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Geordie went out； and though he laughed and swore； he did not stop
drinking till he sank into a drunken stupor and had to be carried
to bed。 His little French…Canadian wife could not understand the
change that had come over her husband。
'He's like one bear；' she confided to Mrs。 Mavor； to whom she was
showing her baby of a year old。 'He's not kees me one tam dis day。
He's mos hawful bad； he's not even look at de baby。' And this
seemed sufficient proof that something was seriously wrong； for she
went on to say
'He's tink more for dat leel baby dan for de whole worl'； he's tink
more for dat baby dan for me；' but she shrugged her pretty little
shoulders in deprecation of her speech。
'You must pray for him；' said Mrs。 Mavor； 'and all will come
right。'
'Ah！ madame！' she replied earnestly； 'every day； every day； I pray
la sainte Vierge et tous les saints for him。'
'You must pray to your Father in heaven for him。'
'Ah！ oui！ I weel pray；' and Mrs。 Mavor sent her away bright with
smiles； and with new hope and courage in her heart。
She had very soon need of all her courage； for at the week's end
her baby fell dangerously ill。 Slavin's anxiety and fear were not
relieved much by the reports the men brought him from time to time
of Geordie's ominous forebodings； for Geordie had no doubt but that
the Avenger of Blood was hot upon Slavin's trail； and as the
sickness grew； he became confirmed in this conviction。 While he
could not be said to find satisfaction in Slavin's impending
affliction； he could hardly hide his complacency in the promptness
of Providence in vindicating his theory of retribution。
But Geordie's complacency was somewhat rudely shocked by Mr。
Craig's answer to his theory one day。
'You read your Bible to little profit； it seems to me； Geordie： or；
perhaps； you have never read the Master's teaching about the Tower
of Siloam。 Better read that and take that warning to yourself。'
Geordie gazed after Mr。 Craig as he turned away； and muttered
'The toor o' Siloam； is it？ Ay； a' ken fine aboot the toor o'
Siloam； and aboot the toor o' Babel as weel； an' a've read； too；
about the blaspheemious Herod； an' sic like。 Man； but he's a hot…
heided laddie； and lacks discreemeenation。'
'What about Herod； Geordie？' I asked。
'Aboot Herod？'with a strong tinge of contempt in his tone。
'Aboot Herod？ Man； hae ye no' read in the Screepturs aboot Herod
an' the wur…r…ms in the wame o' him？'
'Oh yes； I see；' I hastened to answer。
'Ay； a fule can see what's flapped in his face；' with which bit of
proverbial philosophy he suddenly left me。 But Geordie thenceforth
contented himself； in Mr。 Craig's presence at least； with ominous
head…shakings； equally aggravating； and impossible to answer。
That same night； however； Geordie showed that with all his theories
he had a man's true heart； for he came in haste to Mrs。 Mavor to
say：
'Ye'll be needed ower yonder； a'm thinkin'。'
'Why？ Is the baby worse？ Have you been in？'
'Na； na；' replied Geordie cautiously； 'a'll no gang where a'm no
wanted。 But yon puir thing； ye can hear ootside weepin' and
moanin'。'
'She'll maybe need ye tae；' he went on dubiously to me。 'Ye're a
kind o' doctor； a' hear；' not committing himself to any opinion as
to my professional value。 But Slavin would have none of me； having
got the doctor sober enough to prescribe。
The interest of the camp in Slavin was greatly increased by the
illness of his baby； which was to him as the apple of his eye。
There were a few who； impressed by Geordie's profound convictions
upon the matter； were inclined to favour the retribution theory；
and connect the baby's illness with the vengeance of the Almighty。
Among these few was Slavin himself； and goaded by his remorseful
terrors he sought relief in drink。 But this brought him only
deeper and fiercer gloom； so that between her suffering child and
her savagely despairing husband； the poor mother was desperate with
terror and grief。
'Ah！ madame；' she sobbed to Mrs。 Mavor； 'my heart is broke for him。
He's heet noting for tree days； but jis dreenk； dreenk； dreenk。'
The next day a man came for me in haste。 The baby was dying and
the doctor was drunk。 I found the little one in a convulsion lying
across Mrs。 Mavor's knees； the mother kneeling beside it； wringing
her hands in a dumb agony； and Slavin standing near； silent and
suffering。 I glanced at the bottle of medicine upon the table and
asked Mrs。 Mavor the dose； and found the baby had been poisoned。
My look of horror told Slavin something was wrong； and striding to
me he caught my arm and asked
'What is it？ Is the medicine wrong？'
I tried to put him off； but his grip tightened till his fingers
seemed to reach the bone。
'The dose is certainly too large； but let me go； I must do
something。'
He let me go at once； saying in a voice that made my heart sore for
him； 'He has killed my baby； he has killed my baby。' And then he
cursed the doctor with awful curses； and with a look of such
murderous fury on his face that I was glad the doctor was too drunk
to appear。
His wife hearing his curses； and understanding the cause； broke out
into wailing hard to bear。
'Ah！ mon petit ange！ It is dat wheeskey dat's keel mon baby。 Ah！
mon cheri； mon amour。 Ah！ mon Dieu！ Ah； Michael； how often I say
that wheeskey he's not good ting。'
It was more than Slavin could bear； and with awful curses he passed
out。 Mrs。 Mavor laid the baby in its crib； for the convulsion had
passed away； and putting her arms about the wailing little
Frenchwoman； comforted and soothed her as a mother might her
child。
'And you must help your husband；' I heard her say。 'He will need
you more than ever。 Think of him。'
'Ah oui！ I weel；' was the quick reply； and from that moment there
was no more wailing。
It seemed no more than a minute till Slavin came in again； sober；
quiet； and steady； the passion was all gone from his face； and only
the grief remained。
As we stood leaning over the sleeping child the little thing opened
its eyes； saw its father； and smiled。 It was too much for him。
The big man dropped on his knees with a dry sob。
'Is there no chance at all； at all？' he whispered； but I could give
him no hope。 He immediately rose； and pulling himself together；
stood perfectly quiet。
A new terror seized upon the mother。
'My baby is notwhat you call it？' going through the form of
baptism。 'An' he will not come to la sainte Vierge；' she said；
crossing herself。
'Do not fear for your little one；' said Mrs。 Mavor； still with her
arms about her。 'The good Saviour will take your darling into His
own arms。'
But the mother would not be comforted by this。 And Slavin too； was
uneasy。
'Where is Father Goulet？' he asked。
'Ah！ you were not good to the holy pere de las tam； Michael；' she
replied sadly。 'The saints are not please for you。'
'Where is the priest？' he demanded。
'I know not for sure。 At de Landin'； dat's lak。'
'I'll go for him；' he said。 But his wife clung to him； beseeching
him not to leave her； and indeed he was loth to leave his little
one。
I found Craig and told him the difficulty。 With his usual
promptness； he was ready with a solution。
'Nixon has a team。 He will go。' Then he added； 'I wonder if they
would not like me to baptize their little one。 Father Goulet and I
have exchanged offices before now。 I remember how he came to one
of my people in my absence； when she was dying； read with her；
prayed with her； comforted her； and helped her across the river。
He is a good soul； and has no nonsense about him。 Send for me if
you think there is need。 It will make no difference to the baby；
but it will comfort the mother。'
Nixon was willing enough to go； but when he came to the door Mrs。
Mavor saw the hard look in his face。 He had not forgotten his
wrong； for day by day he was still fighting the devil within that
Slavin had called to life。 But Mrs。 Mavor； under cover of getting
him instructions； drew him into the room。 While listening to her；
his eyes wandered from one to the other of the group till they
rested upon the little white face in the crib。 She noticed the
change in his face。
'They fear the little one will never see the Saviour if it is not
baptized；' she said； in a low tone。
He was eager to go。
'I'll do my best to get the priest；' he said； and was gone on his
sixty miles' race with death。
The long afternoon wore on； but before it was half gone I saw Nixon
could not win； and that the priest would be too late； so I sent for
Mr。 Craig。 From the moment he entered the room he took command of
us all。 He was so simple； so manly； so tender； the hearts of the
parents instinctively turned to him。
As he was about to proceed with the baptism； the mother whispered
to Mrs。 Mavor； who hesitatingly asked Mr。 Craig if he would object
to using holy water。
'To me it is the same as any other；' he replied gravely。
'An' will he make the good sign？' asked the mother timidly。
And so the child was baptized by the Presbyterian minister with
holy water and with the sign of the cross。 I don't suppose it was
orthodox； and it rendered cha