Into the Wilderness Read Free

in
the front of the sleigh, and then he turned to face his children with his own
gun over his arm.
    "Come
on, Lizzie," Julian said, making ready to leave the sleigh. "There
are bandits at hand. We might as well join in the fun."
    "You
will have to learn to look more closely, my boy," said the judge.
"Don't you see anything worth your attention except hunters? Look where
they're heading. There! At the next bend in the river. That's the biggest doe
I've seen in two winters. And I've got a new musket, which I intend to put to
good use."
    "Lizzie!"
urged Julian again, gesturing toward her, but the judge shook his head.
    "Stay
with the sleigh," he called to his daughter as he leapt down and sped off
with Julian close behind. Julian sent her a look over his shoulder which she
knew well: he was sympathetic, but unwilling to champion
Elizabeth
in her less ladylike pursuits.
    Elizabeth
was
not surprised to be left behind; that was a woman's lot. Then she remembered
that this was not
England
,
and that she might ask for—and do—things considered bold at home.
    "Galileo,"
she called up."Can we move forward a bit so I can see what's
happening?"
    "Might
be dangerous, miss," the man answered from the depths of his mufflers and
wraps."The judge don't have a feel for that musket yet."
    "What!"
Elizabeth
laughed out loud."Do you think he would shoot us?"
    "Not
on purpose, no, miss." Galileo sat down again on the box. "But I
don't put much faith in that smooth—bore of his."
    When
it was clear that the man meant what he said and did not intend to move into
firing range,
Elizabeth
began to gather her skirts together."Well, then, I'll go on foot,"
she said firmly. Balanced on the side of the sleigh for the jump down, she
paused as a double gunshot burst and then echoed over the valley, chased by the
baying of the dogs.
    "Did
they get the deer?"
    Galileo
was standing again to calm the horses and he squinted in the direction of the
shots. "Somebody got something," he said slowly.
    Elizabeth
set
off as quickly as she was able, but the deep snow reached over the tops of her
boots, and her skirts were heavy. By the time she came within a few feet of the
men she was flushed and overheated; pushing her hood of flannel and silk back
onto her shoulders to feel the cold air on her scalp, she distinguished her
brother's voice over the rush of the waterfall. She recognized the tone he
reserved for servants and she groaned inwardly. At the same time, although she
did not know exactly why, she feared for his well—being.
    The
men fell silent as she approached. Even the dogs settled down immediately
beside the hunters.
    "Elizabeth,
my dear," said the judge."I believe you would be more comfortable in
the sleigh."
    Elizabeth
glanced uneasily from her father's friendly but distracted expression to her
brother's angry one, and then at the hunters, who did not turn to greet her.
This discourtesy she took as a sign of their disapproval, but
Elizabeth
was determined not to be sent off
like a child.
    "Did
you get the deer, Father?"
    The
judge shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I didn't. Hawkeye—Mr. Bonner—got the
doe, and I—well, I should have listened to Galileo. Most of my shot went wild
but I'm afraid one ball did find a target—"
    At
that the two strangers turned toward
Elizabeth
.
Surprised, she saw that neither of them—although dressed like natives, and
wearing feathers in their unbound hair—were Indian. Then, with a wave of
distress that left her unsteady,
Elizabeth
saw what her father had done.
    A
flower of blood blossomed freely on the younger man's right shoulder.
    Elizabeth
stepped toward him, but he stepped back just as quickly, to avoid her;
surprised, she looked from his wound to his face. She saw lines and planes so
strong that she was reminded of a stone sculpture, straight dark brows over
hazel eyes, and a high forehead creased in—pain? Anger?
    And
Elizabeth
took in the
fact that this stranger, this man, was both furious and in complete