the scouts of the valley- 第59部分

They　lay　still　awhile；　listening　to　the　firing　in　the　town；　which　swayed　hither　and　thither。　　The　smoke　in　the　room　thinned　somewhat；　and　the　daylight　broadened　and　deepened。　　As　a　desperate　resort　they　resumed　fire　from　the　windows；　but　three　more　of　their　number　were　slain；　and；　bitter　with　chagrin；　they　crouched　once　more　on　the　floor　out　of　range。　　Wyatt　looked　at　the　figures　of　the　living　and　the　dead。　　Savage　despair　tore　at　his　heart　again；　and　his　hatred　of　those　who　bad　done　this　increased。　　It　was　being　served　out　to　him　and　his　band　as　they　had　served　it　out　to　many　a　defenseless　family　in　the　beautiful　valleys　of　the　border。　　Despite　the　sharpshooters；　he　took　another　look　at　the　window；　but　kept　so　far　back　that　there　was　no　chance　for　a　shot。

〃Two　of　them　are　slipping　away；〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃They　are　Ross　and　the　one　they　call　Long　Jim！　　I　wish　I　dared　a　shot！　　Now　they're　gone！〃

They　lay　again　in　silence　for　a　time。　　There　was　still　firing　in　the　town；　and　now　and　then　they　heard　shouts。　　Wyatt　looked　at　his　lieutenant；　and　his　lieutenant　looked　at　him。

〃Yours　is　the　ugliest　face　I　ever　saw；〃　said　Wyatt。

〃I　can　say　the　same　of　yours…as　I　can't　see　mine；〃　said　Coleman。

The　two　gazed　once　more　at　the　hideous；　streaked；　and　grimed　faces　of　each　other；　and　then　laughed　wildly。　　A　wounded　Seneca　sitting　with　his　back　against　the　wall　began　to　chant　a　low；　wailing　death　song。

〃Shut　up！　　Stop　that　infernal　noise！〃　exclaimed　Wyatt　savagely。

The　Seneca　stared　at　him　with　fixed；　glassy　eyes　and　continued　his　chant。　　Wyatt　turned　away；　but　that　song　was　upon　his　nerves。　　He　knew　that　everything　was　lost。　　The　main　force　of　the　Iroquois　would　not　come　back　to　his　help；　and　Henry　Ware　would　triumph。　　He　sat　down　on　the　floor；　and　muttered　fierce　words　under　his　breath。

〃Hark！〃　suddenly　exclaimed　Coleman。　　〃What　is　that？〃

A　low　crackling　sound　came　to　their　ears；　and　both　recognized　it　instantly。　　It　was　the　sound　of　flames　eating　rapidly　into　wood；　and　of　that　wood　was　built　the　house　they　now　held。　　Even　as　they　listened　they　could　hear　the　flames　leap　and　roar　into　new　and　larger　life。

〃This　is；　what　those　two；　Ross　and　Hart；　were　up　to！〃　exclaimed　Wyatt。　　〃We're　not　only　trapped；　but　we're　to　be　burned　alive　in　our　trap！〃

〃Not　I；〃　said　Coleman；　〃I'm　goin'　to　make　a　rush　for　it。〃

〃It's　the　only　thing　to　be　done；〃　said　Wyatt。　　〃Come；　all　of　you　that　are　left！〃

The　scanty　survivors　gathered　around　him；　all　but　the　wounded　Seneca；　who　sat　unmoved　against　the　wall　and　continued　to　chant　his　death　chant。　　Wyatt　glanced　at　him；　but　said　nothing。　　Then　he　and　the　others　rushed　down　the　stairs。

The　lower　room　was　filled　with　smoke；　and　outside　the　flames　were　roaring。　　They　unbarred　the　door　and　sprang　into　the　open　air。　　A　shower　of　bullets　met　them。　　The　Tory；　Coleman；　uttered　a　choking　cry；　threw　up　his　arms；　and　fell　back　in　the　doorway。　　Braxton　Wyatt　seized　one　of　the　smaller　men；　and；　holding　him　a　moment　or　two　before　him　to　receive　the　fire　of　his　foe；　dashed　for　the　corner　of　the　blazing　building。　　The　man　whom　he　held　was　slain；　and　his　own　shoulder　was　grazed　twice；　but　he　made　the　corner。　　In　an　instant　he　put　the　burning　building　between　him　and　his　pursuers；　and　ran　as　he　had　never　run　before　in　all　his　life；　deadly　fear　putting　wings　on　his　heels。　　As　he　ran　he　heard　the　dull　boom　of　a　cannon；　and　he　knew　that　tile　American　army　was　entering　the　Seneca　Castle。　　Ahead　of　him　he　saw　the　last　of　the　Indians　fleeing　for　the　woods；　and　behind　him　the　burning　house　crashed　and　fell　in　amid　leaping　flames　and　sparks　in　myriads。　　He　alone　had　escaped　from　the　house。




CHAPTER　XXIV

DOWN　THE　OHIO


〃We　didn't　get　Wyatt；〃　said　Henry；　〃but　we　did　pretty　well；　nevertheless。〃

〃That's　so；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。　　〃Thar's　nothin'　left　o'　his　band　but　hisself；　an'　I　ain't　feelin'　any　sorrow　'cause　I　helped　to　do　it。　　I　guess　we've　saved　the　lives　of　a　good　many　innocent　people　with　this　morning's　work。〃

〃Never　a　doubt　of　it；〃　said　Henry；　〃and　here's　the　army　now　finishing　up　the　task。〃

The　soldiers　were　setting　fire　to　the　town　in　many　places；　and　in　two　hours　the　great　Seneca　Castle　was　wholly　destroyed。　　The　five　took　no　part　in　this；　but　rested　after　their　battles　and　labors。　　One　or　two　had　been　grazed　by　bullets；　but　the　wounds　were　too　trifling　to　be　noticed。　　As　they　rested；　they　watched　the　fire；　which　was　an　immense　one；　fed　by　so　much　material。　　The　blaze　could　be　seen　for　many　miles；　and　the　ashes　drifted　over　all　the　forest　beyond　the　fields。

All　the　while　the　Iroquois　were　fleeing　through　the　wilderness　to　the　British　posts　and　the　country　beyond　the　lakes；　whence　their　allies　had　already　preceded　them。　　The　coals　of　Little　Beard's　Town　smoldered　for　two　or　three　days；　and　then　the　army　turned　back；　retracing　its　steps　down　the　Genesee。

Henry　and　his　comrades　felt　that　their　work　in　the　East　was　finished。　　Kentucky　was　calling　to　them。　　They　had　no　doubt　that　Braxton　Wyatt；　now　that　his　band　was　destroyed；　would　return　there；　and　he　would　surely　be　plotting　more　danger。　　It　was　their　part　to　meet　and　defeat　him。　　They　wished；　too；　to　see　again　the　valley；　the　river；　and　the　village　in　which　their　people　had　made　their　home；　and　they　；wished　yet　more　to　look　upon　the　faces　of　these　people。

They　left　the　army；　went　southward　with　Heemskerk　and　some　others　of　the　riflemen；　but　at　the　Susquehanna　parted　with　the　gallant　Dutchman　and　his　comrades。

〃It　is　good　to　me　to　have　known　you；　my　brave　friends；〃　said　Heemskerk；　〃and　I　say　good…by　with　sorrow　to　you；　Mynheer　Henry；　to　you；　Mynheer　Paul；　to　you；　Mynheer　Sol；　to　you；　Mynheer　Tom；　and　to　you；　Mynheer　Jim。〃

He　wrung　their　hands　one　by　one；　and　then　revolved　swiftly　away　to　hide　his　emotion。

The　five；　rifles　on　their　shoulders；　started　through　the　forest。　　When　they　looked　back　they　saw　Cornelius　Heemskerk　waving　his　hand　to　them。　　They　waved　in　return；　and　then　disappeared　in　the　forest。　　It　was　a　long　journey　to　Pittsburgh；　but　they　found　it　a　pleasant　one。　　It　was　yet　deep　autumn　on　the　Pennsylvania　hills；　and　the　forest　was　glowing　with　scarlet　and　gold。　　The　air　was　the　very　wine　of　life；　and　when　they　needed　game　it　was　there　to　be　shot。　　As　the　cold　weather　hung　off；　they　did　not　hurry；　and　they　enjoyed　the　peace　of　the　forest。　　They　realized　now　that　after　their　vast　labors；　hardships；　and　dangers；　they　needed　a　great　rest；　and　they　took　it。　　It　was　singular；　and　perhaps　not　so　singular；　how　their　minds　turned　from　battle；　pursuit；　and　escape；　to　gentle　things。　　A　little　brook　or　fountain　pleased　them。　　They　admired　the　magnificent　colors　of　the　foliage；　and　lingered　over　the　views　from　the　low　mountains。　　Doe　and　fawn　fled　from　them；　but　without　cause。　　At　night　they　built　splendid　fires；　and　sat　before　them；　while　everyone　in　his　turn　told　tales　according　to　his　nature　or　experience。

They　bought　at　Pittsburgh　a　strong　boat　partly　covered；　and　at　the　point　where　the　Allegheny　and　the　Monongahela　unite　they　set　sail　down　the　Ohio。　　It　was　winter　now；　but　in　their　stout　caravel　they　did　not　care。　　They　had　ample　supplies　of　all　kinds；　including　ammunition；　and　their　hearts　were　light　when　they　swung　into　the　middle　of　the　Ohio　and　moved　with　its　current。

〃Now　for　a　great　voyage；〃　said　Paul；　looking　at　the　clear　stream　with　sparkling　eyes。

〃I　wonder　what　it　will　bring　to　us；〃　said　Shif'less　Sol。

〃We　shall　see；〃　said　Henry。




End