　days　ago；　instead　of　morning。　So　he'd　reach　the　Tippy…Canoe　just　when　them　soldiers　were　riding　down。　Otherwise　he　would've　e　to　Prophetstown　and　then　hopped　on　over　into　Vigor　Church　without　seeing　a　soldier。　They'd　never　have　found　him；　if　he　hadn't　heard　them　and　called　out　to　them　himself。　Was　this　all　part　of　the　Prophet's　plan？　Well；　so　what　if　it　was？　Maybe　the　Prophet's　plan　was　a　good　thing；　and　maybe　it　wasn't　　so　far　Measure　didn't　think　too　highly　of　it。　But　he　sure　wasn't　going　to　sit　around　in　a　root　cellar　waiting　to　see　how　the　plan　worked　out。
　　He　burrowed　his　way　through　the　potatoes　to　the　back　of　the　cellar。　There　was　more　spiderwebs　in　his　face　and　hair　than　he　cared　for；　but　this　wasn't　a　time　to　worry　about　tidiness。　Pretty　soon　he　cleared　him　a　space　at　the　back；　with　the　potatoes　pushed　mostly　to　the　front。　When　they　opened　the　doors；　they'd　just　see　a　lot　of　potatoes。　Not　a　sign　of　his　digging。
　　The　root　cellar　was　the　normal　kind。　Dug　out；　timbered　over；　roofed；　and　then　the　roof　covered　up　with　all　the　dirt　from　the　hole。　He　could　dig　into　the　back　wall　and　e　up　behind　the　cellar；　and　they　couldn't　see　a　thing　from　the　house　at　all。　It　was　bare…hands　digging；　but　this　was　rich　Wobbish　soil。　He'd　e　out　looking　more　like　a　Black　than　a　Red；　but　he　didn't　much　care。
　　Trouble　was；　the　back　wall　wasn't　dirt；　it　was　wood。　They'd　walled　it　in；　right　to　the　bottom。　Tidy　folks。　The　floor　was　dirt；　all　right。　But　that　meant　digging　down　under　the　wall　before　he　could　tunnel　up。　Instead　of　being　something　he　could　do　overnight　it'd　take　days。　And　any　time；　they　might　catch　him　di