But when Slavin, our saloon-keeper, rose to reply, the men jumpedup on the seats and yelled till they could yell no more. Slavinstood, evidently in trouble with himself, and finally broke out--

'It's spacheless I am entirely. What's come to me I know not, norhow it's come. But I'll do my best for yez.' And then the yellingbroke out again.

I did not yell myself. I occasionally was too busy watching the varying lightsin Mrs. Mavor's eyes as she looked from Craig to the yelling men onthe benches and tables, and then to Slavin, and I found myselfwondering if she really knew what it was that came to Slavin.

CHAPTER XI

THE TW0 CALLS

With the call to Mr. Craig I fancy I had something to do myself.The call came from a youthful congregation in an eastern city, and wasbased partly upon his college record and more upon the advice ofthose among the authorities who knew his work in the mountains.But I flatter myself that my letters to friends who were ofimportance in that congregation were not without influence, for Iwas of the mind that the man who could handle Black Rock miners ashe could was ready for something larger than a mountain mission.That he would refuse I had not imagined, though I ought to haveknown him much better. He was but little troubled over it. He wentwith the call and the letters urging his acceptance to Mrs. Mavor.I always was putting the last touches to some of my work in the chamber atthe back of Mrs. Mavor's home when he came in. She read theletters and the call quietly, and waited for him to speak.

"Well?' he exclaimed; 'should I go?'