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his lips； bade him drink。 But he knocked the glass sway； spilling
the liquor over himself and the bed。
It was drink or fight； and Nixon was ready to fight； but after
parley they had a drink all round； and fell to persuasion again。
The night was cold； and poor Nixon sat shivering on the edge of his
bed。 If he would take one drink they would leave him alone。 He
need not show himself so stiff。 The whisky fumes filled his
nostrils。 If one drink would get them off； surely that was better
than fighting and killing some one or getting killed。 He
hesitated； yielded； drank his glass。 They sat about him amiably
drinking； and lauding him as a fine fellow after all。 One more
glass before they left。 Then Nixon rose； dressed himself； drank
all that was left of the bottle； put his money in his pocket； and
came down to the dance； wild with his old…time madness； reckless of
faith and pledge； forgetful of home； wife； babies； his whole being
absorbed in one great passionto drink and drink and drink till he
could drink no more。
Before Shaw had finished his tale； Craig's eyes were streaming with
tears； and groans of rage and pity broke alternately from him。 Abe
remained speechless for a time； not trusting himself； but as he
heard Craig groan； 'Oh； the beasts！ the fiends！' he seemed
encouraged to let himself loose； and he began swearing with the
coolest and most blood…curdling deliberation。 Craig listened with
evident approval； apparently finding complete satisfaction in Abe's
performance； when suddenly he seemed to waken up； caught Abe by the
arm； and said in a horror…stricken voice
'Stop！ stop！ God forgive us！ we must not swear like this。'
Abe stopped at once； and in a surprised and slightly grieved voice
said
'Why！ what's the matter with that？ Ain't that what you wanted？'
'Yes！ yes！ God forgive me！ I am afraid it was；' he answered
hurriedly； 'but I must not。'
'Oh； don't you worry；' went on Abe cheerfully； 'I'll look after
that part； and anyway； ain't they the blankest blankety blank'
going off again into a roll of curses； till Craig； in an agony of
entreaty； succeeded in arresting the flow of profanity possible to
no one but a mountain stage…driver。 Abe paused looking hurt； and
asked if they did not deserve everything he was calling down upon
them。
'Yes； yes；' urged Craig； 'but that is not our business。'
'Well！ so I reckoned；' replied Abe； recognising the limitations of
the cloth； 'you ain't used to it； and you can't be expected to do
it； but it just makes me feel goodlet out o' school liketo
properly do 'em up； the blank； blank；' and off he went again。 It
was only under the pressure of Mr。 Craig's prayers and commands
that he finally agreed 'to hold in； though it was tough。'
'What's to be done？' asked Shaw。
'Nothing；' answered Craig bitterly。 He was exhausted with his long
ride from the Landing； and broken with bitter disappointment over
the ruin of all that he had laboured so long to accomplish。
'Nonsense；' said Graeme； 'there's a good deal to do。'
It was agreed that Craig should remain with Nixon while the others
of us should gather up what fragments we could find of the broken
League。 We had just opened the door； when we met a man striding up
at a great pace。 It was Geordie Crawford。
'Hae ye seen the lad？' was his salutation。 No one replied。 So I
told Geordie of my last sight of Billy in the orchestra。
'An' did ye no' gang aifter him？' he asked in indignant surprise；
adding with some contempt； 'Man！ but ye're a feckless buddie。'
'Billy gone too！' said Shaw。 'They might have let Billy alone。'
Poor Craig stood in a dumb agony。 Billy's fall seemed more than he
could bear。 We went out； leaving him heart…broken amid the ruins
of his League。
CHAPTER IX
THE LEAGUE'S REVENGE
As we stood outside of Craig's shack in the dim starlight； we could
not hide from ourselves that we were beaten。 It was not so much
grief as a blind fury that filled my heart； and looking at the
faces of the men about me I read the same feeling there。 But what
could we do？ The yells of carousing miners down at Slavin's told
us that nothing could be done with them that night。 To be so
utterly beaten； and unfairly； and with no chance of revenge； was
maddening。
'I'd like to get back at 'em；' said Abe； carefully repressing
himself。
'I've got it； men；' said Graeme suddenly。 'This town does not
require all the whisky there is in it'； and he unfolded his plan。
It was to gain possession of Slavin's saloon and the bar of the
Black Rock Hotel； and clear out all the liquor to be found in both
these places。 I did not much like the idea； and Geordie said； 'I'm
ga'en aifter the lad； I'll hae naethin' tae dae wi' yon。 It's' no'
that easy； an' it's a sinfu' waste。'
But Abe was wild to try it； and Shaw was quite willing； while old
Nelson sternly approved。
'Nelson； you and Shaw get a couple of our men and attend to the
saloon。 Slavin and the whole gang are up at the Black Rock； so you
won't have much trouble； but come to us as soon as you can。'
And so we went our ways。
Then followed a scene the like of which I can never hope to see
again； and it was worth a man's seeing。 But there were times that
night when I wished I had not agreed to follow Graeme in his plot。
As we went up to the hotel； I asked Graeme； 'What about the law of
this？'
'Law！' he replied indignantly。 'They haven't troubled much about
law in the whisky business here。 They get a keg of high wines and
some drugs and begin operations。 No！' he went on； 'if we can get
the crowd out； and ourselves in； we'll make them break the law in
getting us out。 The law won't trouble us over smuggled whisky。
It will be a great lark； and they won't crow too loud over the
League。'
I did not like the undertaking at first； but as I thought of the
whole wretched illegal business flourishing upon the weakness of
the men in the mines and camps； whom I had learned to regard as
brothers； and especially as I thought of the cowards that did for
Nixon； I let my scruples go； and determined； with Abe； 'to get back
at 'em。'
We had no difficulty getting them out。 Abe began to yell。 Some
men rushed out to learn the cause。 He seized the foremost man；
making a hideous uproar all the while； and in three minutes had
every man out of the hotel and a lively row going on。
In two minutes more Graeme and I had the door to the ball…room
locked and barricaded with empty casks。 We then closed the door of
the bar…room leading to the outside。 The bar…room was a strongly
built log…shack； with a heavy door secured； after the manner of the
early cabins； with two strong oak bars； so that we felt safe from
attack from that quarter。
The ball…room we could not hold long； for the door was slight and
entrance was possible through the windows。 But as only a few casks
of liquor were left there； our main work would be in the bar； so
that the fight would be to hold the passage…way。 This we
barricaded with casks and tables。 But by this time the crowd had
begun to realise what had happened； and were wildly yelling at door
and windows。 With an axe which Graeme had brought with him the
casks were soon stove in； and left to empty themselves。
As I was about to empty the last cask； Graeme stopped me； saying；
'Let that stand here。 It will help us。' And so it did。 'Now skip
for the barricade；' yelled Graeme； as a man came crashing through
the window。 Before he could regain his feet； however； Graeme had
seized him and flung him out upon the heads of the crowd outside。
But through the other windows men were coming in； and Graeme rushed
for the barricade； followed by two of the enemy； the foremost of
whom I received at the top and hurled back upon the others。
'Now； be quick！' said Graeme； 'I'll hold this。 Don't break any
bottles on the floorthrow them out there；' pointing to a little
window high up in the wall。
I made all haste。 The casks did not take much time； and soon the
whisky and beer were flowing over the floor。 It made me think of
Geordie's regret over the 'sinfu' waste。' The bottles took longer；
and glancing up now and then I saw that Graeme was