第88章

"Why, sure." That seemed quite simple to Ike.

"Swearing, drinking, fighting, gambling," Shock continued.

Ike hesitated.

"Why, you don't suppose He would mind a little thing like a smile with the boys now and then, or a quiet game of poker, do you?""What I say, Ike, is this--if you thought He did mind, would you quit?""Why, sure.You just bet! I said so."

"Well, Ike, supposing some--one of those chaps from the Pass, say Hickey, should walk up and hit you right the face, what would you do?""What? Proceed to eddicate him.Preject him into next week.That is, if there was anything left."Shock opened his Bible and read, "'But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek turn to him the other also.' That is what Jesus Christ says, Ike.""He does, eh? Does it mean just that?" Ike felt that this was a serious difficulty.

"Yes, it means just that."

"Are all you fellers like that?"

This wrought in Shock sudden confusion.

"Well, Ike, I am afraid not, but we ought to be, and we aim to be.""Well," said Ike slowly, "I guess I aint made that way."Then Shock turned the leaves of his Bible, and read the story of the cruel bruising of the Son of Man, and on to the words, "Father, forgive them." Ike had heard this story before, but he had never seen its bearing upon practical life.

"I say," he said, with reverent admiration in his voice, "He did it, didn't He? That's what I call pretty high jumpin', aint it? Well,"he continued, "I can't make no promises, but I tell you what, I'll aim at it.I will, honest.And when you see me weaken, you'll jack me up, won't you? You'll have to stay with me, for it's a mighty hard proposition."Then Shock took his hands."Ike, you are a better man than I am, but I promise you I will stay all I can with you.But there will be days when you will be all alone except that He will be with you.Now listen," and Shock, turning over the leaves of his Bible, read, "Lo, I am with you always," and a little further over and read again, "Ican do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me.""That is His solemn promise, Ike.He has promised to save us from our sins.Do you think you can trust Him to do that?""Why, sure," said Ike, as if nothing else was possible."That's His game, aint it? I guess He'll stay with it.He said so, didn't He?""Yes," said Shock, with a sudden exaltation of faith, "He said so, and He will stay with it.Don't you be afraid, Ike.He will see you through."The Communion Roll when it was completed numbered some eighteen names, and of these eighteen none were more sorely pressed to the wall in God's battle than Ike, and none more loyally than he stayed with the game.

Owing to miscarriage in arrangements, when the Superintendent arrived at the Fort he was surprised to find no one to meet him.

This had an appearance of carelessness or mismanagement that unfavorably impressed the Superintendent as to the business capacity of his missionary.He was too experienced a traveller, however, in the remote and unformed districts of the West, to be at all disconcerted at almost any misadventure.

He inquired for Mr.Macfarren, and found him in Simmons' store, redolent of bad tobacco and worse whiskey, but quite master of his mental and physical powers.The Superintendent had business with Mr.

Macfarren, and proceeded forthwith to transact it.

After his first salutation he began, "When I saw you last, Mr.

Macfarren, you professed yourself keenly desirous of having services established by our church here.""Yes."

"Why this sudden change, represented by your letter to the Committee, and the petition, which I judge was promoted by yourself?

I placed a man here, with every expectation of success.How can you explain this change in you and in the people you represent?"The Superintendent's bodily presence was anything but weak, and men who could oppose him when at a distance, when confronted with him found it difficult to support their opposition.Macfarren found it so.He began in an apologetic manner, "Well, Doctor, circumstances have changed.Times have been none too good.In fact, we are suffering from financial stringency at present.""Mr.Macfarren, be specific as to your reasons.Your letter and your petition were instrumental in persuading the Committee to a complete change of policy.This should not be without the very best of reasons.""Well, as I was saying," answered Macfarren, "finances were--""Tut! tut! Mr.Macfarren.You do not all become poor in six months.

Your cattle are still here.Your horses have suffered from no plague.""Well," said Mr.Macfarren, "the people have become alienated.""Alienated? From the church?"

"Well, yes.They seem to be satisfied with--to prefer, indeed, the Anglican services.""Mr.Macfarren, do you mean to tell me that the Presbyterians of this country prefer any church to their own? I fear they are a different breed from those I have known, and unworthy to represent the church of their fathers.""Well, the truth is, Doctor," said Macfarren, considerably nettled at the Superintendent's manner, "the people consider that they were not well treated in the supply you sent them.""Ah! Now we have it.Well, let us be specific again.Is Mr.

Macgregor not a good preacher?"

"No, he is not.He is not such a preacher as many of us have been accustomed to.""By the way, Mr.Macfarren, what do your people pay toward this man's salary? Five hundred? Three hundred? We only asked you two hundred, and this you found difficult.And yet you expect a two-thousand-dollar preacher."

"Well, his preaching was not his only fault," said Macfarren."He was totally unsuited to our people.He was a man of no breeding, no manners, and in this town we need a man--""Wait a moment, Mr.Macfarren.You can put up with his preaching?""Yes."

"Did he visit his people?"

"Yes, goodness knows, he did that enough.""Was his character good?"

"Oh, certainly."