black rock-第31章

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sentimental　humbug　and　nonsense！'

'He　must　do　the　right；'　said　Nelson　in　his　deep；　quiet　voice。

'Right！　　Nonsense！　　By　what　right　does　he　send　from　him　the　woman
he　loves？'

'〃He　pleased　not　Himself；〃'　quoted　Nelson　reverently。

'Nelson　is　right；'　said　Graeme。　　'I　should　not　like　to　see　him
weaken。'

'Look　here；'　I　stormed；　'I　didn't　bring　you　men　to　back　him　up　in
his　nonsense。　　I　thought　you　could　keep　your　heads　level。'

'Now；　Connor；'　said　Graeme；　'don't　rageleave　that　for　the
heathen；　it's　bad　form；　and　useless　besides。　　Craig　will　walk　his
way　where　his　light　falls；　and　by　all　that's　holy；　I　should　hate　to
see　him　fail；　for　if　he　weakens　like　the　rest　of　us　my　North　Star
will　have　dropped　from　my　sky。'

'Nice　selfish　spirit；'　I　muttered。

'Entirely　so。　　I'm　not　a　saint；　but　I　feel　like　steering　by　one
when　I　see　him。'

When　after　a　week　had　gone；　Craig　rode　up　one　early　morning　to　his
shack　door；　his　face　told　me　that　he　had　fought　his　fight　and　had
not　been　beaten。　　He　had　ridden　all　night　and　was　ready　to　drop
with　weariness。

'Connor；　old　boy；'　he　said；　putting　out　his　hand；　'I'm　rather
played。　　There　was　a　bad　row　at　the　Landing。　　I　have　just　closed
poor　Colley's　eyes。　　It　was　awful。　　I　must　get　sleep。　　Look　after
Dandy；　will　you；　like　a　good　chap？'

'Oh；　Dandy　be　hanged；！'　I　said；　for　I　knew　it　was　not　the　fight；
nor　the　watching；　nor　the　long　ride　that　had　shaken　his　iron　nerve
and　given　him　that　face。　　'Go　in　and　lie　down　I'll　bring　you
something。'

'Wake　me　in　the　afternoon；'　he　said；　'she　is　waiting。　　Perhaps　you
will　go　to　her'his　lips　quivered'my　nerve　is　rather　gone。'
Then　with　a　very　wan　smile　he　added；　'I　am　giving　you　a　lot　of
trouble。'

'You　go　to　thunder！'　I　burst　out；　for　my　throat　was　hot　and　sore
with　grief　for　him。

'I　think　I'd　rather　go　to　sleep；'　he　replied；　still　smiling。　　I
could　not　speak；　and　was　glad　of　the　chance　of　being　alone　with
Dandy。

When　I　came　in　I　found　him　sitting　with　his　head　in　his　arms　upon
the　table　fast　asleep。　　I　made　him　tea；　forced　him　to　take　a　warm
bath；　and　sent　him　to　bed；　while　I　went　to　Mrs。　Mavor。　　I　went　with
a　fearful　heart；　but　that　was　because　I　had　forgotten　the　kind　of
woman　she　was。

She　was　standing　in　the　light　of　the　window　waiting　for　me。　　Her
face　was　pale　but　steady；　there　was　a　proud　light　in　her　fathomless
eyes；　a　slight　smile　parted　her　lips；　and　she　carried　her　head　like
a　queen。

'Come　in；'　she　said。　　'You　need　not　fear　to　tell　me。　　I　saw　him
ride　home。　　He　has　not　failed；　thank　God！　　I　am　proud　of　him；　I
knew　he　would　be　true。　　He　loves　me'she　drew　in　her　breath
sharply；　and　a　faint　colour　tinged　her　cheek'but　he　knows　love　is
not　allah；　love　is　not　all！　　Oh！　　I　am　glad　and　proud！'

'Glad！'　I　gasped；　amazed。

'You　would　not　have　him　prove　faithless！'　she　said　with　proud
defiance。

'Oh；　it　is　high　sentimental　nonsense；'　I　could　not　help　saying。

'You　should　not　say　so；'　she　replied；　and　her　voice　rang　clear。
'Honour；　faith；　and　duty　are　sentiments；　but　they　are　not
nonsense。'

In　spite　of　my　rage　I　was　lost　in　amazed　admiration　of　the　high
spirit　of　the　woman　who　stood　up　so　straight　before　me。　　But；　as　I
told　how　worn　and　broken　he　was；　she　listened　with　changing　colour
and　swelling　bosom；　her　proud　courage　all　gone；　and　only　love；
anxious　and　pitying；　in　her　eyes。

'Shall　I　go　to　him？'　she　asked　with　timid　eagerness　and　deepening
colour。

'He　is　sleeping。　　He　said　he　would　come　to　you；'　I　replied。

'I　shall　wait　for　him；'　she　said　softly；　and　the　tenderness　in　her
tone　went　straight　to　my　heart；　and　it　seemed　to　me　a　man　might
suffer　much　to　be　loved　with　love　such　as　this。

In　the　early　afternoon　Graeme　came　to　her。　　She　met　him　with　both
hands　outstretched；　saying　in　a　low　voice

'I　am　very　happy。'

'Are　you　sure？'　he　asked　anxiously。

'Oh；　yes；'　she　said；　but　her　voice　was　like　a　sob；　'quite；　quite
sure。'

They　talked　long　together　till　I　saw　that　Craig　must　soon　be
coming；　and　I　called　Graeme　away。　　He　held　her　hands；　looking
steadily　into　her　eyes　and　said

'You　are　better　even　than　I　thought；　I'm　going　to　be　a　better　man。'

Her　eyes　filled　with　tears；　but　her　smile　did　not　fade　as　she
answered

'Yes！　you　will　be　a　good　man；　and　God　will　give　you　work　to　do。'

He　bent　his　head　over　her　hands　and　stepped　back　from　her　as　from　a
queen；　but　he　spoke　no　word　till　we　came　to　Craig's　door。　　Then　he
said　with　humility　that　seemed　strange　in　him；　'Connor；　that　is
great；　to　conquer　oneself。　　It　is　worth　while。　　I　am　going　to　try。'

I　would　not　have　missed　his　meeting　with　Craig。　　Nelson　was　busy
with　tea。　　Craig　was　writing　near　the　window。　　He　looked　up　as
Graeme　came　in；　and　nodded　an　easy　good…evening；　but　Graeme　strode
to　him　and；　putting　one　hand　on　his　shoulder；　held　out　his　other
for　Craig　to　take。

After　a　moment's　surprise；　Craig　rose　to　his　feet；　and；　facing　him
squarely；　took　the　offered　hand　in　both　of　his　and　held　it　fast
without　a　word。　　Graeme　was　the　first　to　speak；　and　his　voice　was
deep　with　emotion

'You　are　a　great　man；　a　good　man。　　I'd　give　something　to　have　your
grit。'

Poor　Craig　stood　looking　at　him；　not　daring　to　speak　for　some
moments；　then　he　said　quietly

'Not　good　nor　great；　but；　thank　God；　not　quite　a　traitor。'

'Good　man！'　went　on　Graeme；　patting　him　on　the　shoulder。　　'Good
man！　　But　it's　tough。'

Craig　sat　down　quickly；　saying；　'Don't　do　that；　old　chap！'

I　went　up　with　Craig　to　Mrs。　Mavor's　door。　　She　did　not　hear　us
coming；　but　stood　near　the　window　gazing　up　at　the　mountains。　　She
was　dressed　in　some　rich　soft　stuff；　and　wore　at　her　breast　a　bunch
of　wild…flowers。　　I　had　never　seen　her　so　beautiful。　　I　did　not
wonder　that　Craig　paused　with　his　foot　upon　the　threshold　to　look
at　her。　　She　turned　and　saw　us。　　With　a　glad　cry；　'Oh！　my　darling；
you　have　come　to　me；'　she　came　with　outstretched　arms。　　I　turned
and　fled；　but　the　cry　and　the　vision　were　long　with　me。

It　was　decided　that　night　that　Mrs。　Mavor　should　go　the　next　week。
A　miner　and　his　wife　were　going　east；　and　I　too　would　join　the
party。

The　camp　went　into　mourning　at　the　news；　but　it　was　understood　that
any　display　of　grief　before　Mrs。　Mavor　was　bad　form。　　She　was　not
to　be　annoyed。

But　when　I　suggested　that　she　should　leave　quietly；　and　avoid　the
pain　of　saying　good…bye；　she　flatly　refused

'I　must　say　good…bye　to　every　man。　　They　love　me　and　I　love　them。'

It　was　decided；　too；　at　first；　that　there　should　be　nothing　in　the
way　of　a　testimonial；　but　when　Craig　found　out　that　the　men　were
coming　to　her　with　all　sorts　of　extraordinary　gifts；　he　agreed　that
it　would　be　better　that　they　should　unite　in　one　gift。　　So　it　was
agreed　that　I　should　buy　a　ring　for　her。　　And　were　it　not　that　the
contributions　were　strictly　limited　to　one　dollar；　the　purse　that
Slavin　handed　her　when　Shaw　read　the　address　at　the　farewell　supper
would　have　been　many　times　filled　with　the　gold　that　was　pressed
upon　the　committee。　　There　were　no　speeches　at　the　supper；　except
one　by　myself　in　reply　on　Mrs。　Mavor's　behalf。　　She　had　given　me
the　words　to　say；　and　I　was　thoroughly　prepared；　else　I　should　not
have　got　through。　　I　began　in　the　usual　way：　'Mr。　Chairman；　ladies
and　gentlemen；　Mrs。　Mavor　is'　but　I　got　no　further；　for　at　the
mention　of　her　name　the　men　stood　on　the　chairs　and　yelled　until
they　could　yell　no　more。　　There　were　over　two　hundred　and　fifty　of
them；　and　the　effect　was　overpowering。　　But　I　got　through　my
speech。　　I　remember　it　well。　　It　began

'Mrs。　Mavor　is　greatly　touched　by　this　mark　of　your　love；　and　she
will　wear　your　ring　always　with　pride。'　　And　it　ended　with

'She　has　one　request　to　make；　that　you　will　be　true　to　the　League；
and　that　you　stand　close　about　the　man　who　did　most　to　make　it。
She　wishes　me　to　say　that　however　far　away　she　may　have　to　go；　she
is　leaving　her　heart　in　Black　Rock；　and　she　can　think　of　no　greater
joy　than　to　come　back　to　you　again。'

Then　they　had　'The　Sweet　By　and　By；'　but　the　men　would　not　join　in
the　refrain；　unwilling　to　lose　a　note　of　the　glorious　voice　they
loved　to　hear。　　Before　the　last　verse　she　beckoned　to　me。　　I　went
to　her　standing　by　Cr