the scouts of the valley-第58章

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of　his　snowshoes；　he　shot　downward　like　one　taking　a　tremendous　slide　on　a　toboggan。　　Faster　and　faster　he　went；　but　deeper　and　deeper　he　dug　his　shoes　into　the　snow；　until　he　lay　back　almost　flat　against　its　surface。　　This　checked　his　speed　somewhat；　but　it　was　still　very　great；　and；　preserving　his　self…control　perfectly；　he　prayed　aloud　to　kindly　Providence　to　save　him　from　some　great　boulder　or　abrupt　drop。

The　snow　from　his　runners　flew　in　a　continuous　shower　behind　him　as　he　descended。　　Yet　he　drew　himself　compactly　together；　and　held　his　rifle　parallel　with　his　body。　　Once　or　twice；　as　he　went　over　a　little　ridge；　he　shot　clear　of　the　snow；　but　he　held　his　body　rigid；　and　the　snow　beyond　saved　him　from　a　severe　bruise。　　Then　his　speed　was　increased　again；　and　all　the　time　the　white　surface　of　the　lake　below；　seen　dimly　through　the　night　and　his　flight；　seemed　miles　away。

He　might　never　reach　that　surface　alive；　but　of　one　thing　lie　was　sure。　　None　of　the　Iroquois　or　Tories　had　dared　to　follow。　　Braxton　Wyatt　could　have　no　triumph　over　him。　　He　was　alone　in　his　great　flight。　　Once　a　projection　caused　him　to　turn　a　little　to　one　side。　　He　was　in　momentary　danger　of　turning　entirely；　and　then　of　rolling　head　over　heels　like　a　huge　snowball；　but　with　a　mighty　effort　he　righted　himself；　and　continued　the　descent　on　the　runners；　with　the　heels　plowing　into　the　ice　and　the　snow。

Now　that　white　expanse　which　had　seemed　so　far　away　came　miles　nearer。　　Presently　he　would　be　there。　　The　impossible　had　become　possible；　the　unattainable　was　about　to　be　attained。　　He　gave　another　mighty　dig　with　his　shoes；　the　last　reach　of　the　slope　passed　behind　him；　and　he　shot　out　on　the　frozen　surface　of　the　lake；　bruised　and　breathless；　but　without　a　single　broken　bone。

The　lake　was　covered　with　ice　a　foot　thick；　and　over　this　lay　frozen　snow；　which　stopped　Henry　forty　or　fifty　yards　from　the　cliff。　　There　he　lost　his　balance　at　last；　and　fell　on　his　side；　where　he　lay　for　a　few　moments；　weak；　panting；　but　triumphant。

When　he　stood　upright　again　he　felt　his　body；　but　he　had　suffered　nothing　save　some　bruises；　that　would　heal　in　their　own　good　time。　　His　deerskin　clothing　was　much　torn；　particularly　on　the　back；　where　he　had　leaned　upon　the　ice　and　snow；　but　the　folded　blanket　had　saved　him　to　a　considerable　extent。　　One　of　his　shoes　was　pulled　loose；　and　presently　he　discovered　that　his　left　ankle　was　smarting　and　burning　at　a　great　rate。　　But　he　did　not　mind　these　things　at　all；　so　complete　was　his　sense　of　victory。　　He　looked　up　at　the　mighty　white　wall　that　stretched　above　him　fifteen　hundred　feet；　and　he　wondered　at　his　own　tremendous　exploit。　　The　wall　ran　away　for　miles；　and　the　Iroquois　could　not　reach　him　by　any　easier　path。　　He　tried　to　make　out　figures　on　the　brink　looking　down　at　him；　but　it　was　too　far　away；　and　he　saw　only　a　black　line。

He　tightened　the　loose　shoe　and　struck　out　across　the　lake。　　He　was　far　away　from　〃The　Alcove；〃　and　he　did　not　intend　to　go　there；　lest　the　Iroquois；　by　chance；　come　upon　his　trail　and　follow　it　to　the　refuge。　　But　as　it　was　no　more　than　two　miles　across　the　lake　at　that　point；　and　the　Iroquois　would　have　to　make　a　great　curve　to　reach　the　other　side；　he　felt　perfectly　safe。　　He　walked　slowly　across；　conscious　all　the　time　of　an　increasing　pain　in　his　left　ankle；　which　must　now　be　badly　swollen；　and　he　did　not　stop　until　he　penetrated　some　distance　among　low　bills。　　Here；　under　an　overhanging　cliff　with　thick　bushes　in　front；　he　found　a　　partial　shelter；　which　he　cleared　out　yet　further。　　Then　with　infinite　patience　he　built　a　fire　with　splinters　that　he　cut　from　dead　boughs；　hung　his　blanket　in　front　of　it　on　two　sticks　that　the　flame　might　not　be　seen；　took　off　his　snowshoes；　leggins；　and　socks；　and　bared　his　ankles。　　Both　were　swollen；　but　the　left　much　more　badly　than　the　other。　　He　doubted　whether　he　would　be　able　to　walk　on　the　following　day；　but　he　rubbed　them　a　long　time；　both　with　the　palms　of　his　hands　and　with　snow；　until　they　felt　better。　　Then　he　replaced　his　clothing；　leaned　back　against　the　faithful　snowshoes　which　had　saved　his　life；　however　much　they　had　hurt　his　ankles；　and　gave　himself　up　to　the　warmth　of　the　fire。

It　was　very　luxurious；　this　warmth　and　this　rest；　after　so　long　and　terrible　a　flight；　and　he　was　conscious　of　a　great　relaxation；　one　which；　if　he　yielded　to　it　completely；　would　make　his　muscles　so　stiff　and　painful　that　he　could　not　use　them。　　Hence　he　stretched　his　arms　and　legs　many　times；　rubbed　his　ankles　again；　and　then；　remembering　that　he　had　venison；　ate　several　strips。

He　knew　that　he　had　taken　a　little　risk　with　the　fire；　but　a　fire　he　was　bound　to　have；　and　he　fed　it　again　until　he　had　a　great　mass　of　glowing　coals；　although　there　was　no　blaze。　　Then　he　took　down　the　blanket；　wrapped　himself　in　it；　and　was　soon　asleep　before　the　fire。　　He　slept　long　and　deeply；　and　although；　when　he　awoke；　the　day　had　fully　come；　the　coals　were　not　yet　out　entirely。　　He　arose；　but　such　a　violent　pain　from　his　left　ankle　shot　through　him　that　he　abruptly　sat　down　again。　　As　he　bad　feared；　it　had　swollen　badly　during　the　night；　and　he　could　not　walk。

In　this　emergency　Henry　displayed　no　petulance；　no　　striving　against　unchangeable　circumstance。　　He　drew　up　more　wood；　which　he　had　stacked　against　the　cliff；　and　put　it　on　the　coals。　　He　hung　up　the　blanket　once　more　in　order　that　it　might　hide　the　fire；　stretched　out　his　lame　leg；　and　calmly　made　a　breakfast　off　the　last　of　his　venison。　　　　　　　　He　knew　be　was　in　a　plight　that　might　appall　the　bravest；　but　be　kept　himself　in　hand。　　It　was　likely　that　the　Iroquois　thought　him　dead；　crushed　into　a　shapeless　mass　by　his　frightful　slide　of　fifteen　hundred　feet；　and　he　had　little　fear　of　them；　but　to　be　unable　to　walk　and　alone　in　an　icy　wilderness　without　food　was　sufficient　in　itself。　　He　calculated　that　it　was　at　least　a　dozen　miles　to　〃The　Alcove；〃　and　the　chances　were　a　hundred　to　one　against　any　of　his　comrades　wandering　his　way。　　He　looked　once　more　at　his　swollen　left　ankle；　and　he　made　a　close　calculation。　　It　would　be　three　days；　more　likely　four；　before　he　could　walk　upon　it。　　Could　he　endure　hunger　that　long？　　He　could。　　He　would！　　Crouched　in　his　nest　with　his　back　to　the　cliff；　he　had　defense　against　any　enemy　in　his　rifle　and　pistol。　　By　faithful　watching　he　might　catch　sight　of　some　wandering　animal；　a　target　for　his　rifle　and　then　food　for　his　stomach。　　His　wilderness　wisdom　warned　him　that　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　sit　quiet　and　wait。

He　scarcely　moved　for　hours。　　As　long　as　he　was　still　his　ankle　troubled　him　but　little。　　The　sun　came　out；　silver　bright；　but　it　had　no　warmth。　　The　surface　of　the　lake　was　shown　only　by　the　smoothness　of　its　expanse；　the　icy　covering　was　the　same　everywhere　over　hills　and　valleys。　　Across　the　lake　he　saw　the　steep　down　which　he　had　slid；　looming　white　and　lofty。　　In　the　distance　it　looked　perpendicular；　and；　whatever　its　terrors；　it　had；　beyond　a　doubt；　saved　his　life。　　He　glanced　down　at　his　swollen　ankle；　and；　despite　his　helpless　situation；　he　was　thankful　that　he　had　escaped　so　well。

About　noon　he　moved　enough　to　throw　up　the　snowbanks　higher　all　around　himself　in　the　fashion　of　an　Eskimos　house。　　Then　he　let　the　fire　die　except　some　coals　that　gave　forth　no　smoke；　stretched　the　blanket　over　his　head　in　the　manner　of　a　roof；　and　once　more　resumed　his　quiet　and　stillness。　　He　was　now　like　a　crippled　animal　in　its　lair；　but　he　was　warm；　and　his　wound　did　not　hurt　him。　　But　hunger　began　to　trouble　him。　　He　was　young　and　so　powerful　that　his　frame　demanded　much　sustenance。　　Now　it　cried　aloud　its　need！　　　He　ate　two　or　three　handfuls　of　snow；　and　for　a　few　moments　it　seemed　to　help　him　a　little；　but　his　hunger　soon　came　back　as　strong　as　ever。　　Then　he　tightened　his　belt　and　sat　in　grim　silence；　trying　to　forget　that　there　was　any　such　thing　as　food。

The　effort　of　the　will　was　almost　a　success　throughout　the　afternoon；　but　before　night　it　failed。　　He　began　to　have　roseate　visions　of　Long　Jim　trying　venison；　wild　duck；　bear；　and　buffalo　steaks　over　the　coals。　　He　could　sniff　the　aroma；　so　powerful　had　his　imagination　become；　and；　in　fancy；　his　month　watered