black rock-第30节

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happened；　I　don't　know　what；　but　they　both　knew。'

'I　know；'　I　said；　and　I　saw　again　the　picture　of　the　old　man　under
the　pine；　upon　his　knees　in　the　snow；　with　his　face　turned　up　to
the　stars。

'Whatever　it　was；　it　was　in　his　mind　at　the　very　last；　and　I　can
never　forget　his　face　as　he　turned　it　to　Craig。　　One　hears　of　such
things：　I　had　often；　but　had　never　put　much　faith　in　them；　but　joy；
rapture；　triumph；　these　are　what　were　in　his　face；　as　he　said；　his
breath　coming　short；　〃You　saidHe　wouldn'tfail　meyou　were
rightnot　oncenot　onceHe　stuck　to　meI'm　glad　he　told　me
thank　Godfor　youyou　showedmeI'll　see　Himandtell　Him'
And　Craig；　kneeling　beside　him　so　steadyI　was　behaving　like　a
foolsmiled　down　through　his　streaming　tears　into　the　dim　eyes　so
brightly；　till　they　could　see　no　more。　　Thank　him　for　that！　　He
helped　the　old　man　through；　and　he　helped　me　too；　that　night；　thank
God！'　　And　Graeme's　voice；　hard　till　now；　broke　in　a　sob。

He　had　forgotten　us；　and　was　back　beside　his　passing　friend；　and
all　his　self…control　could　not　keep　back　the　flowing　tears。

'It　was　his　life　for　mine；'　he　said　huskily。

The　brother　and　sister　were　quietly　weeping；　but　spoke　no　word；
though　I　knew　Graeme　was　waiting　for　them。

I　took　up　the　word；　and　told　of　what　I　had　known　of　Nelson；　and　his
influence　upon　the　men　of　Black　Rock。　　They　listened　eagerly
enough；　but　still　without　speaking。　　There　seemed　nothing　to　say；
till　I　suggested　to　Graeme　that　he　must　get　some　rest。　　Then　the
girl　turned　to　him；　and；　impulsively　putting　out　her　hand；　said

'Oh；　it　is　all　so　sad；　but　how　can　we　ever　thank　you？'

'Thank　me！'　gasped　Graeme。　　'Can　you　forgive　me？　　I　brought　him　to
his　death。'

'No；　no！　　You　must　not　say　so；'　she　answered　hurriedly。　　'You　would
have　done　the　same　for　him。'

'God　knows　I　would；'　said　Graeme　earnestly；　'and　God　bless　you　for
your　words！'　　And　I　was　thankful　to　see　the　tears　start　in　his　dry；
burning　eyes。

We　carried　him　to　the　old　home　in　the　country；　that　he　might　lie　by
the　side　of　the　wife　he　had　loved　and　wronged。　　A　few　friends　met
us　at　the　wayside　station；　and　followed　in　sad　procession　along　the
country　road；　that　wound　past　farms　and　through　woods；　and　at　last
up　to　the　ascent　where　the　quaint；　old　wooden　church；　black　with
the　rains　and　snows　of　many　years；　stood　among　its　silent　graves。
The　little　graveyard　sloped　gently　towards　the　setting　sun；　and
from　it　one　could　see；　far　on　every　side；　the　fields　of　grain　and
meadowland　that　wandered　off　over　softly　undulating　hills　to　meet
the　maple　woods　at　the　horizon；　dark；　green；　and　cool。　　Here　and
there　white　farmhouses；　with　great　barns　standing　near；　looked　out
from　clustering　orchards。

Up　the　grass…grown　walk；　and　through　the　crowding　mounds；　over
which　waves；　uncut；　the　long；　tangling　grass；　we　bear　our　friend；
and　let　him　gently　down　into　the　kindly　bosom　of　mother　earth；
dark；　moist；　and　warm。　　The　sound　of　a　distant　cowbell　mingles　with
the　voice　of　the　last　prayer；　the　clods　drop　heavily　with　heart…
startling　echo；　the　mound　is　heaped　and　shaped　by　kindly　friends；
sharing　with　one　another　the　task；　the　long　rough　sods　are　laid
over　and　patted　into　place；　the　old　minister　takes　farewell　in　a
few　words　of　gentle　sympathy；　the　brother　and　sister；　with
lingering　looks　at　the　two　graves　side　by　side；　the　old　and　the
new；　step　into　the　farmer's　carriage；　and　drive　away；　the　sexton
locks　the　gate　and　goes　home；　and　we　are　left　outside　alone。

Then　we　went　back　and　stood　by　Nelson's　grave。

After　a　long　silence　Graeme　spoke。

'Connor；　he　did　not　grudge　his　life　to　meand　I　think'and　here
the　words　came　slowly'I　understand　now　what　that　means；　〃Who
loved　me　and　gave　Himself　for　me。〃'

Then　taking　off　his　hat；　he　said　reverently；　'By　God's　help
Nelson's　life　shall　not　end；　but　shall　go　on。　　Yes；　old　man！'
looking　down　upon　the　grave；　'I'm　with　you'；　and　lifting　up　his
face　to　the　calm　sky；　'God　help　me　to　be　true。'

Then　he　turned　and　walked　briskly　away；　as　one　might　who　had
pressing　business；　or　as　soldiers　march　from　a　comrade's　grave　to　a
merry　tune；　not　that　they　have　forgotten；　but　they　have　still　to
fight。

And　this　was　the　way　old　man　Nelson　came　home。


CHAPTERS　XIV。

GRAEME'S　NEW　BIRTH


There　was　more　left　in　that　grave　than　old　man　Nelson's　dead　body。
It　seemed　to　me　that　Graeme　left　part；　at　least；　of　his　old　self
there；　with　his　dead　friend　and　comrade；　in　the　quiet　country
churchyard。　　I　waited　long　for　the　old　careless；　reckless　spirit
to　appear；　but　he　was　never　the　same　again。　　The　change　was
unmistakable；　but　hard　to　define。　　He　seemed　to　have　resolved　his
life　into　a　definite　purpose。　　He　was　hardly　so　comfortable　a
fellow　to　be　with；　he　made　me　feel　even　more　lazy　and　useless　than
was　my　wont；　but　I　respected　him　more；　and　liked　him　none　the　less。
As　a　lion　he　was　not　a　success。　　He　would　not　roar。　　This　was
disappointing　to　me；　and　to　his　friends　and　mine；　who　had　been
waiting　his　return　with　eager　expectation　of　tales　of　thrilling　and
bloodthirsty　adventure。

His　first　days　were　spent　in　making　right；　or　as　nearly　right　as　he
could；　the　break　that　drove　him　to　the　west。　　His　old　firm　（and　I
have　had　more　respect　for　the　humanity　of　lawyers　ever　since）
behaved　really　well。　　They　proved　the　restoration　of　their
confidence　in　his　integrity　and　ability　by　offering　him　a　place　in
the　firm；　which；　however；　he　would　not　accept。　　Then；　when　he　felt
clean；　as　he　said；　he　posted　off　home；　taking　me　with　him。　　During
the　railway　journey　of　four　hours　he　hardly　spoke；　but　when　we　had
left　the　town　behind；　and　had　fairly　got　upon　the　country　road　that
led　toward　the　home　ten　miles　away；　his　speech　came　to　him　in　a
great　flow。　　His　spirits　ran　over。　　He　was　like　a　boy　returning
from　his　first　college　term。　　His　very　face　wore　the　boy's　open；
innocent；　earnest　look　that　used　to　attract　men　to　him　in　his　first
college　year。　　His　delight　in　the　fields　and　woods；　in　the　sweet
country　air　and　the　sunlight；　was　without　bound。　　How　often　had　we
driven　this　road　together　in　the　old　days！

Every　turn　was　familiar。　　The　swamp　where　the　tamaracks　stood
straight　and　slim　out　of　their　beds　of　moss；　the　brule；　as　we　used
to　call　it；　where　the　pine…stumps；　huge　and　blackened；　were　half…
hidden　by　the　new　growth　of　poplars　and　soft　maples；　the　big　hill；
where　we　used　to　get　out　and　walk　when　the　roads　were　bad；　the
orchards；　where　the　harvest　apples　were　best　and　most　accessible
all　had　their　memories。

It　was　one　of　those　perfect　afternoons　that　so　often　come　in　the
early　Canadian　summer；　before　Nature　grows　weary　with　the　heat。
The　white　gravel　road　was　trimmed　on　either　side　with　turf　of
living　green；　close　cropped　by　the　sheep　that　wandered　in　flocks
along　its　whole　length。　　Beyond　the　picturesque　snake…fences
stretched　the　fields　of　springing　grain；　of　varying　shades　of
green；　with　here　and　there　a　dark　brown　patch；　marking　a　turnip
field　or　summer　fallow；　and　far　back　were　the　woods　of　maple　and
beech　and　elm；　with　here　and　there　the　tufted　top　of　a　mighty　pine；
the　lonely　representative　of　a　vanished　race；　standing　clear　above
the　humbler　trees。

As　we　drove　through　the　big　swamp；　where　the　yawning；　haunted　gully
plunges　down　to　its　gloomy　depths；　Graeme　reminded　me　of　that　night
when　our　horse　saw　something　in　that　same　gully；　and　refused　to　go
past；　and　I　felt　again；　though　it　was　broad　daylight；　something　of
the　grue　that　shivered　down　my　back；　as　I　saw　in　the　moonlight　the
gleam　of　a　white　thing　far　through　the　pine　trunks。

As　we　came　nearer　home　the　houses　became　familiar。　　Every　house　had
its　tale：　we　had　eaten　or　slept　in　most　of　them；　we　had　sampled
apples；　and　cherries；　and　plums　from　their　orchards；　openly　as
guests；　or　secretly　as　marauders；　under　cover　of　nightthe　more
delightful　way；　I　fear。　　Ah！　happy　days；　with　these　innocent　crimes
and　fleeting　remorses；　how　bravely　we　faced　them；　and　how　gaily　we
lived　them；　and　how　yearningly　we　look　back　at　them　now！　　The　sun
was　just　dipping　into　the　tree…tops　of　the　distant　woods　behind　as
we　came　to　the　top　of　the　last　hill　that　overlooked　the　valley；　in
which　lay　the　village　of　Riverdale。　　Wooded　hills　stood　about　it　on
three　sides；　and；　where　the　hills　faded　out；　there　lay　the　mill…
pond　sleeping　and　smiling　in　the　sun。　　Through　the　village　ran　the
white　road；　up　past　the　old　frame　church；　and　on　to　the　white　manse
standing　among　the　trees。　　That　was　Graeme's　home；　and　mine　too；
for　I　had　never　known　another　worthy　of　the　name。　　We　held　up　our
team　to　look　down　over　the　valley；　with　its　rampart　of　wooded
hills；　its　shining　pond；　and　its　nestling　village；　and　on　past　to
the　church　and　the　white　manse；　hiding　among　the　trees。　　The
beauty；　the　peace；　the　warm；　loving　homeliness　of　the　scene　came
about　our　hearts；　but；　being　men；　we　could　find　no　words。

'Let's　go；'　cried　Graeme；　and　down　the　hill　we　tore　and　rocked　and
swayed　to　the　amazement　of　the　steady　team；　whose　education　from
the　earliest　years　had　impressed　upon　their　minds　the　criminality
of　attempting　to　do　anything　but　walk　carefully　down　a　hill；　at
least　for　two…thirds　of　the　way。　　Through　the　vi