his death。 And there was no bitterness in any heart； for Mr。 Craig
read the story of the sheep； and told how gently He had taken Billy
home； but； though no word was spoken； it was there the League was
made again。
They laid him under the pines； beside Lewis Mavor； and the miners
threw sprigs of evergreen into the open grave。 When Slavin；
sobbing bitterly； brought his sprig； no one stopped him； though all
thought it strange。
As we turned to leave the grave； the light from the evening sun
came softly through the gap in the mountains； and； filling the
valley； touched the trees and the little mound beneath with glory。
And I thought of that other glory； which is brighter than the sun；
and was not sorry that poor Billy's weary fight was over； and I
could not help agreeing with Craig that it was there the League had
its revenge。
CHAPTER X
WHAT CAME TO SLAVIN
Billy Breen's legacy to the Black Rock mining camp was a new
League； which was more than the old League re…made。 The League was
new in its spirit and in its methods。 The impression made upon the
camp by Billy Breen's death was very remarkable； and I have never
been quite able to account for it。 The mood of the community at
the time was peculiarly susceptible。 Billy was one of the oldest
of the old…timers。 His decline and fall had been a long process；
and his struggle for life and manhood was striking enough to arrest
the attention and awaken the sympathy of the whole camp。 We
instinctively side with a man in his struggle for freedom； for we
feel that freedom is native to him and to us。 The sudden collapse
of the struggle stirred the men with a deep pity for the beaten
man； and a deep contempt for those who had tricked him to his doom。
But though the pity and the contempt remained； the gloom was
relieved and the sense of defeat removed from the men's minds by
the transforming glory of Billy's last hour。 Mr。 Craig； reading of
the tragedy of Billy's death； transfigured defeat into victory； and
this was generally accepted by the men as the true reading； though
to them it was full of mystery。 But they could all understand and
appreciate at full value the spirit that breathed through the words
of the dying man： 'Don't be 'ard on 'em； they didn't mean no 'arm。'
And this was the new spirit of the League。
It was this spirit that surprised Slavin into sudden tears at the
grave's side。 He had come braced for curses and vengeance； for all
knew it was he who had doctored Billy's lemonade； and instead of
vengeance the message from the dead that echoed through the voice
of the living was one of pity and forgiveness。
But the days of the League's negative； defensive warfare were over。
The fight was to the death； and now the war was to be carried into
the enemy's country。 The League men proposed a thoroughly equipped
and well…conducted coffee…room； reading…room； and hall； to parallel
the enemy's lines of operation； and defeat them with their own
weapons upon their own ground。 The main outlines of the scheme
were clearly defined and were easily seen； but the perfecting of
the details called for all Craig's tact and good sense。 When； for
instance； Vernon Winton； who had charge of the entertainment
department； came for Craig's opinion as to a minstrel troupe and
private theatricals； Craig was prompt with his answer
'Anything clean goes。'
'A nigger show？' asked Winton。
'Depends upon the niggers；' replied Craig with a gravely comic
look； shrewdly adding； 'ask Mrs。 Mavor'； and so the League Minstrel
and Dramatic Company became an established fact； and proved； as
Craig afterwards told me； 'a great means of grace to the camp。'
Shaw had charge of the social department； whose special care it was
to see that the men were made welcome to the cosy； cheerful reading
room； where they might chat； smoke； read； write； or play games；
according to fancy。
But Craig felt that the success or failure of the scheme would
largely depend upon the character of the Resident Manager； who；
while caring for reading…room and hall； would control and operate
the important department represented by the coffee…room。
'At this point the whole business may come to grief；' he said to
Mrs。 Mavor； without whose counsel nothing was done。
'Why come to grief？' she asked brightly。
'Because if we don't get the right man； that's what will happen；'
he replied in a tone that spoke of anxious worry。
'But we shall get the right man； never fear。' Her serene courage
never faltered。 'He will come to us。'
Craig turned and gazed at her in frank admiration and said
'If I only had your courage！'
'Courage！' she answered quickly。 'It is not for you to say that'；
and at his answering look the red came into her cheek and the
depths in her eyes glowed； and I marvelled and wondered； looking at
Craig's cool face； whether his blood were running evenly through
his veins。 But his voice was quiet； a shade too quiet I thought；
as he gravely replied
'I would often be a coward but for the shame of it。'
And so the League waited for the man to come； who was to be
Resident Manager and make the new enterprise a success。 And come
he did； but the manner of his coming was so extraordinary； that I
have believed in the doctrine of a special providence ever since；
for as Craig said； 'If he had come straight from Heaven I could not
have been more surprised。'
While the League was thus waiting； its interest centred upon
Slavin； chiefly because he represented more than any other the
forces of the enemy； and though Billy Breen stood between him and
the vengeance of the angry men who would have made short work of
him and his saloon； nothing could save him from himself； and after
the funeral Slavin went to his bar and drank whisky as he had never
drunk before。 But the more he drank the fiercer and gloomier he
became； and when the men drinking with him chaffed him； he swore
deeply and with such threats that they left him alone。
It did not help Slavin either to have Nixon stride in through the
crowd drinking at his bar and give him words of warning。
'It is not your fault； Slavin；' he said in slow； cool voice； 'that
you and your precious crew didn't sent me to my death； too。 You've
won your bet； but I want to say； that next time； though you are
seven to one； or ten times that； when any of you boys offer me a
drink I'll take you to mean fight； and I'll not disappoint you； and
some one will be killed；' and so saying he strode out again；
leaving a mean…looking crowd of men behind him。 All who had not
been concerned in the business at Nixon's shack expressed approval
of his position； and hoped he would 'see it through。'
But the impression of Nixon's words upon Slavin was as nothing
compared with that made by Geordie Crawford。 It was not what he
said so much as the manner of awful solemnity he carried。 Geordie
was struggling conscientiously to keep his promise to 'not be 'ard
on the boys；' and found considerable relief in remembering that he
had agreed 'to leave them tae the Almichty。' But the manner of
leaving them was so solemnly awful； that I could not wonder that
Slavin's superstitious Irish nature supplied him with supernatural
terrors。 It was the second day after the funeral that Geordie and
I were walking towards Slavin's。 There was a great shout of
laughter as we drew near。
Geordie stopped short； and saying； 'We'll juist gang in a meenute；'
passed through the crowd and up to the bar。
'Michael Slavin；' began Geordie； and the men stared in dead；
silence； with their glasses in their hands。 'Michael Slavin； a'
promised the lad a'd bear ye nae ill wull； but juist leave ye tae
the Almichty； an' I want tae tell ye that a'm keepin' ma wur…r…d。
But'and here he raised his hand； and his voice became
preternaturally solemn'his bluid is upon yer han's。 Do ye no'
see it？'
His voice rose sharply； and as he pointed； Slavin instinctively
glanced at his hands； and Geordie added
'Ay； and the Lord will require it o' you and yer hoose。'
They told me that Slavin shivered as if taken with ague after
Geordie went out； and though he laughed and swore； he did not stop
drinking till he sank into a drunken stupor and had to be carried
to bed。 His little French…Canadian wife could not understand the
change that had come over her husband。
'He's like one bear；' she confided to Mrs。 Mavor； to whom she was
showing her baby of a year old。 'He's not kees me one tam dis day。
He's mos hawful bad； he's not even look at de baby。' And this
seemed sufficient proof that something was seriously wrong； for she
went on to say
'He's tink more for dat leel baby dan for de whole worl'； he's tink
more for dat baby dan for me；' but she shrugged her pretty little
shoulders in deprecation of her speech。
'You must pray for him；' said Mrs。 Mavor； 'and all will come
right。'
'Ah！ madame！' she replied earnestly； 'every day； every day； I pray
la sainte Vierge et tous les saints for him。'
'You must pray to your Father in heaven for him。'
'Ah！ oui！ I weel pray；' and Mrs。 Mavor sent her away bright with
smiles； and with new hope and courage in her heart。
She had very soon need of all her courage； for at the week's end
her baby fell dangerously ill。 Slavin's anxiety and fear were not
relieved much by the reports the men brought him from time to time
of Geordie's ominous forebodings； for Geordie had no doubt but that
the Avenger of Blood was hot upon Slavin's trail； and as the
sickness grew； he became confirmed in this conviction。 While he
could not be said to find satisfaction in Slavin's impending
affliction； he could hardly hide his complacency in the promptness
of Providence in vindicating his theory of retribution。
But Geordie's complacency was somewhat rudely shocked by Mr。
Craig's answer to his theory one day。
'You read your Bible to little profit； it seems to me； Geordie： or；
perhaps； you have never read the Master's teaching about the Tower
of Siloam。 Better read that and take that warning to yourself。'
Geordie gazed after Mr。 Craig as he turned away； and muttered
'The toor o' Siloam； is it？ Ay； a' ken fine aboot the toor o'
Siloam； and aboot the toor o' Babel as weel；