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But Craig only replied： 'All who love Him。'
'Ah； Michael； you must pray le bon Jesu。 He's garde notre mignon。'
And then she bent over the babe； whispering
'Ah； mon cheri； mon amour； adieu！ adieu！ mon ange！' till Slavin put
his arms about her and took her away； for as she was whispering her
farewells； her baby； with a little answering sigh； passed into the
House with many rooms。
'Whisht； Annette darlin'； don't cry for the baby；' said her
husband。 'Shure it's better off than the rest av us； it is。 An'
didn't ye hear what the minister said about the beautiful place it
is？ An' shure he wouldn't lie to us at all。' But a mother cannot
be comforted for her first…born son。
An hour later Nixon brought Father Goulet。 He was a little
Frenchman with gentle manners and the face of a saint。 Craig
welcomed him warmly； and told him what he had done。
'That is good； my brother；' he said； with gentle courtesy； and；
turning to the mother； 'Your little one is safe。'
Behind Father Goulet came Nixon softly； and gazed down upon the
little quiet face； beautiful with the magic of death。 Slavin came
quietly and stood beside him。 Nixon turned and offered his hand。
But Slavin said； moving slowly back
'I did ye a wrong； Nixon； an' it's a sorry man I am this day for
it。'
'Don't say a word； Slavin；' answered Nixon； hurriedly。 'I know how
you feel。 I've got a baby too。 I want to see it again。 That's
why the break hurt me so。'
'As God's above；' replied Slavin earnestly； 'I'll hinder ye no
more。' They shook hands； and we passed out。
We laid the baby under the pines； not far from Billy Breen； and the
sweet spring wind blew through the Gap； and came softly down the
valley； whispering to the pines and the grass and the hiding
flowers of the New Life coming to the world。 And the mother must
have heard the whisper in her heart； for； as the Priest was saying
the words of the Service； she stood with Mrs。 Mavor's arms about
her； and her eyes were looking far away beyond the purple mountain…
tops； seeing what made her smile。 And Slavin； too； looked
different。 His very features seemed finer。 The coarseness was
gone out of his face。 What had come to him I could not tell。
But when the doctor came into Slavin's house that night it was the
old Slavin I saw； but with a look of such deadly fury on his face
that I tried to get the doctor out at once。 But he was half drunk
and after his manner was hideously humorous。
'How do； ladies！ How do； gentlemen！' was his loud…voiced salutation。
'Quite a professional gathering； clergy predominating。 Lion and Lamb
too； ha！ ha！ which is the lamb； eh？ ha！ ha！ very good！ awfully sorry
to hear of your loss； Mrs。 Slavin； did our best you know； can't help
this sort of thing。'
Before any one could move； Craig was at his side； and saying in a
clear； firm voice； 'One moment； doctor；' caught him by the arm and
had him out of the room before he knew it。 Slavin； who had been
crouching in his chair with hands twitching and eyes glaring； rose
and followed； still crouching as he walked。 I hurried after him；
calling him back。 Turning at my voice； the doctor saw Slavin
approaching。 There was something so terrifying in his swift
noiseless crouching motion； that the doctor； crying out in fear
'Keep him off；' fairly turned and fled。 He was too late。 Like a
tiger Slavin leaped upon him and without waiting to strike had him
by the throat with both hands； and bearing him to the ground；
worried him there as a dog might a cat。
Immediately Craig and I were upon him； but though we lifted him
clear off the ground we could not loosen that two…handed strangling
grip。 At we were struggling there a light hand touched my
shoulder。 It was Father Goulet。
'Please let him go； and stand away from us；' he said； waving us
back。 We obeyed。 He leaned over Slavin and spoke a few words to
him。 Slavin started as if struck a heavy blow； looked up at the
priest with fear in his face； but still keeping his grip。
'Let him go；' said the priest。 Slavin hesitated。 'Let him go！
quick！' said the priest again； and Slavin with a snarl let go his
hold and stood sullenly facing the priest。
Father Goulet regarded him steadily for some seconds and then
asked
'What would you do？' His voice was gentle enough； even sweet； but
there was something in it that chilled my marrow。 'What would you
do？' he repeated。
'He murdered my child；' growled Slavin。
'Ah！ how？'
'He was drunk and poisoned him。'
'Ah！ who gave him drink？ Who made him a drunkard two years ago？
Who has wrecked his life？'
There was no answer； and the even…toned voice went relentlessly on
'Who is the murderer of your child now？'
Slavin groaned and shuddered。
'Go！' and the voice grew stern。 'Repent of your sin and add not
another。'
Slavin turned his eyes upon the motionless figure on the ground and
then upon the priest。 Father Goulet took one step towards him；
and； stretching out his hand and pointing with his finger； said
'Go！'
And Slavin slowly backed away and went into his house。 It was an
extraordinary scene； and it is often with me now： the dark figure
on the ground； the slight erect form of the priest with
outstretched arm and finger； and Slavin backing away； fear and fury
struggling in his face。
It was a near thing for the doctor； however； and two minutes more
of that grip would have done for him。 As it was； we had the
greatest difficulty in reviving him。
What the priest did with Slavin after getting him inside I know
not； that has always been a mystery to me。 But when we were
passing the saloon that night after taking Mrs。 Mavor home； we saw
a light and heard strange sounds within。 Entering； we found
another whisky raid in progress； Slavin himself being the raider。
We stood some moments watching him knocking in the heads of casks
and emptying bottles。 I thought he had gone mad； and approached
him cautiously。
'Hello； Slavin！' I called out； 'what does this mean？'
He paused in his strange work； and I saw that his face； though
resolute； was quiet enough。
'It means I'm done wid the business； I am；' he said； in a
determined voice。 'I'll help no more to kill any man； or；' in a
lower tone； 'any man's baby。' The priest's words had struck home。
'Thank God； Slavin！' said Craig； offering his hand； 'you are much
too good a man for the business。'
'Good or bad； I'm done wid it；' he replied； going on with his work。
'You are throwing away good money； Slavin；' I said； as the head of
a cask crashed in。
'It's meself that knows it； for the price of whisky has riz in town
this week；' he answered； giving me a look out of the corner of his
eye。 'Bedad！ it was a rare clever job；' referring to our Black
Rock Hotel affair。
'But won't you be sorry for this？' asked Craig。
'Beloike I will； an' that's why I'm doin' it before I'm sorry for
it；' he replied； with a delightful bull。
'Look here； Slavin；' said Craig earnestly； 'if I can be of use to
you in any way； count on me。'
'It's good to me the both of yez have been； an' I'll not forget it
to yez；' he replied； with like earnestness。
As we told Mrs。 Mavor that night； for Craig thought it too good to
keep； her eyes seemed to grow deeper and the light in them to glow
more intense as she listened to Craig pouring out his tale。 Then
she gave him her hand and said
'You have your man at last。'
'What man？'
'The man you have been waiting for。'
'Slavin！'
'Why not？'
'I never thought of it。'
'No more did he； nor any of us。' Then； after a pause； she added
gently； 'He has been sent to us？'
'Do you know； I believe you are right；' Craig said slowly； and then
added； 'But you always are。'
'I fear not；' she answered； but I thought she liked to hear his
words。
The whole town was astounded next morning when Slavin went to work
in the mines； and its astonishment only deepened as the days went
on； and he stuck to his work。 Before three weeks had gone the
League had bought and remodelled the saloon and had secured Slavin
as Resident Manager。
The evening of the reopening of Slavin's saloon； as it was still
called； was long remembered in Black Rock。