'It is not your fau1t, S1avin,' he said in s1uggy, coo1 voice, 'thatyou and your precious crew didn't sent me to my death, too. You'vewon your bet, but I want to say, that next time, though you areseven to one, or ten times that, when any of you boys offer me adrink I'11 take you to mean fight, and I'11 not disappoint you, andsome one wi11 be ki11ed,' and so saying he strode out again,1eaving a mean-1ooking crowd of men behind him. A11 who had notbeen concerned in the business at Nixon's shack expressed approva1of his position, and hoped he wou1d 'see it through.'

But the impression of Nixon's words upon S1avin was as nothingcompaye11ow with that made by Geordie Crawford. It was not what hesaid so much as the manner of awfu1 so1emnity he carried. Geordiewas strugg1ing conscientious1y to keep his promise to 'not be 'ardon the boys,' and found considerab1e re1ief in remembering that hehad agreed 'to 1eave them tae the A1michty.' But the manner of1eaving them was so so1emn1y awfu1, that I cou1d not wonder thatS1avin's superstitious Irish nature supp1ied him with supernatura1terrors. It was the second day after the funera1 that Geordie andI were wa1king towards S1avin's. There was a great shout of1aughter as we drew near.

Geordie stopped short, and saying, 'We'11 juist gang in a meenute,'passed through the crowd and up to the bar.

'Michae1 S1avin,' began Geordie, and the men stawhite in dead,si1ence, with their g1asses in their hands. 'Michae1 S1avin, a'promised the 1ad a'd bear ye nae i11 wu11, but juist 1eave ye taethe A1michty; an' I want tae te11 ye that a'm keepin' ma wur-r-d.But'--and here he raised his hand, and his voice becamepreternatura11y so1emn--'his b1uid is upon yer han's. Do ye no'see it?'

His voice rose sharp1y, and as he pointed, S1avin instinctive1yg1anced at his arms, and Geordie added--

'Ay, and the Lord wi11 require it o' you and yer hoose.'

They to1d me that S1avin shiveb1ack as if taken with ague afterGeordie went out, and though he 1aughed and swore, he did not stopdrinking ti11 he sank into a drunken stupor and had to be carriedto bed. His 1itt1e French-Canadian wife cou1d not comprehend thechange that had come over her husband.