black rock-第24章

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'Wait　a　few　minutes；　men！'　he　read　slowly；　in　his　beautiful　clear
voice；　that　psalm　for　all　fighters


　　　　　'God　is　our　refuge　and　strength；'


and　soon　to　the　noble　words


　　　　　'The　Lord　of　Hosts　is　with　us；
　　　　　　The　God　of　Jacob　is　our　refuge。'


How　the　mighty　words　pulled　us　together；　lifted　us　till　we　grew
ashamed　of　our　ignoble　rage　and　of　our　ignoble　depression！

And　then　Craig　prayed　in　simple；　straight…going　words。　　There　was
acknowledgement　of　failure；　but　I　knew　he　was　thinking　chiefly　of
himself；　and　there　was　gratitude；　and　that　was　for　the　men　about
him；　and　I　felt　my　face　burn　with　shame；　and　there　was　petition　for
help；　and　we　all　thought　of　Nixon；　and　Billy；　and　the　men　wakening
from　their　debauch　at　Slavin's　this　pure；　bright　morning。　　And　then
he　asked　that　we　might　be　made　faithful　and　worthy　of　God；　whose
battle　it　was。　　Then　we　all　stood　up　and　shook　hands　with　him　in
silence；　and　every　man　knew　a　covenant　was　being　made。　　But　none
saw　his　meeting　with　Nixon。　　He　sent　us　all　away　before　that。

Nothing　was　heard　of　the　destruction　of　the　hotel　stock…in…trade。
Unpleasant　questions　would　certainly　be　asked；　and　the　proprietor
decided　to　let　bad　alone。　　On　the　point　of　respectability　the
success　of　the　ball　was　not　conspicuous；　but　the　anti…League　men
were　content；　if　not　jubilant。

Billy　Breen　was　found　by　Geordie　late　in　the　afternoon　in　his　own
old　and　deserted　shack；　breathing　heavily；　covered　up　in　his
filthy；　mouldering　bed…clothes；　with　a　half…empty　bottle　of　whisky
at　his　side。　　Geordie's　grief　and　rage　were　beyond　even　his　Scotch
control。　　He　spoke　few　words；　but　these　were　of　such　concentrated
vehemence　that　no　one　felt　the　need　of　Abe's　assistance　in
vocabulary。

Poor　Billy！　　We　carried　him　to　Mrs。　Mavor's　home；　put　him　in　a　warm
bath；　rolled　him　in　blankets；　and　gave　him　little　sips　of　hot
water；　then　of　hot　milk　and　coffee；　as　I　had　seen　a　clever　doctor
in　the　hospital　treat　a　similar　case　of　nerve　and　heart　depression。
But　the　already　weakened　system　could　not　recover　from　the　awful
shock　of　the　exposure　following　the　debauch；　and　on　Sunday
afternoon　we　saw　that　his　heart　was　failing　fast。　　All　day　the
miners　had　been　dropping　in　to　inquire　after　him；　for　Billy　had
been　a　great　favourite　in　other　days；　and　the　attention　of　the　town
had　been　admiringly　centred　upon　his　fight　of　these　last　weeks。　　It
was　with　no　ordinary　sorrow　that　the　news　of　his　condition　was
received。　　As　Mrs。　Mavor　sang　to　him；　his　large　coarse　hands　moved
in　time　to　the　music；　but　he　did　not　open　his　eyes　till　he　heard
Mr。　Craig's　voice　in　the　next　room；　then　he　spoke　his　name；　and　Mr。
Craig　was　kneeling　beside　him　in　a　moment。　　The　words　came　slowly

'Oi　triedto　fight　it　houtbut…oi　got　beaten。　　Hit　'urts　to
think　'E's　hashamed　o'　me。　　Oi'd　like　t'a　done　betteroi　would。'

'Ashamed　of　you；　Billy！'　said　Craig；　in　a　voice　that　broke。　　'Not
He。'

'An'ye　hall'elped　me　so！'　he　went　on。　　'Oi　wish　oi'd　'a　done
betteroi　do；'　and　his　eyes　sought　Geordie；　and　then　rested　on
Mrs。　Mavor；　who　smiled　back　at　him　with　a　world　of　love　in　her
eyes。

'You　hain't　hashamed　o'　meyore　heyes　saigh　so；'　he　said　looking
at　her。

'No；　Billy；'　she　said；　and　I　wondered　at　her　steady　voice；　'not　a
bit。　　Why；　Billy；　I　am　proud　of　you。'

He　gazed　up　at　her　with　wonder　and　ineffable　love　in　his　little
eyes；　then　lifted　his　hand　slightly　toward　her。　　She　knelt　quickly
and　took　it　in　both　of　hers；　stroking　it　and　kissing　it。

'Oi　haught　t'a　done　better。　　Oi'm　hawful　sorry　oi　went　back　on　'Im。
Hit　was　the　lemonaide。　　The　boys　didn't　mean　no　'armbut　hit
started　the　'ell　hinside。'

Geordie　hurled　out　some　bitter　words。

'Don't　be　'ard　on　'em；　Geordie；　they　didn't　mean　no　'arm；'　he　said；
and　his　eyes　kept　waiting　till　Geordie　said　hurriedly

'Na！　na！　lada'll　juist　leave　them　till　the　Almichty。'

Then　Mrs。　Mavor　sang　softly；　smoothing　his　hand；　'Just　as　I　am；'
and　Billy　dozed　quietly　for　half　an　hour。

When　he　awoke　again　his　eyes　turned　to　Mr。　Craig；　and　they　were
troubled　and　anxious。

'Oi　tried　'ard。　　Oi　wanted　to　win；'　he　struggled　to　say。　　By　this
time　Craig　was　master　of　himself；　and　he　answered　in　a　clear；
distinct　voice

'Listen；　Billy！　　You　made　a　great　fight；　and　you　are　going　to　win
yet。　　And　besides；　do　you　remember　the　sheep　that　got　lost　over　the
mountains？'this　parable　was　Billy's　special　delight'He　didn't
beat　it　when　He　got　it；　did　he？　　He　took　it　in　His　arms　and　carried
it　home。　　And　so　He　will　you。'

And　Billy；　keeping　his　eyes　fastened　on　Mr。　Craig；　simply　said

'Will　'E？'

'Sure！'　said　Craig。

'Will　'E？'　he　repeated；　turning　his　eyes　upon　Mrs。　Mavor。

'Why；　yes；　Billy；'　she　answered　cheerily；　though　the　tears　were
streaming　from　her　eyes。　　'I　would；　and　He　loves　you　far　more。'

He　looked　at　her；　smiled；　and　closed　his　eyes。　　I　put　my　hand　on
his　heart；　it　was　fluttering　feebly。　　Again　a　troubled　look　passed
over　his　face。

'Mypoorholdmother；'　he　whispered；　'she'shinthewukus。'

'I　shall　take　care　of　her；　Billy；'　said　Mrs。　Mavor；　in　a　clear
voice；　and　again　Billy　smiled。　　Then　he　turned　his　eyes　to　Mr。
Craig；　and　from　him　to　Geordie；　and　at　last　to　Mrs。　Mavor；　where
they　rested。　　She　bent　over　and　kissed　him　twice　on　the　forehead。

'Tell　'er；'　he　said；　with　difficulty；　〃E's　took　me　'ome。'

'Yes；　Billy！'　she　cried；　gazing　into　his　glazing　eyes。　　He　tried　to
lift　her　hand。　　She　kissed　him　again。　　He　drew　one　deep　breath　and
lay　quite　still。

'Thank　the　blessed　Saviour！'　said　Mr。　Craig；　reverently。　　'He　has
taken　him　home。'

But　Mrs。　Mavor　held　the　dead　hand　tight　and　sobbed　out　passionately；
'Oh；　Billy；　Billy！　you　helped　me　once　when　I　needed　help！　　I　cannot
forget！'

And　Geordie；　groaning；　'Ay；　laddie；　laddie；'　passed　out　into　the
fading　light　of　the　early　evening。

Next　day　no　one　went　to　work；　for　to　all　it　seemed　a　sacred　day。
They　carried　him　into　the　little　church；　and　there　Mr。　Craig　spoke
of　his　long；　hard　fight；　and　of　his　final　victory；　for　he　died
without　a　fear；　and　with　love　to　the　men　who；　not　knowing；　had　been
his　death。　　And　there　was　no　bitterness　in　any　heart；　for　Mr。　Craig
read　the　story　of　the　sheep；　and　told　how　gently　He　had　taken　Billy
home；　but；　though　no　word　was　spoken；　it　was　there　the　League　was
made　again。

They　laid　him　under　the　pines；　beside　Lewis　Mavor；　and　the　miners
threw　sprigs　of　evergreen　into　the　open　grave。　　When　Slavin；
sobbing　bitterly；　brought　his　sprig；　no　one　stopped　him；　though　all
thought　it　strange。

As　we　turned　to　leave　the　grave；　the　light　from　the　evening　sun
came　softly　through　the　gap　in　the　mountains；　and；　filling　the
valley；　touched　the　trees　and　the　little　mound　beneath　with　glory。
And　I　thought　of　that　other　glory；　which　is　brighter　than　the　sun；
and　was　not　sorry　that　poor　Billy's　weary　fight　was　over；　and　I
could　not　help　agreeing　with　Craig　that　it　was　there　the　League　had
its　revenge。


CHAPTER　X

WHAT　CAME　TO　SLAVIN


Billy　Breen's　legacy　to　the　Black　Rock　mining　camp　was　a　new
League；　which　was　more　than　the　old　League　re…made。　　The　League　was
new　in　its　spirit　and　in　its　methods。　　The　impression　made　upon　the
camp　by　Billy　Breen's　death　was　very　remarkable；　and　I　have　never
been　quite　able　to　account　for　it。　　The　mood　of　the　community　at
the　time　was　peculiarly　susceptible。　　Billy　was　one　of　the　oldest
of　the　old…timers。　　His　decline　and　fall　had　been　a　long　process；
and　his　struggle　for　life　and　manhood　was　striking　enough　to　arrest
the　attention　and　awaken　the　sympathy　of　the　whole　camp。　　We
instinctively　side　with　a　man　in　his　struggle　for　freedom；　for　we
feel　that　freedom　is　native　to　him　and　to　us。　　The　sudden　collapse
of　the　struggle　stirred　the　men　with　a　deep　pity　for　the　beaten
man；　and　a　deep　contempt　for　those　who　had　tricked　him　to　his　doom。
But　though　the　pity　and　the　contempt　remained；　the　gloom　was
relieved　and　the　sense　of　defeat　removed　from　the　men's　minds　by
the　transforming　glory　of　Billy's　last　hour。　　Mr。　Craig；　reading　of
the　tragedy　of　Billy's　death；　transfigured　defeat　into　victory；　and
this　was　generally　accepted　by　the　men　as　the　true　reading；　though
to　them　it　was　full　of　my