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he added； 'are the men all straight？'
I ran them over in my mind。
'Yes； I think so。'
If not； don't you help them down； and anyway； you can't be too
careful。 But don't mind me； I am quit of the whole business from
this out。' So I ventured wines； for the last time； as it happened。
We were a quaint combination。 Old 'Beetles；' whose nickname was
prophetic of his future fame as a bugman； as the fellows
irreverently said； 'Stumpy' Smith； a demon bowler； Polly Lindsay；
slow as ever and as sure as when he held the half…back line with
Graeme； and used to make my heart stand still with terror at his
cool deliberation。 But he was never known to fumble nor to funk；
and somehow he always got us out safe enough。 Then there was
Rattray'Rat' for shortwho； from a swell； had developed into a
cynic with a sneer； awfully clever and a good enough fellow at
heart。 Little 'Wig' Martin； the sharpest quarter ever seen； and
big Barney Lundy； centre scrimmage； whose terrific roar and rush
had often struck terror to the enemy's heart； and who was Graeme's
slave。 Such was the party。
As the supper went on my fears began to vanish； for if Graeme did
not 'roar；' he did the next best thingate and talked quite up to
his old form。 Now we played our matches over again； bitterly
lamenting the 'if's' that had lost us the championships； and wildly
approving the tackles that had saved； and the runs that had made
the 'Varsity crowd go mad with delight and had won for us。 And as
their names came up in talk； we learned how life had gone with
those who had been our comrades of ten years ago。 Some； success
had lifted to high places； some； failure had left upon the rocks；
and a few lay in their graves。
But as the evening wore on； I began to wish that I had left out the
wines； for the men began to drop an occasional oath； though I had
let them know during the summer that Graeme was not the man he had
been。 But Graeme smoked and talked and heeded not； till Rattray
swore by that name most sacred of all ever borne by man。 Then
Graeme opened upon him in a cool； slow way
'What an awful fool a man is； to damn things as you do； Rat。
Things are not damned。 It is men who are； and that is too bad to
be talked much about but when a man flings out of his foul mouth
the name of Jesus Christ'here he lowered his voice'it's a
shameit's more； it's a crime。'
There was dead silence； then Rattray replied
'I suppose you're right enough； it is bad form； but crime is rather
strong； I think。'
'Not if you consider who it is；' said Graeme with emphasis。
'Oh； come now；' broke in Beetles。 'Religion is all right； is a
good thing； and I believe a necessary thing for the race； but no
one takes seriously any longer the Christ myth。'
'What about your mother； Beetles？' put in Wig Martin。
Beetles consigned him to the pit and was silent； for his father was
an Episcopal clergyman； and his mother a saintly woman。
'I fooled with that for some time； Beetles； but it won't do。 You
can't build a religion that will take the devil out of a man on a
myth。 That won't do the trick。 I don't want to argue about it；
but I am quite convinced the myth theory is not reasonable； and
besides； it wont work。'
'Will the other work？' asked Rattray； with a sneer。
'Sure！' said Grame； 'I've seen it。'
'Where？' challenged Rattray。 'I haven't seen much of it。'
'Yes； you have； Rattray； you know you have；' said Wig again。 But
Rattray ignored him。
'I'll tell you； boys；' said Graeme。 'I want you to know； anyway；
why I believe what I do。'
Then he told them the story of old man Nelson； from the old coast
days； before I knew him； to the end。 He told the story well。 The
stern fight and the victory of the life； and the self…sacrifice and
the pathos of the death appealed to these men； who loved fight and
could understand sacrifice。
'That's why I believe in Jesus Christ； and that's why I think it a
crime to fling His name about！'
'I wish to Heaven I could say that；' said Beetles。
'Keep wishing hard enough and it will come to you；' said Graeme。
'Look here； old chap；' said Rattray； 'you're quite right about
this； I'm willing to own up。 Wig is correct。 I know a few； at
least； of that stamp； but most of those who go in for that sort of
thing are not much account'
'For ten years； Rattray；' said Graeme in a downright； matter…of…
fact way； 'you and I have tried this sort of thing'tapping a
bottle'and we got out of it all there is to be got； paid well for
it； too； andfaugh！ you know it's not good enough； and the more
you go in for it； the more you curse yourself。 So I have quit this
and I am going in for the other。'
'What！ going in for preaching？'
'Not muchrailroadingmoney in itand lending a hand to fellows
on the rocks。'
'I say； don't you want a centre forward？' said big Barney in his
deep voice。
'Every man must play his game in his place； old chap。 I'd like to
see you tackle it； though； right well；' said Graeme earnestly。 And
so he did； in the after years； and good tackling it was。 But that
is another story。
'But； I say； Graeme；' persisted Beetles； 'about this business； do
you mean to say you go the whole thingJonah； you know； and the
rest of it？'
Graeme hesitated； then said
'I haven't much of a creed； Beetles； don't really know how much I
believe。 But；' by this time he was standing； 'I do know that good
is good； and bad is bad； and good and bad are not the same。 And I
know a man's a fool to follow the one； and a wise man to follow the
other； and；' lowering his voice； 'I believe God is at the back of a
man who wants to get done with bad。 I've tried all that folly；'
sweeping his hand over the glasses and bottles； 'and all that goes
with it； and I've done with it'
'I'll go you that far；' roared big Barney； following his old
captain as of yore。
'Good man；' said Graeme； striking hands with him。
'Put me down；' said little Wig cheerfully。
Then I took up the word； for there rose before me the scene in the
League saloon； and I saw the beautiful face with the deep shining
eyes； and I was speaking for her again。 I told them of Craig and
his fight for these men's lives。 I told them； too； of how I had
been too indolent to begin。 'But；' I said； 'I am going this far
from to…night；' and I swept the bottles into the champagne tub。
'I say；' said Polly Lindsay； coming up in his old style； slow but
sure； 'let's all go in； say for five years。' And so we did。 We
didn't sign anything； but every man shook hands with Graeme。
And as I told Craig about this a year later； when he was on his way
back from his Old Land trip to join Graeme in the mountains； he
threw up his head in the old way and said； 'It was well done。 It
must have been worth seeing。 Old man Nelson's work is not done
yet。 Tell me again；' and he made me go over the whole scene with
all the details put in。
But when I told Mrs。 Mavor； after two years had gone； she only
said； 'Old things are passed away； all things are become new'； but
the light glowed in her eyes till I could not see their colour。
But all that； too； is another story。
CHAPTER XV
COMING TO THEIR OWN
A man with a conscience is often provoking； sometimes impossible。
Persuasion is lost upon him。 He will not get angry； and he looks
at one with such a far…away expression in his face that in striving
to persuade him one feels earthly and even fiendish。 At least this
was my experience with Craig。 He spent a week with me just before
he sailed for the Old Land； for the purpose； as he said； of getting
some of the coal dust and other grime out of him。
He made me angry the last night of his stay； and all the more that
he remained quite sweetly unmoved。 It was a strategic mistake of
mine to tell him how Nelson came home to us； and how Graeme stood
up before the 'Varsity chaps at my supper and made his confession
and confused Rattray's easy…stepping profanity； and started his own
five…year league。 For all this stirred in Craig the hero； and he
was ready for all sorts of heroic nonsense； as I called it。 We
talked of everything but the one thing； and about that we said not
a word till； bending low to poke