the sentiment of the hymn, the voices would attune
themselves to the words. Instead of encouraging anything like emotional
excitement, Mr. Craig seemed to fear it.

'These chaps are easily stirred up,' he would say, 'and I am anxious
that they should know exactly what they are doing. It is far too serious
a business to trifle with.'

Although Graeme did not go downstairs to the meetings, he could not but
feel the throb of the emotion beating in the heart of the community.
I used to detail for his benefit, and sometimes for his amusement, the
incidents of each night. But I never felt quite easy in dwelling upon
the humorous features in Mrs. Mavor's presence, although Craig did not
appear to mind. His manner with Graeme was perfect. Openly anxious to
win him to his side, he did not improve the occasion and vex him with
exhortation. He would not take him at a disadvantage, though, as I
afterwards found, this was not his sole reason for his method. Mrs.
Mavor, too, showed herself in wise and tender light. She might have been
his sister, so frank was she and so openly affectionate, laughing at his
fretfulness and soothing his weariness.

Never were better comrades than we four, and the bright days speeding so
swiftly on drew us nearer to one another.

But the bright days came to an end; for Graeme, when once he was able
to go about, became anxious to get back to the camp. And so the last day
came, a day I remember well. It was a bright, crisp winter day.

The air was shimmering in the frosty light. The mountains, with their
shining heads piercing through light clouds into that wonderful blue of
the western sky, and their feet pushed into the pine masses, gazed down
upon Black Rock with calm, kindly looks on their old grey faces. How
one grows to love them, steadfast old friends! Far up among the pines
we could see the smoke of the engine at the works, and so still and so
clear was the mountain air that we could hear the puff of the steam, and
from far down the river the murmur of the rapids. The majestic silence,
the tender beauty, the peace, the loneliness, too, came stealing in upon
us, as we three, leaving Mrs. Mavor behind us, marched arm-in-arm down
the street. We had not gone far on our way, when Graeme, turning round,
stood a moment looking back, then waved his hand in farewell. Mrs. Mavor
was at her window, smiling and waving in return. They had grown to
be great friends these two; and seemed to have arrived at