To this little group, composed as yet of his own sons in the main, hetalked of his work, his great duty, his mission with mystic elation3. Asingle idea was slowly fixing itself in his mind as the purpose of life.
It was fast becoming an obsession4.
He slept but little. The night before he had slept but two hours. Whenthe camp supper had been prepared, he stood with bare head in the midstof his followers and thanked God. The meal was eaten to-night in a grimsilence which Brown did not break once. The supper over, he rose andagain returned thanks to the Bountiful Giver.
And then he left the camp without a word. Alone he tramped the prairiebeneath the starlit sky of a beautiful May night. Hour after hour hepaused and prayed. Always the one refrain came from his stern lips:
"Give me, oh, Lord God, the Vision!"And he would wait with eyes set on the stars for its revelation. Hecrouched at last against the trunk of a tree in a little ravine nearthe camp. It was past three o'clock. William Walker, who was acting6 hissecond in command, was still waiting his orders for the following day.
He saw Brown enter the ravine at one o'clock. Impatient of his endlesswandering, tired and sleepy, he decided7 to follow his Chief and ask hisorders.
He found him in a sitting posture8, leaning against a blackjack, hisrifle across his knees. Walker called softly and received no response.
He approached and laid his hand on his shoulder.
Instantly he leaped to his feet, his rifle at his follower's breast, hisfinger on the trigger.
"My God!" Walker yelled.
His speech was too late to stop the pressure of the finger. Walkerpushed the muzzle9 up and the ball grazed his shoulder. The leadergripped his follower's arm, stared at him a moment and merely grunted11:
"Oh!"When the day dawned a new man was found to act as second in command.
Walker had deserted12 his queer chieftain.
The old man entered the camp at dawn, the light of determination in hiseyes and a new set to his jaw13. His first plan of the Pottawattomie wasright. The turn toward Lawrence had been a waste of time. He selectedsix men to accompany him on his mission, his four sons who had madeup the Surveyor's party, his son-in-law, Henry Thompson, and TheodoreWeiner. Owen, Salmon14, Oliver and Frederick Brown knew every foot of theground. They had carried the chain, set the markers and flags and keptthe records.
He called his men in line and issued his first command:
"To the house of James Townsley."Townsley belonged to the Pottawattomie Rifles of which organization hisson, John Jr., was the Captain.
Arrived at the house, Brown drew Townsley aside and spoke15 in a vague,impersonal manner.
"I hear there is trouble expected on the Pottawattomie.""Is there?""We hear it.""What are you going to do?""March to their rescue. Will you help us?""How?""Harness your team of grays and take our party to Pottawattomie.""All right."The old man found a grindstone and ordered the ugly cutlasses whichhe had brought from Ohio to be sharpened. He stood over the stone andwatched it turned until each edge was as keen as a butcher's blade.
It began to dawn on the two younger sons before the grinding of theswords was finished what their father had determined16.
Frederick asked Oliver tremblingly:
"What do you think of this thing?""It looks black to me.""It looks hellish to me.""I'm not going.""Nor am I."They promptly17 reported the decision to their father.
His eyes flamed.
"It's too late to retreat now!""We're not going," was the sullen18 answer in chorus.
The father gripped the two with his hard hands and held them as in avise.
"You will not put me to shame now before these men. You will go withme--do you hear?"His tones rang with the quiver of steel and the boys' wills weakened.
Frederick said finally:
"We'll go with you then, but we'll take no part in what you do.""Agreed," was the stern answer.
He turned to Oliver and said:
"Give me your revolver. I may need it.""It's mine," the boy replied. "I'll not give it up."The old man looked the stalwart figure over in a quick glance ofappraisement. Brown had been a man of iron strength in his day buthis shoulders were stooped and he knew he was no match for the fiercestrength of youth. Yet his hesitation19 was only for an instant.
With the sudden spring of a panther he leaped on the boy and attemptedto take the pistol by force. The son resisted with fury.
Frederick, alarmed lest the pistol should be discharged in the struggle,managed to slip it from his brother's belt.
The match was not equal.
Youth was master in the appeal to brute20 strength. At North Elba thefather had once thrown thirty lumbermen in a day, one after the other,in a wrestling match. He summoned the last ounce of strength now tosubdue his rebellious21 son.
Frederick watched the contest with painful anxiety. His own mind was notstrong. He had already given evidences of insanity22 that had distressedhis brother. If Oliver should kill his father or the old man should killthe brother! He couldn't face the hideous23 possibility. Yet he couldn'tstop them.
Fortunately there were no other witnesses to the fight. Townsley wasbusy at the stable with the team. Weiner and Thompson had gone into thehouse to complete their packing of provisions for the journey.
In tones of blind anguish24 Frederick followed the two desperatestruggling men.
"Don't do this, Father!"The old man made no answer save to swing his agile25 son's frame to oneside in another futile26 effort to throw him to the ground.
Not a word escaped his lips. His eyes flashed and glittered with theuncertain glare of a maniac27 in the moments when the iron muscles of theson pinned his arms and held his wiry body rigid28.
Again Frederick's low pleading could be heard. This time to his brother:
"Can't you stop it, Oliver?""How can I?""For God's sake stop it--stop it!""I can't stop it. Don't ye see he's got me and I've got to hold him."The consciousness of failing strength drove the father to fury. Hisbreath was coming now in shorter gasps29. He knew his chances of successwere fading. He yielded for a moment, and ceased to struggle. A cunninglook crept into his eyes.
The boy relaxed his vigilance. The old man felt the boy's grip ease.
With a sudden thrust of his body he summoned the last ounce of strength,and threw his son to the ground.
The boy laughed a devilish cry of the strong with the weak as he fell.
Before he touched the ground he had deftly30 turned the father's bodybeneath his and the full weight of his two hundred pounds fairly crushedthe breath from the older man.
A groan31 of rage and despair was wrung32 from his stern lips. But no wordescaped him. Frederick rushed to the prostrate33 figures, seized Oliver bythe shoulders and tore his grip loose.
"This is foolish!" he stormed.
No sooner had Brown risen than he plunged34 again at his son. The boy hadbeen playing with him to this time. The half of his strength was yet inreserve. A little angry grunt10 came from his lips, and his father was achild in his hands. With sure, quick movement he pinioned35 both arms andjammed him against the wheel of the wagon36. He held him there for aninstant helpless to resist or move.
The last cry of despairing command came from Brown's soul.
"Let go of me, sir!"The boy merely growled37 a bulldog's answer.
"Not till you agree to behave yourself."Another desperate contraction38 of muscles and the order came more feebly.
"Will you let go of me, sir?""Will you behave yourself?""Yes," came the sullen answer.
The boy relaxed his grip and stood ready for action.
"All right, then.""You can keep your pistol.""I intend to.""But you are not to use it, sir, without my orders.""I am not going to use it at all, except in self-defense.""You will not be called upon to defend yourself. I am going on a divinemission. God has shown me the way in a Vision. I wish no man's help whomust be driven.""You'll not get any help, sir. I wouldn't have gone on that survey withyou if I'd known what was in your mind."Brown searched his son's eyes keenly.
"You will not betray me to my enemies?""I can't do that. You're my father."He turned to Frederick.
"Nor you?"The tears were streaming down the boy's face. He was hysterical39 from thestrain of the fight.
"You heard me, sir," the father stormed.
"What did you say?" Frederick stammered40.
Oliver explained.
"He asked if you were going to betray his plans to those people on thePottawattomie."A far-away expression came into his eyes.
"No--no--not that.""Then you'll both follow and keep out of my way until we have finishedthe work and then come back with me?""Yes," Oliver answered.
"Yes," Frederick echoed vaguely41.
Townsley and Weiner were coming with the pair of grays to be hitched42 tothe wagon. Weiner led his own pony43 already saddled. When they reachedthe wagon all signs of rebellion had passed.
"Are you ready?" Townsley asked.
"Ready." Brown's metallic44 voice rang.
The horses were hitched to the wagon, the provisions and equipmentloaded. Brown turned to his loyal followers:
"Arm yourselves."Owen, Salmon, Henry Thompson, Theodore Weiner and John Brown eachbuckled a loaded revolver about his waist, and seized a rifle andcutlass.
Weiner mounted his pony as an outpost rider and the others climbed intothe wagon. Oliver and Frederick agreed to follow on foot. The expeditionmoved toward the Southern settlement on Pottawattomie Creek.
Brown crouched5 low in the wagon as it moved slowly forward and a look ofcunning marked his grim face.
He was the Witch Hunter now. The chase was on. And the game was human.
As the sun was setting behind the Western horizon in a glow of orangeand purple glory the strange expedition drove down to the edge of thetimber between two deep ravines and camped a mile above Dutch Henry'sCrossing of the Pottawattomie.
The scene was one of serene45 beauty. The month of May--Saturday, thetwenty-third. Nature was smiling in the joy of her happiest hour. Peaceon earth, plenty, good will and happiness breathed from every bud andleaf and song of bird.
The broad prairies of the Territory were fertile and sunny. Theystretched away in unbroken, sublime46 loveliness until the land kissed theinfinite of the skies. Unless one had the feeling for this suggestion ofan inland sea the view might be depressing and the eye of the travelerweary.
The spot which John Brown picked for his camp was striking in its beautyand picturesque47 appeal. Winding48 streams, swelling49 hills, and steepravines broke the monotony of the plains.
The streams were bordered by the rich foliage50 of noble trees. Thestreams were called "Creeks51." In reality, they were beautiful riversin the month of May--the Marais des Cygnes and the Pottawattomie. Theyunited near Osawatomie to form the Osage River, the largest tributaryto the Missouri below its mountain sources. Each river had its manytributaries winding gracefully52 along wood-fringed banks.
Beyond these ribbons of beautiful foliage stretched the gorgeous carpetof the grass-matted, flower-strewn prairies.
The wild flowers were in full bloom, pushing their red, white, yellow,blue and pink heads above the grass. The wind was blowing a steadylife-giving gale53. The fields of flowers bowed and swayed and rose againat its touch. Their perfume filled the air. The perfume of the near-byfields was mingled54 with the odor of thousands of miles of prairiegardens to the south and west. A peculiar55 clearness in the atmospheregave the widest range to vision. Brown climbed the hill alone while hismen were unpacking56. From the hilltop, even in the falling twilight57, hecould see clearly for thirty or forty miles.
He swept the horizon for signs of the approach of a party which mightinterfere with his plan.
He knelt again and prayed to his God, as the twilight deepened intodarkness. The stars came out one by one and blinked down at his bentfigure still in prayer, his eyes uplifted in an uncanny glare.
As he slowly moved back to his camp he met Townsley.
Frederick and Oliver had reached camp and Townsley had caught a note ofthe sinister58 in their whispered talk. He didn't like the looks of it.
Brown had told him there was trouble brewing59 on the Pottawattomie. Hehad supposed, as a matter of course, that it was the long-threatenedattack of enemies on Weiner's store. Weiner, a big, quarrelsomeAustrian, had been in more than one fist fight with his neighbors.
Brown studied Townsley and decided to give him but a hint of his truepurpose. He didn't like this sign of weakness on the eve of greatevents.
Townsley took the hint with a grain of salt, but what he heard wasenough to bring alarm. The thing Brown had hinted was incredible.
But as Townsley looked at the leader he realized that he was not anordinary man. There was something extraordinary about him. He eithercommanded the absolute obedience60 of men who came near him or he sentthem from him with a repulsion as strong as the attraction to those wholiked him.
He felt the smothering61 power of this spell over his own mind now andtried to break it.
"Mr. Brown," Townsley began haltingly, "I've brought you here now. Youare snug62 in camp. I'd like to take my team back home.""To-night?""To-night.""It won't do.""Why not?""I won't allow this party to separate until the work to which God hascalled me is done.""I've done my share.""No. It will not do for you to go yet.""I'm going--""You're not!"Brown faced the man and held him in a silent look of his blue-gray eyes.
Townsley quailed63 before it.
"Whatever happens, you brought me here. You are equally responsible withme."Townsley surrendered.
The threat was unmistakable. He saw that he was trapped. Whether heliked it or not, he had packed his camp outfit64, harnessed his horses anddriven over the trail on a hunting expedition. He knew now that theywere stalking human game. It sent the chills down his spine65. But therewas no help for it. He had to stick.
Brown spent the night alone reconnoitering the settlement of thePottawattomie, marking the place of his game and making sure that noalarm could be given. All was still. There was nowhere the rustle66 of aleaf along a roadway that approached the unsuspecting quarry67.
Saturday dawned clear and serene. His plans required that he lieconcealed the entire day. He could stalk his prey68 with sure success onthe second night. The first he had to use in reconnoitering.
When breakfast had been eaten and Brown had finished his morningprayers, he ordered his men to lie low in the tall grass and give nosign of life until the shadows of night should again fall. They werenot allowed to kindle69 another fire. The fires of the breakfast had beenextinguished at daylight.
The wind rose with the sun and the tall wild flowers swayed gracefullyover the dusty figures of the men. They lay in a close group with Brownin the center leading the low-pitched conversation which at times becamea debate.
As the winds whispered through the moving masses of flowers, the old manwould sometimes stop his talk suddenly and an ominous70 silence held thegroup. He had the strange power of thus imposing71 his will on the menabout him. They watched the queer light in his restless eyes as helistened to the voices within.
Suddenly he awaked from his reverie and began an endless denunciationof both parties in Kansas. Northern and Southern factions72 had becomeequally vile73. The Southerners were always criminals. Their crime was nowfully shared by the time servers, trimmers and liars74 in the Free Stateparty.
His eyelids75 suddenly closed halfway76 and his eyes shone two points oflight as his metallic voice rang without restraint:
"They're all crying peace, peace!"He paused and hissed77 his words through the grass.
"There shall be no peace!"
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1
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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elation
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| n.兴高采烈，洋洋得意 | |
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obsession
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| n.困扰，无法摆脱的思想(或情感) | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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6
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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grunt
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| v.嘟哝；作呼噜声；n.呼噜声，嘟哝 | |
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grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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salmon
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| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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anguish
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| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
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agile
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| adj.敏捷的，灵活的 | |
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futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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maniac
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| n.精神癫狂的人；疯子 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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gasps
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| v.喘气( gasp的第三人称单数 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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deftly
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| adv.灵巧地，熟练地，敏捷地 | |
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groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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prostrate
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| v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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pinioned
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| v.抓住[捆住]（双臂）( pinion的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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contraction
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| n.缩略词，缩写式，害病 | |
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hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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metallic
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| adj.金属的；金属制的；含金属的；产金属的；像金属的 | |
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45
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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sublime
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| adj.崇高的，伟大的；极度的，不顾后果的 | |
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picturesque
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| adj.美丽如画的，（语言）生动的，绘声绘色的 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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49
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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50
foliage
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| n.叶子，树叶，簇叶 | |
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51
creeks
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| n.小湾( creek的名词复数 )；小港；小河；小溪 | |
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52
gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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54
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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56
unpacking
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| n.取出货物，拆包[箱]v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等） | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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brewing
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| n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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smothering
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的现在分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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62
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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63
quailed
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| 害怕，发抖，畏缩( quail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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64
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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65
spine
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| n.脊柱，脊椎；(动植物的)刺；书脊 | |
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66
rustle
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| v.沙沙作响；偷盗(牛、马等)；n.沙沙声声 | |
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67
quarry
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| n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找 | |
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68
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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69
kindle
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| v.点燃，着火 | |
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70
ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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factions
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| 组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 ) | |
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73
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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liars
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| 说谎者( liar的名词复数 ) | |
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75
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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76
halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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