betty zane-第50部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　she　managed　to　assume；　she　knocked　gently　on　the　door。

〃Ah；　Betty；　'tis　you；　bless　your　heart；〃　said　a　matronly　little　woman　who　opened　the　door。　〃Come　right　in。　He　is　sleeping　now；　poor　fellow；　and　it's　the　first　real　sleep　he　has　had。　He　has　been　raving　crazy　forty…eight　hours。〃

〃Mrs。　Martin；　what　shall　I　do？〃　whispered　Betty。

〃Oh；　just　watch　him；　my　dear；〃　answered　the　elder　woman。

〃If　you　need　me　send　one　of　the　lads　up　to　the　house　for　me。　I　shall　return　as　soon　as　I　can。　Keep　the　flies　awaythey　are　bothersomeand　bathe　his　head　every　little　while。　If　he　wakes　and　tries　to　sit　up；　as　he　does　sometimes；　hold　him　back。　He　is　as　weak　as　a　cat。　If　he　raves；　soothe　him　by　talking　to　him。　I　must　go　now；　dearie。〃

Betty　was　left　alone　in　the　little　room。　Though　she　had　taken　a　seat　near　the　bed　where　Alfred　lay；　she　had　not　dared　to　look　at　him。　Presently　conquering　her　emotion；　Betty　turned　her　gaze　on　the　bed。　Alfred　was　lying　easily　on　his　back；　and　notwithstanding　the　warmth　of　the　day　he　was　covered　with　a　quilt。　The　light　from　the　window　shone　on　his　face。　How　deathly　white　it　was！　There　was　not　a　vestige　of　color　in　it；　the　brow　looked　like　chiseled　marble；　dark　shadows　underlined　the　eyes；　and　the　whole　face　was　expressive　of　weariness　and　pain。

There　are　times　when　a　woman's　love　is　all　motherliness。　All　at　once　this　man　seemed　to　Betty　like　a　helpless　child。　She　felt　her　heart　go　out　to　the　poor　sufferer　with　a　feeling　before　unknown。　She　forgot　her　pride　and　her　fears　and　her　disappointments。　She　remembered　only　that　this　strong　man　lay　there　at　death's　door　because　he　had　resented　an　insult　to　her。　The　past　with　all　its　bitterness　rolled　away　and　was　lost；　and　in　its　place　welled　up　a　tide　of　forgiveness　strong　and　sweet　and　hopeful。　Her　love；　like　a　fire　that　had　been　choked　and　smothered；　smouldering　but　never　extinct；　and　which　blazes　up　with　the　first　breeze；　warmed　and　quickened　to　life　with　the　touch　of　her　hand　on　his　forehead。

An　hour　passed。　Betty　was　now　at　her　ease　and　happier　than　she　had　been　for　months。　Her　patient　continued　to　sleep　peacefully　and　dreamlessly。　With　a　feeling　of　womanly　curiosity　Betty　looked　around　the　room。　Over　the　rude　mantelpiece　were　hung　a　sword；　a　brace　of　pistols；　and　two　pictures。　These　last　interested　Betty　very　much。　They　were　portraits；　one　of　them　was　a　likeness　of　a　sweet…faced　woman　who　Betty　instinctively　knew　was　his　mother。　Her　eyes　lingered　tenderly　on　that　face；　so　like　the　one　lying　on　the　pillow。　The　other　portrait　was　of　a　beautiful　girl　whose　dark；　magnetic　eyes　challenged　Betty。　Was　this　his　sister　or　someone　else？　She　could　not　restrain　a　jealous　twinge；　and　she　felt　annoyed　to　find　herself　comparing　that　face　with　her　own。　She　looked　no　longer　at　that　portrait；　but　recommenced　her　survey　of　the　room。　Upon　the　door　hung　a　broad…brimmed　hat　with　eagle　plumes　stuck　in　the　band。　A　pair　of　hightopped　riding…boots；　a　saddle；　and　a　bridle　lay　on　the　floor　in　the　corner。　The　table　was　covered　with　Indian　pipes；　tobacco　pouches；　spurs；　silk　stocks；　and　other　articles。

Suddenly　Betty　felt　that　some　one　was　watching　her。　She　turned　timidly　toward　the　bed　and　became　much　frightened　when　she　encountered　the　intense　gaze　from　a　pair　of　steel…blue　eyes。　She　almost　fell　from　the　chair；　but　presently　she　recollected　that　Alfred　had　been　unconscious　for　days；　and　that　he　would　not　know　who　was　watching　by　his　bedside。

〃Mother；　is　that　you？〃　asked　Alfred；　in　a　weak；　low　voice。

〃Yes；　I　am　here；〃　answered　Betty；　remembering　the　old　woman's　words　about　soothing　the　sufferer。

〃But　I　thought　you　were　ill。〃

〃I　was；　but　I　am　better　now；　and　it　is　you　who　are　ill。〃

〃My　head　hurts　so。〃

〃Let　me　bathe　it　for　you。〃

〃How　long　have　I　been　home？〃

Betty　bathed　and　cooled　his　heated　brow。　He　caught　and　held　her　hands；　looking　wonderingly　at　her　the　while。

〃Mother；　somehow　I　thought　you　had　died。　I　must　have　dreamed　it。　I　am　very　happy；　but　tell　me；　did　a　message　come　for　me　to…day？〃

Betty　shook　her　head；　for　she　could　not　speak。　She　saw　he　was　living　in　the　past；　and　he　was　praying　for　the　letter　which　she　would　gladly　have　written　had　she　but　known。

〃No　message；　and　it　is　now　so　long。〃

〃It　will　come　to…morrow；〃　whispered　Betty。

〃Now；　mother；　that　is　what　you　always　say；〃　said　the　invalid；　as　he　began　to　toss　his　head　wearily　to　and　fro。　〃Will　she　never　tell　me？　It　is　not　like　her　to　keep　me　in　suspense。　She　was　the　sweetest；　truest；　loveliest　girl　in　all　the　world。　When　I　get　well；　mother；　I　ant　going　to　find　out　if　she　loves　me。〃

〃I　am　sure　she　does。　I　know　she　loves　you；〃　answered　Betty。

〃It　is　very　good　of　you　to　say　that；〃　he　went　on　in　his　rambling　talk。　〃Some　day　I'll　bring　her　to　you　and　we'll　make　her　a　queen　here　in　the　old　home。　I'll　be　a　better　son　now　and　not　run　away　from　home　again。　I've　given　the　dear　old　mother　many　a　heartache；　but　that's　all　past　now。　The　wanderer　has　come　home。　Kiss　me　good…night；　mother。〃

Betty　looked　down　with　tear…blurred　eyes　on　the　haggard　face。　Unconsciously　she　had　been　running　her　fingers　through　the　fair　hair　that　lay　so　damp　over　his　brow。　Her　pity　and　tenderness　had　carried　her　far　beyond　herself；　and　at　the　last　words　she　bent　her　head　and　kissed　him　on　the　lips。

〃Who　are　you？　You　are　not　my　mother。　She　is　dead；〃　he　cried；　starting　up　wildly；　and　looking　at　her　with　brilliant　eyes。

Betty　dropped　the　fan　and　rose　quickly　to　her　feet。　What　had　she　done？　A　terrible　thought　had　flashed　into　her　mind。　Suppose　he　were　not　delirious；　and　had　been　deceiving　her。　Oh！　for　a　hiding…place；　or　that　the　floor　would　swallow　her。　Oh！　if　some　one　would　only　come。

Footsteps　sounded　on　the　stairs　and　Betty　ran　to　the　door。　To　her　great　relief　Mrs。　Martin　was　coming　up。

〃You　can　run　home　now；　there's　a　dear；〃　said　the　old　lady。　〃We　have　several　watchers　for　to…night。　It　will　not　be　long　now　when　he　will　commence　to　mend；　or　else　he　will　die。　Poor　boy；　please　God　that　he　gets　well。　Has　he　been　good？　Did　he　call　for　any　particular　young　lady？　Never　fear；　Betty；　I'll　keep　the　secret。　He'll　never　know　you　were　here　unless　you　tell　him　yourself。〃

Meanwhile　the　days　had　been　busy　ones　for　Col。　Zane。　In　anticipation　of　an　attack　from　the　Indians；　the　settlers　had　been　fortifying　their　refuge　and　making　the　block…house　as　nearly　impregnable　as　possible。　Everything　that　was　movable　and　was　of　value　they　put　inside　the　stockade　fence；　out　of　reach　of　the　destructive　redskins。　All　the　horses　and　cattle　were　driven　into　the　inclosure。　Wagon…loads　of　hay；　grain　and　food　were　stored　away　in　the　block…house。

Never　before　had　there　been　such　excitement　on　the　frontier。　Runners　from　Ft。　Pitt；　Short　Creek；　and　other　settlements　confirmed　the　rumor　that　all　the　towns　along　the　Ohio　were　preparing　for　war。　Not　since　the　outbreak　of　the　Revolution　had　there　been　so　much　confusion　and　alarm　among　the　pioneers。　To　be　sure；　those　on　the　very　verge　of　the　frontier；　as　at　Ft。　Henry；　had　heretofore　little　to　fear　from　the　British。　During　most　of　this　time　there　had　been　comparative　peace　on　the　western　border；　excepting　those　occasional　murders；　raids；　and　massacres　perpetrated　by　the　different　Indian　tribes；　and　instigated　no　doubt　by　Girty　and　the　British　at　Detroit。　Now　all　kinds　of　rumors　were　afloat：　Washington　was　defeated；　a　close　alliance　between　England　and　the　confederated　western　tribes　had　been　formed；　Girty　had　British　power　and　wealth　back　of　him。　These　and　many　more　alarming　reports　travelled　from　settlement　to　settlement。

The　death　of　Col。　Crawford　had　been　a　terrible　shock　to　the　whole　country。　On　the　border　spread　an　universal　gloom；　and　the　low；　sullen　mutterings　of　revengeful　wrath。　Crawford　had　been　so　prominent　a　man；　so　popular；　and；　except　in　his　last　and　fatal　expedition；　such　an　efficient　leader　that　his　sudden　taking　off　was　almost　a　national　calamity。　In　fact　no　one　felt　it　more　keenly　than　did　Washington　himself；　for　Crawford　was　his　esteemed　friend。

Col。　Zane　believed　Ft。　Henry　had　been　marked　by　the　British　and　the　Indians。　The　last　runner　from　Ft。　Pitt　had　informed　him　that　the　description　of　Miller　tallied　with　that　of　one　of　the　ten　men　who　had　deserted　from　Ft。　Pitt　in　1778　with　the　tories　Girth；　McKee；　and　Elliott。　Col。　Zane　was　now　satisfied　that　Miller　was　an　agent　of　Girty　and　therefore　of　the　British。　So　since　all　the　weaknesses　of　the　Fort；　the　number　of　the　garrison；　and　the　favorable　conditions　for　a　siege　were　known　to　Girty；　there　was　nothing　left　for　Col。　Zane　and　his　men　but　to　make　a　brave　stand。

Jonathan　Zane　and　Major　McColloch　watched　the　river。　Wetzel　had　disappeared　as　if　the　earth　had　swallowed　him。　Some　pioneers　said　he　would　never　return。　But　Col。　Zane　believed　Wetzel　would　walk　into　the　Fort；　as　he　had　done　many　times　in　the　last　ten　years；　with　full　information　concerning　the　doings　of　the　Indians。　However；　the　days　passed　and　nothing　happened。　Their　work　completed；　the　settlers　waited　for　the　first　sign　of　an　enemy。　But　as　none　came；　gradually　their　fears　were　dispelled　and　they　began　to　think　the　alarm　had　been　a　false　one。

All　this　time　Alfred　Clarke　was　recovering　his　health　and　strength。　The　day　came　when　he　was　able　to　leave　his　bed　and　sit　b