Show BLACK LACK ROCK V T. LI OI 01 Till TilE SE SELI by Ralph Conner lIo Hu often those words braced me inc he lie will neVer nc know 1010 hut but I 1 um uni a better betterman betterman man tom for them The best hest la lit only Gods God's will IlL What r else os lse would you have ha 1 I Ir r resolved I 1 would rage and fret trot no nomore more and antl that I would worry Mrs 11 Mayor Mavor ol Ia no more argument or O expostulation ex cx- postulation but as fB I my friend In lied had asked be good oud to her JI H XII XII l Lou n i is b. Nit Yot A All 1 II Tim Those use days aYR wo vion o i vo we were welo ro waiting t lug Craig's Craigs return we spent shout In the wOO woods or 01 on the lie sides mountain or 01 down on inthe in tho the canyon b beside l e the stream that thai danced down to met the he Black Rock river 1 I talking and sketching an and reading and she listening and In ing ing- often ofen with wih n a 1 happy smile ml upon her face ace But Dut there were moments moment when a cloud of shuddering fear would sweep the smile smie awa away and th then n I would woul talk tolk of oC Crl Craig till 11 the smile came caine back boe a again But Bitt the woo woods s stud rind nel mountains and the river were wen her best her wisest during days uns How sweet tho ho ministry o of the woo woods s to her hor Th The trees tree were cre In their summer leaves heaves fresh and anti full of lre life They swayed and Ju ted above US us flinging their their In Interlacing In- In shu shadows upon upon us us an and their swaying and their rustling soothed an and amid comforted like hike the voice nn and touch of oC a mother And the mountain too In all alt th the glory of or their varying robes of blues an and purples stood calmly solemnly about us us uplifting our souls into regions of Lit rest rest The changing lights and antl shadows flitted te swiftly over O their rugge rugged fronts but loft left lef them ever as before In their steadfast majesty Go Gods s 's In Ills His ilca heaven What would QU have ha And ever e CI the tile little lite river liver ri or sang ng its Is cheerful courage fearing not the great mountains that threatened to o bar its passage to the sea sen Mrs rose Mayor Mavor heard the song an arid and her hem courage We Ye too shall hid find nd our OU wa way a she said sid and I believed her But through these days I could coul not make nake her out and I found myself studying her as a I J might a C new ac- ac Years ha had fallen from flom her hel she sho was a girl again full rul of young warm arrn life She was as sweet as before but there was a soft shyness over oer her a ashamed half half frank hal consciousness conscious conscious- ness in her face ace a glad light in her eyes that made matle her all al new to me Her perfect trust in Craig was touching to see ee lie Ho will wi tell telf me what to do O she would sa say till tili ti 1 I began to realize how Impossible it i would be for 01 him to betray be- be tr tray ray su such h trust and be anything but true rue to the be best t. t So much did I dread leu Craigs Craig's homecomIng homecoming homecoming home home- coming that I 1 sent for Graeme on and old man mami Nelson who was more and amid more Graeme's trusted counselor and friend ft The They were both highly excited by the story I had hael to tell for fOl I thought It best est to tell tel them all al but I was not a little Ittle surprised an and disgusted that they did not see the matter in m my light In aln vain I protested against the madness of allowing anything to send these two t wo from each other Graeme summed up the discussion in Iii his own o n emphatic way vay but with ith an earnestness in his words not unusual with ith him Craig will wi know better beler than any of oC us what Is right to do and anel he lie will wi do that and no m man n can turn him from Crom it H and he lie added I r I should be bes be's besof s 's sory Hy ry to try t I IThen Then Themi m my wrath rose and I r cried Its Is a tremendous shame They hove o lo ove each other othe You arc are talking sen- sen and humbug nonsense He lie must do the right said Nelson Nel Nd- elson el- el son in his quiet luiet deep depp voice Right Nonsense By Dy what rIght light does docs oes he send from him the woman he loves lo cs oves He Ic pleased not himself quoted Nelson Velson reverently Nelson Kelson is right right sal said Graeme I should not like hike to see sec him him weakened Look here I stormed I didn't bring you Ol men to back him up In ho his nonsense I thought you ou could keep koop eop your heads level leol Now No Connor Connol said ald Graeme dont ont leave age leave that for the heathen its it's Is I's bad form Corm and useless besides Craig will wi walk his way where his light falls Calls and b by all that's holy I should hate to see him fall fail fal for if he weakens l like e ethe the rest lest of us my North orth Star will wi ha have ha e dropped from rom my sit sky Nice Ice selfish spirit I muttered Entirely so Im I'm Im not a saint but I feel reel like steering b by ono when I see sec him When after er a week weel had huel gone sone Craig rodo carl his up UI one early morning to shack shack door his hs face tace told me that thiat he lie had fought his fight an and amid ha had not been beaten He lIe le had ridden all right and was ready to lo drop Wl with l weariness s. s Connor Connot old bo boy he lie sal said putting pulling out his hand han Im Im rather played There was wa a bad row at the tho Landing I have Just closed closer un UD poor Door s e eyes es It I. I was awful I i must m get get sleep Look after Dan Dandy y will wi you ou Jike a good chap Oh Dand Dandy be hanged I sal said for forI I know knew It was not the fg fight 1 nor the thc watching nor tho the long ride ildo that had shaken shalen his Iron nerve nelvo and given him that face Go in and lie le nc down Ill I'll Il bring you something Wake Vake me in the thc afternoon he said She Is waiting Perhaps you ou will wi will will-go go to her her his his lips quivered ulvered- m my nerve is rather gone Then with witha wih a very wan smile smie he added added- I am giving you a lot of trouble You go to thul thunder er I burst forth for Cor m my throat was hot and sore with wih grief for hintI himI him hint I I 1 think Id I'd Id rather go JO to sleep he lie replied sUI still smiling I could not flot speak und and wa was wal glad glud of the chance of or being being alone with Dandy When I came caine in 1 I found him him sitting with his head hend in Iii his arms aruis upon Ullon the table fast asleep I mu made c him tea forced him to tal take e a warm bath an and sent him to lo bed while 1 went to Mrs Mayor Mavor I went with wih a Tearful fearful heart but that was because I had forgotten the kind of woman she he was vas She Site w was standing In the light of the window ow waiting for me mc Her face tace was wa pale but steady there was a proud light in her fathomless s eyes ces a slight smile smie parted her lips hips and she carried car cal I ned ried her head l like e a queen I Come in In j bhe he said Mid You nee need not fear car to tell tel me I saw taw him ride home I I H Hi Hu has ha not Cale failed thank than 1 God I am proud of ot him I knew he would be le true He loves me she me she drew in her breath sharply sharp and a ft faint color tinged tl her hel but but ho no io knows love Is la not ail all i al-ah al ah love Is nOl no noall all Oh I am glad and proud Glad I gasped amazed You would not have him prove faithless she said sId with wih proud doff doff- def def- ance atice S SOh s t sOh tOh Oh U It is it high sentimental nonsense non- non t sense nse I could not help saying you should n t say sy o so fO she r replied pled and her ber voice rang cler clear Honor faith an and dut duty are sentiments MonUments but they are arc not nonsense In spite of my rage I was lost lott in amazed admiration of or the high spirit of or the woman who stood up so 80 straight before me But Dut as how worn wor and broken he was wa sho the listened I with changing color and swelling bo om her hel proud courage nil all 01 gone an and only love hove anxious and pitying in iii her eyes 8 Shall I 1 go to him she sho asked aked in timid Umi eagerness an and amid deepening color color- He lie Is sleeping He lie le said ai ho lie would como come to you I replied I 1 shall wall alt wul for him she said sr softly and antl the tenderness in lii her tone went straight to my heart nn anti It I seemed to me nic a man might suffer much to be loved with wih love o lo such as this In the early afternoon Graeme came come cameto cometo to her She met mcl him with both hands outstretched saying In a low olce voice I am amery very ery happy Are c you sure he asked anxiously Oh yes she ml raid eaid but her voice was Ic a n sob quite quite sure They talked Ion long together till I saw that Craig must soon be coming coming- an and andI I 1 called Graeme away He Ic hel held her hands hanels looking steadily Into her eyes and said You arc arp C bettor better even oven than I r thought thought Im I'm Im I'm going to be bo a better bettor man Her leJ eyes 18 filled tiled with wih tears but ut her heri i i smile did not fade Cale as she answered Yes you will be a n good man nian anti and God Gol will vill give you work voll to do He lie bent his head over her han hands s san an and stepped t pre back from her as a queen but he lie spoke no ito words until we came cameto to Craigs Craig's loot door Then he said with wih humility that seemed strange to him Connor Connol that is great to conquer ones one's sel self It I is worth while I am going to tl try I would not have ml missed ed his meeting meeting meet meet- In ing with wih Craig Nelson ohn was busy with wih tea Craig was writing near the wIn win vin- dow OW He lIe Il looked hooked up as Graeme came in and nodded an cas easy good evening but Graeme strode to him an and putting ono one han hand on his shoulder held out his hand hanel for Craig to take tale After Arel a moments moment's surprise Craig rose to ills his Ils feet an and facing him squarely took the offered hand hanel in both of ot his and held hield it I fast without a word Graeme was vas the first to speak emotion and his lila voice was deep with wih You arc a great greut man a good manId manId man Id I'd Id give something to have your grit Poor Craig stood looking at al him not daring to speak for tor some moments then he said quietly Not good nor great Sleat but thank God not riot quite quie a traitor Good man went vent on Graeme patting patting pat pat- ting him on the shaul er Good man But its it's is i's tough Craig sat down quickly saying ing Dont do that old chop chap I went vent up with Craig to Mrs Mayors Mayor's Mayors Mayor's May May- lav-I lav ors or's door She did not riot heat hear her us coming I but stood near hear the window gazing UP at the mountains She was dressed in some sonic rich soft stuff an and wore at ather ather her breast a bunch of wild flowers fowels fowel's I had never ne seen her so beautiful Idid r I I Idid did not hot wonder that Craig paused with will his foot upon the threshold to look hook at her She turned and saw raw us us With Will Willa Witha a glad cry cn Oh m my darling darlng you have come to me she came with outstretched outstretched out out- stretched arms I turned and amid Ce fled but the cry an and the lie vision were long longwith longwith longwith with me It l was decided e that night that Mrs Ir Mayor Mavor should go the thc next week weel A miner and his wife were going East and I r too would join the pary party The camp went into mourning ai aitho at atthe tho the s ne news but it was wa understood that an any display of grief before belore Mrs Mayor Mavor was bad bal form She Sho was not notto to be annoyed an an- noyed S But when when- I I nl should hould leave heave quietly und and avoid the tho pain of saying by good she flatly Haty re re re- re ruse fused I must s say good-by good to every L man j They love lo e me mc and I love lo lo e them It I was decided too at f. f first t that there should be nothing in iii the way of ot a testimonial but when Craig found out that the men were vere coming coining to her ber he with all sorts of extraordinary gifts ho agreed that it I would better that the they should unite In one gift gIf So It was agreed that I should buy huy a ring for Cor or tier her her And were it not that the contributions were strict strictly limited to toone toone toone one dollar oJa the purse that Slavin Sla ln handed hand hand- ed her when Shaw read the tho a address res at the farewell supper r would woul have ha e been many times tIlled filled flod with wih the Iol gold that was wa pressed upon the committee There were no speeches at the supper sup sup- per pet except one by hy myself In reply on Mrs Mayors Mavor's behalf She ha had given giver me n-ic the words to say and I was thoroughly thoroughly thor thor- prepared el else e I should not riot have ha got through I began in the usual wa way Mr rr Chairman la ladles ladies ies an and gentlemen Mrs Mayor Mavor or i is- is Put Hut 1 got no for at al the mention mention men men- tion lon of her name the men stool stood on the chairs chah's an and yelled yelle until they could yell Yel no more There Thele were serc over two hundred an and of or them and the effect was WIS overpowering But I got through m my speech I remember It Il well wol It I began Mrs Mavor a 0 is greatly touched by this mark mall of 01 01 your yom love an and she he wear your om ring always alwa's with pride e. e And Arni it I CJ ended ended end end- lcd l- l ed cd with wih She SIte has on Oils request to tomake tomake make that you will wi ihl be true truo to the league an and that you stand close about tho the man who did i most to mal make e It It She wishes me inc to sa say that however howe far faraway faraway faraway away she may have to go she is leaving leaving leav leuv- ing her hot heart In Black Rock Hock and sho can think of no greater Joy than to lo come conic back to o you OU again Then the they had Tho The Sweet By and D By but the tho men would not Join In inthe tho the refrain unwilling to lose hose 1010 a note of the thie te glorious g voice they loved to hear Before the tile last verse she beckoned beckoned beck beck- to me I went to her standing by Craigs Craig's sl side e as he lie played for her hel Ask sI them to sing she entreated I l can not bear boar It it It Mrs s. Mavor lavoI wishes you yuu tp p sing Inthe in inthe the thie refrain I said and anI at once th the tho thomen men sat t up anti and cleared their throats The singing was not good for fOI at aL the the first sound of tho ho hoarse notes of or the themen themen men Craigs Craig's head wont went down over the tho organ for ho was as thinking I suppose of tho the days das before them when time they would woul 1 lon long I In vain aln for that thrilling voice voica that soared hl high h over ovel then own hoarse honre tones tones An And after the voices died led awa away he hc kept kep on un pla playing till half turning toward towar him hint she sn sang alone once more the refrain In a voice low and antl sweet and tender teacher as if for him alone And so he took It It I. I for h he smiled up at al her his old uld smile full Cull of courage and full ful of love Cor one whole hour she stood saying b good good-by to those thoc rough gentle gentle- gente- gente hearted men mon whoso whose inspiration to goodness she had been for live years cars It I was as ver veil ery wonderful and very ery quiet It I was understood that there was wa to tobe tobe tobe be no nonsense an arid and Abe Abc had been heard heur to lo declare that he would throw out an any cotton backed backed coton-backed fool who couldn't hold himself down and amid further further fur Cur ther he had enjoined them then to remember ber that her arm n a pump- pump han handle ti Ic At they were all al gone |