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首页 » 英文短篇小说 » The Wolf Demon or, The Queen of the Kanawha » CHAPTER XV. THE RENEGADE’S DAUGHTER.
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CHAPTER XV. THE RENEGADE’S DAUGHTER.
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 By the northern bank of the Kanawha, some five miles from the settlement of Point Pleasant, stood a lonely cabin. A little clearing surrounded it.
The cabin was situated1 about half a mile from the broad trail leading from Point Pleasant to the Virginia settlements.
A narrow foot-path led from the broad trail to the lonely cabin, but so little was it used and so dense2 had grown the weeds and rank grass of the forest about it, that it would almost have required the practiced eye of the savage4, or his rival in woodcraft, the white borderer, to have discovered the existence of the path.
The cabin itself, though situated far from the line of civilization, showed evident signs of human occupation.
The wild vines of the forest, transplanted from their native fastness, twined and bloomed about the rough logs that formed the walls of the cabin. And with the wild children of the wood grew red and white roses, the floral gems5 that art had plucked from nature.
A little garden patch, that showed plainly the traces of careful tending, was on the further side of the cabin and extended down near to the bank of the Kanawha.
This lonely cabin, far off in the wild woods, remote from civilization, was the home of the strange, wayward girl whom the settlers at Point Pleasant called Kanawha Kate, and whom the red chiefs, in their fanciful way, termed the “Queen of the Kanawha.”
In the interior of the lonely cabin a strange scene presented itself to view.
On a rude couch of deer-skins lay a man. He was moaning, helplessly, as if in great pain.
The shirt that covered his manly6 breast was stained with blood.
From the position in which the wounded man lay—on his side, with his face buried in the folds of the deer-skin—his features were concealed7 from view, yet from the pallor of the little part of his face that was visible, it was evident that the man had been stricken nigh to death.
By the side of the suffering man knelt the brown-cheeked beauty, Kanawha Kate.
Anxiously she bent8 over the stricken man. A little cup of the muddy water from the Kanawha was by her side, and with her hands, wet with the discolored drops, she bathed the feverish9 temples of the wounded man.
Tender as a mother nursing her first-born, the girl laved the hot flesh.
As the cooling touch of the wet, brown hand passed softly over his temples, it seemed to ease the pain that racked the muscular limbs.
The rigid10 lines of the face, distorted by the agony of pain, grew soft. The moans of anguish11 were stilled. The simple treatment of the girl was relieving the torture felt by the stranger.
Eagerly the girl watched the face, and smiled when she saw the muscles relax and the painful breathing become low and regular.
“He will not die!” she cried, in joy, but barely speaking above a whisper for fear of disturbing her patient.
“He will live and owe that life to me. Oh! what joy in the thought!” Then a few moments she remained silent, watching the pale face before her with many a long, loving look.
Few of the settlers at Point Pleasant who had seen Kanawha Kate roaming the forest, rifle in hand—as good a woodman as any one among them—would have guessed that, within the heart of the forest-queen was a world of tenderness and love.
They had seen her bring down the brown deer with a single shot, wing an eagle in his airy circle in the sky and bring the kingly bird tumbling to earth; had seen her when the Ohio, lashed12 into white, crested13 waves by the mad winds, bid defiance14 to the boldest boatman to dare to cross it, launch her dug-out and fearlessly commit herself to the mercy of the dashing waters.
How could they guess that with the dauntless courage of a lion, she also possessed15 the tender and loving heart of a woman? But so it was.
“It was Heaven that sent me to his aid,” she murmured, gazing fondly on the white face. “How beautiful he is; how unlike the rough fellows in yonder settlement,” and the girl’s lip curled contemptuously as she spoke16.
“He is a king to them. Oh! what would I not give to win his love; but that thought is folly17. I am despised by all; but no, there is one who speaks fairly to and thinks kindly18 of me—Virginia Treveling. She has a noble heart. She is the only one in yonder settlement who has not treated me with scorn and yet fate has decreed that we shall stand in each other’s way.” Mournful was the voice of the girl as the words came from her lips; sorrowful was the look upon her face.
“It is a hopeless passion that I am nourishing in my heart. I must not love him, for I can never hope to win a return of that love.”
Sadly she looked upon the wounded man.
A footfall outside the cabin attracted her attention. Quickly she bounded to her feet and seized the rifle that hung over the rude fire-place. Then she stood still and listened.
“Who can it be that seeks the home of the outcast girl?” she murmured, as with eager ears, every sense on the alert, she listened.
“Can it be one of the settlers from Point Pleasant? No; but few of them know of my dwelling-place, and fewer still would care to seek it. Is it a red-skin? No; I would not have heard his footfall if he comes in malice19.”
Then the girl heard the sound of footsteps approaching the house.
“Ah!” exclaimed the girl, suddenly, as a thought flashed through her mind; “perhaps it is his foes20 coming to seek him,” and her glance was on the wounded man as she spoke.[16] “If so they had better have sought the den3 of the wolf, or the nest of the rattlesnake than my cabin. They must kill me before they shall harm him.”
Hardly had the speech come from her lips when a bold knock sounded on the door.
“Who is there?” cried Kate.
The door—a heavy one, braced21 strongly—was barred on the inside and was fully22 stout23 enough to defy the strength of a dozen men, let alone one.
“Open and you will see,” responded a hoarse24 voice.
The girl started when the tones fell upon her ear.
“Can it be he?” she muttered, and wonder was in her voice.
“Why don’t you answer, gal25?” exclaimed the voice of the stranger. “Don’t you know me, or have you forgotten your own flesh and blood?”
“It is my father,” she murmured, but there was little love in the tones.
Then, without further parley26, she unbarred the door. It swung back slowly on its rusty27 hinges and a tall, powerfully built man, clad in a deer-skin garb28 fashioned after the Indian style, entered the room.
The stranger was the same man whom we have seen in the Shawnee village, Girty’s companion, by name David Kendrick.
He, too, like Girty was execrated29 by the settlers. An adopted son of the great Shawnee nation, with his red brothers he had stained his hands in the blood of the men whose skins were white like his own.
There was little love expressed in the face of Kate as she looked upon her father, for the renegade Kendrick bore that relation to her, though by the inhabitants of Point Pleasant it was generally supposed that she was some relation to Girty; but that was not the truth.
“Well, gal, how are you?” questioned the new-comer, roughly. But before the girl could reply, the eyes of Kendrick fell upon the figure of the wounded man stretched upon the couch of skins.
“Hullo! who’s this, eh? Hain’t been getting a husband since I’ve been up in the Shawnee country, have you?”
“No,” answered the girl, scornfully and quickly.
“Needn’t get riled ’bout it,” said the father, bluntly. “Who is he, anyway?”
“A wounded stranger whose life I have been trying to save.”
“I s’pose you’re in love with him, eh?” asked Kendrick, with a covert30 glance from under his heavy brows at the girl.
“In love with him! What good would it do me to fall in love with any decent white man? Am I not your daughter? the child of a renegade?” exclaimed the girl, bitterly.
“Better come with me and I’ll find you a husband in some of the great chiefs of the Shawnee nation.”
“I’d blow out my brains with my own rifle first,” cried the girl, angrily.
“Don’t get your back up; I only suggested it. You’ve got the temper of an angel, you have. If you ever do get a husband, you’ll comb his hair with a three-legged stool, I reckon, whether his skin is white or red.”
The girl made no reply, but turned away her head with a look of scorn.
“Seein’ as how I was ’round the clearing I thought I’d call in and see how you was. I didn’t expect to find the old cabin turned into a hospital.”
“Would you have had me leave this poor fellow to die in the wood, like a dog?” asked the girl, spiritedly.
“Life ain’t worth much, anyway,” said the renegade, contemptuously. “One man ain’t missed in this hyer big world.”
“What brings you so near to the station?” asked Kate.
“Ain’t it natural that a white man should want to see some of his own color, once in awhile?” asked Kendrick, with a grin.
“Your color!” said the girl, in scorn, “though your face is white yet your heart is red! yes, as red as your hand has been with blood. In yonder settlement they call you the white Indian, and they would tear you to pieces if they could get their hands upon you—show you as little mercy as they would show a wolf.”
“That’s true, gal, true as preachin’; but do you suppose the hate’s all on one side? I reckon not,” and the renegade laughed discordantly31. “I’ve seen many a white man dance while the red flames were burning his life away, and I’ve laughed at the sight.”
“And the guilt32 and shame that belongs to you clings to me also. I am your daughter, and that I am so is a curse upon my life. It has made me an outcast—forced me to seek a home far from the bounds of civilization. It has deadened all the good in my nature. It is a wonder that I am not thoroughly33 bad, for all think me so.” The tone in which the girl spoke showed plainly how deeply she felt the cruel truth.
“Inside of a month the settlers at Point Pleasant won’t jeer34 at you,” said Kendrick, meaningly.
“What will keep them from it?” asked Kate, in wonder.
“Ke-ne-ha-ha and his Shawnees. There’s a hurricane coming, gal, and Point Pleasant will be the first to feel it. Let ’em laugh now, they’ll cry tears of blood soon.”

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1 situated JiYzBH     
adj.坐落在...的,处于某种境地的
参考例句:
  • The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。
  • She is awkwardly situated.她的处境困难。
2 dense aONzX     
a.密集的,稠密的,浓密的;密度大的
参考例句:
  • The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。
  • The path was completely covered by the dense foliage. 小路被树叶厚厚地盖了一层。
3 den 5w9xk     
n.兽穴;秘密地方;安静的小房间,私室
参考例句:
  • There is a big fox den on the back hill.后山有一个很大的狐狸窝。
  • The only way to catch tiger cubs is to go into tiger's den.不入虎穴焉得虎子。
4 savage ECxzR     
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人
参考例句:
  • The poor man received a savage beating from the thugs.那可怜的人遭到暴徒的痛打。
  • He has a savage temper.他脾气粗暴。
5 gems 74ab5c34f71372016f1770a5a0bf4419     
growth; economy; management; and customer satisfaction 增长
参考例句:
  • a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
  • The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。
6 manly fBexr     
adj.有男子气概的;adv.男子般地,果断地
参考例句:
  • The boy walked with a confident manly stride.这男孩以自信的男人步伐行走。
  • He set himself manly tasks and expected others to follow his example.他给自己定下了男子汉的任务,并希望别人效之。
7 concealed 0v3zxG     
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的
参考例句:
  • The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
  • I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。
8 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
9 feverish gzsye     
adj.发烧的,狂热的,兴奋的
参考例句:
  • He is too feverish to rest.他兴奋得安静不下来。
  • They worked with feverish haste to finish the job.为了完成此事他们以狂热的速度工作着。
10 rigid jDPyf     
adj.严格的,死板的;刚硬的,僵硬的
参考例句:
  • She became as rigid as adamant.她变得如顽石般的固执。
  • The examination was so rigid that nearly all aspirants were ruled out.考试很严,几乎所有的考生都被淘汰了。
11 anguish awZz0     
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦,烦恼
参考例句:
  • She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时,她由于痛苦而失声大哭。
  • The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。
12 lashed 4385e23a53a7428fb973b929eed1bce6     
adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 );煽动;紧系;怒斥
参考例句:
  • The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
  • The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》
13 crested aca774eb5cc925a956aec268641b354f     
adj.有顶饰的,有纹章的,有冠毛的v.到达山顶(或浪峰)( crest的过去式和过去分词 );到达洪峰,达到顶点
参考例句:
  • a great crested grebe 凤头䴙䴘
  • The stately mansion crested the hill. 庄严的大厦位于山顶。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
14 defiance RmSzx     
n.挑战,挑衅,蔑视,违抗
参考例句:
  • He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
  • He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。
15 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的
参考例句:
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
16 spoke XryyC     
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
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
17 folly QgOzL     
n.愚笨,愚蠢,蠢事,蠢行,傻话
参考例句:
  • Learn wisdom by the folly of others.从别人的愚蠢行动中学到智慧。
  • Events proved the folly of such calculations.事情的进展证明了这种估计是愚蠢的。
18 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
19 malice P8LzW     
n.恶意,怨恨,蓄意;[律]预谋
参考例句:
  • I detected a suggestion of malice in his remarks.我觉察出他说的话略带恶意。
  • There was a strong current of malice in many of his portraits.他的许多肖像画中都透着一股强烈的怨恨。
20 foes 4bc278ea3ab43d15b718ac742dc96914     
敌人,仇敌( foe的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • They steadily pushed their foes before them. 他们不停地追击敌人。
  • She had fought many battles, vanquished many foes. 她身经百战,挫败过很多对手。
21 braced 4e05e688cf12c64dbb7ab31b49f741c5     
adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 );撑牢;使自己站稳;振作起来
参考例句:
  • They braced up the old house with balks of timber. 他们用梁木加固旧房子。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The house has a wooden frame which is braced with brick. 这幢房子是木结构的砖瓦房。 来自《简明英汉词典》
22 fully Gfuzd     
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地
参考例句:
  • The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气,然后全部呼出。
  • They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
24 hoarse 5dqzA     
adj.嘶哑的,沙哑的
参考例句:
  • He asked me a question in a hoarse voice.他用嘶哑的声音问了我一个问题。
  • He was too excited and roared himself hoarse.他过于激动,嗓子都喊哑了。
25 gal 56Zy9     
n.姑娘,少女
参考例句:
  • We decided to go with the gal from Merrill.我们决定和那个从梅里尔来的女孩合作。
  • What's the name of the gal? 这个妞叫什么?
26 parley H4wzT     
n.谈判
参考例句:
  • The governor was forced to parley with the rebels.州长被迫与反叛者谈判。
  • The general held a parley with the enemy about exchanging prisoners.将军与敌人谈判交换战俘事宜。
27 rusty hYlxq     
adj.生锈的;锈色的;荒废了的
参考例句:
  • The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
  • I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用,我的法语又荒疏了。
28 garb JhYxN     
n.服装,装束
参考例句:
  • He wore the garb of a general.他身着将军的制服。
  • Certain political,social,and legal forms reappear in seemingly different garb.一些政治、社会和法律的形式在表面不同的外衣下重复出现。
29 execrated 5bc408b7180f69c21bcd790430601951     
v.憎恶( execrate的过去式和过去分词 );厌恶;诅咒;咒骂
参考例句:
  • He felt execrated by all. 他觉得所有人都在诅咒他。 来自辞典例句
  • It was Soapy's design to assume the role of the despicable and execrated 'masher'. 索比的计划是装扮成一个下流、讨厌的“捣蛋鬼”。 来自英汉文学 - 欧亨利
30 covert voxz0     
adj.隐藏的;暗地里的
参考例句:
  • We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
  • The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。
31 discordantly 84bf613efe5137046aee44bbbe83925a     
adv.不一致地,不和谐地
参考例句:
  • The walls of the rooms were discordantly papered. 房间的墙是拼凑的纸糊的,颜色很不协调。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
  • The piece ended discordantly. 这部作品结尾很不和谐。 来自互联网
32 guilt 9e6xr     
n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责
参考例句:
  • She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
  • Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。
33 thoroughly sgmz0J     
adv.完全地,彻底地,十足地
参考例句:
  • The soil must be thoroughly turned over before planting.一定要先把土地深翻一遍再下种。
  • The soldiers have been thoroughly instructed in the care of their weapons.士兵们都系统地接受过保护武器的训练。
34 jeer caXz5     
vi.嘲弄,揶揄;vt.奚落;n.嘲笑,讥评
参考例句:
  • Do not jeer at the mistakes or misfortunes of others.不要嘲笑别人的错误或不幸。
  • The children liked to jeer at the awkward students.孩子们喜欢嘲笑笨拙的学生。


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