they’d show some sense! It’s noble for them to die for Christianity, but it won’t do no good. By gum! Heckewelder has pulled him back. Now, that’s good judgment!”
Half King stepped before the Christians and addressed them. He held in his hand a black war-club, which he wielded as he spoke.
Jonathan’s attention was now directed from the maple grove to the hunter beside him. He had heard a slight metallic click, as Wetzel cocked his rifle. Then he saw the black barrel slowly rise.
“Listen, Lew. Mebbe it ain’t good sense. We’re after Girty, you remember; and it’s a long shot from here—full three hundred yards.”
“You’re right, Jack, you’re right,” answered Wetzel, breathing hard.
“Let’s wait, and see what comes off.”
“Jack, I can’t do it. It’ll make our job harder; but I can’t help it. I can put a bullet just over the Huron’s left eye, an’ I’m goin’ to do it.”
“You can’t do it, Lew; you can’t! It’s too far for any gun. Wait! Wait!” whispered Jonathan, laying his hand on Wetzel’s shoulder.
“Wait? Man, can’t you see what the unnamable villain is doin’?”
“What?” asked Zane, turning his eyes again to the glade.
The converted Indians sat with bowed heads. Half King raised his war-club, and threw it on the ground in front of them.
“He’s announcin’ the death decree!” hissed Wetzel.
“Well! if he ain’t!”
Jonathan looked at Wetzel’s face. Then he rose to his knees, as had Wetzel, and tightened his belt. He knew that in another instant they would be speeding away through the forest.
“Lew, my rifle’s no good fer that distance. But mebbe yours is. You ought to know. It’s not sense, because there’s Simon Girty, and there’s Jim, the men we’re after. If you can hit one, you can another. But go ahead, Lew. Plug that cowardly redskin!”
Wetzel knelt on one knee, and thrust the black rifle forward through the fern leaves. Slowly the fatal barrel rose to a level, and became as motionless as the immovable stones.
Jonathan fixed his keen gaze on the haughty countenance of Half King as he stood with folded arms and scornful mien in front of the Christians he had just condemned.
Even as the short, stinging crack of Wetzel’s rifle broke the silence, Jonathan saw the fierce expression of Half King’s dark face change to one of vacant wildness. His arms never relaxed from their folded position. He fell, as falls a monarch of the forest trees, a dead weight.
CHAPTER XXV.
“Please do not preach today,” said Nell, raising her eyes imploringly to Jim’s face.
“Nellie, I must conduct the services as usual. I can not shirk my duty, nor let these renegades see I fear to face them.”
“I have such a queer feeling. I am afraid. I don’t want to be left alone. Please do not leave me.”
Jim strode nervously up and down the length of the room. Nell’s worn face, her beseeching eyes and trembling hands touched his heart. Rather than almost anything else, he desired to please her, to strengthen her; yet how could he shirk his duty?
“Nellie, what is it you fear?” he asked, holding her hands tightly.
“Oh, I don’t know what—everything. Uncle is growing weaker every day. Look at Mr. Young; he is only a shadow of his former self, and this anxiety is wearing Mr. Heckewelder out. He is more concerned than he dares admit. You needn’t shake your head, for I know it. Then those Indians who are waiting, waiting—for God only knows what! Worse than all to me, I saw that renegade, that fearful beast who made way with poor dear Kate!”
Nell burst into tears, and leaned sobbing on Jim’s shoulder.
“Nell, I’ve kept my courage only because of you,” replied Jim, his voice trembling slightly.
She looked up quickly. Something in the pale face which was bent over her told that now, if ever, was the time for a woman to forget herself, and to cheer, to inspire those around her.
“I am a silly baby, and selfish!” she cried, freeing herself from his hold. “Always thinking of myself.” She turned away and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Go, Jim, do you duty; I’ll stand by and help you all a woman can.”
* * * *
The missionaries were consulting in Heckewelder’s cabin. Zeisberger had returned that morning, and his aggressive, dominating spirit was just what they needed in an hour like this. He raised the downcast spirits of the ministers.
“Hold the service? I should say we will,” he declared, waving his hands. “What have we to be afraid of?”
“I do not know,” answered Heckewelder, shaking his head doubtfully. “I do not know what to fear. Girty himself told me he bore us no ill will; but I hardly believe him. All this silence, this ominous waiting perplexes, bewilders me.”
“Gentlemen, our duty at least is plain,” said Jim, impressively. “The faith of these Christian Indians in us is so absolute that they have no fear. They believe in God, and in us. These threatening savages have failed signally to impress our Christians. If we do not hold the service they will think we fear Girty, and that might have a bad influence.”
“I am in favor of postponing the preaching for a few days. I tell you I am afraid of Girty’s Indians, not for myself, but for these Christians whom we love so well. I am afraid.” Heckewelder’s face bore testimony to his anxious dread.
“You are our leader; we have but to obey,” said Edwards. “Yet I think we owe it to our converts to stick to our work until we are forced by violence to desist.”
“Ah! What form will that violence take?” cried Heckewelder, his face white. “You cannot tell what these savages mean. I fear! I fear!”
“Listen, Heckewelder, you must remember we had this to go through once before,” put in Zeisberger earnestly. “In ’78 Girty came down on us like a wolf on the fold. He had not so many Indians at his beck and call as now; but he harangued for days, trying to scare us and our handful of Christians. He set his drunken fiends to frighten us, and he failed. We stuck it out and won. He’s trying the same game. Let us stand against him, and hold our services as usual. We should trust in God!”
“Never give up!” cried Jim.
“Gentlemen, you are right; you shame me, even though I feel that I understand the situation and its dread possibilities better than any one of you. Whatever befalls we’ll stick to our post. I thank you for reviving the spirit in my cowardly heart. We will hold the service today as usual and to make it more impressive, each shall address the congregation in turn.”
“And, if need be, we will give our lives for our Christians,” said Young, raising his pale face.
* * * *
The deep mellow peals of the church bell awoke the slumbering echoes.
