第74章

"Yes," replied the clerk in answer to his enquiry, "there's a wire for Mr.Macgregor just come in.Bad news, too, I guess."The Convener took the message and read: "Your mother passed away in perfect peace this evening.Your message brought her great joy.She wished me to send this reply: 'The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.Stay at your post, lad, till He calls:' HELEN.""'Stay at your post till He calls,'" read the Convener again."Agreat soul that.That word will do him good."He was right.He found Shock waiting for him, calm, expectant, and ready to bear whatever life might bring, nor did his face change as he read the wire over and over again.He only said: "God is very good to us.She went away in peace, and she got my wire and I hers.""Yes," said the Convener, "God is always good.We sometimes cannot see it, but," he added, "it was a great matter that your sister could have been there with her.""My sister?" said Shock."Oh!" a sudden flush reddening his pale cheek."She's not my sister--she's my--she's our friend, yes, a dear friend.It would be a great joy to my mother to have her."There was no sign of grief in his face, but a great peace seemed to have settled upon him.Long into the night he talked over the affairs of his mission field, giving in response to the keen questions of his Convener a full account of the work he had been carrying on, opening up the plans he had made for future work.In particular was he anxious to enlist the Convener's sympathy in his scheme for a reading-room and hospital at the Pass.The Convener shook his head at the plan."I agree with you entirely," he said, "but the Committee, I fear, will not give you a grant for a hospital.If it were a church now--""Well," argued Shock, "it will serve for a church.""You may count on me to do my best for you," replied the Convener, "but I am not sanguine.The Committee are extremely cautious and conservative."But when the Convener came to ask about the difficulties and trials of his life his missionary became silent.There were no trials and difficulties to speak of, no more at least than the rest of the people had to bear.They were all good to him.

"That's all right," said the Convener, "but there are difficulties, none the less.It is a hard country, and sometimes it lays burdens upon us almost greater than we can bear.There are the poor McIntyres, now," he continued."How did you find them?""Very well," replied Shock."But, indeed, I didn't notice much."And then the Convener told him of the story of their great grief.

"It is a common enough story in this country.The little baby was five months old, singularly bright and attractive.McIntyre himself was quite foolish about it; and, indeed, the whole congregation were quite worked up over it.Took suddenly ill, some mysterious trouble;no doctor within forty miles; before he arrived the baby was gone.

They were dreadfully cut up about it."

"I--I never noticed," said Shock, with a sense of shame."I wasn't thinking."There was no demonstration of sympathy on the part of his people when Shock returned to his work.One by one they came up after the evening service to shake hands with him and then to leave him alone.

But that night, when all had gone except Ike, who was hovering about downstairs within call of Shock,--who, was sitting upstairs alone in the room which, in the fulness of his joy, he had set apart for his mother,--a voice was heard asking cautiously "Is he in? ""Yes, but I guess he's pretty tired," replied Ike doubtfully.

"I'd like to see him a minute," replied the voice, with a sudden huskiness.

"Oh! It's you, is it?" said Ike."Well, come in.Yes, come right upstairs." And Carroll came heavily up the stairs with Patsy in his arms.

"Why, Carroll, this is awfully good of you!" exclaimed Shock, going to meet him.

"It's the little lad," said Carroll."It's Patsy, he's breakin' the heart av him, an' he wants to see you, and, your riverince, it's meself--I want to--" The voice broke down completely.

"Come in, come in!" cried Shock, his tears flowing fast."Come, Patsy, do you want to see me? Come on, old chap, I want you, too."He took the little cripple in his arms and held him tight while his tears fell upon Patsy's face and hands.

"Is it for your mother?" whispered Patsy in an awestruck tone.

"Yes, yes, Patsy dear," said Shock, who was fast losing control of himself, the long pent-up grief breaking through all barriers of self-control."She's gone from me, Patsy lad.""But," said the little boy, lifting up his beautiful face in wonder.

"Sure, isn't she wid Jesus Himself and the blessed angels?""Oh, yes, Patsy, my boy! she is, and it's not right to grieve too much, but I cannot help it," said Shock, regaining control of himself."But I am glad you came in to tell me, and we'll all try to be good men so that some day we'll all go there, too."For a long time they sat looking out on the moon-lit lake and the distant hills, Shock telling the little lad he held in his arms of the beautiful country to which his mother had gone.

That night was the beginning of better things for the big Irishman.

The revenge he had cherished for so many months passed out of his heart, and among his closest friends and his warmest companions Shock could count from that time forth Tim Carroll.