black rock-第13章

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stuff　that　became　her　well。　　She　was　looking　beautiful　as　ever；　but
there　was　something　quite　new　in　her　manner。　　Her　air　of　good…
fellowship　was　gone；　and　she　was　the　high…bred　lady；　whose　gentle
dignity　and　sweet　grace；　while　very　winning；　made　familiarity
impossible。

The　manager　was　doing　his　best；　and　appeared　to　be　well　pleased
with　himself。　　'She'll　get　him　if　any　one　can。　　I　failed；'　said
Craig。

I　stood　looking　at　the　men；　and　a　fine　lot　of　fellows　they　were。
Free；　easy；　bold　in　their　bearing；　they　gave　no　sign　of　rudeness；
and；　from　their　frequent　glances　toward　Mrs。　Mavor；　I　could　see
they　were　always　conscious　of　her　presence。　　No　men　are　so　truly
gentle　as　are　the　Westerners　in　the　presence　of　a　good　woman。　　They
were　evidently　of　all　classes　and　ranks　originally；　but　now；　and　in
this　country　of　real　measurements；　they　ranked　simply　according　to
the　'man'　in　them。　　'See　that　handsome；　young　chap　of　dissipated
appearance？'　said　Craig；　'that's　Vernon　Winton；　an　Oxford　graduate；
blue　blood；　awfully　plucky；　but　quite　gone。　　When　he　gets
repentant；　instead　of　shooting　himself；　he　comes　to　Mrs。　Mavor。
Fact。'

'From　Oxford　University　to　Black　Rock　mining　camp　is　something　of　a
step；'　I　replied。

'That　queer…looking　little　chap　in　the　corner　is　Billy　Breen。　　How
in　the　world　has　he　got　here？'　went　on　Mr。　Craig。　　Queer…looking　he
was。　　A　little　man；　with　a　small　head　set　on　heavy　square
shoulders；　long　arms；　and　huge　hands　that　sprawled　all　over　his
body；　altogether　a　most　ungainly　specimen　of　humanity。

By　this　time　Mrs。　Mavor　had　finished　with　the　manager；　and　was　in
the　centre　of　a　group　of　miners。　　Her　grand　air　was　all　gone；　and
she　was　their　comrade；　their　friend；　one　of　themselves。　　Nor　did
she　assume　the　role　of　entertainer；　but　rather　did　she；　with　half…
shy　air；　cast　herself　upon　their　chivalry；　and　they　were　too　truly
gentlemen　to　fail　her。　　It　is　hard　to　make　Western　men；　and
especially　old…timers；　talk。　　But　this　gift　was　hers；　and　it
stirred　my　admiration　to　see　her　draw　on　a　grizzled　veteran　to　tell
how；　twenty　years　ago；　he　had　crossed　the　Great　Divide；　and　had
seen　and　done　what　no　longer　fell　to　men　to　see　or　do　in　these　new
days。　　And　so　she　won　the　old…timer。　　But　it　was　beautiful　to　see
the　innocent　guile　with　which　she　caught　Billy　Breen；　and　drew　him
to　her　corner　near　the　organ。　　What　she　was　saying　I　knew　not；　but
poor　Billy　was　protesting；　waving　his　big　hands。

The　meeting　came　to　order；　with　Shaw　in　the　chair；　and　the　handsome
young　Oxford　man　secretary。　　Shaw　stated　the　object　of　the　meeting
in　a　few　halting　words；　but　when　he　came　to　speak　of　the　pleasure
he　and　all　felt　in　being　together　in　that　room；　his　words　flowed　in
a　stream；　warm　and　full。　　Then　there　was　a　pause；　and　Mr。　Craig　was
called。　　But　he　knew　better　than　to　speak　at　that　point。　　Finally
Nixon　rose　hesitatingly；　but；　as　he　caught　a　bright　smile　from　Mrs。
Mavor；　he　straightened　himself　as　if　for　a　fight。

'I　ain't　no　good　at　makin'　speeches；'　he　began；　'but　it　ain't
speeches　we　want。　　We've　got　somethin'　to　do；　and　what　we　want　to
know　is　how　to　do　it。　　And　to　be　right　plain；　we　want　to　know　how
to　drive　this　cursed　whisky　out　of　Black　Rock。　　You　all　know　what
it's　doing　for　usat　least　for　some　of　us。　　And　it's　time　to　stop
it　now；　or　for　some　of　us　it'll　mighty　soon　be　too　late。　　And　the
only　way　to　stop　its　work　is　to　quit　drinkin'　it　and　help　others　to
quit。　　I　hear　some　talk　of　a　League；　and　what　I　say　is；　if　it's　a
League　out　and　out　against　whisky；　a　Total　Abstinence　right　to　the
ground；　then　I'm　with　itthat's　my　talkI　move　we　make　that　kind
of　League。'

Nixon　sat　down　amid　cheers　and　a　chorus　of　remarks；　'Good　man！'
'That's　the　talk！'　'Stay　with　it！'　but　he　waited　for　the　smile　and
the　glance　that　came　to　him　from　the　beautiful　face　in　the　corner；
and　with　that　he　seemed　content。

Again　there　was　silence。　　Then　the　secretary　rose　with　a　slight
flush　upon　his　handsome；　delicate　face；　and　seconded　the　motion。
If　they　would　pardon　a　personal　reference　he　would　give　them　his
reasons。　　He　had　come　to　this　country　to　make　his　fortune；　now　he
was　anxious　to　make　enough　to　enable　him　to　go　home　with　some
degree　of　honour。　　His　home　held　everything　that　was　dear　to　him。
Between　him　and　that　home；　between　him　and　all　that　was　good　and
beautiful　and　honourable；　stood　whisky。　　'I　am　ashamed　to　confess；'
and　the　flush　deepened　on　his　cheek；　and　his　lips　grew　thinner；
'that　I　feel　the　need　of　some　such　league。'　　His　handsome　face；　his
perfect　style　of　address；　learned　possibly　in　the　'Union；'　but；
more　than　all；　his　show　of　nervefor　these　men　knew　how　to　value
thatmade　a　strong　impression　on　his　audience；　but　there　were　no
following　cheers。

Mr。　Craig　appeared　hopeful；　but　on　Mrs。　Mavor's　face　there　was　a
look　of　wistful；　tender　pity；　for　she　knew　how　much　the　words　had
cost　the　lad。

Then　up　rose　a　sturdy；　hard…featured　man；　with　a　burr　in　his　voice
that　proclaimed　his　birth。　　His　name　was　George　Crawford；　I
afterwards　learned；　but　every　one　called　him　Geordie。　　He　was　a
character　in　his　way；　fond　of　his　glass；　but　though　he　was　never
known　to　refuse　a　drink；　he　was　never　known　to　be　drunk。　　He　took
his　drink；　for　the　most　part；　with　bread　and　cheese　in　his　own
shack；　or　with　a　friend　or　two　in　a　sober；　respectable　way；　but
never　could　be　induced　to　join　the　wild　carousals　in　Slavin's
saloon。　　He　made　the　highest　wages；　but　was　far　too　true　a　Scot　to
spend　his　money　recklessly。　　Every　one　waited　eagerly　to　hear
Geordie's　mind。　　He　spoke　solemnly；　as　befitted　a　Scotsman
expressing　a　deliberate　opinion；　and　carefully；　as　if　choosing　his
best　English；　for　when　Geordie　became　excited　no　one　in　Black　Rock
could　understand　him。

'Maister　Chairman；'　said　Geordie；　'I'm　aye　for　temperance　in　a'
things。'　　There　was　a　shout　of　laughter；　at　which　Geordie　gazed
round　in　pained　surprise。　　'I'll　no'　deny；'　he　went　on　in　an
explanatory　tone；　'that　I　tak　ma　mornin'；　an'　maybe　a　nip　at　noon；
an'　a　wee　drap　aifter　wark　in　the　evenin'；　an'　whiles　a　sip　o'
toddy　wi'　a　freen　thae　cauld　nichts。　　But　I'm　no'　a　guzzler；　an'　I
dinna　gang　in　wi'　thae　loons　flingin'　aboot　guid　money。'

'And　that's　thrue　for　you；　me　bye；'　interrupted　a　rich　Irish
brogue；　to　the　delight　of　the　crowd　and　the　amazement　of　Geordie；
who　went　calmly　on

'An'　I　canna　bide　yon　saloon　whaur　they　sell　sic　awfu'…like　stuff
it's　mair　like　lye　nor　guid　whisky；and　whaur　ye're　never　sure　o'
yer　richt　change。　　It's　an　awfu'…like　place；　man！'and　Geordie
began　to　warm　up'ye　can　juist　smell　the　sulphur　when　ye　gang　in。
But　I　dinna　care　aboot　thae　Temperance　Soceeities；　wi'　their
pledges　an'　havers；　an'　I　canna　see　what　hairm　can　come　till　a　man
by　takin'　a　bottle　o'　guid　Glenlivet　hame　wi'　him。　　I　canna　bide
thae　teetotal　buddies。'

Geordie's　speech　was　followed　by　loud　applause；　partly　appreciative
of　Geordie　himself；　but　largely　sympathetic　with　his　position。

Two　or　three　men　followed　in　the　same　strain　advocating　a　league
for　mutual　improvement　and　social　purposes；　but　without　the
teetotal　pledge；　they　were　against　the　saloon；　but　didn't　see　why
they　should　not　take　a　drink　now　and　then。

Finally　the　manager　rose　to　support　his　'friend；　Mistahah
Cwafoad；'　ridiculing　the　idea　of　a　total　abstinence　pledge　as
fanatical　and　indeed　'absuad。'　　He　was　opposed　to　the　saloon；　and
would　like　to　see　a　club　formed；　with　a　comfortable　club…room；
books；　magazines；　pictures；　games；　anything；　'dontcheknow；　to　make
the　time　pass　pleasantly'；　but　it　was　'absuad　to　ask　men　to　abstain
fwom　a　pwopah　use　ofawnouwishing　dwinks；'　because　some　men　made
beasts　of　themselves。　　He　concluded　by　offering　50。00　towards　the
support　of　such　a　club。

The　current　of　feeling　was　setting　strongly　against　the　total
abstinence　idea；　and　Craig's　face　was　hard　and　his　eyes　gleamed
like　coals。　　Then　he　did　a　bit　of　generalship。　　He　proposed　that
since　they　had　the　two　plans　clearly　before　them　they　should　take　a
few　minutes'　intermission　in　which　to　make　up　their　minds；　and　he
was　sure　they　would　be　glad　to　have　Mrs。　Mavor　sing。　　In　the
interval　the　men　talked　in　groups；　eagerly；　even　fiercely