Black Rock: A Tale of the Selkirks

le I was revelling in my delicious second morning sleep, just awake enough to enjoy it, Mr. Craig came abrup

hide from the minister that I was trying to gain a f

nd with such emphasis that I sat bo

at least not to-day,' said Craig, with a shadow of a smi

Well, what particular style does

l. 'Peculiarly gaudy an

de'; after which there was to be a 'Grand Ball,' during which the 'Kalifornia Female Kickers' were to do some fancy figures; the whole t

go one bett

ngly and a little

inks and a dance, not to speak o

and dollars, and every dollar burning a hole; and Slavin and his gang will get most of it. But,' he added, 'you mu

glow, the effect of cold water and a rough towel, and that consciousness of virtu

inutive pine-tree, in a pot hung round with w

; porridge, beefsteak, pota

u will enj

ut, 'Look here! I can't, I won't stand it; something must be done. Last Christmas this town was for two weeks, as one of the miners said, "a little suburb of hell." It was something to

.' He turned fiercely on

iculty, and allowing others the same privilege. So I ventured the consolation that he had done his part, and that a spree more or less would not mak

h to bring their families to this homeless place, the rest to make enough to go back with credit. Why, there's Nixon, miner, splendid chap; has been here for two years, and drawing the highest pay. Twice he has been in sight of his heaven, for he can't speak of his wife and babies without breaking up, and twice that slick son of the devil-that's Scripture, mind you-Slavin, got him, and "rolled" him, as the boys say. He wen

ast'; for somehow his intense, blazing ear

e to offer?'

se things cleared away, a

what feebly, I own, for I can't bear

g my china to the han

defence at long range.' It was delf, a quarter of an inch thick. S

ould offer dinner, magic lantern, music. 'We can fill in time for two hours

thing new or

ok his

ow? Dog show?

a monopoly o

as an old Punch-and-Judy chap here l

pened to

k it for board and whisky bil

to see him beaten, so I ventured, 'I have run a

o his feet

of taking your help for granted. 'The miner chaps, mostly English and Welsh, went mad over th

ement and in such evident delight t

st the poster. We mu

rd work I had half a dozen pictorial showbills done in gorgeous co

with a crowd before it in gaping delight. A few explanatory words were thrown

ommittee charged with the duty of preventing miners and lumbermen from getting away to Slavin's. 'The critical moments will be immediately before and after dinner, and then again after the show is over,' he expl

eply. He was a born fighter, and he put the fi

everything was in readiness. After lunch I was having a

is fought. If we lose Quatre Bras

t's

are coming in, and he will hav

ppealingly. I kne

but it is an awful bore that a

t the ladies to furnish coffee inside the booth. You furnish the

and sweated in that awful little pen. But it was almost worth it to hear the shouts of approval and laughter that greeted my performance. It was cold work standing abou

ed, and Quatr

pruce boughs, each drawn by a four-horse team gaily adorned, filled with some fifty men, singing and shouting with all their might, were coming down the hill road at full gallop. Round the corner they swung, dashed at full speed across the bridge a

eam, Mike Slavin. Batchees and me and the boys

lity was perfectly unders

cket for sure, too.' The boys laughed, and Slavin, joining in, turned away with Keele an

ys! too late for Punch and Judy, but ju

said Baptiste heartily

the church there. T

the shantymen, heh, Sandy?' said

hnuts and a boiler of coffee left as I p

r say keel!' cried Baptiste exci

win. Besides, he scorned to hurry himself for anything so unimportant as eating; that he considered hardly worthy even of Baptiste. Mr. Craig managed to get a word with him be

eeting, 'How is it, Nelson?' and it was with a very grave voice he answered,

can cover. What would you have? And besid

d, looking at the

sn't let go Hi

know He's

do you want to quit this

Why, do you think I have lost it

you; and I'll bet you haven't tho

e repeated, almos

ou are overnight,' said

the minister, a light

kly away, and went into the stable behind his team. It was a min

g for you to-day?

ing his hand and shaking it very warmly; and

his race. After that is his tim

, in the tone of a man taking a covenant,

aid, pointing to Leslie Graeme, who was coming d

. Do you think yo

'You are

alf defiantly, 'is no

goes,' and before I knew it I was describing our plans to Graeme, growing more and more e

too,' he said;

n. I've just seen him, and he's just what Craig calls him, "a sli

raeme gravely, while Crai

Craig? for I know that thi

idea, while Mr. C

part?' dema

uld do nothing till I had consulted you; but I want

eme, with an air of relief;

d not mind presiding at dinn

' said Graeme to me.

d, while Craig looked quite distressed. 'He'll do it, Mr. Craig, nev

,' he replied; adding, as he turned away, 'you are just in ti

avor?' I deman

The miners' g

d the booth Graeme caught sight of the Punch and Judy show,

never die,' I

lator is dead enoug

his mantle,

d at me

o you me

s exactly wh

that Craig fellow-

l the tears came. 'I say, old boy, don't mind me,' h

val play' had been given before a distinguished Toronto audience, the trap door by which I had entered my box was fastened, and I was left to swelter in my cage, and forced to listen to the suffocated laughter from

er, in a tone so full of sadness that my heart grew

nning and leaping contests, there was rifle and pistol shooting, in both of

en driven much together, and knew neither their driver nor each other. In the miners' team were four bays, very powerful, a trifle heavy perhaps, but well matched, perfectly trained, and perfectly handled by their driver. Sandy had his long rangy roans, and for leaders a pair of half-broken pinto bronchos. The pintos, caug

e only condition attaching to the race was that the teams should start from the scratch, make the turn of the Fort, and finish at the scratch. There were no vexing regulations as to fouls. The man making the foul would find it necessary to reckon with the crowd, which was considered sufficient guarantee for a fair and squ

shirts and leggings, some with cartridge-belts and pistols; a few half-breeds and Indians in half-native, half-civilised dress; and scattering through the crowd the lumbermen with gay scarlet and blue blanket coats, and some with knitted tuques of the

he pistol-shot and the great race had begun. Above the roar of the crowd came the shrill cry of Baptiste, as h

y the yelling of the crowd, instead of bending to the left bank up which the road wound, they wheel

their speed. After them flew the pintos, running savagely with ears set back, leading well the big roans, thundering along and gaining at every bound. And now the citizens' team had almost reached the Fort, running hard, and drawing away from the bays. But Nixon knew what he was about, and was simply steadying his team for the turn. The event proved his wisdom, for in the turn the leading team left the track, lost a moment or two in the deep snow, and before they could regain the r

with the pintos in turn hugging them closely, till it seems as if the three, if none slackens, must strike the bridge together; and this will mean destruction to one at least. This danger Sandy perceives, but he dare not check his leaders. Suddenly, within a few yards of the bridge, Baptiste throws himself upon the lines, wrenches them out of Sandy's hands, and, with a quick swing, faces the pintos down the steep side of the ravine, which is almost sheer ice with a thin coat of snow. It is a daring course to take, for the ravine, though not deep, is full of undergrowth, and is partially closed up by a brush heap at the further end. But, with a yell, Bapt

down the bank, excites the bronchos to madness, and, taking the bits in their teeth, they do their first free running that day. Past the citizens' team like a whirlwind they dash, clear the intervening space, and gain the flanks of the bays. Can the bays hold them? Over them leans their driver, plying for the first time the hissing lash. On

were waving them wildly and tossing them high, while the ranchers added to the

king towards them. A dozen lumbermen ran to him, eagerly inquiring if he wer

which Sandy's rage vanished, and he allowed himself

ad?' was his f

ith him. He's down at

e had not gone far before he met Baptiste coming back with his team foaming, t

dy in and thrusting the lines into his hands. And so they came back, the sleigh box still dragging behind, the pintos executing f

the matter wi

ang into the sleigh box with Sandy and Baptiste, among them Keefe, followed by Nelson, and the first part of the great day was over. Slavin could not understand the new order of things. That a great event like the four-horse race should not

sleigh, with his frantic crowd of yelling admirers, said in a gloomy vo

n's whisky to-day,' I

im in the stable,' he replied bitterl

my heart an earnest echo to that prayer as I watched him go toward the crowd again, his face set in st