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sentimental humbug and nonsense！'
'He must do the right；' said Nelson in his deep； quiet voice。
'Right！ Nonsense！ By what right does he send from him the woman
he loves？'
'〃He pleased not Himself；〃' quoted Nelson reverently。
'Nelson is right；' said Graeme。 'I should not like to see him
weaken。'
'Look here；' I stormed； 'I didn't bring you men to back him up in
his nonsense。 I thought you could keep your heads level。'
'Now； Connor；' said Graeme； 'don't rageleave that for the
heathen； it's bad form； and useless besides。 Craig will walk his
way where his light falls； and by all that's holy； I should hate to
see him fail； for if he weakens like the rest of us my North Star
will have dropped from my sky。'
'Nice selfish spirit；' I muttered。
'Entirely so。 I'm not a saint； but I feel like steering by one
when I see him。'
When after a week had gone； Craig rode up one early morning to his
shack door； his face told me that he had fought his fight and had
not been beaten。 He had ridden all night and was ready to drop
with weariness。
'Connor； old boy；' he said； putting out his hand； 'I'm rather
played。 There was a bad row at the Landing。 I have just closed
poor Colley's eyes。 It was awful。 I must get sleep。 Look after
Dandy； will you； like a good chap？'
'Oh； Dandy be hanged；！' I said； for I knew it was not the fight；
nor the watching； nor the long ride that had shaken his iron nerve
and given him that face。 'Go in and lie down I'll bring you
something。'
'Wake me in the afternoon；' he said； 'she is waiting。 Perhaps you
will go to her'his lips quivered'my nerve is rather gone。'
Then with a very wan smile he added； 'I am giving you a lot of
trouble。'
'You go to thunder！' I burst out； for my throat was hot and sore
with grief for him。
'I think I'd rather go to sleep；' he replied； still smiling。 I
could not speak； and was glad of the chance of being alone with
Dandy。
When I came in I found him sitting with his head in his arms upon
the table fast asleep。 I made him tea； forced him to take a warm
bath； and sent him to bed； while I went to Mrs。 Mavor。 I went with
a fearful heart； but that was because I had forgotten the kind of
woman she was。
She was standing in the light of the window waiting for me。 Her
face was pale but steady； there was a proud light in her fathomless
eyes； a slight smile parted her lips； and she carried her head like
a queen。
'Come in；' she said。 'You need not fear to tell me。 I saw him
ride home。 He has not failed； thank God！ I am proud of him； I
knew he would be true。 He loves me'she drew in her breath
sharply； and a faint colour tinged her cheek'but he knows love is
not allah； love is not all！ Oh！ I am glad and proud！'
'Glad！' I gasped； amazed。
'You would not have him prove faithless！' she said with proud
defiance。
'Oh； it is high sentimental nonsense；' I could not help saying。
'You should not say so；' she replied； and her voice rang clear。
'Honour； faith； and duty are sentiments； but they are not
nonsense。'
In spite of my rage I was lost in amazed admiration of the high
spirit of the woman who stood up so straight before me。 But； as I
told how worn and broken he was； she listened with changing colour
and swelling bosom； her proud courage all gone； and only love；
anxious and pitying； in her eyes。
'Shall I go to him？' she asked with timid eagerness and deepening
colour。
'He is sleeping。 He said he would come to you；' I replied。
'I shall wait for him；' she said softly； and the tenderness in her
tone went straight to my heart； and it seemed to me a man might
suffer much to be loved with love such as this。
In the early afternoon Graeme came to her。 She met him with both
hands outstretched； saying in a low voice
'I am very happy。'
'Are you sure？' he asked anxiously。
'Oh； yes；' she said； but her voice was like a sob； 'quite； quite
sure。'
They talked long together till I saw that Craig must soon be
coming； and I called Graeme away。 He held her hands； looking
steadily into her eyes and said
'You are better even than I thought； I'm going to be a better man。'
Her eyes filled with tears； but her smile did not fade as she
answered
'Yes！ you will be a good man； and God will give you work to do。'
He bent his head over her hands and stepped back from her as from a
queen； but he spoke no word till we came to Craig's door。 Then he
said with humility that seemed strange in him； 'Connor； that is
great； to conquer oneself。 It is worth while。 I am going to try。'
I would not have missed his meeting with Craig。 Nelson was busy
with tea。 Craig was writing near the window。 He looked up as
Graeme came in； and nodded an easy good…evening； but Graeme strode
to him and； putting one hand on his shoulder； held out his other
for Craig to take。
After a moment's surprise； Craig rose to his feet； and； facing him
squarely； took the offered hand in both of his and held it fast
without a word。 Graeme was the first to speak； and his voice was
deep with emotion
'You are a great man； a good man。 I'd give something to have your
grit。'
Poor Craig stood looking at him； not daring to speak for some
moments； then he said quietly
'Not good nor great； but； thank God； not quite a traitor。'
'Good man！' went on Graeme； patting him on the shoulder。 'Good
man！ But it's tough。'
Craig sat down quickly； saying； 'Don't do that； old chap！'
I went up with Craig to Mrs。 Mavor's door。 She did not hear us
coming； but stood near the window gazing up at the mountains。 She
was dressed in some rich soft stuff； and wore at her breast a bunch
of wild…flowers。 I had never seen her so beautiful。 I did not
wonder that Craig paused with his foot upon the threshold to look
at her。 She turned and saw us。 With a glad cry； 'Oh！ my darling；
you have come to me；' she came with outstretched arms。 I turned
and fled； but the cry and the vision were long with me。
It was decided that night that Mrs。 Mavor should go the next week。
A miner and his wife were going east； and I too would join the
party。
The camp went into mourning at the news； but it was understood that
any display of grief before Mrs。 Mavor was bad form。 She was not
to be annoyed。
But when I suggested that she should leave quietly； and avoid the
pain of saying good…bye； she flatly refused
'I must say good…bye to every man。 They love me and I love them。'
It was decided； too； at first； that there should be nothing in the
way of a testimonial； but when Craig found out that the men were
coming to her with all sorts of extraordinary gifts； he agreed that
it would be better that they should unite in one gift。 So it was
agreed that I should buy a ring for her。 And were it not that the
contributions were strictly limited to one dollar； the purse that
Slavin handed her when Shaw read the address at the farewell supper
would have been many times filled with the gold that was pressed
upon the committee。 There were no speeches at the supper； except
one by myself in reply on Mrs。 Mavor's behalf。 She had given me
the words to say； and I was thoroughly prepared； else I should not
have got through。 I began in the usual way： 'Mr。 Chairman； ladies
and gentlemen； Mrs。 Mavor is' but I got no further； for at the
mention of her name the men stood on the chairs and yelled until
they could yell no more。 There were over two hundred and fifty of
them； and the effect was overpowering。 But I got through my
speech。 I remember it well。 It began
'Mrs。 Mavor is greatly touched by this mark of your love； and she
will wear your ring always with pride。' And it ended with
'She has one request to make； that you will be true to the League；
and that you stand close about the man who did most to make it。
She wishes me to say that however far away she may have to go； she
is leaving her heart in Black Rock； and she can think of no greater
joy than to come back to you again。'
Then they had 'The Sweet By and By；' but the men would not join in
the refrain； unwilling to lose a note of the glorious voice they
loved to hear。 Before the last verse she beckoned to me。 I went
to her standing by Cr