“The blood is fresh, too!” cried Boone. “Lark must have been killed by this monster immediately after we missed him in the thicket2.”
“It looks like it,” said Kenton, solemnly.
“Let us look for the body.”
But as they were about to commence their search, the sound of footfalls approaching through the wood fell upon their ears.
“It’s some one coming through the wood.”
“Yes, and hyer all comers are enemies and not friends; let’s to cover,” said Boone.
The steps came nearer and nearer, and then, through the gloom of the night, the watching eyes of the two saw the fearful form of the terrible Wolf Demon6 approaching.
He walked not now with stealthy tread but his step was heavy and slow. His head was bent7 down, low upon his breast. Slowly he came on, passed by the ambush8 of the scouts, then crossed the moonlit glade9 and entered the thicket on the opposite side. He was bending his steps in the direction of the Indian village of Chillicothe.
Hardly had the awful form disappeared within the gloom of the forest when Boone grasped Kenton nervously10 by the shoulder.
“Kenton,” he said, in a hoarse11 whisper, “let us not search for the body of our friend, whom this awful thing has killed, but revenge his death.”
“I’m with you, tooth and nail,” replied Kenton, firmly.
“Let’s follow this thing then.”
Then the woodmen, with caution, followed in the path of the Wolf Demon.
The Demon proceeded direct to the Indian village.
The woodmen were guided in their course by the noise of his footsteps.
Suddenly the sound of the steps ceased.
Boone and Kenton crept forward with increased caution.
A few rods on and they found themselves on the edge of the timber, and in full view of the Indian village.
The Wolf Demon was not to be seen!
The scouts then guessed the reason why the sounds of the Wolf Demon’s tread had ceased so suddenly. The Demon had entered the village in search of prey13.
The path that the two had followed entered the village close by the river’s bank.
It was plain to Boone that the Wolf Demon had selected the same road into the Indian village that he, Boone, had taken in escaping from it.
“We’re treed,” said Boone, as they reached the edge of the timber and perceived that they could proceed no further in their pursuit without danger of their being discovered by the red-skins.
“A full stop hyer,” said Boone, thoughtfully.
“Yes, it ’pears like it,” Kenton replied.
“S’pose we wait hyer for the varmint? Ef he went into the village this way, it’s likely that he’ll come out the same path.”
“That’s true.”
“Yes, as preachin’. I don’t know as we kin14 damage the critter,” said Boone, thoughtfully. “We hain’t got no silver bullets, and I’ve heerd say that it takes a silver bullet to stop a spook.”
“We kin try,” said Kenton, decidedly.
“Right again, by hookey! Give us your paw, Sim; we’ll stick by each other in this.”
“Yes, to death,” answered Kenton.
A firm grip of hands sealed the compact.
Then the two again concealed themselves in the bushes.
They watched and they waited.
In the Indian village, Ke-ne-ha-ha, the great Shawnee chieftain, sat in the gloom of his wigwam.
The little fire that burned in the center of the lodge15 cast a baleful light over the dusky face of the warrior16.
Dark and full of sorrow were the thoughts of the chieftain.
He saw again the death-scene of the Red Arrow; heard her shriek17 for mercy, and then beheld18 the warm life-blood gushing19, free, from her young veins20. Amid the smoke and flames, she died. Like the Roman father, he had given to the death his own flesh and blood. And that deed had brought upon his nation the terrible scourge21 of the Wolf Demon.
Well might the brow of Ke-ne-ha-ha look dark as the thunder-cloud when he thought of the past. And in the future he saw no ray of light. He had little hope that the White Dog would succeed in his mission and kill the terrible foe22.
As he was brooding over these gloomy thoughts, his daughter, Le-a-pah, entered the wigwam.
“May the White Dog speak with the chief?” the girl asked.
“Let the brave enter,” Ke-ne-ha-ha replied. A gleam of light flashed over his clouded face. Why should the young warrior seek him, save to tell of the death of the Wolf Demon?
A second more and the warrior stood before him. The girl remained, discreetly23, at the door of the lodge.
“Well?” questioned the chief.
“The White Dog sought the Wolf Demon in the forest, fought him hand to hand, but the Shawnee brave fell beneath his foot; the tomahawk was raised to strike, when Le-a-pah bounded from the wood and the Wolf Demon held his arm and fled from her like the night flies from the dawn.”
“The warrior has failed,” he said, slowly.
“Manitou did not will that he should kill the Wolf Demon,” replied the young brave.
“The brave has tried, and the Shawnee chief will keep his word. Le-a-pah!”
The chief gave her to the embrace of the young warrior.
“You are both my children—go.” But no gleam of joy lighted up Ke-ne-ha-ha’s stern face as he gave his daughter into the arms of her lover. The living Wolf Demon cast a mantle26 of gloom over his brain.
The brave and the girl withdrew from the lodge. The manner of the chieftain forbade further words.
“Oh, that my life might save my people from this terrible scourge!” he murmured, with clenched28 teeth. “For the two lives, he has taken twelve. How many more of my nation must fall by the tomahawk of the Wolf Demon ere his taste for Shawnee blood will be satisfied?”
“One!” responded a deep voice.
Ke-ne-ha-ha turned, his blood chilled to ice with horror.
His eyes looked upon the terrible form of the Wolf Demon standing29 in the doorway30 of the wigwam. In the hand of the Demon shone the deadly tomahawk.
Ke-ne-ha-ha gazed with staring eyes upon the terrible figure.
“Let the chief prepare to die. He is the last Shawnee that will feel the edge of the tomahawk of the avenger,” cried the deep voice.
With an effort, Ke-ne-ha-ha roused himself from the spell of terror that the appearance of the dreaded31 Wolf Demon had cast around him.
With a sudden bound, he seized his tomahawk, that had been carelessly cast upon the floor of the wigwam.
The Wolf Demon made no effort to prevent the chief from possessing himself of the weapon.
Slowly they moved around the narrow circle of the wigwam, watching each other with wary33 eyes, each seeking an unguarded opening for an attack.
Thrice they made the circle of the lodge, the little fire, with its glimmering34 light, revealing their movements to each other.
Then with a spring, like unto the panther’s in quickness, and in force, the Wolf Demon leaped upon the Shawnee chief.
The tomahawk of the Wolf Demon spent its force upon the air; and as he passed, the wily Indian dealt him a terrible stroke upon the head, that cut in deep through the wolf-skin, and felled him heavily to the earth.
A hoarse note of triumph came from the lips of the chief as he beheld the downfall of his foe. But his joy was of short duration, for, like the ancient god of the fable36 that gathered strength from being cast to earth, the Wolf Demon rose to his feet. The shock of the fall had torn the tomahawk from his hand, but he did not attempt to recover the weapon.
With naked hands—weaponless—he faced the Shawnee chief. The blood streaming down freely over his face—over the black and white pigments37 with which it was painted in horrid38 fashion—made him look like an evil spirit fresh from the fires below.
Ke-ne-ha-ha grasped his tomahawk with desperate energy and waited for the attack of the unarmed foe.
The Shawnee chieftain did not have long to wait.
With the spring of a tiger the Wolf Demon leaped upon the Indian.
[43]
Desperately40 Ke-ne-ha-ha struck at him with the tomahawk, but the Wolf Demon warded41 off the blows with his arm, and despite the efforts of the chief to prevent it, he closed in with him.
Sinewy42 and supple43 was the Shawnee warrior, yet he was but as a child in the powerful grasp of his terrible foe.
The Wolf Demon held him in a grip of iron. His arms, linked round the Indian like bands of steel, were crushing the life out of him little by little.
Vainly Ke-ne-ha-ha struggled to free himself from the anaconda coil.
Like the serpent of far-off India, wreathing its huge length around its prey, the Wolf Demon held the Shawnee chieftain in his grip.
The breath of the Indian came thick and hard.
Up and down in the narrow confines of the wigwam swayed the contending foes, like two venomous snakes coiled together.
Exerting all his strength, the Indian tried to break the grasp of the Wolf Demon. Vainly he struggled—vainly he tried. He felt that his strength was going fast.
Tight and tighter grew the grip of steel.
The Indian turned black in the face. The blood gushed44 from his mouth. He ceased to struggle. The grip relaxed and Ke-ne-ha-ha fell to the ground, dead.
点击
收听单词发音
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1
scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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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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4
snugly
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| adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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7
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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ambush
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| n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击 | |
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glade
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| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
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nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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tersely
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| adv. 简捷地, 简要地 | |
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13
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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14
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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lodge
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| v.临时住宿，寄宿，寄存，容纳；n.传达室，小旅馆 | |
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warrior
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| n.勇士，武士，斗士 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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18
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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19
gushing
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| adj.迸出的；涌出的；喷出的；过分热情的v.喷，涌( gush的现在分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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20
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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scourge
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| n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏 | |
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22
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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23
discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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24
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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26
mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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27
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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clenched
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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29
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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32
foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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33
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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34
glimmering
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| n.微光，隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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35
evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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36
fable
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| n.寓言；童话；神话 | |
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37
pigments
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| n.（粉状）颜料( pigment的名词复数 )；天然色素 | |
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38
horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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39
lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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40
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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41
warded
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| 有锁孔的，有钥匙榫槽的 | |
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42
sinewy
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| adj.多腱的，强壮有力的 | |
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43
supple
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| adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺 | |
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44
gushed
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| v.喷，涌( gush的过去式和过去分词 )；滔滔不绝地说话 | |
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