osc.am2.redprophet-第30部分

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there　　him　bringing　up　the　rear　at　that　point；　with　Calm　by　his　side　　the　underjohns　were　tucked　away　out　of　sight。
　　〃We'll　never　track　them　from　here；〃　said　Armor…of…God。　〃The　boys　aren't　leaving　no　footprints　now　　which　don't　mean　nothing；　Mr。　Miller；　so　don't　you　fret。〃　Armor　called　his　father…in…law　Mr。　Miller　ever　since　Al　throwed　him　out　of　the　house　into　the　snow　that　time　he　came　to　say　Al　Junior　was　dying　cause　the　family　mitted　the　sin　of　using　hexes　and　beseechings。　It　just　don't　seem　right　to　call　a　man　Pa　after　he　heaves　you　off　his　porch。　〃They　might　be　toting　the　boys；　or　they　might　be　stepping　after　them；　kind　of　wiping　out　their　prints。　We　all　know　if　a　Red　don't　want　to　leave　a　trail；　there　ain't　no　trail。〃
　　〃We　all　know　about　Reds；〃　said　Al　Miller。　〃And　what　they　do　to　White　boys　when　they〃
　　〃So　far　all　we　know　is　they're　trying　to　scare　us；〃　said　Armor。
　　〃Doing　a　good　job　so　far；〃　said　one　of　the　Swedes。　〃Scared　mostly　to　death；　my　family　and　me。〃
　　〃Besides；　everybody　knows　Armor…of…God　here　is　a　Red…lover。〃
　　Armor　looked　around；　trying　to　see　who　said　that。　〃If　by　Red…lover　you　mean　I　think　Reds　are　human　beings　just　like　Whites；　then　it's　true。　But　if　you　mean　I　like　Reds　better　than　Whites；　then　you　best　work　up　some　courage　to　step　out　here　and　say　it　to　my　face；　so　I　can　mash　your　face　into　the　bark　of　a　tree。〃
　　〃No　need　to　quarrel；〃　said　Reverend　Thrower；　panting。　He　wasn't　much　for　exercise；　was　Thrower；　so　he　only　just　now　caught　up　with　the　rest　of　them。　〃The　Lord　God　loves　all　his　children；　even　the　heathens。　Armor…of…God　is　a　good　Christian。　But　we　all　know　that　if　it　ever　es　to　fighting　between　Christian　and　heathen；　Armor…of…God　will　stand　on　the　side　of　righteousness。〃
　　The　crowd　murmured　their　agreement。　After　all；　they　all　liked　Armor；　he'd　loaned　most　of　them　money　or　given　them　credit　at　his　store；　and　never　nagged　them　for　payment　　a　good　many　of　them　might　not　have　made　it　through　their　first　few　years　in　Wobbish　country　if　it　wasn't　for　Armor。　Grateful　or　not；　though；　they　all　knew　he　treated　Reds　like　they　was　almost　White；　which　was　a　bit　suspicious　at　a　time　like　this。
　　〃It's　ing　to　fighting　right　now；〃　said　a　man。　〃We　don't　have　to　track　down　these　Reds。　We　got　their　names　on　the　saddles；　carved　right　in。〃
　　〃Now　just　wait　a　minute！〃　said　Armor…of…God。　〃You　just　think　a　minute！　In　all　this　time　Prophetstown's　been　a…growing　there　across　the　Wobbish　from　Vigor　Church；　has　any　Red　so　much　as　stole　a　thing　from　you？　Slapped　one　of　your　children？　Snatched　a　pig？　Done　any　single　bad　thing　to　any　one　of　you？〃
　　〃I　think　stealing　Al　Miller's　boys　is　a　pretty　bad　thing！〃　said　a　man。
　　〃I'm　talking　about　the　Reds　in　Prophetstown！　You　know　they　never　done　nothing　wrong；　you　know　that！　And　you　know　why；　too。　You　know　it's　cause　the　Prophet　tells　them　to　live　in　peace；　keep　to　their　own　land　and　do　no　harm　to　the　White　man。〃
　　〃That　ain't　what　Ta…Kumsaw　says！〃
　　〃Well　even　if　they　did　want　to　do　some　terrible　crime　against　White　folks　　which　I　ain't　saying　　is　there　any　one　of　you　thinks　Ta…Kumsaw　or　Tenskwa…Tawa　is　so　blamed　stupid　he's　going　to　sign　his　name？〃
　　〃They're　proud　of　killing　White　folks！〃
　　〃If　the　Red　man　was　smart；　he'd　be　White！〃
　　〃See　what　I　mean　about　Red…lovers？〃
　　Armor…of…God　knew　these　people；　and　he　knew　that　most　of　them　were　still　with　him。　Even　the　grumblers　weren't　about　to　go　off　half…cocked；　they'd　sit　tight　until　the　whole　group　decided　on　action。　So　let　them　call　him　a　Red…lover；　that　was　fine；　when　men　was　scared　and　mad　they　said　things　that　later　they　repented　of。　As　long　as　they　waited。　As　long　as　they　didn't　jump　into　war　against　the　Reds。
　　Cause　Armor　had　his　suspicions　about　this　whole　thing。　It　was　just　too　easy；　the　way　them　horses　was　sent　on　home　with　names　carved　in　the　saddle。　It　wasn't　the　way　Reds　did　things；　even　the　bad　ones　that　would　kill　you　soon　as　look　at　you。　Armor　knew　enough　about　Reds　to　know　they　only　tortured　to　give　a　man　a　chance　to　show　brave；　not　to　terrorize　people。　（Or　most　Reds　anyway　　there　were　stories　about　the　Irrakwa　before　they　got　civilized。）　So　whoever　did　this　wasn't　acting　like　a　natural　Red。　Armor　was　near　convinced　it　was　a　hired…out　job。　The　French　in　Detroit　had　been　trying　to　cause　war　between　Reds　and　American　settlers　for　years　　it　might've　been　them。　And　it　might　have　been　Bill　Harrison。　Oh　yes；　it　might　well　have　been　that　man；　down　there　like　a　spider　in　his　fort　on　the　Hio。　Armor　thought　that　was　the　most　likely　thing。　Course　he　wouldn't　dare　to　say　it　out　loud；　cause　folks　would　think　he　was　just　jealous　of　Bill　Harrison；　which　was　true　　he　was　jealous。　But　he　also　knew　that　Harrison　was　a　wicked　man；　who'd　do　anything　to　make　things　go　his　way。　Maybe　even　get　some　wild　Reds　to　e　up　and　kill　a　few　White　boys　near　Prophetstown。　After　all；　it　was　Tenskwa…Tawa　who　got　most　of　the　Reds　from　Harrison's　part　of　the　country　to　lay　off　whisky　and　e　to　Prophetstown。　And　it　was　Ta…Kumsaw　who　ran　off　half　the　White　settlers　down　there。　It　looked　to　Armor　like　Harrison　was　behind　this；　a　lot　more　likely　than　the　French。
　　But　he　couldn't　say　none　of　this；　cause　there　was　no　proof。　He　just　had　to　try　to　keep　things　calm；　till　some　real　evidence　showed　up。
　　Which　might　be　right　now。　They'd　brought　along　old　Tack　Sweeper；　wheezing　his　way　with　the　best　of　them　　it　was　remarkable　how　vigorous　he　was；　for　a　man　whose　lungs　sounded　like　a　baby's　rattle　when　he　breathed。　Tack　Sweeper　had　him　a　knack；　which　wasn't　all　that　reliable；　he　was　the　first　to　say。　But　sometimes　it　worked　remarkable　well。　What　he　did　was　stand　around　in　a　place　for　a　while　with　his　eyes　closed　and　sort　of　see　the　things　that　happened　there　in　the　past。　Just　quick　little　visions；　a　few　faces。　Like　that　time　they　was　afraid　maybe　Jan　de　Vries　killed　hisself　on　purpose；　or　maybe　was　murdered；　Tack　was　able　to　see　how　it　was　an　accident　when　his　gun　went　off　in　his　own　face；　so　they　could　bury　him　in　the　churchyard　and　not　have　to　worry　about　hunting　for　no　killer。
　　So　the　hope　was　Tack　could　tell　them　something　about　what　happened　in　this　clearing。　He　shooed　them　all　back　to　the　edges　of　the　wood；　so　they'd　be　out　of　the　way。　Then　he　walked　around　in　the　middle；　his　eyes　closed；　moving　slow。　〃You　boys　shouldn't　have　got　so　mad　here；〃　he　said　after　a　while。　〃All　I　can　see　is　you　all　jawing。〃　They　laughed；　kind　of　embarrassed。　They　should've　knowed　better　than　to　mess　up　the　memories　of　a　place　before　Tack　got　there。
　　〃It　don't　look　good。　I　keep　seeing　them　Red　faces。　Knife；　all　kind　of　knives　getting　slashed　on　folks'　skin。　A　hatchet　falling。〃
　　Al　Miller　moaned。
　　〃It's　all　just　a　mess　here；　so　much　happened；〃　said　Tack。　〃I　can't　see　right。　No。　No；　I　can　one　man。　A　Red　man；　I　know　his　face；　I　seen　him　　he's　just　standing　there；　just　still　as　you　please；　I　know　that　face。〃
　　〃Who　is　it？〃　said　Armor…of…God。　But　he　knew；　he　had　that　sickening　feeling　of　dread；　oh　he　knew。
　　〃Ta…Kumsaw；〃　said　Tack。　He　opened　his　eyes　wide　and　looked　at　Armor；　almost　apologetic。　〃I　wouldn't've　believed　it　either；　Armor；〃　he　said。　〃I　always　kind　of　thought　Ta…Kumsaw　was　the　bravest　man　I　ever　knew。　But　he　was　here；　and　he　was　in　charge。　I　see　him　standing　there　and　telling　people　what　to　do。　He　stood　right　here。　I　can　see　him　so　clear　cause　there　wasn't　nobody　else　stood　exactly　in　that　place　for　so　long。　And　he　was　mad。　Ain't　no　mistake　about　it。〃
　　Armor　believed　it。　They　all　did　　they　all　knew　Tack　was　a　truthful　man；　and　if　he　said　he　was　sure；　then　he　was　sure。　But　there　had　to　be　some　reason。　〃Maybe　he　e　and　saved　the　boys；　did　you　think　of　that？　Maybe　he　e　and　stopped　some　band　of　wild　Reds　from〃
　　〃Red…lover！〃　somebody　shouted。
　　〃You　know　Ta…Kumsaw！　He's　no　coward；　and　stealing　them　boys　was　a　cowardly　thing　to　do；　you　know　that　man！〃
　　〃Nobody　ever　knows　a　Red　man。〃
　　〃Ta…Kumsaw　didn't　take　those　boys！〃　insisted　Armor…of…God。　〃I　know　it！〃
　　Then　everybody　fell　silent；　cause　old　Al　Miller　was　pushing　his　way　forward；　out　to　where　Armor…of…God　was　standing。　Faced　down　his　son…in…law；　he　did；　with　a　face　like　living　hell　he　was　so　mad。　〃You　don't　know　nothing；　Armor…of…God　Weaver。　You　are　the　most　worthless　scum　ever　formed　on　the　top　of　a　chamber　pot。　First　you　married　my　daughter　and　wouldn't　let　her　work　no　hexes　cause　you　were　so　cock…eyed　sure　it　was　the　devil's　work。　Then　you　let　all　these　Reds　stay　around　here　all　the　time。　And　when　we　thought　of　building　a　stockade　you　said；　No；　if　we　build　a　stockade　that　just　gives　them　French　something　to　attack　and　burn　down；　we'll　be　friends　with　the　Reds　and　then　they'll　leave　us　alone；　we'll　trade　with　the　Reds。　Well　look　what　it　got　us！　Look　what　you　done　for　us！　Ain't　we　all　glad　we　listened　to　you　now！　I　don't　think　you're　no　Red…lover；　Armor…of…God；　I　just　think　you're　the　blamedest　fool　ever　to　cross　the　Hio　and　e　out　west；　and　the　only　folks　dumber　than　you　is　us　if　we　listen　to　you　for　another　minute！〃
　　Then　Al　Miller　turned　to　face　the　other　men；　who　were　looking　at　him　with　awe　in　their　face　like　they　just　seen　majesty　for　the　first　time　in　their　lives。　〃We　done　it　Armor's　way　for　ten　years　here。　But　I've　done　with　that。　I　lost　one　boy　in　the　Hatrack　River　on　my　way　here；　and　this　town　is　named　for　him。　Now　I　lost　two　other　boys。　I　only　got　me　five　sons　left；　but　I　tell　you　I'll　put　guns　in　their　hands　myself；　and　lead　them　all　into　the　middle　of　Prophetstown　and　blast　them　Reds　into　hell；　even　if　it　means　we　all　die！　You　hear　me？〃
　　They　heard　him；　ob　yes　they　did。　They　heard　and　shouted　back。　This　was　the　word　they　wanted　right　now；　the　word　of　hate　and　anger　and　revenge；　and　nobody　better　to　give　it　to　them　than　Al　Miller；　who　was　normally　a　peaceable　man；　never　picked　a　quarrel　with　nobody。　Him　being　the　father　of　the　captured　boys　just　made　it　all　the　stronger　when　he　spoke。
　　〃The　way　I　see　it；〃　said　Al　Miller；　〃Bill　Harrison　was　right　all　along。　Ain't　no　way　the　Red　man　and　the　White　man　can　share　this　land。　And　I　tell　you　something　else。　It　ain't　me　that's　leaving。　There's　too　much　blood　of　mine　been　shed　here　now　for　me　to　pack　up　and　go　away。　I'm　staying　　either　on　this　land　or　in　it。〃
　　Me　too