The Spirit of the Border: A Romance of the Early Settlers in the Ohio Valley

by Zane Grey

  Chapter XXVI.

  In the confusion the missionaries carried Young and Edwards into Mr.Wells' cabin. Nell's calm, white face showed that she had expectedsome such catastrophe as this, but she of all was the least excited.Heckewelder left them at the cabin and hurried away to consultCaptain Williamson. While Zeisberger, who was skilled in surgery,attended to the wounded men, Jim barred the heavy door, shut therude, swinging windows, and made the cabin temporarily a refuge fromprowling savages.

  Outside the clamor increased. Shrill yells rent the air, long,rolling war-cries sounded above all the din. The measured stamp ofmoccasined feet, the rush of Indians past the cabin, the dull thudof hatchets struck hard into the trees--all attested to theexcitement of the savages, and the imminence of terrible danger.

  In the front room of Mr. Wells' cabin Edwards lay on a bed, his faceturned to the wall, and his side exposed. There was a bloody hole inhis white skin. Zeisberger was probing for the bullet. He had noinstruments, save those of his own manufacture, and they weredarning needles with bent points, and a long knife-blade groundthin.

  "There, I have it," said Zeisberger. "Hold still, Dave. There!" AsEdwards moaned Zeisberger drew forth the bloody bullet. "Jim, washand dress this wound. It isn't bad. Dave will be all right in acouple of days. Now I'll look at George."

  Zeisberger hurried into the other room. Young lay with quiet faceand closed eyes, breathing faintly. Zeisberger opened the woundedman's shirt and exposed the wound, which was on the right side,rather high up. Nell, who had followed Zeisberger that she might beof some assistance if needed, saw him look at the wound and thenturn a pale face away for a second. That hurried, shudderingmovement of the sober, practical missionary was most significant.Then he bent over Young and inserted on of the probes into thewound. He pushed the steel an inch, two, three, four inches intoYoung's breast, but the latter neither moved nor moaned. Zeisbergershook his head, and finally removed the instrument. He raised thesufferer's shoulder to find the bed saturated with blood. The bulletwound extended completely through the missionary's body, and wasbleeding from the back. Zeisberger folded strips of linsey clothinto small pads and bound them tightly over both apertures of thewound.

  "How is he?" asked Jim, when the amateur surgeon returned to theother room, and proceeded to wash the blood from his hands.

  Zeisberger shook his head gloomily.

  "How is George?" whispered Edwards, who had heard Jim's question.

  "Shot through the right lung. Human skill can not aid him! Only Godcan save."

  "Didn't I hear a third shot?" whispered Dave, gazing round with sad,questioning eyes. "Heckewelder?"

  "Is safe. He has gone to see Williamson. You did hear a third shot.Half King fell dead with a bullet over his left eye. He had justfolded his arms in a grand pose after his death decree to theChristians."

  "A judgment of God!"

  "It does seem so, but it came in the form of leaden death fromWetzel's unerring rifle. Do you hear all that yelling? Half King'sdeath has set the Indians wild."

  There was a gentle knock at the door, and then the word, "Open," inHeckewelder's voice.

  Jim unbarred the door. Heckewelder came in carrying over hisshoulder what apparently was a sack of meal. He was accompanied byyoung Christy. Heckewelder put the bag down, opened it, and liftedout a little Indian boy. The child gazed round with fearful eyes.

  "Save Benny! Save Benny!" he cried, running to Nell, and she claspedhim closely in her arms.

  Heckewelder's face was like marble as he asked concerning Edwards'condition.

  "I'm not badly off," said the missionary with a smile.

  "How's George?" whispered Heckewelder.

  No one answered him. Zeisberger raised his hands. All followedHeckewelder into the other room, where Young lay in the sameposition as when first brought in. Heckewelder stood gazing downinto the wan face with its terribly significant smile.

  "I brought him out here. I persuaded him to come!" whisperedHeckewelder. "Oh, Almighty God!" he cried. His voice broke, and hisprayer ended with the mute eloquence of clasped hands and uplifted,appealing face.

  "Come out," said Zeisberger, leading him into the larger room. Theothers followed, and Jim closed the door.

  "What's to be done?" said Zeisberger, with his practical commonsense. "What did Williamson say? Tell us what you learned?"

  "Wait--directly," answered Heckewelder, sitting down and coveringhis face with his hands. There was a long silence. At length heraised his white face and spoke calmly:

  "Gentlemen, the Village of Peace is doomed. I entreated CaptainWilliamson to help us, but he refused. Said he dared not interfere.I prayed that he would speak at least a word to Girty, but he deniedmy request."

  "Where are the converts?"

  "Imprisoned in the church, every one of them except Benny. Mr.Christy and I hid the child in the meal sack and were thus able toget him here. We must save him."

  "Save him?" asked Nell, looking from Heckewelder to the tremblingIndian boy.

  "Nellie, the savages have driven all our Christians into the church,and shut them up there, until Girty and his men shall give the wordto complete their fiendish design. The converts asked but onefavor--an hour in which to pray. It was granted. The savages intendto murder them all."

  "Oh! Horrible! Monstrous!" cried Nell. "How can they be so inhuman?"She lifted Benny up in her arms. "They'll never get you, my boy.We'll save you--I'll save you!" The child moaned and clung to herneck.

  "They are scouring the clearing now for Christians, and will searchall the cabins. I'm positive."

  "Will they come here?" asked Nell, turning her blazing eyes onHeckewelder.

  "Undoubtedly. We must try to hide Benny. Let me think; where wouldbe a good place? We'll try a dark corner of the loft."

  "No, no," cried Nell.

  "Put Benny in Young's bed," suggested Jim.

  "No, no," cried Nell.

  "Put him in a bucket and let him down in the well," whisperedEdwards, who had listened intently to the conversation.

  "That's a capital place," said Heckewelder. "But might he not fallout and drown?"

  "Tie him in the bucket," said Jim.

  "No, no, no," cried Nell.

  "But Nellie, we must decide upon a hiding place, and in a hurry."

  "I'll save Benny."

  "You? Will you stay here to face those men? Jim Girty and Deeringare searching the cabins. Could you bear it to see them? Youcouldn't."

  "Oh! No, I believe it would kill me! That man! that beast! will hecome here?" Nell grew ghastly pale, and looked as if about to faint.She shrunk in horror at the thought of again facing Girty. "ForGod's sake, Heckewelder, don't let him see me! Don't let him comein! Don't!"

  Even as the imploring voice ceased a heavy thump sounded on thedoor.

  "Who's there?" demanded Heckewelder.

  Thump! Thump!

  The heavy blows shook the cabin. The pans rattled on the shelves. Noanswer came from without.

  "Quick! Hide Benny! It's as much as our lives are worth to have himfound here," cried Heckewelder in a fierce whisper, as he dartedtoward the door.

  "All right, all right, in a moment," he called out, fumbling overthe bar.

  He opened the door a moment later and when Jim Girty and Deeringentered he turned to his friends with a dread uncertainty in hishaggard face.

  Edwards lay on the bed with wide-open eyes staring at the intruders.Mr. Wells sat with bowed head. Zeisberger calmly whittled a stick,and Jim stood bolt upright, with a hard light in his eyes.

  Nell leaned against the side of a heavy table. Wonderful was thechange that had transformed her from a timid, appealing,fear-agonized girl to a woman whose only evidence of unusualexcitement were the flame in her eyes and the peculiar whiteness ofher face.

  Benny was gone!

  Heckewelder's glance returned to the visitors. He thought he hadnever seen such brutal, hideous men.

  "Wal, I reckon a preacher ain't agoin' to lie. Hev you seen anyInjun
Christians round here?" asked Girty, waving a heavysledge-hammer.

  "Girty, we have hidden no Indians here," answered Heckewelder,calmly.

  "Wal, we'll hev a look, anyway," answered the renegade.

  Girty surveyed the room with wolfish eyes. Deering was so drunk thathe staggered. Both men, in fact, reeked with the vile fumes of rum.Without another word they proceeded to examine the room, by lookinginto every box, behind a stone oven, and in the cupboard. They drewthe bedclothes from the bed, and with a kick demolished a pile ofstove wood. Then the ruffians passed into the other apartments,where they could be heard making thorough search. At length bothreturned to the large room, when Girty directed Deering to climb aladder leading to the loft, but because Deering was too much underthe influence of liquor to do so, he had to go himself. He rummagedaround up there for a few minutes, and then came down.

  "Wal, I reckon you wasn't lyin' about it," said Girty, with hisghastly leer.

  He and his companion started to go out. Deering had stood withbloodshot eyes fixed on Nell while Girty searched the loft, and asthey passed the girl on their way to the open air, the renegadelooked at Girty as he motioned with his head toward her. Hisbesotted face expressed some terrible meaning.

  Girty had looked at Nell when he first entered, but had not glancedtwice at her. As he turned now, before going out of the door, hefixed on her his baleful glance. His aspect was more full of meaningthan could have been any words. A horrible power, of which he wasboastfully conscious, shone from his little, pointed eyes. His merepresence was deadly. Plainly as if he had spoken was thesignificance of his long gaze. Any one could have translated thatlook.

  Once before Nell had faced it, and fainted when its dread meaninggrew clear to her. But now she returned his gaze with one in whichflashed lightning scorn, and repulsion, in which glowed a wonderfuldefiance.

  The cruel face of this man, the boastful barbarity of his manner,the long, dark, bloody history which his presence recalled, was,indeed, terrifying without the added horror of his intent towardher, but now the self-forgetfulness of a true woman sustained her.

  Girty and Deering backed out of the door. Heckewelder closed it, anddropped the bar in place.

  Nell fell over the table with a long, low gasp. Then with one handshe lifted her skirt. Benny walked from under it. His big eyes werebright. The young woman clasped him again in her arms. Then shereleased him, and, laboring under intense excitement, ran to thewindow.

  "There he goes! Oh, the horrible beast! If I only had a gun andcould shoot! Oh, if only I were a man! I'd kill him. To think ofpoor Kate! Ah! he intends the same for me!"

  Suddenly she fell upon the floor in a faint. Mr. Wells and Jimlifted her on the bed beside Edwards, where they endeavored torevive her. It was some moments before she opened her eyes.

  Jim sat holding Nell's hand. Mr. Wells again bowed his head.Zeisberger continued to whittle a stick, and Heckewelder paced thefloor. Christy stood by with every evidence of sympathy for thisdistracted group. Outside the clamor increased.

  "Just listen!" cried Heckewelder. "Did you ever hear the like? Alldrunk, crazy, fiendish! They drank every drop of liquor the Frenchtraders had. Curses on the vagabond dealers! Rum has made theserenegades and savages wild. Oh! my poor, innocent Christians!"

  Heckewelder leaned his head against the mantle-shelf. He had brokendown at last. Racking sobs shook his frame.

  "Are you all right again?" asked Jim of Nell.

  "Yes."

  "I am going out, first to see Williamson, and then the Christians,"he said, rising very pale, but calm.

  "Don't go!" cried Heckewelder. "I have tried everything. It was allof no use."

  "I will go," answered Jim.

  "Yes, Jim, go," whispered Nell, looking up into his eyes. It was anearnest gaze in which a faint hope shone.

  Jim unbarred the door and went out.

  "Wait, I'll go along," cried Zeisberger, suddenly dropping his knifeand stick.

  As the two men went out a fearful spectacle met their eyes. Theclearing was alive with Indians. But such Indians! They were painteddemons, maddened by rum. Yesterday they had been silent; if theymoved at all it had been with deliberation and dignity. To-day theywere a yelling, running, blood-seeking mob.

  "Awful! Did you ever see human beings like these?" asked Zeisberger.

  "No, no!"

  "I saw such a frenzy once before, but, of course, only in a smallband of savages. Many times have I seen Indians preparing for thewar-path, in search of both white men and redskins. They were fiercethen, but nothing like this. Every one of these frenzied fiends ishonest. Think of that! Every man feels it his duty to murder theseChristians. Girty has led up to this by cunning, and now the time iscome to let them loose."

  "It means death for all."

  "I have given up any thought of escaping," said Zeisberger, with thecalmness that had characterized his manner since he returned to thevillage. "I shall try to get into the church."

  "I'll join you there as soon as I see Williamson."

  Jim walked rapidly across the clearing to the cabin where CaptainWilliamson had quarters. The frontiersmen stood in groups, watchingthe savages with an interest which showed little or no concern.

  "I want to see Captain Williamson," said Jim to a frontiersman onguard at the cabin door.

  "Wal, he's inside," drawled the man.

  Jim thought the voice familiar, and he turned sharply to see thesun-burnt features of Jeff Lynn, the old riverman who had taken Mr.Wells' party to Fort Henry.

  "Why, Lynn! I'm glad to see you," exclaimed Jim.

  "Purty fair to middlin'," answered Jeff, extending his big hand."Say, how's the other one, your brother as wus called Joe?"

  "I don't know. He ran off with Wetzel, was captured by Indians, andwhen I last heard of him he had married Wingenund's daughter."

  "Wal, I'll be dog-goned!" Jeff shook his grizzled head and slappedhis leg. "I jest knowed he'd raise somethin'."

  "I'm in a hurry. Do you think Captain Williamson will stand stilland let all this go on?"

  "I'm afeerd so."

  Evidently the captain heard the conversation, for he appeared at thecabin door, smoking a long pipe.

  "Captain Williamson, I have come to entreat you to save theChristians from this impending massacre."

  "I can't do nuthin'," answered Williamson, removing his pipe to puffforth a great cloud of smoke.

  "You have eighty men here!"

  "If we interfered Pipe would eat us alive in three minutes. Youpreacher fellows don't understand this thing. You've got Pipe andGirty to deal with. If you don't know them, you'll be betteracquainted by sundown."

  "I don't care who they are. Drunken ruffians and savages! That'senough. Will you help us? We are men of your own race, and we cometo you for help. Can you withhold it?"

  "I won't hev nuthin' to do with this bizness. The chiefs hevcondemned the village, an' it'll hev to go. If you fellars hed beencareful, no white blood would hev been spilled. I advise you all tolay low till it's over."

  "Will you let me speak to your men, to try and get them to followme?"

  "Heckewelder asked that same thing. He was persistent, and I took avote fer him just to show how my men stood. Eighteen of them saidthey'd follow him; the rest wouldn't interfere."

  "Eighteen! My God!" cried Jim, voicing the passion which consumedhim. "You are white men, yet you will stand by and see theseinnocent people murdered! Man, where's your humanity? Your manhood?These converted Indians are savages no longer, they are Christians.Their children are as good, pure, innocent as your own. Can youremain idle and see these little ones murdered?"

  Williamson made no answer, the men who had crowded round wereequally silent. Not one lowered his head. Many looked at theimpassioned missionary; others gazed at the savages who werecircling around the trees brandishing their weapons. If any pitiedthe unfortunate Christians, none showed it. They were indifferent,with the indifference of men hardened to cruel scenes.

  Ji
m understood, at last, as he turned from face to face to findeverywhere that same imperturbability. These bordermen were likeWetzel and Jonathan Zane. The only good Indian was a dead Indian.Years of war and bloodshed, of merciless cruelty at the hands ofredmen, of the hard, border life had rendered these frontiersmenincapable of compassion for any savage.

  Jim no longer restrained himself.

  "Bordermen you may be, but from my standpoint, from any man's, fromGod's, you are a lot of coldly indifferent cowards!" exclaimed Jim,with white, quivering lips. "I understand now. Few of you will riskanything for Indians. You will not believe a savage can be aChristian. You don't care if they are all murdered. Any man amongyou--any man, I say--would step out before those howling fiends andboldly demand that there be no bloodshed. A courageous leader with aband of determined followers could avert this tragedy. You mightreadily intimidate yonder horde of drunken demons. CaptainWilliamson, I am only a minister, far removed from a man of war andleader, as you claim to be, but, sir, I curse you as a miserablecoward. If I ever get back to civilization I'll brand this inhumancoldness of yours, as the most infamous and dastardly cowardice thatever disgraced a white man. You are worse than Girty!"

  Williamson turned a sickly yellow; he fumbled a second with thehandle of his tomahawk, but made no answer. The other bordermenmaintained the same careless composure. What to them was the ravingof a mad preacher?

  Jim saw it and turned baffled, fiercely angry, and hopeless. As hewalked away Jeff Lynn took his arm, and after they were clear of thecrowd of frontiersmen he said:

  "Young feller, you give him pepper, an' no mistake. An' mebbe you'reright from your side the fence. But you can't see the Injuns fromour side. We hunters hevn't much humanity--I reckon that's what youcalled it--but we've lost so many friends an' relatives, an' hearnof so many murders by the reddys that we look on all of 'em as wildvarmints that should be killed on sight. Now, mebbe it'll interestyou to know I was the feller who took the vote Williamson told youabout, an' I did it 'cause I had an interest in you. I wus watchin'you when Edwards and the other missionary got shot. I like grit in aman, an' I seen you had it clear through. So when Heckewelder comesover I talked to the fellers, an' all I could git interested waseighteen, but they wanted to fight simply fer fightin' sake. Now,ole Jeff Lynn is your friend. You just lay low until this is over."

  Jim thanked the old riverman and left him. He hardly knew which wayto turn. He would make one more effort. He crossed the clearing towhere the renegades' teepee stood. McKee and Elliott were sitting ona log. Simon Girty stood beside them, his hard, keen, roving eyes onthe scene. The missionary was impressed by the white leader. Therewas a difference in his aspect, a wilder look than the others wore,as if the man had suddenly awakened to the fury of his Indians.Nevertheless the young man went straight toward him.

  "Girty, I come---"

  "Git out! You meddlin' preacher!" yelled the renegade, shaking hisfist at Jim.

  Simon Girty was drunk.

  Jim turned from the white fiends. He knew his life to them was notworth a pinch of powder.

  "Lost! Lost! All lost!" he exclaimed in despair.

  As he went toward the church he saw hundreds of savages boundingover the grass, brandishing weapons and whooping fiendishly. Theywere concentrating around Girty's teepee, where already a greatthrong had congregated. Of all the Indians to be seen not onewalked. They leaped by Jim, and ran over the grass nimble as deer.

  He saw the eager, fire in their dusky eyes, and the cruelly clenchedteeth like those of wolves when they snarl. He felt the hissingbreath of many savages as they raced by him. More than one whirled atomahawk close to Jim's head, and uttered horrible yells in his ear.They were like tigers lusting for blood.

  Jim hurried to the church. Not an Indian was visible near the logstructure. Even the savage guards had gone. He entered the open doorto be instantly struck with reverence and awe.

  The Christians were singing.

  Miserable and full of sickening dread though Jim was, he could notbut realize that the scene before him was one of extraordinarybeauty and pathos. The doomed Indians lifted up their voices insong. Never had they sung so feelingly, so harmoniously.

  When the song ended Zeisberger, who stood upon a platform, openedhis Bible and read:

  "In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but witheverlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord, thyRedeemer."

  In a voice low and tremulous the venerable missionary began hissermon.

  The shadow of death hovered over these Christian martyrs; it wasreflected in their somber eyes, yet not one was sullen or sad. Thechildren who were too young to understand, but instinctively feelingthe tragedy soon to be enacted there, cowered close to theirmothers.

  Zeisberger preached a touching and impressive, though short, sermon.At its conclusion the whole congregation rose and surrounded themissionary. The men shook his hands, the women kissed them, thechildren clung to his legs. It was a wonderful manifestation ofaffection.

  Suddenly Glickhican, the old Delaware chief, stepped on theplatform, raised his hand and shouted one Indian word.

  A long, low wail went up from the children and youths; the womenslowly, meekly bowed their heads. The men, due to the stoicism oftheir nature and the Christianity they had learned, stood proudlyerect awaiting the death that had been decreed.

  Glickhican pulled the bell rope.

  A deep, mellow tone pealed out.

  The sound transfixed all the Christians. No one moved.

  Glickhican had given the signal which told the murderers theChristians were ready.

  "Come, man, my God! We can't stay here!" cried Jim to Zeisberger.

  As they went out both men turned to look their last on the martyrs.The death knell which had rung in the ears of the Christians, was tothem the voice of God. Stern, dark visages of men and the sweet,submissive faces of women were uplifted with rapt attention. A lightseemed to shine from these faces as if the contemplation of God hadillumined them.

  As Zeisberger and Jim left the church and hurried toward the cabins,they saw the crowd of savages in a black mass round Girty's teepee.The yelling and leaping had ceased.

  Heckewelder opened the door. Evidently he had watched for them.

  "Jim! Jim!" cried Nell, when he entered the cabin. "Oh-h! I wasafraid. Oh! I am glad you're back safe. See, this noble Indian hascome to help us."

  Wingenund stood calm and erect by the door.

  "Chief, what will you do?"

  "Wingenund will show you the way to the big river," answered thechieftain, in his deep bass.

  "Run away? No, never! That would be cowardly. Heckewelder, you wouldnot go? Nor you, Zeisberger? We may yet be of use, we may yet savesome of the Christians."

  "Save the yellow-hair," sternly said Wingenund.

  "Oh, Jim, you don't understand. The chief has come to warn me ofGirty. He intends to take me as he has others, as he did poor Kate.did you not see the meaning in his eyes to-day? How they scorchedme! Ho! Jim, take me away! Save me! Do not leave me here to thathorrible fate? Oh! Jim, take me away!"

  "Nell, I will take you," cried Jim, grasping her hands.

  "Hurry! There's a blanket full of things I packed for you," saidHeckewelder. "Lose no time. Ah! hear that! My Heavens! what a yell!"Heckewelder rushed to the door and looked out. "There they go, ablack mob of imps; a pack of hungry wolves! Jim Girty is in thelead. How he leaps! How he waves his sledge! He leads the savagestoward the church. Oh! it's the end!"

  "Benny? Where's Benny?" cried Jim, hurriedly lacing the hunting coathe had flung about him.

  "Benny's safe. I've hidden him. I'll get him away from here,"answered young Christy. "Go! Now's your time. Godspeed you!"

  "I'm ready," declared Mr. Wells. "I--have--finished!"

  "There goes Wingenund! He's running. Follow him, quick! Good-by!Good-by! God be with you!" cried Heckewelder.

  "Good-by! Good-by!"

  Jim hurried Nell toward the bushes where Wingenu
nd's tall form coulddimly be seen. Mr. Wells followed them. On the edge of the clearingJim and Nell turned to look back.

  They saw a black mass of yelling, struggling, fighting savagescrowding around the church.

  "Oh! Jim, look back! Look back!" cried Nell, holding hard to hishand. "Look back! See if Girty is coming!"