Black Rock: A Tale of the Selkirks

heart of the Selkirks for my Christmas Eve as the year 1882 was dying. It had been my plan to spend my Christmas f

ugh I would not allow him to think so, to find that his old-time power over me was still there. He could always in the old 'Varsity days-dear, wild days-make me do what he liked. He was so handsome and so reckless, brilliant in his class-work, and the prince of half-backs on the Rugby field, and with such power of fascination, as would 'extract the heart out of a wheelbarrow,' as Barney Lundy used to say. And

le of the clearing; at a little distance was the sleeping-camp with the office built against it, and about a hundred yards away on the other side of the clearing stood the stables, and near them the smiddy. The mountains rose grandly on ever

he men were up in the woods, and the shrill scream of the blue jay flashing across the open, the impudent chatter of the red squirrel from the top of the grub camp, a

th the Christmas feeling stealing into me, Graeme came out from his office, and, catching sight of me,

owing well that the Christ

oing with you,'

ht of horror when all his bright, brilliant life crashed down about him in black ruin and shame. I could only throw my arm over his shoulder and

men talking, laughing, chaff

t,' said Graeme; 'and to morrow

iently for the cook's signal-the supper to-night was to be 'something of a feed'-when the sound of bells d

bet, by his driving,

ne nose for turkey!' said Blaney

black-browed, villainous fellow-countryman of

you'll just keep your dirty tongue off the minister; and as for your pay, it's little he sees of it, or any one else, except Mik

t Sandy's sudden anger

dy's sworn ally and devoted admirer ever since the day when the big Scotsman, under great

the Presbyterian blood carried with it reverence for the minister and contempt for Papists and Fenians, but that he had a vivid remembrance of ho

Sandy's side, slapped him on the back, and calle

one, 'Stop your row, you blank fools; settle it, if you want to, somewhere else.'

s I had heard of his deadly fights in the mines at the coast. Before any reply could be made, the minister drove up and

onnor, sometime medical student, now artist, h

inister, smiling. 'I am glad to

lean-cut, strong face well set on his shoulders, and altogether an upstanding, manly be

ough he is good enough to his broncho

I mean, are you part of

, now, he would knock Keefe's head off as a kind of religious exercise; but to-morrow Keefe will be sober, and Sandy will be drunk as a lord, and the drunker he is the better Presbyterian he'll

At the further end of the camp was a big fireplace, and from the door to the fireplace extended the long board tables, covered with platters of turkey not too scientifically carved, dishes of potatoes, bowls of apple sauce, pla

Craig rose and said, 'I don't know how you feel about it,

d said- 'For Christ the Lord who came to save us, for all the love and goodness we have kno

ar too solemn and moments too precious for anything so empty as words. But when the white piles of bread and the brown piles of turkey had for a second time vanished,

!' and grabbing the cook by the shou

okee in the same way, called out, 'Squad, fall in! qui

pellation a concession to the minister's presence; and away we

ye winds, in

e winds

inds, in t

blow,

he plank floor that shook the solid roof. After the secon

rs for Bill

te was heard to say, 'Bon! dat's mak me fe

ttle baste!' said

Sandy gravely, 'ye've m

more better for dis puddin',' repl

an's hour of bliss had arrived. Even old man Nelson looked a shade less melancholy than usual as he sat alone, well away from the fire, smoking steadily and silently. When the second pipes were well a-going, one of the men took down a violin from the wall and handed it to Lachlan Ca

ruck up 'Lord Macdonald's Reel.' In a moment the floor was filled with dancers, whooping and cracking their fingers in the wildest manner. T

chaber No More'; but Campbell said, 'No, no! I

r. I did not recognise the music, but it was soft and thrilling, and got in

isite bits, he gave Campbell his viol

More.' At the first strain, his brother, who had thrown himself on some blankets behind the fire, turned over on his face, feigning sleep. Sandy M'Naughton took his pipe out of his mouth, and sat up straight and stiff, staring into vacancy, and Graeme, beyond the

oo, see strange things out of the dim past. I glanced at old man Nelson, and was startled at the eager, almost piteous, look in his eyes, and I wished Campbell would stop. Mr. Craig caugh

ter playing the verse through once, he sang softly the refrain. After the first verse, the men joined in the chorus; at first timidly, but by the time the third verse was reached they were shouting with throats

more and more softly and slowly; then laying the violin on Camp

something this Christmas Eve. You will all have heard i

nt drama. The wonder, the timid joy, the tenderness, the mystery of it all, were borne in upon us with overpowering effect. He closed the book, and in the same low, clear voice went on to tell us how, in his home years ago, he used to

the Baby, the dear little Baby-we all love a baby.' There was a quick, dry sob; it was from Nelson. 'I used to peek through under to see the little on

ain. And as I listened, with a bitter ache in my heart, for I had put it all behind me, I suddenly found myself peeking under the shepherds' arms with a child's wonder at the Baby in the straw. Then it came over me like great waves, that His name was Jesus, because it was He that should save men from their sins. Save! Save! The waves kept beating upon my ears, and before I knew, I had called out, "Oh! can He save me?" It was in a little mission meeting on one of the si

t him with a sad yearning in his dark eyes; big Sandy was sitting very stiff, and staring harder than ever into the fire; Baptiste was trembling with excitement; Blaney was ope

ence what's behind him, and'-leaning slightly forward, and with a little thrill of pathos vibrating in his voice-'O boys, why don't you give Him a chance at you? Without Him you'll never be the men you want to be, and you'll never get the better of that that's keep

aney dropped on their knees; Sandy, the Campbells, and some other

was dragging his fingers one by one from the slippery edges, there came over his face that same look. I used to wake up for many a night aft

ce changed, and seemed to settle into resolve of some sort, ste

are an independent lot, we'll charge you half a dollar for dinner and the evening show.' Then leaving a

good-bye to Graeme, who had been hard hit by the whole service, and seemed to want to say

o was attempting with great success to balance himself on his hin

as Dandy dashed off at a full gallop across the clearing a

y, you

most upsetting us. A man stepped out from the shadow. It was old man Nelson.

ou dead sure of t

up promptly, 'can Jesus Christ save yo

eeping his hungry eye

"The Son of Man is come to seek

?' said the o

cometh unto Me I will in no wise cast out."

Craig. I left my baby fi

perhaps never. Tell Him who knows it all now, and who never betr

uivering, and said in a husky voice,

ed Craig, almost sternly,

hen at me, and, drawing a deep breath, said, 'I'll try Him.' As he was turning away th

roat. It was old man Nelson on his knees in the snow, with his hands spread upward to the stars, and I wondered if t