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look察and his eyes were gazing into far´away places。

'A dozen men in Black Rock with some real grip of Him would make
things go。  We'll get them察too' he went on in growing excitement。
'I believe in my soul we'll get them。'

'Look here察Craig察if you organise I'd like to join' said Graeme
impulsively。  'I don't believe much in your creed or your Church
but I'll be blowed if I don't believe in you。'

Craig looked at him with wistful eyes察and shook his head。  'It
won't do察old chap察you know。  I can't hold you。  You've got to
have a grip of some one better than I am察and then察besides察I
hardly like asking you now'察he hesitated'well察to be out´and´
out察this step must be taken not for my sake察nor for any man's
sake察and I fancy that perhaps you feel like pleasing me just now
a little。'

'That I do察old fellow' said Graeme察putting out his hand。  'I'll
be hanged if I won't do anything you say。'

'That's why I won't say' replied Craig。  Then reverently he added
'the organisation is not mine。  It is my Master's。'

'When are you going to begin' asked Graeme。

'We shall have our communion service in two weeks察and that will be
our roll´call。'

'How many will answer' I asked doubtfully。

'I know of three' he said quietly。

'Three  There are two hundred miners and one hundred and fifty
lumbermen  Three' and Graeme looked at him in amazement。  'You
think it worth while to organise three'

'Well' replied Craig察smiling for the first time察'the
organisation won't be elaborate察but it will be effective察and
besides察loyalty demands obedience。'

We sat long that afternoon talking察shrinking from the breaking up
for we knew that we were about to turn down a chapter in our lives
which we should delight to linger over in after days。  And in my
life there is but one brighter。  At last we said good´bye and drove
away察and though many farewells have come in between that day and
this察none is so vividly present to me as that between us three
men。  Craig's manner with me was solemn enough。  ';He that loveth
his life;察good´bye察don't fool with this' was what he said to me。
But when he turned to Graeme his whole face lit up。  He took him by
the shoulders and gave him a little shake察looking into his eyes
and saying over and over in a low察sweet tone

'You'll come察old chap察you'll come察you'll come。  Tell me you'll
come。'

And Graeme could say nothing in reply察but only looked at him。
Then they silently shook hands察and we drove off。  But long after
we had got over the mountain and into the winding forest road on
the way to the lumber´camp the voice kept vibrating in my heart
'You'll come察you'll come' and there was a hot pain in my throat。

We said little during the drive to the camp。  Graeme was thinking
hard察and made no answer when I spoke to him two or three times
till we came to the deep shadows of the pine forest察when with a
little shiver he said

'It is all a tanglea hopeless tangle。'

'Meaning what' I asked。

'This business of religionwhat quaint varietiesNelson's
Geordie's察Billy Breen'sif he has anythen Mrs。 Mavor'sshe is
a saint察of courseand that fellow Craig's。  What a trump he is
and without his religion he'd be pretty much like the rest of us。
It is too much for me。'

His mystery was not mine。  The Black Rock varieties of religion
were certainly startling察but there was undoubtedly the streak of
reality though them all察and that discovery I felt to be a distinct
gain。


CHAPTER VII

THE FIRST BLACK ROCK COMMUNION


The gleam of the great fire through the windows of the great camp
gave a kindly welcome as we drove into the clearing in which the
shanties stood。  Graeme was greatly touched at his enthusiastic
welcome by the men。  At the supper´table he made a little speech of
thanks for their faithfulness during his absence察specially
commending the care and efficiency of Mr。 Nelson察who had had
charge of the camp。  The men cheered wildly察Baptiste's shrill
voice leading all。  Nelson being called upon察expressed in a few
words his pleasure at seeing the Boss back察and thanked the men for
their support while he had been in charge。

The men were for making a night of it察but fearing the effect upon
Graeme察I spoke to Nelson察who passed the word察and in a short time
the camp was quiet。  As we sauntered from the grub´camp to the
office where was our bed察we paused to take in the beauty of the
night。  The moon rode high over the peaks of the mountains
flooding the narrow valley with mellow light。  Under her magic the
rugged peaks softened their harsh lines and seemed to lean lovingly
toward us。  The dark pine masses stood silent as in breathless
adoration察the dazzling snow lay like a garment over all the open
spaces in soft察waving folds察and crowned every stump with a
quaintly shaped nightcap。  Above the camps the smoke curled up from
the camp´fires察standing like pillars of cloud that kept watch
while men slept。  And high over all the deep blue night sky察with
its star jewels察sprang like the roof of a great cathedral from
range to range察covering us in its kindly shelter。  How homelike
and safe seemed the valley with its mountain´sides察its sentinel
trees and arching roof of jewelled sky  Even the night seemed
kindly察and friendly the stars察and the lone cry of the wolf from
the deep forest seemed like the voice of a comrade。

'How beautiful too beautiful' said Graeme察stretching out his
arms。  'A night like this takes the heart out of me。'

I stood silent察drinking in at every sense the night with its
wealth of loveliness。

'What is it I want' he went on。  'Why does the night make my heart
ache拭 There are things to see and things to hear just beyond me察I
cannot get to them。'  The gay察careless look was gone from his
face察his dark eyes were wistful with yearning。

'I often wonder if life has nothing better for me' he continued
with his heartache voice。

I said no word察but put my arm within his。  A light appeared in the
stable。  Glad of a diversion察I said察'What is the light拭 Let us
go and see。'

'Sandy察taking a last look at his team察like enough。'

We walked slowly toward the stable察speaking no word。  As we neared
the door we heard the sound of a voice in the monotone of one
reading。  I stepped forward and looked through a chink between the
logs。  Graeme was about to open the door察but I held up my hand and
beckoned him to me。  In a vacant stall察where was a pile of straw
a number of men were grouped。  Sandy察leaning against the tying´
post upon which the stable´lantern hung察was reading察Nelson was
kneeling in front of him and gazing into the gloom beyond察Baptiste
lay upon his stomach察his chin in his hands and his upturned eyes
fastened upon Sandy's face察Lachlan Campbell sat with his hands
clasped about his knees察and two other men sat near him。  Sandy was
reading the undying story of the Prodigal察Nelson now and then
stopping him to make a remark。  It was a scene I have never been
able to forget。  To´day I pause in my tale察and see it as clearly
as when I looked through the chink upon it years ago。  The long
low stable察with log walls and upright hitching´poles察the dim
outlines of the horses in the gloom of the background察and the
little group of rough察almost savage´looking men察with faces
wondering and reverent察lit by the misty light of the stable´
lantern。

After the reading察Sandy handed the book to Nelson察who put it in
his pocket察saying察'That's for us察boys察ain't it'

'Ay' said Lachlan察'it is often that has been read in my hearing
but I am afraid it will not be for me whatever' and he swayed
himself slightly as he spoke察and his voice was full of pain。

'The minister said I might come' said old Nelson察earnestly and
hopefully。

'Ay察but you are not Lachlan Campbell察and you hef not had his
privileges。  My father was a godly elder in the Free Church of
Scotland察and never a night or morning but we took the Books。'

'Yes察but He said ;any man察' persisted Nelson察putting his hand on
Lachlan's knee。  But Lachlan shook his head。

'Dat young feller' said Baptiste察'wha's hees nem察heh'

'He has no name。  It

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