A dense white fog rose from the river, obscuring all objects, when the
bordermen rolled out of their snug bed of leaves. The air was cool and
bracing, faintly fragrant with dying foliage and the damp, dewy
luxuriance of the ripened season. Wetzel pulled from under the
protecting ledge a bundle of bark and sticks he had put there to keep
dry, and built a fire, while Jonathan fashioned a cup from a green
fruit resembling a gourd, filling it at a spring near by.
"Lew, there's a frosty nip in the water this mornin'," said Jonathan.
"I reckon. It's gettin' along into fall now. Any clear, still night'll
fetch all the leaves, an' strip the trees bare as burned timber,"
answered Wetzel, brushing the ashes off the strip of meat he had
roasted. "Get a stick, an' help me cook the rest of this chunk of
bison. The sun'll be an hour breakin' up thet mist, an' we can't clear
out till then. Mebbe we won't have no chance to light another
fire soon."
With these bordermen everything pertaining to their lonely lives, from
the lighting of a fire to the trailing of a redskin, was singularly
serious. No gladsome song ever came from their lips; there was no
jollity around their camp-fire. Hunters had their moments of rapturous
delight; bordermen knew the peace, the content of the wilderness, but
their pursuits racked nerve and heart. Wetzel had his moments of
frenzied joy, but they passed with the echo of his vengeful yell.
Jonathan's happiness, such as it was, had been to roam the forests.
That, before a woman's eyes had dispelled it, had been enough, and
compensated him for the gloomy, bloody phantoms which haunted him.
The bordermen, having partaken of the frugal breakfast, stowed in
their spacious pockets all the meat that was left, and were ready for
the day's march. They sat silent for a time waiting for the mist to
lift. It broke in places, rolled in huge billows, sailed aloft like
great white clouds, and again hung tenaciously to the river and the
plain. Away in the west blue patches of sky shone through the rifts,
and eastward banks of misty vapor reddened beneath the rising sun.
Suddenly from beneath the silver edge of the rising pall the sun burst
gleaming gold, disclosing the winding valley with its steaming river.
"We'll make up stream fer Two Islands, an' cross there if so be we've
reason," Wetzel had said.
Through the dewy dells, avoiding the wet grass and bushes, along the
dark, damp glades with their yellow carpets, under the thinning arches
of the trees, down the gentle slopes of the ridges, rich with green
moss, the bordermen glided like gray shadows. The forest was yet
asleep. A squirrel frisked up an oak and barked quarrelsomely at these
strange, noiseless visitors. A crow cawed from somewhere overhead.
These were the only sounds disturbing the quiet early hour.
As the bordermen advanced the woods lightened and awoke to life and
joy. Birds sang, trilled, warbled, or whistled their plaintive songs,
peculiar to the dying season, and in harmony with the glory of the
earth. Birds that in earlier seasons would have screeched and fought,
now sang and fluttered side by side, in fraternal parade on their slow
pilgrimage to the far south.
"Bad time fer us, when the birds are so tame, an' chipper. We can't
put faith in them these days," said Wetzel. "Seems like they never was
wild. I can tell, 'cept at this season, by the way they whistle an'
act in the woods, if there's been any Injuns along the trails."
The greater part of the morning passed thus with the bordermen
steadily traversing the forest; here, through a spare and gloomy wood,
blasted by fire, worn by age, with many a dethroned monarch of bygone
times rotting to punk and duff under the ferns, with many a dark,
seamed and ragged king still standing, but gray and bald of head and
almost ready to take his place in the forest of the past; there,
through a maze of young saplings where each ash, maple, hickory and
oak added some new and beautiful hue to the riot of color.
"I just had a glimpse of the lower island, as we passed an opening in
the thicket," said Jonathan.
"We ain't far away," replied Wetzel.
The bordermen walked less rapidly in order to proceed with more
watchfulness. Every rod or two they stopped to listen.
"You think Legget's across the river?" asked Jonathan.
"He was two days back, an' had his gang with him. He's up to some bad
work, but I can't make out what. One thing, I never seen his trail so
near Fort Henry."
They emerged at length into a more open forest which skirted the
river. At a point still some distance ahead, but plainly in sight, two
small islands rose out of the water.
"Hist! What's that?" whispered Wetzel, slipping his hand in Jonathan's
arm.
A hundred yards beyond lay a long, dark figure stretched at full
length under one of the trees close to the bank.
"Looks like a man," said Jonathan.
"You've hit the mark. Take a good peep roun' now, Jack, fer we're
comin' somewhere near the trail we want."
Minutes passed while the patient bordermen searched the forest with
their eyes, seeking out every tree within rifle range, or surveyed the
level glades, scrutinized the hollows, and bent piercing eyes upon the
patches of ferns.
"If there's a redskin around he ain't big enough to hold a gun," said
Wetzel, moving forward again, yet still with that same stealthy step
and keen caution.
Finally they were gazing down upon the object which had attracted
Wetzel's attention.
"Will Sheppard!" cried Jonathan. "Is he dead? What's this mean?"
Wetzel leaned over the prostrate lad, and then quickly turned to his
companion.
"Get some water. Take his cap. No, he ain't even hurt bad, unless he's
got some wound as don't show."
Jonathan returned with the water, and Wetzel bathed the bloody face.
When the gash on Will's forehead was clean, it told the
bordermen much.
"Not an hour old, that blow," muttered Wetzel.
"He's comin' to," said Jonathan as Will stirred uneasily and moaned.
Presently the lad opened his eyes and sat bolt upright. He looked
bewildered for a moment, and felt of his head while gazing vaguely at
the bordermen. Suddenly he cried:
"I remember! We were captured, brought here, and I was struck down by
that villain Case."
"We? Who was with you?" asked Jonathan slowly.
"Helen. We came after flowers and leaves. While in full sight of the
fort I saw an Indian. We hurried back," he cried, and proceeded with
broken, panting voice to tell his story.
Jonathan Zane leaped to his feet with face deathly white and eyes
blue-black, like burning stars.
"Jack, study the trail while I get the lad acrost the river, an'
steered fer home," said Wetzel, and then he asked Will if he
could swim.
"Yes; but you will find a canoe there in those willows."
"Come, lad, we've no time to spare," added Wetzel, sliding down the
bank and entering the willows. He came out almost immediately with the
canoe which he launched.
Will turned that he might make a parting appeal to Jonathan to save
Helen; but could not speak. The expression on the borderman's face
frightened him.
Motionless and erect Jonathan stood, his arms folded and his white,
stern face distorted with the agony of remorse, fear, and anguish,
which, even as Will gazed, froze into an awful, deadly look of
fateful purpose.
Wetzel pushed the canoe off, and paddled with powerful strokes; he
left Will on the opposite bank, and returned as swiftly as he could
propel the light craft.
The bordermen met each other's glance, and had little need of words.
Wetzel's great shoulders began to sag slightly, and his head lowered
as his eyes sought the grass; a dark and gloomy shade overcast his
features. Thus he passed from borderman to Deathwind. The sough of the
wind overhead among the almost naked branches might well have warned
Indians and renegades that Deathwind was on the trail!
"Brandt's had a hand in this, an' the Englishman's a fool!" said
Wetzel.
"An hour ahead; can we come up with them before they join Brandt an'
Legget?"
"We can try, but like as not we'll fail. Legget's gang is thirteen
strong by now. I said it! Somethin' told me--a hard trail, a long
trail, an' our last trail."
"It's over thirty miles to Legget's camp. We know the woods, an' every
stream, an' every cover," hissed Jonathan Zane.
With no further words Wetzel took the trail on the run, and so plain
was it to his keen eyes that he did not relax his steady lope except
to stop and listen at regular intervals. Jonathan followed with easy
swing. Through forest and meadow, over hill and valley, they ran,
fleet and tireless. Once, with unerring instinct, they abruptly left
the broad trail and cut far across a wide and rugged ridge to come
again upon the tracks of the marching band. Then, in open country they
reduced their speed to a walk. Ahead, in a narrow valley, rose a
thicket of willows, yellow in the sunlight, and impenetrable to human
vision. Like huge snakes the bordermen crept into this copse, over the
sand, under the low branches, hard on the trail. Finally, in a light,
open space, where the sun shone through a network of yellow branches
and foliage, Wetzel's hand was laid upon Jonathan's shoulder.
"Listen! Hear that!" he whispered.
Jonathan heard the flapping of wings, and a low, hissing sound, not
unlike that made by a goose.
"Buzzards!" he said, with a dark, grim smile. "Mebbe Brandt has begun
our work. Come."
Out into the open they crawled to put to flight a flock of huge black
birds with grisly, naked necks, hooked beaks, and long, yellow claws.
Upon the green grass lay three half-naked men, ghastly, bloody, in
terribly limp and lifeless positions.
"Metzar's man Smith, Jenks, the outlaw, and Mordaunt!"
Jonathan Zane gazed darkly into the steely, sightless eyes of the
traitor. Death's awful calm had set the expression; but the man's
whole life was there, its better part sadly shining forth among the
cruel shadows.
His body was mutilated in a frightful manner. Cuts, stabs, and slashes
told the tale of a long encounter, brought to an end by one
clean stroke.
"Come here, Lew. You've seen men chopped up; but look at this dead
Englishman," called Zane.
Mordaunt lay weltering in a crimson tide. Strangely though, his face
was uninjured. A black bruise showed under his fair hair. The ghost of
a smile seemed to hover around his set lips, yet almost intangible
though it was, it showed that at last he had died a man. His left
shoulder, side and arm showed where the brunt of Brandt's attack
had fallen.
"How'd he ever fight so?" mused Jonathan.
"You never can tell," replied Wetzel. "Mebbe he killed this other
fellar, too; but I reckon not. Come, we must go slow now, fer Legget
is near at hand."
Jonathan brought huge, flat stones from the brook, and laid them over
Mordaunt; then, cautiously he left the glade on Wetzel's trail.
Five hundred yards farther on Wetzel had ceased following the outlaw's
tracks to cross the creek and climb a ridge. He was beginning his
favorite trick of making a wide detour. Jonathan hurried forward,
feeling he was safe from observation. Soon he distinguished the tall,
brown figure of his comrade gliding ahead from tree to tree, from
bush to bush.
"See them maples an' chestnuts down thar," said Wetzel when Jonathan
had come up, pointing through an opening in the foliage. "They've
stopped fer some reason."
On through the forest the bordermen glided. They kept near the summit
of the ridge, under the best cover they could find, and passed swiftly
over this half-circle. When beginning once more to draw toward the
open grove in the valley, they saw a long, irregular cliff, densely
wooded. They swerved a little, and made for this excellent covert.
They crawled the last hundred yards and never shook a fern, moved a
leaf, or broke a twig. Having reached the brink of the low precipice,
they saw the grassy meadow below, the straggling trees, the brook, the
group of Indians crowding round the white men.
"See that point of rock thar? It's better cover," whispered Wetzel.
Patiently, with no hurry or excitement, they slowly made their
difficult way among the rocks and ferns to the vantage point desired.
Taking a position like this was one the bordermen strongly favored.
They could see everywhere in front, and had the thick woods at
their backs.
"What are they up to?" whispered Jonathan, as he and Wetzel lay close
together under a mass of grapevine still tenacious of its
broad leaves.
"Dicin'," answered Wetzel. "I can see 'em throw; anyways, nothin' but
bettin' ever makes redskins act like that."
"Who's playin'? Where's Brandt?"
"I can make out Legget; see his shaggy head. The other must be Case.
Brandt ain't in sight. Nursin' a hurt perhaps. Ah! See thar! Over
under the big tree as stands dark-like agin the thicket. Thet's an
Injun, an' he looks too quiet an' keen to suit me. We'll have a
care of him."
"Must be playin' fer Mordaunt's gold."
"Like as not, for where'd them ruffians get any 'cept they stole it."
"Aha! They're gettin' up! See Legget walk away shakin' his big head.
He's mad. Mebbe he'll be madder presently," growled Jonathan.
"Case's left alone. He's countin' his winnin's. Jack, look out fer
more work took off our hands."
"By gum! See that Injun knock up a leveled rifle."
"I told you, an' thet redskin has his suspicions. He's seen us down
along ther ridge. There's Helen, sittin' behind the biggest tree. Thet
Injun guard, 'afore he moved, kept us from seein' her."
Jonathan made no answer to this; but his breath literally hissed
through his clenched teeth.
"Thar goes the other outlaw," whispered Wetzel, as if his comrade
could not see. "It's all up with Case. See the sneak bendin' down the
bank. Now, thet's a poor way. It'd better be done from the front,
walkin' up natural-like, instead of tryin' to cover thet wide stretch.
Case'll see him or hear him sure. Thar, he's up now, an' crawlin'.
He's too slow, too slow. Aha! I knew it--Case turns. Look at the
outlaw spring! Well, did you see thet little cuss whip his knife? One
more less fer us to quiet. Thet makes four, Jack, an' mebbe, soon,
it'll be five."
"They're holdin' a council," said Jonathan.
"I see two Injuns sneakin' off into the woods, an' here comes thet
guard. He's a keen redskin, Jack, fer we did come light through the
brush. Mebbe it'd be well to stop his scoutin'."
"Lew, that villain Case is bullyin' Helen!" cried Jonathan.
"Sh-sh-h," whispered Wetzel.
"See! He's pulled her to her feet. Oh! He struck her! Oh!"
Jonathan leveled his rifle and would have fired, but for the iron
grasp on his wrist.
"Hev you lost yer senses? It's full two hundred paces, an' too far fer
your piece," said Wetzel in a whisper. "An' it ain't sense to try
from here."
"Lend me your gun! Lend me your gun!"
Silently Wetzel handed him the long, black rifle.
Jonathan raised it, but trembled so violently that the barrel wavered
like a leaf in the breeze.
"Take it, I can't cover him," groaned Jonathan. "This is new to me. I
ain't myself. God! Lew, he struck her again! _Again!_ He's tryin' to
kiss her! Wetzel, if you're my friend, kill him!"
"Jack, it'd be better to wait, an'----"
"I love her," breathed Jonathan.
The long, black barrel swept up to a level and stopped. White smoke
belched from among the green leaves; the report rang throughout
the forest.
"Ah! I saw him stop an' pause," hissed Jonathan. "He stands, he sways,
he falls! Death for yours, you sailor-beast!"