[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"Do you forbid it?" inquired Edwards.
"No, no. I have not that authority, but I implore it. Wait, wait until the
Indians are in a better mood."
Edwards left the group, and, stepping upon the platform, faced the
Christians.
At the same moment Half King stalked majestically from before his party. He
carried no weapon save a black, knotted war-club. A surging forward of the
crowd of savages behind him showed the intense interest which his action had
Page 136
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
aroused. He walked forward until he stood half way between the platform and
the converts. He ran his evil glance slowly over the Christians, and then
rested it upon Edwards.
"Half King's orders are to be obeyed. Let the paleface keep his mouth
closed," he cried in the Indian tongue. The imperious command came as a
thunderbolt from a clear sky. The missionaries behind Edwards stood
bewildered, awaiting the outcome.
But Edwards, without a moment's hesitation, calmly lifted his hand and
spoke.
"Beloved Christians, we meet to-day as we have met before, as we hope to
meet in -"
"Spang!"
The whistling of a bullet over the heads of the Christians accompanied the
loud report of a rifle. All presently plainly heard the leaden missile strike.
Edwards wheeled, clutching his side, breathed hard, and then fell heavily
without uttering a cry. He had been shot by an Indian concealed in the
thicket.
For a moment no one moved, nor spoke. the missionaries were stricken with
horror; the converts seemed turned to stone, and the hostile throng waited
silently, as they had for hours.
"He's shot! He's shot! Oh, I feared this!" cried Heckewelder, running
forward. The missionaries followed him. Edwards was lying on his back, with a
bloody hand pressed to his side.
"Dave, Dave, how is it with you?" asked Heckewelder, in a voice low with
fear.
"Not bad. It's too far out to be bad, but it knocked me over," answered
Edwards, weakly. "Give me water."
They carried him from the platform, and laid him on the grass under a tree.
Young pressed Edwards' hand; he murmured something that sounded like a
prayer, and then walked straight upon the platform, as he raised his face,
which was sublime with a white light.
"Paleface! Back!" roared Half King, as he waved his war-club.
"You Indian dog! Be silent!"
Young's clear voice rolled out on the quiet air so imperiously, so powerful
in its wonderful scorn and passion, that the hostile savages were overcome by
awe, and the Christians thrilled anew with reverential love.
Young spoke again in a voice which had lost its passion, and was singularly
sweet in its richness.
"Beloved Christians, if it is God's will that we must die to prove our
faith, then as we have taught you how to live, so we can show you how to
die -"
"Spang!"
Page 137
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Again a whistling sound came with the bellow of an overcharged rifle; again
the sickening thud of a bullet striking flesh.
Young fell backwards from the platform.
The missionaries laid him beside Edwards, and then stood in shuddering
silence. A smile shone on Young's pale face; a stream of dark blood welled
from his breast. His lips moved; he whispered:
"I ask no more God's will."
Jim looked down once at his brother missionaries; then with blanched face,
but resolute and stern, he marched toward the platform.
Heckewelder ran after him, and dragged him back.
"No! no! no! My God! Would you be killed? Oh! I tried to prevent this!"
cried Heckewelder, wringing his hands.
One long, fierce, exultant yell pealed throughout the grove. It came from
those silent breasts in which was pent up hatred; it greeted this action which
proclaimed victory over the missionaries.
All eyes turned on Half King. With measured stride he paced to and fro
before the Christian Indians.
Neither cowering nor shrinking marked their manner; to a man, to a child,
they rose with proud mien, heads erect and eyes flashing. This mighty chief
with his blood-thirsty crew could burn the Village of Peace, could annihilate
the Christians, but he could never change their hope and trust in God.
"Blinded fools!" cried Half King. "The Huron is wise; he tells no lies. Many
moons ago he told the Christians they were sitting half way between two angry
gods, who stood with mouths open wide and looking ferociously at each other.
If they did not move back out of the road they would be ground to powder by
the teeth of one or the other, or both. Half King urged them to leave the
peaceful village, to forget the paleface God; to take their horses, and
flocks, and return to their homes. The Christians scorned the Huron King's
counsel. The sun has set for the Village of Peace. The time has come. Pipe and
the Huron are powerful. They will not listen to the paleface God. They will
burn the Village of Peace. Death to the Christians!"
Half King threw the black war-club with a passionate energy on the grass
before the Indians.
They heard this decree of death with unflinching front. Even the children
were quiet. Not a face paled, not an eye was lowered.
Half King cast their doom in their teeth. The Christians eyed him with
unspoken scorn.
"My God! My God! It is worse than I thought!" moaned Heckewelder. "Utter
ruin! Murder! Murder!"
In the momentary silence which followed his outburst, a tiny cloud of
blue-white smoke came from the ferns overhanging a cliff.
Crack!
All heard the shot of a rifle; all noticed the difference between its clear,
Page 138
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
ringing intonation and the loud reports of the other two. All distinctly heard
the zip of a bullet as it whistled over their heads. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl karpacz24.htw.pl
"Do you forbid it?" inquired Edwards.
"No, no. I have not that authority, but I implore it. Wait, wait until the
Indians are in a better mood."
Edwards left the group, and, stepping upon the platform, faced the
Christians.
At the same moment Half King stalked majestically from before his party. He
carried no weapon save a black, knotted war-club. A surging forward of the
crowd of savages behind him showed the intense interest which his action had
Page 136
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
aroused. He walked forward until he stood half way between the platform and
the converts. He ran his evil glance slowly over the Christians, and then
rested it upon Edwards.
"Half King's orders are to be obeyed. Let the paleface keep his mouth
closed," he cried in the Indian tongue. The imperious command came as a
thunderbolt from a clear sky. The missionaries behind Edwards stood
bewildered, awaiting the outcome.
But Edwards, without a moment's hesitation, calmly lifted his hand and
spoke.
"Beloved Christians, we meet to-day as we have met before, as we hope to
meet in -"
"Spang!"
The whistling of a bullet over the heads of the Christians accompanied the
loud report of a rifle. All presently plainly heard the leaden missile strike.
Edwards wheeled, clutching his side, breathed hard, and then fell heavily
without uttering a cry. He had been shot by an Indian concealed in the
thicket.
For a moment no one moved, nor spoke. the missionaries were stricken with
horror; the converts seemed turned to stone, and the hostile throng waited
silently, as they had for hours.
"He's shot! He's shot! Oh, I feared this!" cried Heckewelder, running
forward. The missionaries followed him. Edwards was lying on his back, with a
bloody hand pressed to his side.
"Dave, Dave, how is it with you?" asked Heckewelder, in a voice low with
fear.
"Not bad. It's too far out to be bad, but it knocked me over," answered
Edwards, weakly. "Give me water."
They carried him from the platform, and laid him on the grass under a tree.
Young pressed Edwards' hand; he murmured something that sounded like a
prayer, and then walked straight upon the platform, as he raised his face,
which was sublime with a white light.
"Paleface! Back!" roared Half King, as he waved his war-club.
"You Indian dog! Be silent!"
Young's clear voice rolled out on the quiet air so imperiously, so powerful
in its wonderful scorn and passion, that the hostile savages were overcome by
awe, and the Christians thrilled anew with reverential love.
Young spoke again in a voice which had lost its passion, and was singularly
sweet in its richness.
"Beloved Christians, if it is God's will that we must die to prove our
faith, then as we have taught you how to live, so we can show you how to
die -"
"Spang!"
Page 137
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Again a whistling sound came with the bellow of an overcharged rifle; again
the sickening thud of a bullet striking flesh.
Young fell backwards from the platform.
The missionaries laid him beside Edwards, and then stood in shuddering
silence. A smile shone on Young's pale face; a stream of dark blood welled
from his breast. His lips moved; he whispered:
"I ask no more God's will."
Jim looked down once at his brother missionaries; then with blanched face,
but resolute and stern, he marched toward the platform.
Heckewelder ran after him, and dragged him back.
"No! no! no! My God! Would you be killed? Oh! I tried to prevent this!"
cried Heckewelder, wringing his hands.
One long, fierce, exultant yell pealed throughout the grove. It came from
those silent breasts in which was pent up hatred; it greeted this action which
proclaimed victory over the missionaries.
All eyes turned on Half King. With measured stride he paced to and fro
before the Christian Indians.
Neither cowering nor shrinking marked their manner; to a man, to a child,
they rose with proud mien, heads erect and eyes flashing. This mighty chief
with his blood-thirsty crew could burn the Village of Peace, could annihilate
the Christians, but he could never change their hope and trust in God.
"Blinded fools!" cried Half King. "The Huron is wise; he tells no lies. Many
moons ago he told the Christians they were sitting half way between two angry
gods, who stood with mouths open wide and looking ferociously at each other.
If they did not move back out of the road they would be ground to powder by
the teeth of one or the other, or both. Half King urged them to leave the
peaceful village, to forget the paleface God; to take their horses, and
flocks, and return to their homes. The Christians scorned the Huron King's
counsel. The sun has set for the Village of Peace. The time has come. Pipe and
the Huron are powerful. They will not listen to the paleface God. They will
burn the Village of Peace. Death to the Christians!"
Half King threw the black war-club with a passionate energy on the grass
before the Indians.
They heard this decree of death with unflinching front. Even the children
were quiet. Not a face paled, not an eye was lowered.
Half King cast their doom in their teeth. The Christians eyed him with
unspoken scorn.
"My God! My God! It is worse than I thought!" moaned Heckewelder. "Utter
ruin! Murder! Murder!"
In the momentary silence which followed his outburst, a tiny cloud of
blue-white smoke came from the ferns overhanging a cliff.
Crack!
All heard the shot of a rifle; all noticed the difference between its clear,
Page 138
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
ringing intonation and the loud reports of the other two. All distinctly heard
the zip of a bullet as it whistled over their heads. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]