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Lies as he once lay； breast to breast with God；'
the light shone in her eyes； and she said； 'Oh； that is good and
great； I shall get much out of him； I had always feared he was
impossible。' And 'Paracelsus；' too； stirred her； but when I
recited the thrilling fragment； 'Prospice；' on to that closing
rapturous cry
'Then a light； then thy breast；
O thou soul of my soul！ I shall clasp thee again；
And with God be the rest！'
the red colour faded from her cheek； her breath came in a sob； and
she rose quickly and passed out without a word。 Ever after；
Browning was among her gods。 But when we talked of music； she；
adoring Wagner； soared upon the wings of the mighty Tannhauser； far
above； into regions unknown； leaving me to walk soberly with
Beethoven and Mendelssohn。 Yet with all our free； frank talk；
there was all the while that in her gentle courtesy which kept me
from venturing into any chamber of her life whose door she did not
set freely open to me。 So I vexed myself about her； and when Mr。
Craig returned the next week from the Landing where he had been for
some days； my first question was
'Who is Mrs。 Mavor？ And how in the name of all that is wonderful
and unlikely does she come to be here？ And why does she stay？'
He would not answer then； whether it was that his mind was full of
the coming struggle； or whether he shrank from the tale； I know
not； but that night； when we sat together beside his fire； he told
me the story； while I smoked。 He was worn with his long； hard
drive； and with the burden of his work； but as he went on with his
tale； looking into the fire as he told it； he forgot all his
present weariness and lived again the scenes he painted for me。
This was his story：
'I remember well my first sight of her； as she sprang from the
front seat of the stage to the ground； hardly touching her
husband's hand。 She looked a mere girl。 Let's seefive years
agoshe couldn't have been a day over twenty three。 She looked
barely twenty。 Her swift glance swept over the group of miners at
the hotel door； and then rested on the mountains standing in all
their autumn glory。
'I was proud of our mountains that evening。 Turning to her
husband； she exclaimed： 〃O Lewis； are they not grand？ and lovely；
too？〃 Every miner lost his heart then and there； but all waited
for Abe the driver to give his verdict before venturing an opinion。
Abe said nothing until he had taken a preliminary drink； and then；
calling all hands to fill up； he lifted his glass high； and said
solemnly
'〃Boys； here's to her。〃
'Like a flash every glass was emptied； and Abe called out； 〃Fill
her up again； boys！ My treat！〃
'He was evidently quite worked up。 Then he began； with solemn
emphasis
'〃Boys； you hear me！ She's a No。 1； triple X； the pure quill with
a bead on it： she's a；〃 and for the first time in his Black Rock
history Abe was stuck for a word。 Some one suggested 〃angel。〃
'〃Angel！〃 repeated Abe； with infinite contempt。 〃Angel be blowed；〃
（I paraphrase here）； 〃angels ain't in the same month with her； I'd
like to see any blanked angel swing my team around them curves
without a shiver。〃
'〃Held the lines herself； Abe？〃 asked a miner。
'〃That's what；〃 said Abe； and then he went off into a fusilade of
scientific profanity； expressive of his esteem for the girl who had
swung his team round the curves； and the miners nodded to each
other； and winked their entire approval of Abe's performance； for
this was his specialty。
'Very decent fellow； Abe； but his talk wouldn't print。'
Here Craig paused； as if balancing Abe's virtues and vices。
'Well；' I urged； 'who is she？'
'Oh yes；' he said； recalling himself； 'she is an Edinburgh young
ladymet Lewis Mayor； a young Scotch…English man； in London
wealthy； good family； and all that； but fast； and going to pieces
at home。 His people； who own large shares in these mines here； as
a last resort sent him out here to reform。 Curiously innocent
ideas those old country people have of the reforming properties of
this atmosphere！ They send their young bloods here to reform。
Here！ in this devil's camp…ground； where a man's lust is his only
law； and when； from sheer monotony； a man must betake himself to
the only excitement of the placethat offered by the saloon。 Good
people in the east hold up holy hands of horror at these godless
miners； but I tell you it's asking these boys a good deal to keep
straight and clean in a place like this。 I take my excitement in
fighting the devil and doing my work generally； and that gives me
enough； but these poor chapshard worked； homeless； with no break
or changeGod help them and me！' and his voice sank low。
'Well；' I persisted； 'did Mavor reform？'
Again he roused himself。 'Reform？ Not exactly。 In six…months he
had broken through all restraint； and； mind you； not the miners'
faultnot a miner helped him down。 It was a sight to make angels
weep when Mrs。 Mavor would come to the saloon door for her husband。
Every miner would vanish； they could not look upon her shame； and
they would send Mavor forth in the charge of Billy Breen； a queer
little chap； who had belonged to the Mavors in some way in the old
country； and between them they would get him home。 How she stood
it puzzles me to this day； but she never made any sign； and her
courage never failed。 It was always a bright； brave； proud face
she held up to the worldexcept in church； there it was different。
I used to preach my sermons； I believe； mostly for herbut never
so that she could suspectas bravely and as cheerily as I could。
And as she listened； and especially as she sanghow she used to
sing in those days！there was no touch of pride in her face；
though the courage never died out； but appeal； appeal！ I could
have cursed aloud the cause of her misery； or wept for the pity of
it。 Before her baby was born he seemed to pull himself together；
for he was quite mad about her； and from the day the baby came
talk about miracles！from that day he never drank a drop。 She
gave the baby over to him； and the baby simply absorbed him。
'He was a new man。 He could not drink whisky and kiss his baby。
And the minersit was really absurd if it were not so pathetic。
It was the first baby in Black Rock； and they used to crowd Mavor's
shop and peep into the room at the back of itI forgot to tell you
that when he lost his position as manager he opened a hardware
shop； for his people chucked him； and he was too proud to write
home for moneyjust for a chance to be asked in to see the baby。
I came upon Nixon standing at the back of the shop after he had
seen the baby for the first time； sobbing hard； and to my question
he replied： 〃It's just like my own。〃 You can't understand this。
But to men who have lived so long in the mountains that they have
forgotten what a baby looks like； who have had experience of
humanity only in its roughest； foulest form； this little mite；
sweet and clean； was like an angel fresh from heaven； the one link
in all that black camp that bound them to what was purest and best
in their past。
'And to see the mother and her baby handle the miners！
'Oh