black rock-第31部分

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cousin　has　his　all　in　the　worksiron　works；　you　know。　　It　would　be
wrong　to　have　him　suffer。　　I　shall　give　up　the　estatesthat　is
best。'　　She　paused。

'And　come　with　me；'　I　cried。

'When　do　you　sail？'

'Next　week；'　I　answered　eagerly。

She　looked　at　me　a　few　moments；　and　into　her　eyes　there　came　a
light　soft　and　tender；　as　she　said

'I　shall　go　with　you。'

And　so　she　did；　and　no　old　Roman　in　all　the　glory　of　a　Triumph
carried　a　prouder　heart　than　I；　as　I　bore　her　and　her　little　one
from　the　train　to　Graeme's　carriage；　crying

'I've　got　her。'

But　his　was　the　better　sense；　for　he　stood　waving　his　hat　and
shouting

'He's　all　right；'　at　which　Mrs。　Mavor　grew　white；　but　when　she
shook　hands　with　him；　the　red　was　in　her　cheek　again。

'It　was　the　cable　did　it；'　went　on　Graeme。　　'Connor's　a　great
doctor！　　His　first　case　will　make　him　famous。　　Good　prescription
after　mountain　fever　try　a　cablegram！'　　And　the　red　grew　deeper　in
the　beautiful　face　beside　us。

Never　did　the　country　look　so　lovely。　　The　woods　were　in　their
gayest　autumn　dress；　the　brown　fields　were　bathed　in　a　purple　haze；
the　air　was　sweet　and　fresh　with　a　suspicion　of　the　coming　frosts
of　winter。　　But　in　spite　of　all　the　road　seemed　long；　and　it　was　as
if　hours　had　gone　before　our　eyes　fell　upon　the　white　manse
standing　among　the　golden　leaves。

'Let　them　go；'　I　cried；　as　Graeme　paused　to　take　in　the　view；　and
down　the　sloping　dusty　road　we　flew　on　the　dead　run。

'Reminds　one　a　little　of　Abe's　curves；'　said　Graeme；　as　we　drew　up
at　the　gate。　　But　I　answered　him　not；　for　I　was　introducing　to　each
other　the　two　best　women　in　the　world。　　As　I　was　about　to　rush　into
the　house；　Graeme　seized　me　by　the　collar；　saying

'Hold　on；　Connor！　you　forget　your　place；　you're　next。'

'Why；　certainly；'　I　cried；　thankfully　enough；　'what　an　ass　I　am！'

'Quite　true；'　said　Graeme　solemnly。

'Where　is　he？'　I　asked。

'At　this　present　moment？'　he　asked；　in　a　shocked　voice。　　'Why；
Connor；　you　surprise　me。'

'Oh；　I　see！'

'Yes；'　he　went　on　gravely；　'you　may　trust　my　mother　to　be
discreetly　attending　to　her　domestic　duties；　she　is　a　great　woman；
my　mother。'

I　had　no　doubt　of　it；　for　at　that　moment　she　came　out　to　us　with
little　Marjorie　in　her　arms。

'You　have　shown　Mrs。　Mavor　to　her　room；　mother；　I　hope；'　said
Graeme；　but　she　only　smiled　and　said

'Run　away　with　your　horses；　you　silly　boy；'　at　which　he　solemnly
shook　his　head。　　'Ah；　mother；　you　are　deepwho　would　have　thought
it　of　you？'

That　evening　the　manse　overflowed　with　joy；　and　the　days　that
followed　were　like　dreams　set　to　sweet　music。

But　for　sheer　wild　delight；　nothing　in　my　memory　can　quite　come　up
to　the　demonstration　organised　by　Graeme；　with　assistance　from
Nixon；　Shaw；　Sandy；　Abe；　Geordie；　and　Baptiste；　in　honour　of　the
arrival　in　camp　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Craig。　　And；　in　my　opinion；　it
added　something　to　the　occasion；　that　after　all　the　cheers　for　Mr。
and　Mrs。　Craig　had　died　away；　and　after　all　the　hats　had　come　down；
Baptiste；　who　had　never　taken　his　eyes　from　that　radiant　face；
should　suddenly　have　swept　the　crowd　into　a　perfect　storm　of　cheers
by　excitedly　seizing　his　tuque；　and　calling　out　in　his　shrill
voice

'By　gar！　　Tree　cheer　for　Mrs。　Mavor。'

And　for　many　a　day　the　men　of　Black　Rock　would　easily　fall　into　the
old　and　well…loved　name；　but　up　and　down　the　line　of　construction；
in　all　the　camps　beyond　the　Great　Divide；　the　new　name　became　as
dear　as　the　old　had　ever　been　in　Black　Rock。

Those　old　wild　days　are　long　since　gone　into　the　dim　distance　of
the　past。　　They　will　not　come　again；　for　we　have　fallen　into　quiet
times；　but　often　in　my　quietest　hours　I　feel　my　heart　pause　in　its
beat　to　hear　again　that　strong；　clear　voice；　like　the　sound　of　a
trumpet；　bidding　us　to　be　men；　and　I　think　of　them　allGraeme；
their　chief；　Sandy；　Baptiste；　Geordie；　Abe；　the　Campbells；　Nixon；
Shaw；　all　stronger；　better　for　their　knowing　of　him；　and　then　I
think　of　Billy　asleep　under　the　pines；　and　of　old　man　Nelson　with
the　long　grass　waving　over　him　in　the　quiet　churchyard；　and　all　my
nonsense　leaves　me；　and　I　bless　the　Lord　for　all　His　benefits；　but
chiefly　for　the　day　I　met　the　missionary　of　Black　Rock　in　the
lumber…camp　among　the　Selkirks。







End