The indicator., 1904-10-29


as the Pilot said to me afterward In a
rnge. 1t is true Williams, the store
keeper Just come from across the
line" did all the talking. but no one
paid much attention to his fluent fatu-
tiles except as they represented the un-
expressed mind of the dour, exasperat-
Ing little Scotchman, who sat silent
but for an AYE" now and then. so ex-
pressiVe and conclusive that every one
knew what he meant and that the dis
cussion was Mt an end. The school
house was quite sufficient for the pres
ent The people We're too few and too
poor. and they We're getting on well
under the leadership of their present
minister These were the arguments
which Robbie's AYE" stamped as quite
unanswerable.
1t was n sore blow to the Pilot. who
had set his heart upon church. and
neither Mrs. Muir's "hoots" Mt her hus-
bands slowness nor her promises that
she "wad max him hear it" could bring
comfort or relieve his gloom.
In this state of mind he rode up with
me to pay our weekly visit to the little
girl shut up In her lonely house among
the hills
1t had become the Pilots custom dur
ing these weeks to turn for cheer to
that little room. and seldom was he
disappointed She was so bright. 50
brave, so CHEEKY and so full of fun that
gloom faded from her presence as mist
before the sun and impatience was
shamed Into content.
Owens bright FACET was almost al
ways bright now-and her bright well
come did something for the Pilot, but
the feeling of failure was upon him.
was worse than pain. Not that he con-
fessed either to failure or gloom; he
was far too true man for that. but
Gwen felt his depression in spite of all
his brave attempts at brightness, and
insisted that he was Ill, appealing to
me.
"Oh, it's only his church," l said, pro
ceeding to give her an account of Rob-
bic Muir's silent. solid inertness and
how he had blocked the Pilots scheme.
"What a shame.' cried Gwen indig-
nantly. what n bad man he must
be-
The Pilot smiled NO, indeed" he
answered. why, he's the best man in
the place, but wish he would say or
do something If he would only get
mad and swear l think I should feel
happier"
Gwen looked quite mystified.
l,s, rtt i,, n
lence looking so tremendously wise
that most men feel foolish If they
speak, while ms for doing anything the
idea appears preposterous in the face
of his immovableness."
81 can't bear him" cried Gwen. "I
should like 10 stick pin in him."
81 wish some one would" answered
the Pilot. 1T would make him seem
more human If he could be made to
jump"
"Try again" said Gwen, land get
some one to make him jump
at would be easier to build the
church," said the Pilot gloomily.
81 could make him jump" said Gwen
viciously, land | will" she added after
pause.
Your answered the Pilot, opening
his eyes. How"
an find some way" she replied reso
lutely.
And so she did, for when the next
meeting was called to consult as to
the building of church, the congrega-
ton, chiefly of farmers and their
wives, with Williams, the storekeeper,
Were greatly surprised to see Bronco
Bill, Hi and half dozen ranchers and
cowboys walk in at intervals and SOL
emnly seat themselves. Robbie looked
at them with surprise and little SUE
picion. In church matters he had no
dealings with the Samaritans from the
hills, and while. in their unregenerate
condition. they might be regarded az
suitable objects of missionary effort, as
to their having any part in the direc-
ton, much less control, of the church
policy-from such notion Robbie was
delivered by his loyal adherence to the
Scriptural injunction that he should
not cast pearls before swine.
The Pilot, though surprised to see
Bill and the cattle men, was none the
less delighted and faced the meeting
with more confidence. He stated the
question for discussion: Should a church
building be erected this summer In
Swan Creek? and he put his case well.
Then followed dread, solemn silence.
Robbie was content to wait till the ef-
feet of the speech should be disslpated
in smaller talk. Then he gravely said:
1.-The kirk wad be n gran thing, nae