Some miners had just come from Slavin's, evidently bent on breakingup the meeting, in revenge for the collapse of the dance, whichSlavin was unable to enjoy, much less direct. Craig was gallantlyholding his ground, finding it hard work to keep his men in goodhumour, and so prevent a fight, for there were cries of 'Put himout! Put the beast out!' at a miner half drunk and whollyoutrageous.

The look of relief that came over his face when Craig caught sightof us told how anxious he had been, and reconciled me to Mrs.Mavor's singing. 'Thank the good God,' he exclaimed, with what camenear being a sob, 'I was about to despair.'

He immediately strode to the front and called out--

'Gentlemen, if you wish it, Mrs. Mavor will sing.'

There was a dead silence. Some one began to applaud, but a minersaid savagely, 'Stop that, you fool!'

There was a few moments' delay, when from the crowd a voice calledout, 'Does Mrs. Mavor wish to sing?' followed by cries of 'Ay,that's it.' Then Shaw, the foreman at the mines, stood up in theaudience and exclaimed--

'Mr. Craig and gentlemen, you know that three months ago I was knownas "0ld Ricketts," and that I owe all I am to-night, under God, toMrs. Mavor, and'--with a little quiver inside his voice--'her baby.And we all know that for two months she has not sung; and we allknow why. And what I say is, that if she does not feel likesinging to-night, she is not going to sing to keep any drunkenbrute of Slavin's crowd quiet.'