governor's voice as he dared any but the right stuff to come on？'
'We'll go in on Friday night；' I said。
And so we did。 Sandy took a load of men with his team； and Graeme
and I drove in the light sleigh。
The meeting was in the church； and over a hundred men were present。
There was some singing of familiar hymns at first； and then Mr。
Craig read the same story as we had heard in the stable； that most
perfect of all parables； the Prodigal Son。 Baptiste nudged Sandy
in delight； and whispered something； but Sandy held his face so
absolutely expressionless that Graeme was moved to say
'Look at Sandy！ Did you ever see such a graven image？ Something
has hit him hard。'
The men were held fast by the story。 The voice of the reader； low；
earnest； and thrilling with the tender pathos of the tale； carried
the words to our hearts； while a glance； a gesture； a movement of
the body gave us the vision of it all as he was seeing it。
Then； in simplest of words； he told us what the story meant；
holding us the while with eyes； and voice； and gesture。 He
compelled us scorn the gay； heartless selfishness of the young fool
setting forth so jauntily from the broken home； he moved our pity
and our sympathy for the young profligate； who； broken and
deserted； had still pluck enough to determine to work his way back；
and who； in utter desperation； at last gave it up； and then he
showed us the homecomingthe ragged； heart…sick tramp； with
hesitating steps； stumbling along the dusty road； and then the rush
of the old father； his garments fluttering； and his voice heard in
broken cries。 I see and hear it all now； whenever the words are
read。
He announced the hymn； 'Just as I am；' read the first verse； and
then went on： 'There you are； men； every man of you； somewhere on
the road。 Some of you are too lazy'here Graeme nudged me'and
some of you haven't got enough yet of the far country to come back。
May there be a chance for you when you want to come！ Men； you all
want to go back home； and when you go you'll want to put on your
soft clothes； and you won't go till you can go in good style； but
where did the prodigal get his good clothes？' Quick came the
answer in Baptiste's shrill voice
'From de old fadder！'
No one was surprised； and the minister went on
'Yes！ and that's where we must get the good； clean heart； the good；
clean； brave heart； from our Father。 Don't wait； but； just as you
are； come。 Sing。'
They sang； not loud； as they would 'Stand Up；' or even 'The Sweet
By and By；' but in voices subdued； holding down the power in them。
After the singing； Craig stood a moment gazing down at the men； and
then said quietly
'Any man want to come？ You all might come。 We all must come。'
Then； sweeping his arm over the audience； and turning half round as
if to move off； he cried； in a voice that thrilled to the heart's
core
'Oh！ come on！ Let's go back！'
The effect was overpowering。 It seemed to me that the whole
company half rose to their feet。 Of the prayer that immediately
followed； I only caught the opening sentence； 'Father； we are
coming back；' for my attention was suddenly absorbed by Abe； the
stage…driver； who was sitting next me。 I could hear him swearing
approval and admiration； saying to himself
'Ain't he a clinker！ I'll be gee…whizzly…gol…dusted if he ain't a
malleable…iron…double…back…action self…adjusting corn…cracker。'
And the prayer continued to be punctuated with like admiring and
even more sulphurous expletives。 It was an incongruous medley。
The earnest； reverent prayer； and the earnest； admiring profanity；
rendered chaotic one's ideas of religious propriety。 The feelings
in both were akin； the method of expression somewhat widely
diverse。
After prayer； Craig's tone changed utterly。 In a quiet； matter…of…
fact； businesslike way he stated his plan of organisation； and
called for all who wished to join to remain after the benediction。
Some fifty men were left； among them Nelson； Sandy； Lachlan
Campbell； Baptiste； Shaw； Nixon； Geordie； and Billy Breen； who
tried to get out； but was held fast by Geordie。
Graeme was passing out； but I signed him to remain； saying that I
wished 'to see the thing out。' Abe sat still beside me； swearing
disgustedly at the fellows 'who were going back on the preacher。'
Craig appeared amazed at the number of men remaining； and seemed to
fear that something was wrong。 He put before them the terms of
discipleship； as the Master put them to the eager scribe； and he
did not make them easy。 He pictured the kind of work to be done；
and the kind of men needed for the doing of it。 Abe grew uneasy as
the minister went on to describe the completeness of the surrender；
the intensity of the loyalty demanded。
'That knocks me out； I reckon；' he muttered； in a disappointed
tone； 'I ain't up to that grade。' And as Craig described the
heroism called for； the magnificence of the fight； the worth of it；
and the outcome of it all； Abe ground out： I'll be blanked if I
wouldn't like to take a hand； but I guess I'm not in it。' Craig
finished by saying
'I want to put this quite fairly。 It is not any league of mine；
you're not joining my company； it is no easy business； and it is
for your whole life。 What do you say？ Do I put it fairly？ What
do you say； Nelson？'
Nelson rose slowly； and with difficulty began
'I may be all wrong； but you made it easier for me； Mr。 Craig。 You
said He would see me through； or I should never have risked it。
Perhaps I am wrong；' and the old man looked troubled。 Craig sprang
up。
'No！ no！ Thank God； no！ He will see every man through who will
trust his life to Him。 Every man； no matter how tough he is； no
matter how broken。'
Then Nelson straightened himself up and said
'Well； sir！ I believe a lot of the men would go in for this if they
were dead sure they would get through。'
'Get through！' said Craig； 'never a fear of it。 It is a hard
fight； a long fight； a glorious fight；' throwing up his head； but
every man who squarely trusts Him； and takes Him as Lord and
Master； comes out victor！'
'Bon！' said Baptiste 'Das me。 You tink He's take me in dat fight；
M'sieu Craig； heh？' His eyes were blazing。
'You mean it？' asked Craig almost sternly。
'Yes！ by gar！' said the little Frenchman eagerly。
'Hear what He says； then'； and Craig； turning over the leaves of
his Testament； read solemnly the words； 'Swear not at all。'
'Non！ For sure！ Den I stop him；' replied Baptiste earnestly； and
Craig wrote his name down。
Poor Abe looked amazed and distressed； rose slowly； and saying；
'That jars my whisky jug；' passed out。 There was a slight movement
near the organ； and glancing up I saw Mrs。 Mavor put her face
hastily in her hands。 The men's faces were anxious and troubled；
and Nelson said in a voice that broke
'Tell them what you told me； sir。' But Craig was troubled too； and
replied； 'You tell them； Nelson！' and Nelson told the men the story
of how he began just five weeks ago。 The old man's voice steadied
as he went on； and he grew eager as he told how he had been helped；
and how the world was all different； and his heart seemed new。 He
spoke of his Friend as if He were some one that could be seen out
at camp； that he knew well； and met every day。
But as he tried to say how deeply he regretted that he had not
known all this years before； the old； hard face began to quiver；
and the steady voice wavered。 Then he pulled himself together； and
said
'I begin to feel sure He'll pull me throughme！ the hardest man in
the mountains！ So don't you fear； boys。 He's all right。'
Then the men gave in their names； one by one。 When it came to
Geordie's turn； he gave his name
'George Crawford； frae the pairish o' Kilsyth； Scotland； an' ye'll
juist pit doon the lad's name； Maister Craig； he's a wee bit fashed
wi' the discoorse； but he has the root o' the maitter in him； I
doot。' And so Billy Breen's name went down。
When the meeting was over； thirty…eight names stood upon the
communion roll of the Black Rock Presbyterian Church； and it will
ever be one of the regrets of my life that neither Graeme's name
nor my own appeared on that roll。 And two days after； when the cup
went round on that first Communion Sabbath； from Nelson to Sandy；
and from Sandy to Baptiste； and so on down the line to Billy Breen
and Mrs。 Mavor； and then to Abe； the driver； whom she had by her
own mystic power lifted into hope and faith； I felt all the shame
and pain of a traitor； and I believe； in my heart that the fire of
that pain and shame burned something of the selfish cowardice out
of me； and that it is burning still。
The last words of the minister； in the short address after the
table had been served； were low； and sweet； and tender； but they
were words of high courage； and before he had spoken them all； the
men were listening with shining eyes； and when they rose to sing
the closing hymn they stood straight and stiff like soldiers on
parade。
And I wished more than ever I were one of them。
CHAPTER VIII
THE BREAKING OF THE LEAGUE
There is no doubt in my mind that nature designed me for a great
painter。 A railway director interfered with that design of nature；
as he has with many another of hers； and by the transmission of an
order for mountain pieces by the dozen； together with a cheque so
large that I feared there was some mistake； he determined me to be
an illustrator and designer for railway and like publications。 I
do not like these people ordering 'by the dozen。' Why should they
not consider an artist's finer feelings？ Perhaps they cannot
understand them； but they understand my pictures； and I understand
their cheques； and there we are quits。 But so it came that I
remained in Black Rock long enough to witness the breaking of the
League。
Looking back upon the events of that night from the midst of gentle
and decent surroundings； they now seem strangely unreal； but to me
then they appeared only natural。
It was the Good Friday ball that wrecked the League。 For the fact
that the promoters of the ball determined that it should be a ball
rather than a dance was taken by the League men as a c