black rock-第25节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


The　evening　of　the　reopening　of　Slavin's　saloon；　as　it　was　still
called；　was　long　remembered　in　Black　Rock。　　It　was　the　occasion　of
the　first　appearance　of　'The　League　Minstrel　and　Dramatic　Troupe；'
in　what　was　described　as　a　'hair…lifting　tragedy　with　appropriate
musical　selections。'　　Then　there　was　a　grand　supper　and　speeches
and　great　enthusiasm；　which　reached　its　climax　when　Nixon　rose　to
propose　the　toast　of　the　evening'Our　Saloon。'　　His　speech　was
simply　a　quiet；　manly　account　of　his　long　struggle　with　the　deadly
enemy。　　When　he　came　to　speak　of　his　recent　defeat　he　said

'And　while　I　am　blaming　no　one　but　myself；　I　am　glad　to…night　that
this　saloon　is　on　our　side；　for　my　own　sake　and　for　the　sake　of
those　who　have　been　waiting　long　to　see　me。　　But　before　I　sit　down
I　want　to　say　that　while　I　live　I　shall　not　forget　that　I　owe　my
life　to　the　man　that　took　me　that　night　to　his　own　shack　and　put　me
in　his　own　bed；　and　met　me　next　morning　with　an　open　hand；　for　I
tell　you　I　had　sworn　to　God　that　that　morning　would　be　my　last。'

Geordie's　speech　was　characteristic。　　After　a　brief　reference　to
the　'mysteerious　ways　o'　Providence；'　which　he　acknowledged　he
might　sometimes　fail　to　understand；　he　went　on　to　express　his
unqualified　approval　of　the　new　saloon。

'It's　a　cosy　place；　an'　there's　nae　sulphur　aboot。　　Besides　a'
that；'　he　went　on　enthusiastically；　'it'll　be　a　terrible　savin'。
I've　juist　been　coontin'。'

'You　bet！'　ejaculated　a　voice　with　great　emphasis。

'I've　juist　been　coontin'；'　went　on　Geordie；　ignoring　the　remark
and　the　laugh　which　followed；　'an'　it's　an　awfu'…like　money　ye　pit
ower　wi'　the　whusky。　　Ye　see　ye　canna　dae　wi'　ane　bit　glass；　ye
maun　hae　twa　or　three　at　the　verra　least；　for　it's　no　verra　forrit
ye　get　wi'　ane　glass。　　But　wi'　yon　coffee　ye　juist　get　a　saxpence…
worth　an'　ye　want　nae　mair。'

There　was　another　shout　of　laughter；　which　puzzled　Geordie　much。

'I　dinna　see　the　jowk；　but　I've　slippit　ower　in　whusky　mair　nor　a
hunner　dollars。'

Then　he　paused；　looking　hard　before　him；　and　twisting　his　face　into
extraordinary　shapes　till　the　men　looked　at　him　in　wonder。

'I'm　rale　glad　o'　this　saloon；　but　it's　ower　late　for　the　lad　that
canna　be　helpit　the　noo。　　He'll　not　be　needin'　help　o'　oors；　I
doot；　but　there　are　ithers'and　he　stopped　abruptly　and　sat　down；
with　no　applause　following。

But　when　Slavin；　our　saloon…keeper；　rose　to　reply；　the　men　jumped
up　on　the　seats　and　yelled　till　they　could　yell　no　more。　　Slavin
stood；　evidently　in　trouble　with　himself；　and　finally　broke　out

'It's　spacheless　I　am　entirely。　　What's　come　to　me　I　know　not；　nor
how　it's　come。　　But　I'll　do　my　best　for　yez。'　　And　then　the　yelling
broke　out　again。

I　did　not　yell　myself。　　I　was　too　busy　watching　the　varying　lights
in　Mrs。　Mavor's　eyes　as　she　looked　from　Craig　to　the　yelling　men　on
the　benches　and　tables；　and　then　to　Slavin；　and　I　found　myself
wondering　if　she　knew　what　it　was　that　came　to　Slavin。


CHAPTER　XI

THE　TWO　CALLS


With　the　call　to　Mr。　Craig　I　fancy　I　had　something　to　do　myself。
The　call　came　from　a　young　congregation　in　an　eastern　city；　and　was
based　partly　upon　his　college　record　and　more　upon　the　advice　of
those　among　the　authorities　who　knew　his　work　in　the　mountains。
But　I　flatter　myself　that　my　letters　to　friends　who　were　of
importance　in　that　congregation　were　not　without　influence；　for　I
was　of　the　mind　that　the　man　who　could　handle　Black　Rock　miners　as
he　could　was　ready　for　something　larger　than　a　mountain　mission。
That　he　would　refuse　I　had　not　imagined；　though　I　ought　to　have
known　him　better。　　He　was　but　little　troubled　over　it。　　He　went
with　the　call　and　the　letters　urging　his　acceptance　to　Mrs。　Mavor。
I　was　putting　the　last　touches　to　some　of　my　work　in　the　room　at
the　back　of　Mrs。　Mavor's　house　when　he　came　in。　　She　read　the
letters　and　the　call　quietly；　and　waited　for　him　to　speak。

〃Well？'　he　said；　'should　I　go？'

She　started；　and　grew　a　little　pale。　　His　question　suggested　a
possibility　that　had　not　occurred　to　her。　　That　he　could　leave　his
work　in　Black　Rock　she　had　hitherto　never　imagined；　but　there　was
other　work；　and　he　was　fit　for　good　work　anywhere。　　Why　should　he
not　go？　　I　saw　the　fear　in　her　face；　but　I　saw　more　than　fear　in
her　eyes；　as　for　a　moment　or　two　she　let　them　rest　upon　Craig's
face。　　I　read　her　story；　and　I　was　not　sorry　for　either　of　them。
But　she　was　too　much　a　woman　to　show　her　heart　easily　to　the　man
she　loved；　and　her　voice　was　even　and　calm　as　she　answered　his
question。

'Is　this　a　very　large　congregation？'

'One　of　the　finest　in　all　the　East；'　I　put　in　for　him。　　'It　will　be
a　great　thing　for　Craig。'

Craig　was　studying　her　curiously。　　I　think　she　noticed　his　eyes
upon　her；　for　she　went　on　even　more　quietly

'It　will　be　a　great　chance　for　work；　and　you　are　able　for　a　larger
sphere；　you　know；　than　poor　Black　Rock　affords。'

'Who　will　take　Black　Rock？'　he　asked。

'Let　some　other　fellow　have　a　try　at　it；'　I　said。　　'Why　should　you
waste　your　talents　here？'

'Waste？'　cried　Mrs。　Mavor　indignantly。

'Well；　〃bury；〃　if　you　like　it　better；'　I　replied。

'It　would　not　take　much　of　a　grave　for　that　funeral；'　said　Craig；
smiling。

'Oh；'　said　Mrs。　Mavor；　'you　will　be　a　great　man　I　know；　and　perhaps
you　ought　to　go　now。'

But　he　answered　coolly：　'There　are　fifty　men　wanting　that　Eastern
charge；　and　there　is　only　one　wanting　Black　Rock；　and　I　don't　think
Black　Rock　is　anxious　for　a　change；　so　I　have　determined　to　stay
where　I　am　yet　a　while。'

Even　my　deep　disgust　and　disappointment　did　not　prevent　me　from
seeing　the　sudden　leap　of　joy　in　Mrs。　Mavor's　eyes；　but　she；　with　a
great　effort；　answered　quietly

'Black　Rock　will　be　very　glad；　and　some　of　us　very；　very　glad。'

Nothing　could　change　his　mind。　　There　was　no　one　he　knew　who　could
take　his　place　just　now；　and　why　should　he　quit　his　work？　　It
annoyed　me　considerably　to　feel　he　was　right。　　Why　is　it　that　the
right　things　are　so　frequently　unpleasant？

And　if　I　had　had　any　doubt　about　the　matter　next　Sabbath　evening
would　have　removed　it。　　For　the　men　came　about　him　after　the
service　and　let　him　feel　in　their　own　way　how　much　they　approved
his　decision；　though　the　self…sacrifice　involved　did　not　appeal　to
them。　　They　were　too　truly　Western　to　imagine　that　any　inducements
the　East　could　offer　could　compensate　for　his　loss　of　the　West。　　It
was　only　fitting　that　the　West　should　have　the　best；　and　so　the
miners　took　almost　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　certainly　as　their
right；　that　the　best　man　they　knew　should　stay　with　them。　　But
there　were　those　who　knew　how　much　of　what　most　men　consider　worth
while　he　had　given　up；　and　they　loved　him　no　less　for　it。

Mrs。　Mavor's　call　was　not　so　easily　disposed　of。　　It　came　close
upon　the　other；　and　stirred　Black　Rock　as　nothing　else　had　ever
stirred　it　before。

I　found　her　one　afternoon　gazing　vacantly　at　some　legal　documents
spread　out　before　her　on　the　table；　and　evidently　overcome　by　their
contents。　　There　was　first　a　lawyer's　letter　informing　her　that　by
the　death　of　her　husband's　father　she　had　come　into　the　whole　of
the　Mavor　estates；　and　all　the　wealth　pertaining　thereto。　　The
letter　asked　for　instructions；　and　urged　an　immediate　return　with　a
view　to　a　personal　superintendence　of　the　estates。　　A　letter；　too；
from　a　distant　cousin　of　her　husband　urged　her　immediate　return　for
many　reasons；　but　chiefly　on　account　of　the　old　mother　who　had　been
left　alone　with　none　nearer　of　kin　than　himself　to　care　for　her　and
cheer　her　old　age。

With　these　two　came　another　letter　from　her　mother…in…law　herself。
The　crabbed；　trembling　characters　were　even　more　eloquent　than　the
words　with　which　the　letter　closed。

'I　have　lost　my　boy；　and　now　my　husband　is　gone；　and　I　am　a　lonely
woman。　　I　have　many　servants；　and　some　friends；　but　none　near　to
me；　none　so　near　and　dear　as　my　dead　son's　wife。　　My　days　are　not
to　be　many。　　Come　to　me；　my　daughter；　I　want　you　and　Lewis's
child。'

'Must　I　go？'　she　asked　with　white　lips。

'Do　you　know　her　well？'　I　asked。

'I　only　saw　her　once　or　twice；'　she　answered；　'but　she　has　been
very　good　to　me。'

'She　can　hardly　need　you。　　She　has　friends。　　And　surely　you　are
needed　here。'

She　looked　at　me　eagerly。

'Do　you　think　so？'　she　said。

'Ask　any　man　in　the　campShaw；　Nixon；　young　Winton；　Geordie。　　Ask
Craig；'　I　replied。

'Yes；　he　will　tell　me；'　she　said。

Even　as　she　spoke　Craig　came　up　the　steps。　　I　passed　into　my　studio
and　went　on　with　my　work；　for　my　days　at　Black　Rock　were　getting
few；　and　many　sketches　remained　to　be　filled　in。

Through　my　open　door　I　saw　Mrs。　Mavor　lay　her　letters　before　Mr。
Craig；　saying；　'I　have　a　call　too。'　　They　thought　not　of　me。

He　went　through　the　papers；　carefully　laid　them　down　without　a　word
while　she　waited　anxiously；　almost　impatiently；　for　him　to　speak。

'Well？'　she　asked；　using　his　own　words　to　her；　'should　I　go？'

'I　do　not　know；'　he　replied；　'that　is　for　you　to　decideyou　know
all　the　circumstances。'

'The　letters　tell　all。'　　Her　tone　carried　a　feeling　of
disappointment。　　He　did　not　appear　to　care。

'The　estates　are　large？'　he　asked。

'Yes；　large　eno