Among the miscreants4 none was more inhuman6 than Jake Golcher, the Tory. But for his strong admiration7 of the pretty Maggie Brainerd not one of the little party of fugitives8 would have survived capture for fifteen minutes.
He was not the first, as he shall not be the last, bad man who has been restrained from evil by the sweet beauty of some maiden9 who, unconsciously to herself, has woven her subtle web around him.
Had she walked up to him and promised to be his wife on condition that every one of her friends should be released, he would have complied, though he might have resorted to treachery afterward10 to gratify the demand for revenge on the part of his Indian allies.
But the father of Maggie had repudiated11 his claim, and the point at last was reached when he was forced to see that every one of the fugitives, including Maggie herself, looked upon him with unspeakable loathing12, and they would die before humbling13 themselves to him.
"What's the sense of my fooling longer?" he growled14, standing15 sullenly16 apart and glowering17 upon them; "they hate me worse than Satan himself, and if Maggie should pledge me her hand, that old father or the brother of her'n wouldn't let her keep her promise. The Injins have got so mad at my soft-heartedness that they begin to 'spect me, and they've gone over to t' other side the river to have their fun there, 'cause there ain't much prospect18 of gettin' it here."
The renegade spoke19 a significant truth, and, looking around, he was able to count precisely20 six Senecas who remained with him. Some of the others who were out hunting in the wood might return, but the chances were against it, and more than likely they had gone off to join in the orgies of which we only dare hint.
Striding across the brief space, Jake Golcher paused in front of Maggie Brainerd and said:
"You have had more mercy to-night than you had a right to expect, and more than you'll get any longer."
"Why do you talk to me thus?" asked the scared maiden, who could not fail to understand what he meant; "why do you feel such hatred21 of us who have never showed aught but kindness to you?"
"Bah!" interrupted the Tory, angrily; "why do you get over that stuff to me? I want no more of it. The time for begging mercy has gone by. If you had treated me right a while ago it would have been well—"
"Oh, Jake, how can you?"
The agonized22 girl was about to rush forward and throw herself on her knees before the man, when her father, with flashing eye, interposed.
"Maggie, I forbid you to speak a word to such a scoundrel as he. Sit down and keep silence."
The obedient girl complied, as she would have done had she known that death was to be the penalty.
She placed herself beside Eva, and the two, wrapping their arms about each other, wept in silence.
Aunt Peggy, as if conscious the crisis had come, ceased her cooking and softly seated herself beside them, without a word.
Mr. Brainerd, proud and defiant23 as ever, sat bolt upright on the fallen tree, with arms folded, looking as keenly as an eagle in the face of the being whom he execrated24 above any of his kind.
The Senecas watched them all, and it was easy to detect the signs of impatience25 among them, for they had been baffled too long of their prey26.
As Jake Golcher retreated a step or two the Indians uttered a short exclamation27 of surprise, as well they might, for two figures strode for-toward out of the gloom in the light of the camp-fire.
One of them was Habakkuk McEwen, who led by the arm Lieutenant28 Fred Godfrey, the latter stepping briskly, while a strange half-smile hovered29 about his handsome mouth.
Mr. Brainerd and the rest of the fugitives were thunderstruck, and totally at a loss to understand the meaning of the spectacle.
The face of Habakkuk was wreathed in an all-embracing smile, though there was a certain delicacy31 in his position that prevented his smile becoming contagious32.
"Well, Jake, I've brought you your man!" called out Habakkuk, in a voice tremulous with triumph and fear.
"You have done well," replied Golcher, as soon as he could recover his breath; "you have done better than I expected."
"It's all right now, then, ain't it—that is, with me?"
"Certainly; you've earned your freedom and can go. These Injins won't hurt you."
Golcher made a wave of his hand to the warriors33 grouped around and uttered an exclamation that insured immunity34 to the eccentric New Englander.
The latter wheeled about and walked straight toward the woods where his friends were awaiting him.
One of the most difficult things for a brave man to do is to stride deliberately35 off, without decreasing or augmenting36 his gait, when he has every reason to believe that someone is taking careful aim at him, and that if he doesn't get beyond range in a brief while he is certain to be punctured37.
The expectation of receiving a bullet from the rear will make the chills creep over the most courageous38 person, and give an impetus39 to his gait like the actual prick40 of a bayonet.
Habakkuk McEwen walked only a dozen steps when he was so impressed by the situation, that he forgot his identity. With a howl he sprang several feet from the ground and dashed off at the top of his speed into the woods, muttering:
"I'll be hanged if I can stand it; I believe every Injin squattin' there was taking aim at me."
Fred Godfrey and Jake Golcher at last stood face to face, and by the light of the camp-fire looked steadily41 in the eyes of each other.
"I'm here," said the lieutenant, in his ordinary voice, though he carefully measured his words: "Habakkuk McEwen has kept his pledge, and now I'd like to know what you are going to do about it."
"You would like to know, eh? Wal, I can soon tell you. I'm going to turn you over to these Senecas you see around you; one of them is throwing wood on the fire now; that's for you. More than one rebel has been roasted, and you are none too good to be served the same way."
"So you intend to burn me to death, Jacob, do you?"
"Intend to! I'm going to do so, sartin sure—that is, I'm going to boss the job, but I've promised to let the redskins have the fun of the thing."
"That's the idea, is it? And after I'm disposed of, what then? That is, what is to be done with my friends there?"
"I've no 'bjection to saying," replied the Tory, speaking loud enough for all to hear, "that the old fellow there and that she panther, Aunt Peggy, will be served the same way. The two girls will be taken back to York State with us, and sort of adopted by the Senecas."
All the individuals referred to heard these words, but no one moved or stirred. It may truthfully be said that they were so overcome for the moment that they were speechless.
"That's an imposing42 programme, Jacob, but, somehow or other, I think there will be a hitch43 in carrying it out."
"You think so, eh? Wal, you'll see mighty44 soon that there ain't no mistake about it. The fire is burning and about ready—"
"Jacob," said Fred Godfrey in a low voice, but with such significance that the Tory was transfixed, "I hoped that you would say and do something that would give me excuse for believing you less a miscreant5 than you are, but you have persisted in shutting out all merciful thoughts—"
"Do you suppose I was such a fool as to allow Habakkuk McEwen, one of my best friends, to bring me back a prisoner to you? You showed your idiocy46 in sending him out for me; but it is scarcely credible47 that you could really think he would ever show himself again. But he has, and here I am—
"And now, Jacob, I have the pleasure of informing you that you are at my mercy, and I have only to raise my hand—so—to have you riddled48 with bullets."
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1
massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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2
enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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miscreants
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| n.恶棍，歹徒( miscreant的名词复数 ) | |
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miscreant
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| n.恶棍 | |
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inhuman
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| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
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7
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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8
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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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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10
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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repudiated
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| v.（正式地）否认( repudiate的过去式和过去分词 )；拒绝接受；拒绝与…往来；拒不履行（法律义务） | |
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12
loathing
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| n.厌恶，憎恨v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的现在分词)；极不喜欢 | |
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13
humbling
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| adj.令人羞辱的v.使谦恭( humble的现在分词 )；轻松打败（尤指强大的对手）；低声下气 | |
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14
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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15
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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16
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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glowering
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| v.怒视( glower的现在分词 ) | |
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18
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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19
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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20
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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22
agonized
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| v.使（极度）痛苦，折磨( agonize的过去式和过去分词 )；苦斗；苦苦思索；感到极度痛苦 | |
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defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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24
execrated
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| v.憎恶( execrate的过去式和过去分词 )；厌恶；诅咒；咒骂 | |
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25
impatience
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| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
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26
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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27
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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28
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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29
hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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30
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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31
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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32
contagious
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| adj.传染性的，有感染力的 | |
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33
warriors
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| 武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 ) | |
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34
immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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35
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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36
augmenting
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| 使扩张 | |
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37
punctured
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| v.在（某物）上穿孔( puncture的过去式和过去分词 )；刺穿（某物）；削弱（某人的傲气、信心等）；泄某人的气 | |
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38
courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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39
impetus
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| n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力 | |
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40
prick
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| v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛 | |
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41
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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42
imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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43
hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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44
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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45
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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46
idiocy
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| n.愚蠢 | |
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47
credible
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| adj.可信任的，可靠的 | |
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48
riddled
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| adj.布满的；充斥的；泛滥的v.解谜，出谜题(riddle的过去分词形式) | |
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