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was sure they would be glad to have Mrs。 Mavor sing。 In the
interval the men talked in groups； eagerly； even fiercely； hampered
seriously in the forceful expression of their opinion by the
presence of Mrs。 Mavor； who glided from group to group； dropping a
word here and a smile there。 She reminded me of a general riding
along the ranks； bracing his men for the coming battle。 She paused
beside Geordie； spoke earnestly for a few moments； while Geordie
gazed solemnly at her； and then she came back to Billy in the
corner near me。 What she was saying I could not hear； but poor
Billy was protesting； spreading his hands out aimlessly before him；
but gazing at her the while in dumb admiration。 Then she came to
me。 'Poor Billy； he was good to my husband；' she said softly； 'and
he has a good heart。'
'He's not much to look at；' I could not help saying。
'The oyster hides its pearl；' she answered； a little reproachfully。
'The shell is apparent enough；' I replied； for the mischief was in
me。
'Ah yes；' she replied softly； 'but it is the pearl we love。'
I moved over beside Billy； whose eyes were following Mrs。 Mavor as
she went to speak to Mr。 Craig。 'Well；' I said； 'you all seem to
have a high opinion of her。'
'An 'igh hopinion；' he replied； in deep scorn。 'An 'igh hopinion；
you calls it。'
'What would you call it？' I asked； wishing to draw him out。
'Oi don't call it nothink；' he replied； spreading out his rough
hands。
'She seems very nice；' I said indifferently。
He drew his eyes away from Mrs。 Mavor； and gave attention to me for
the first time。
'Nice！' he repeated with fine contempt； and then he added
impressively； 'Them as don't know shouldn't say nothink。'
'You are right；' I answered earnestly； 'and I am quite of your
opinion。'
He gave me a quick glance out of his little； deep…set； dark…blue
eyes； and opened his heart to me。 He told me； in his quaint
speech； how again and again she had taken him in and nursed him；
and encouraged him； and sent him out with a new heart for his
battle； until； for very shame's sake at his own miserable weakness；
he had kept out of her way for many months； going steadily down。
'Now； oi hain't got no grip； but when she says to me to…night； says
she； 〃Oh； Billy〃she calls me Billy to myself' （this with a touch
of pride）'〃oh； Billy；〃 says she； 〃we must 'ave a total
habstinence league to…night； and oi want you to 'elp！〃 and she
keeps a…lookin' at me with those heyes o' hern till； if you believe
me； sir；' lowering his voice to an emphatic whisper； 'though oi
knowed oi couldn't 'elp none； afore oi knowed oi promised 'er oi
would。 It's 'er heyes。 When them heyes says 〃do；〃 hup you steps
and 〃does。〃'
I remembered my first look into her eyes； and I could quite
understand Billy's submission。 Just as she began to sing I went
over to Geordie and took my seat beside him。 She began with an
English slumber song； 'Sleep； Baby； Sleep'one of Barry
Cornwall's； I think；and then sang a love…song with the refrain；
'Love once again'； but no thrills came to me； and I began to wonder
if her spell over me was broken。 Geordie； who had been listening
somewhat indifferently； encouraged me； however； by saying； 'She's
just pittin' aff time with thae feckless sangs； man； there's nae
grup till them。' But when； after a few minutes' pause； she began
'My Ain Fireside；' Geordie gave a sigh of satisfaction。 'Ay；
that's somethin' like；' and when she finished the first verse he
gave me a dig in the ribs with his elbow that took my breath away；
saying in a whisper； 'Man； hear till yon； wull ye？' And again I
found the spell upon me。 It was not the voice after all； but the
great soul behind that thrilled and compelled。 She was seeing；
feeling； living what she sang； and her voice showed us her heart。
The cosy fireside； with its bonnie； blithe blink； where no care
could abide； but only peace and love； was vividly present to her；
and as she sang we saw it too。 When she came to the last verse
'When I draw in my stool
On my cosy hearth…stane；
My heart loups sae licht
I scarce ken't for my ain；'
there was a feeling of tears in the flowing song； and we knew the
words had brought her a picture of the fireside that would always
seem empty。 I felt the tears in my eyes； and； wondering at myself；
I cast a stealthy glance at the men about me； and I saw that they；
too； were looking through their hearts' windows upon firesides and
ingle…neuks that gleamed from far。
And then she sang 'The Auld Hoose；' and Geordie； giving me another
poke； said； 'That's ma ain sang；' and when I asked him what he
meant； he whispered fiercely； 'Wheesht； man！' and I did； for his
face looked dangerous。
In a pause between the verses I heard Geordie saying to himself；
'Ay； I maun gie it up； I doot。'
'What？' I ventured。
'Naething ava。' And then he added impatiently； 'Man； but ye're an
inqueesitive buddie；' after which I subsided into silence。
Immediately upon the meeting being called to order； Mr。 Craig made
his speech； and it was a fine bit of work。 Beginning with a clear
statement of the object in view； he set in contrast the two kinds
of leagues proposed。 One； a league of men who would take whisky in
moderation； the other； a league of men who were pledged to drink
none themselves； and to prevent in every honourable way others from
drinking。 There was no long argument； but he spoke at white heat；
and as he appealed to the men to think； each not of himself alone；
but of the others as well； the yearning； born of his long months of
desire and of toil； vibrated in his voice and reached to the heart。
Many men looked uncomfortable and uncertain； and even the manager
looked none too cheerful。
At this critical moment the crowd got a shock。 Billy Breen
shuffled out to the front； and； in a voice shaking with nervousness
and emotion； began to speak； his large； coarse hands wandering
tremulously about。
'Oi hain't no bloomin' temperance horator； and mayhap oi hain't no
right to speak 'ere； but oi got somethin' to saigh （say） and oi'm
agoin' to saigh it。
'Parson； 'ee says is it wisky or no wisky in this 'ere club？ If ye
hask me； wich （which） ye don't； then no wisky； says oi； and if ye
hask why？look at me！ Once oi could mine more coal than hany man
in the camp； now oi hain't fit to be a sorter。 Once oi 'ad some
pride and hambition； now oi 'angs round awaitin' for some one to
saigh； 〃Ere； Billy； 'ave summat。〃 Once oi made good paigh （pay）；
and sent it 'ome regular to my poor old mother （she's in the wukus
now； she is）； oi hain't sent 'er hany for a year and a 'alf。 Once
Billy was a good fellow and 'ad plenty o' friends； now Slavin
'isself kicks un hout； 'ee does。 Why？ why？' His voice rose to a
shriek。 'Because when Billy 'ad money in 'is pocket； hevery man in
this bloomin' camp as meets un at hevery corner says； 〃'Ello；
Billy； wat'll ye 'ave？〃 And there's wisky at Slavin's； and there's
wisky in the shacks； and hevery 'oliday and hevery Sunday there's
wisky； and w'en ye feel bad it's wisky； and w'en ye feel good it's
wisky； and heverywhere and halways it's wisky； wisky； wisky！ And
now ye're goin' to stop it； and 'ow？ T' manager； 'ee says picters
and magazines。 'Ee takes 'is wine and 'is beer like a gentleman；
'ee does； and 'ee don't 'ave no use for Billy Breen。 Billy； 'ee's
a beast； and t' manager； 'ee kicks un hout。 But supposin' Billy
wants to stop bein' a beast； and starts a…tryin' to be a man again；
and w'en 'ee gets good an' dry； along comes some un and says；
〃'Ello； Billy； 'ave a smile；〃 it hain't picters nor magazines 'ud
stop un then。 Picters and magazines！ Gawd 'elp the man as hain't
nothin' but picters and magazines to 'elp un w'en 'ee's got a devil
hinside and a devil houtside a…shovin' and a…drawin' of un down to
'ell。 And that's w'ere oi'm a…goin' straight； and yer bloomin'
League； wisky or no wisky； can't help me。 But；' and he lifted his
trembling hands above his head； 'if ye stop the wisky a…flowin'
round this camp； ye'll stop some of these lads that's a…followin'
me 'ard。 Yes； you！ and you！ and you！' and his voice rose to a wild
scream as he sho