tales of trail and town-第13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！



Friddy；　the　plates　were　whisked　away　like　magic　after　each

delicacy；　by　the　military　servants；　and　vanished；　the　tables　were

in　the　same　mysterious　way　cleared　as　rapidly　as　they　were　set；　and

any　attempt　to　recall　a　dish　was　met　by　the　declaration　that　it　was

already　packed　away　in　the　wagon。　　As　they　at　last　rose　from　the

actually　empty　board；　and　saw　even　the　tables　disappear；　Lady

Elfrida　plaintively　protested　that　she　felt　as　if　she　had　been

presiding　over　an　Arabian　Nights　entertainment；　served　by　genii；

and　she　knew　that　they　would　all　awaken　hungry　when　they　were　well

on　their　way　back。　　Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　this　expedition；　the

officers　lounged　about　smoking　until　every　trace　of　the　festivity

had　vanished。　　Reggy　found　himself　standing　near　Peter。　　〃You

know；〃　he　said；　confidentially；　〃I　don't　think　the　colonel　has　a

very　high　opinion　of　your　pets；the　Indians。　　And；　by　Jove；　if　the

'friendlies'　are　as　nasty　towards　you　as　they　were　to　us　this

morning；　I　wonder　what　you　call　the　'hostile'　tribes。〃



〃Did　you　have　any　difficulty　with　them？〃　said　Peter　quickly。



〃No；　not　exactly；　don't　you　knowwe　were　too　many；　I　fancy；　but；

by　Jove；　the　beggars　whenever　we　met　them；and　we　met　one　or　two

gypsy　bands　of　them；you　know；　they　seemed　to　look　upon　us　as

TRESPASSERS；　don't　you　know。〃



〃And　you　were；　in　point　of　fact；〃　said　Peter；　smiling　grimly。



〃Oh；　I　say；　come　now！〃　said　Reggy；　opening　his　eyes。　　After　a

moment　he　laughed。　　〃Oh；　yes；　I　seeof　course；　looking　at　it　from

their　point　of　view。　　By　Jove；　I　dare　say　the　beggars　were　right；

you　know；　all　the　same；don't　you　see；YOUR　people　were　poaching

too。〃



〃So　we　were；〃　said　Peter　gravely。



But　here；　at　a　word　from　the　major；　the　whole　party　debouched　from

the　woods。　　Everything　appeared　to　be　awaiting　them；the　large

covered　carryall　for　the　guests；　and　the　two　saddle　horses　for　Mrs。

Lascelles　and　Lady　Elfrida；　who　had　ridden　there　together。　　Peter；

also　mounted；　accompanied　the　carryall　with　two　of　the　officers；

the　troopers　and　wagons　brought　up　the　rear。



It　was　very　hot；　with　little　or　no　wind。　　On　this　part　of　the　plain

the　dust　seemed　lighter　and　finer；　and　rose　with　the　wheels　of　the

carryall　and　the　horses　of　the　escort；　trailing　a　white　cloud　over

the　cavalcade　like　the　smoke　of　an　engine　over　a　train。　　It　was

with　difficulty　the　troopers　could　be　kept　from　opening　out　on　both

sides　of　the　highway　to　escape　it。　　The　whole　atmosphere　seemed

charged　with　it；　it　even　appeared　in　a　long　bank　to　the　right；

rising　and　obscuring　the　declining　sun。　　But　they　were　already

within　sight　of　the　fort　and　the　little　copse　beside　it。　　Then

trooper　Cassidy　trotted　up　to　the　colonel；　who　was　riding　in　a

dusty　cloud　beside　the　carryall；　〃Captain　Fleetwood's　compliments；

sorr；　and　there　are　two　sthragglers；Mrs。　Lascelles　and　the

English　lady。〃　　He　pointed　to　the　rapidly　flying　figures　of　Jenny

and　Friddy　making　towards　the　wood。



The　colonel　made　a　movement　of　impatience。　　〃Tell　Mr。　Forsyth　to

bring　them　back　at　once；〃　he　said。



But　here　a　feminine　chorus　of　excuses　and　expostulations　rose　from

the　carryall。　　〃It's　only　Mrs。　Lascelles　going　to　show　Friddy　where

the　squaws　and　children　bathe；〃　said　Lady　Runnybroke；　〃it's　near

the　fort；　and　they'll　be　there　as　quick　as　we　shall。〃



〃One　moment；　colonel；〃　said　Peter；　with　mortified　concern。　　〃It's

another　folly　of　my　sister's！　pray　let　me　take　it　upon　myself　to

bring　them　back。〃



〃Very　well；　but　see　you　don't　linger；　and；〃　turning　to　Cassidy；　as

Peter　galloped　away；　he　added；　〃you　follow　him。〃



Peter　kept　the　figures　of　the　two　women　in　view；　but　presently　saw

them　disappear　in　the　wood。　　He　had　no　fear　for　their　safety；　but

he　was　indignant　at　this　last　untimely　caprice　of　his　sister。　　He

knew　the　idea　had　originated　with　her；　and　that　the　officers　knew

it；　and　yet　she　had　made　Lady　Elfrida　bear　an　equal　share　of　the

blame。　　He　reached　the　edge　of　the　copse；　entered　the　first

opening；　but　he　had　scarcely　plunged　into　its　shadow　and　shut　out

the　plain　behind　him　before　he　felt　his　arms　and　knees　quickly

seized　from　behind。　　So　sudden　and　unexpected　was　the　attack　that

he　first　thought　his　horse　had　stumbled　against　a　coil　of　wild

grapevine　and　was　entangled；　but　the　next　moment　he　smelled　the

rank　characteristic　odor　and　saw　the　brown　limbs　of　the　Indian　who

had　leaped　on　his　crupper；　while　another　rose　at　his　horse's　head。

Then　a　warning　voice　in　his　ear　said　in　the　native　tongue：



〃If　the　great　white　medicine　man　calls　to　his　fighting　men；　the

pale…faced　girl　and　the　squaw　he　calls　his　sister　die！　　They　are

here；　he　understands。〃



But　Peter　had　neither　struggled　nor　uttered　a　cry。　　At　that　touch；

and　with　the　accents　of　that　tongue　in　his　ears；　all　his　own　Indian

blood　seemed　to　leap　and　tingle　through　his　veins。　　His　eyes

flashed；　pinioned　as　he　was　he　drew　himself　erect　and　answered

haughtily　in　his　captor's　own　speech：



〃Good！　　The　great　white　medicine　man　obeys；　for　he　and　his　sister

have　no　fear。　　But　if　the　pale…face　girl　is　not　sent　back　to　her

people　before　the　sun　sets；　then　the　yellow　jackets　will　swarm　the

woods；　and　they　will　follow　her　trail　to　the　death。　　My　brother　is

wise；　let　the　girl　go。　　I　have　spoken。〃



〃My　brother　is　very　cunning　too。　　He　would　call　to　his　fighting　men

through　the　lips　of　the　pale…face　girl。〃



〃He　will　not。　　The　great　white　medicine　man　does　not　lie　to　his　red

brother。　　He　will　tell　the　pale…face　girl　to　say　to　the　chief　of

the　yellow　jackets　that　he　and　his　sister　are　with　his　brothers；

and　all　is　peace。　　But　the　pale…face　girl　must　not　see　the　great

white　medicine　man　in　these　bonds；　nor　as　a　captive！　　I　have

spoken。〃



The　two　Indians　fell　back。　　There　was　so　much　of　force　and　dignity

in　the　man；　so　much　of　their　own　stoic　calmness；　that　they　at　once

mechanically　loosened　the　thongs　of　plaited　deer　hide　with　which

they　had　bound　him；　and　side　by　side　led　him　into　the　recesses　of

the　wood。



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



There　was　some　astonishment；　although　little　alarm　at　the　fort；

when　Lady　Elfrida　returned　accompanied　by　the　orderly　who　had

followed　Peter　to　the　wood；　but　without　Peter　and　his　sister。　　The

reason　given　was　perfectly　natural　and　conceivable。　　Mrs。　Lascelles

had　preceded　Lady　Elfrida　in　entering　the　wood　and　taken　another

opening；　so　that　Lady　Elfrida　had　found　herself　suddenly　lost；　and

surrounded　by　two　or　three　warriors　in　dreadful　paint。　　They

motioned　her　to　dismount；　and　said　something　she　did　not

understand；　but　she　declined；　knowing　that　she　had　heard　Mr。

Atherly　and　the　orderly　following　her；　and　feeling　no　fear。　　And

sure　enough　Mr。　Atherly　presently　came　up　with　a　couple　of　braves；

apologized　to　her　for　their　mistake；　but　begged　her　to　return　to

the　fort　at　once　and　assure　the　colonel　that　everything　was　right；

and　that　he　and　his　sister　were　safe。　　He　was　perfectly　cool　and

collected　and　like　himself；　she　blushed　slightly；　as　she　said　she

thought　that　he　wished　to　impress　upon　her；　for　some　reason　she

could　not　understand；　that　he　did　not　want　the　colonel　to　send　any

assistance。　　She　was　positive　of　that。　　She　told　her　story

unexcitedly；　it　was　evident　that　she　had　not　been　frightened；　but

Lady　Runnybroke　noticed　that　there　was　a　shade　of　anxious

abstraction　in　her　face。



When　the　officers　were　alone　the　colonel　took　hurried　counsel　of

them。　　〃I　think；〃　said　Captain　Fleetwood；　〃that　Lady　Elfrida's

story　quite　explains　itself。　　I　believe　this　affair　is　purely　a

local　one；　and　has　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　the　suspicious

appearances　we　noticed　this　afternoon；　or　the　presence　of　so　large

a　body　of　Indians　near　Butternut。　　Had　this　been　a　hostile　movement

they　would　have　scarcely　allowed　so　valuable　a　capture　as　Lady

Elfrida　to　escape　them。〃



〃Unless　they　kept　Atherly　and　his　sister　as　a　hostage；〃　said

Captain　Joyce。



〃But　Atherly　is　one　of　their　friends；　indeed　he　is　their　mediator

and　apostle；　a　non…combatant；　and　has　their　confidence；〃　returned

the　colonel。　　〃It　is　much　more　reasonable　to　suppose　that　Atherly

has　noticed　some　disaffection　among　these　'friendlies；'　and　he

fears　that　our　sending　a　party　to　his　assistance　might　precipitate

a　collision。　　Or　he　may　have　reason　to　believe　that　this　stopping

of　the　two　women　under　the　very　walls　of　the　fort　is　only　a　feint

to　draw　our　attention　from　something　more　serious。　　Did　he　know

anything　of　our　suspicions　of　the　conduct　of　those　Indians　this

morning？〃



〃Not　unless　he　gathered　it　from　what　Lord　Reginald　foolishly　told

him。　　We　said　nothing；　of　course；〃　returned　Captain　Fleetwood；　with

a　soldier's　habitual　distrust　of　the　wisdom　of　the　civil　arm。



〃That　will　do；　gentlemen；〃　said　the　colonel；　as　the　officers

dispersed；　〃send　Cassidy　here。〃



The　colonel　was　alone　on　the　veranda　as　Cassidy　came　up。



〃You　followed　Mr。　Atherly　to…day？〃



〃Yes　sorr。〃



〃And　you　saw　him　when　he　gave　the　message　to　the　young　lady？〃



〃Yes　sorr。〃



〃Did　you　form　any　opinion　from　anything　else　you　saw；　of　his　object

in　sending　that　message？〃



〃Only　from　what　I　saw　of　HIM。〃



〃Well；　what　was　that？〃



〃I　saw　him　look　afther　the　young　leddy　as　she　rode　away；　and　then

wheel　about　and　go　straight　back　into　the　wood。〃



〃And　what　did　you　think　of　that？〃　said　the　colonel；　with　a　half

smile。



〃I　thought　it　was　shacrifice；　sorr。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　the　colonel　sharply。



〃I　mane；　sorr；〃　said　Cassidy　stoutly；　〃that　he　was　givin'　up　hisself

and　his　sister　for　that　young　leddy。〃



The　colonel　looked　at　the　sergeant。　　〃Ask　Mr。　Forsyth　to　come　to　me

privately；　and　return　here　with　him。〃



As　darkness　fell；　some　half　a　dozen　dismounted　troopers；　headed　by

Forsyth　and　Cassidy；　passed　quietly　out　of　the　lower　gate　and

entered　the　wood。　　An　hour　l