Black Rock: A Tale of the Selkirks

m the dying day lies beautiful in the tender glow of the evening, so these days have lost their weariness and lie bathed in a misty glory. The years that bring us many ills, and that pa

the far distance repose in their soft robes of purple haze, so th

od beside me, bearing more than half my burden. And while I can see the face of Leslie Graeme, ghastly or flushed, and hear his low moaning or the broken words of his delirium, I think chiefly of the br

riend. We did not see much of Craig, for he was heart-deep with the miners, laying plans for the making of the League the following T

roam the world of literature and art. Keenly sensitive to all the good and beautiful in these, she had her favourites among the masters, for whom she was ready to do battle; and when her argument, instinct with fancy and vivid imagination, failed, she swept away all opposing opinion with the swift rush of her enthusiasm; so that, thou

as I say, a

lay, breast to b

out of him; I had always feared he was impossible.' And 'Paracelsus,' too, stirred her;

ght, then

y soul! I shall

God be th

s of the mighty Tannhauser, far above, into regions unknown, leaving me to walk soberly with Beethoven and Mendelssohn. Yet with all our free, frank talk, there was all the while that in her gentle courtesy which kept me from

all that is wonderful and unlikely does s

we sat together beside his fire, he told me the story, while I smoked. He was worn with his long, hard drive, and with the burden of his work, but as he went

hand. She looked a mere girl. Let's see-five years ago-she couldn't have been a day over twenty three. She looked barely twenty. Her

very miner lost his heart then and there, but all waited for Abe the driver to give his verdict before venturing an opinion. Abe sai

here's

mptied, and Abe called out, "Fi

worked up. Then he beg

h a bead on it: she's a-," and for the first time in his Black R

araphrase here); "angels ain't in the same month with her; I'd like to

s herself, Abe?

ive of his esteem for the girl who had swung his team round the curves; and the miners nodded t

w, Abe, but his ta

as if balancing Abe

urged, 'wh

people have of the reforming properties of this atmosphere! They send their young bloods here to reform. Here! in this devil's camp-ground, where a man's lust is his only law, and when, from sheer monotony, a man must betake himself to the only excitement of the place-that offered by the saloon. Good people in the east hold up holy hands of

sisted, 'did

the old country, and between them they would get him home. How she stood it puzzles me to this day; but she never made any sign, and her courage never failed. It was always a bright, brave, proud face she held up to the world-except in church; there it was different. I used to preach my sermons, I believe, mostly for her-but never so that she could suspect-as bravely and as cheerily as I could. And as she listened, and especially as she sang-how s

p, for his people chucked him, and he was too proud to write home for money-just for a chance to be asked in to see the baby. I came upon Nixon standing at the back of the shop after he had seen the baby for the first time, sobbing hard, and to my question he replied: "It's just like my own." You can't understand this. But to m

ther and her baby

s grabbing at his nose and whiskers and cooing in blissful delight. Poor "Old Ricketts" looked as if he had been caught stealing, and muttering something about having to go, gazed wildly round for some place in which to lay the baby, when in came

gs, and the English songs, and the Scotch songs she poured forth without stint, for she sang more for them than for her baby. No wonder they adored her. She was so bright, so gay, she brought light with her when she went into the camp, into the pits-for she went down t

and I waited. Then

was the happiest home in a

e in his hands

drunk with Slavin's whisky, set off a shot prematurely, to their own and Mavor's destruction. They were badly burned, but his face was untouched. A miner was sponging off the bloody froth oozing from his lips. The others were standing about waiting for me to speak. But I could find no word, for my heart was sick, thinking, as they were,

no' come

o' come b

o'ed ye

o' come b

front of the body, and stood in silence. Nearer and nearer came

av'rock's no

ildly up

e me he si

o' come b

out brokenly, "O God! O God! have pity, have pity, have pity!"-and every man too

no' come b

g I know not what folly, till her great eyes grew grave, then anxious, and my tongue stammered and became silent. Then, laying her hand upon my arm, she said with gentle sweetness, "Tell me your trouble, Mr. Craig," and I knew my agony had come, and I burst out, "Oh, if it were only mine!" She turned quite white, and with her deep eyes-you've noticed her eyes-drawing the truth out of mine, she sa

es upon the grass. I could hear the murmur of the river, and the cry of the cat-bird in the bushes, but we seemed to be

a moment or two

dy. See," she added quie

e men saw her, they laid their burden gently down upon the carpet of yellow pine-needles, and then, for they had the hearts of true men in them, they went away into the bushes and left her alone with her dead. She went swiftly to his side, making no cry, but kneeling beside him she stroked his face and hands, and touched his curls with her fingers, murmuring all the time soft words of love. "O my darling, my bonnie, bonnie darling, speak

loud. She looked at them with wide-open eyes of wonder. "Why are they weeping? Will he neve

nd that is fai

e as if in a dream, and the light slowly faded from her eyes as she said, tea

ore here? Nev

hadowy beside the reality of this warm, bright world, full of life and love. She was ver

er baby, and bring her their sorrows and troubles; but though she is always gentle, almost tender, with them, no

she stay

nted her to go to

the grave up there under the pines; and besides, she hopes

Nonsense! why, with her face, and manner, and voice she

rgh or London?'

little hotly. 'You t

,' he answered, with a smile none too bright; b

ill she sta

rk is done,'

that be?' I ask

u ever think but that it is worth while. One value of

eaning of the Life that lies at the foundation of your religion. Yes,

ar, must climb to some height, and I was too much upon the plain in those days to catch even a glimp